Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jasmine Loren. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Jasmine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
As an artist, I’ve always believed in the importance of embracing uncertainty, stepping out of my comfort zone, and pushing my own boundaries– taking risks, and taking them easy. In this day and age, artists who share their work online can easily succumb to the pressures of perfectionism, and the critiques of others– that’s why it’s important to always be brave and champion yourself. Opening yourself up for the whole world to see can be scary sometimes, but with that, you grant yourself the opportunity to receive feedback, build online artistic communities, help others, and collaborate with other artists.
Personally, I’ve been sharing my work online since I was 14 years old. Of course, I didn’t see it as “work” back then, it was just a fun “internet thing” to do. I would post the art I’d make at school and at home on Myspace and Tumblr– when Instagram was created, I was so excited to have a place where I can archive everything I create for my viewing pleasure. To this day, I have all of my posts dating back to my very first post in 2011 still up. With every post of my art came that feeling of taking a risk. While being vulnerable with my process, I’ve also experimented and dabbled in so many forms of art– which is also taking a risk. Experimenting and trying new things that I’ve never done before (or seen before) is the ultimate sense of FREEDOM… for me, freedom is what it’s all about. Fourteen years later, I still document my art and leave it up to show others my process. I’m not afraid of allowing myself to make “bad art” or to look back at when I wasn’t really sure what I was doing. I’m very proud of all the risks I’ve taken so far. Taking risks as an artist is exactly what led me to THIS very opportunity!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi! My name is Jasmine Loren, or just “REN”. I’m a multidisciplinary artist who loves to create across the board. I paint, I do graphic design, and I’m learning to tattoo. Anything that involves the act of “making”, I’m there! I offer graphic design services and custom art online at jasmineloren.com or on my Instagram page, @jasmineloren.
Starting off as a self-taught artist and graphic designer, naturally I just shared my work online because it (art) was what I loved, what came easiest to me, and what I did with my time. While sharing my work online throughout my teenage years, I was starting to become recognized. That recognition made me want to improve my work and perfect my craft, so I decided to go to college for graphic design. I graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) in 2018 with a major in Graphic Design and a minor in Web Communications. Since graduating, I’ve freelanced and collaborated with so many other creatives. From musicians, fellow artists, YouTubers, streamers, filmmakers, to clothing designers– I design album art, logos, clothing, flyers, social media assets, branding, and everything in between! If you can imagine it, I can bring it to life. I’m most proud of all the projects that involve collaboration and experimentation. I’ve been able to illustrate a book, sell/show my personal paintings and prints at art shows, and even win some graphic design competitions.
With where I’m at now as an artist, I hope to be able to collaborate and work with more people. I plan to continue to experiment, and have fun with my art and incorporate a sense of wild freedom along with my other personal interests– music, film, and spiritual matter.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
One of my biggest lessons I had to unlearn was PERFECTIONISM. For so many years, I thought in order for me to be a successful artist, I had to create for the viewer and not myself. I focused too much on my paintings and drawings having to look hyperrealistic, my graphics to be top-of-the-line with the latest software, and being a human machine for money. October 2021 was my first time experiencing “burnout”. I was surviving off of Red Bulls and hope! One night, I was at the gas station that I would go to almost every night to buy my handful of Red Bulls to last me until my next handful. The guy working register would always scold me on how unhealthy energy drinks are, but this night he asked me why I was drinking them. I didn’t want to go on a full tirade on all the work I had to do and all the hours I felt like I HAD to devote to the work– instead, I simply told him “I’m tired all the time”. When I said it, I had the biggest smile on my face and laughed. I didn’t want to be scolded, I just wanted to pay for my caffeine lifeline and get out. He looked at me, and asked “If you’re this happy when you’re tired, who are you when you’re not tired?” That question shook me. I felt like he ripped my mask off– but as I thought about it, I wasn’t sure WHO I was outside of my obligations. I realized that I had turned my passion into profit and was no longer happy creating. I wasn’t doing it for ME anymore, I was doing it to survive.
After that night, I decided that I had to balance what art was for me and what art was for my business. I let myself rest and sit in the burnout feeling. I allowed myself to unmask and create for the sake of creating while letting go of all thoughts of what I considered to be “perfect” art. I created a series of paintings that involved no specific details and allowed myself to go with the flow. The paintings themselves were focused more on the feeling of creating, and I did that by using mixed media to create textures and monotones vs. my usual portraits full of details and pretty colors. I wanted to strip down and see if I could satisfy my creative hunger by rejecting all of what I was used to. By doing that, two months later– January 2022, I was invited to do two different art shows back to back with those paintings! It was totally unexpected, but everything I dreamed of as an artist– two art shows in one month after never doing a solo show before! By letting go of perfectionism, I felt I was awarded that opportunity. Of course, in these times, it’s easy to slip back into those habits of perfectionism, especially if you’re freelancing and really need the money. I have to constantly remind myself that there has to be a balance between art for myself and art for others so I won’t burnout again. That simple interaction at the gas station really changed the course of my life as an artist!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that I can fully express myself without saying a word. For someone like me, who deals with social anxiety, I’m not the best at starting or holding conversations. I have so many ideas, philosophies, theories, beliefs, thoughts, and feelings that I can’t put to words– I can create a poster, or paint a painting, and express everything inside of me with no blockages. Those with the eyes to see will understand and will gravitate towards the artwork, and that’s how I’ve been able to find and connect with my “tribe”. Finding peers who feel the same as you is another rewarding aspect that comes with being an artist, because when you have more in common with someone, and you feel safe with them, the social anxiety melts away. When your vulnerability and honesty is met with understanding by art alone– it can’t get more rewarding than that!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jasmineloren.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasmineloren/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jasmineloren
Image Credits
Jasmine Loren