Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaycee Haas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jaycee, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Like many creative artist, my early career days are a myriad of retail jobs, cooking jobs, baking jobs, middle management jobs. I do this because I feel maybe I am not ‘good’ enough, maybe Ive been told full time art isnt a viable career, I am told to do it in my free time as a hobby. I spent years working so hard for industries that didnt hold my heart. I would work 7 days a week to bartend and book bands and clean houses. I would arrive at 3am to make croissants and pies. And I was good at all of it. Not naturally, but you make enough cocktails wrong or mess up a dough mix and overtime you learn. I wanted to be good because I cared, I cared because I thought if i just kept doing my best someday someone would bring me my keys to freedom. But with every late night loading in a new band I wasnt practicing what I loved. I wasnt making art. Then finally one day I realized noone was bringing me any magic keys, unless I made a move I was staying in my mixing pot of industries. And what did those industires give me? so much really! I learned to do so many things that other poeple love. It just wasnt what I loved.
So, I imagined my dream: Artist. I changed the label: job. and I tought mysef how to do it. Just the same. It became no more intimidating than any position I had held in the past. But now I had control and fulfillment. Yes I make mistakes, and yes there are bad days but no more than I’ve already experinced in any other job.

Jaycee, 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?

I am a self taught artist specializing in ceramics and painting. I like to blend to two worlds creating functional art that is full of color, pop culture references and low brow doodles to make the viewer chuckle. I call my business PB and Junk because, to me, it just fits. My pieces are polished, smooth and suitable for an adult yet with a flair of childhood joy and contemporary design.

I’m just a little pb+j sandwich thats willing to dumpster dive to inspiration and when I pop out of the dumpster with a banana peel on my head I’ll be beaming with a smile.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Before I was doing what I loved for full time work I didnt not understand what that desire for longevity was.

Life was cool, life was fine. But now? now! I feel like I am being pumped with joy and inspiration and ideas and beauty. And I just need all the time I can squeeze out of this crazy life to see what I can accomplish in 2 years in 5 years in 20 years. I dont even know my own limits, thats exciting.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Be mindful of your purchases. Yes, sometimes we need to buy from a ‘box’ store, I dont want to shame people for that, I get our economy. But if everyone rethought one purchase per month and went local, or handmade, or sustainable that alone would have the power start to turn the support back into our communities.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pbandjunk.bigcartel.com
• Instagram: @instagram.com/pb_and_junk

Image Credits
photos taken by me, Jaycee Rose Haas