We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Janna Yotte. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Janna below.
Janna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
I previously worked as a freelance photographer, graphic designer and art director. When I decided to pursue my career in contemporary arts, I assumed it would be a similar kind of hustle in which I was comfortable – and it’s not. Looking back, I stepped into it knowing nothing about it. Here are some things that unfolded as different challenges:
– Solitude.
I wanted to do art to be alone in my studio, yet quickly found it wasn’t sustainable for my mental health.
– Finding (the right) community.
I quickly learned that this new lane I was in is closely tied to academics, where they are given pears to evolve with. Being self taught, finding a few artists who share similar visions took me many years – and now I really cherish them!
– Fast pace evolution vs slow process
Pretty much everything that needs to get done within this career takes a lot of time, yet the pressure and hunger to make it all happen quickly is real. The pivots and planning for long term next steps happens at a much more rapid cycle than I anticipated – that’s one I’m still learning to deal with as I’m writing.
Janna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
As a teenager, I stopped pursuing a professional ballet training and transitioned towards skateboard photography, a scene that looking back, wasn’t very welcoming then. I managed to find a few great souls and got to travel in California and NYC for about 2 years. What I thought would take me a lifetime to accomplish in skateboard photography had actually come true by the time I was 20, so I went back home to Montreal to pursue art direction.
I studied graphic design and worked freelance for a few years before I realized that I do not enjoy working with a computer. That was at the same time I started making collages, just for fun and initially to challenge my graphic design. I loved it so much and it quickly took over.
I didn’t know anything about the art world. I only knew that artists do art exhibitions, therefore, I was gonna do an exhibition. So I used the space of photographer friend for a weekend and made a very DIY exhibition of my first series of 20 artworks. I invited everyone I had ever met and sold everything.
Obviously, at 23, it felt like the confirmation that I am a genius destined for a grandiose career. Although I quickly learned it was not a sustainable trick to pull off every season. While I kept making work, I learned about the art world, reached out to more established artists and most importantly found a consultant and followed her advises.
I improved my art practice, through large collages assembling ancient anatomical imagery, snakes and mushrooms into meticulously evolving new beings.
In 2022, I’ve transposed those themes of evolution, resilience and beauty standard in to sculptures, using a similar accumulation and transformation based practice. I create serpentine like entities where the scales are made by artificial nails.
I experience my art journey very much like a spiritual path. In the sense that I show up every day with blind faith in the materials, knowing that intention matched with actions accumulated into new state of existence.
With that I am very grateful to be able to call this my work, to have exhibited internationally and to make many collectors who reasonate with my art and have chosen to live with it.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The freedom! Equally the creative freedom and in terms of lifestyle, schedule and commitments.
My art practice is iterative, it’s how I love to do it, and with every new result I get to choose what I want to take from it and what can change with the hope of arriving at a perfect point. The perfect point never quite happens – at least not yet – so I usually accumulate a broad spectrum of what I meant to explore. When it no longer feels challenging or intriguing enough, I can change entirely the way I approach it.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Trading. Although I started pretty early on, I want to highlight the power we have as creatives and entrepreneurs to trade our skills and product. We all need to wear so many hats to get the job done and I don’t believe we are meant to do it all by ourselves. Trades have been one of the best ways that I got to focus on what I’m good at and love to do and let others apply their skills sets where I most needed it.
Contact Info:
- Website: jannayotte.com
- Instagram: @jannayotte
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