We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessie Eckroad a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessie, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

From a young age, my parents fostered my love for the arts, teaching me a variety of skills including painting, sewing, beading, woodworking, and more. For as long as I can remember, creating art has been an enriching pastime for me, and my way of showing love for my friends and family. I have created hundred of pieces of art that I gave a gifts, but I never really considered art as a possible career. I have degrees in Environmental Science and Sociology, and have been an environmental educator in Hastings for almost a decade.

But then the pandemic hit. I, like many other people, began reevaluating my life. Not only was my world disrupted financially, professionally, physically, and emotionally by the pandemic, I was also navigating my feelings surrounding the police killing of George Floyd. I was heartbroken by the suffering I was seeing, and I felt hopeless. Nothing seemed important anymore, and I couldn’t see a positive path forward. There was, however, one bright light. One things that made people feel peace and optimism. I was watching my community examine emotions and heal wounds through art.

During quarantine, I began a weekly online crafting class for my friends and family. It was simply intended as way for people to connect and alleviate cabin fever. I also started taking commission work as a way to make extra money and fulfill my need for a creative outlet. The overwhelming positive feedback I was receiving about my work flipped a switch. I started seriously thinking, “I could do this… I could be a ‘real’ artist.” And with each passing day, my thoughts shift from “I could,” to “I should,” to “I need,” and finally, “I will.” I made the leap in January of this year.

Jessie, 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’m Jessie Eckroad – The proud owner of Bodacious Badger Designs LLC. I’m a Twin Cities based artist specializing in acrylic painting and photography. From a young age, my parents fostered my love for the arts, teaching me a variety of skills including painting, sewing, beading, woodworking, and more. In addition to having an affinity for the arts, I am also deeply passionate about wildlife and the outdoors. With professional training as a scientist and environmental educator, it’s no wonder that nature and animals are the subject of most of my art.

I pride myself on being willing to paint anything on any surface, and I’m committed to helping people translate their visions to reality. I’ve painted indoor and outdoors murals, honored the lives of family pets through portraits, taken dull furniture and turned it into a one-of-a-kind statement piece, created personalized signage with custom images and text, painted wildlife on canvas, and much more. Additionally, I am passionate about capturing the beauty of nature through photography. I also help foster the feeling of “home” through real estate photography for agents, contractors, and home designers.

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

As someone who is in the beginning stages of building a career as an artist, I’m very discouraged that society does not seem to value hand-made art, either financially or philosophically. Artists dedicate countless hours to conceptualizing and shaping their creations. They scrape together money for equipment and materials. Tremendous effort is poured into refining skills. Yet so many people scoff at the price of art and don’t view the pursuit of art as a “real” job.

This is particularly discouraging for me because, to be honest, I don’t know how to fix this complex problem. I know there needs to be a change in mindset, but what comes first? The chicken or the egg? Where do we start? Do we first put effort into artists being valued as people and fostering an appreciation of the intrinsic value for art? Or do we focus on demonstrating the practical and financial value of art? Will one type of appreciation lead to the other?

I might not know that answer, but I think I know where to start – increasing visibility and educating society about the vibrant lives of artists and the complexity of their processes. Despite social media being a double-edged sword, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook have been places where artists can share their work far and wide. For this, I am very grateful.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I can distill my entire journey, both artistic and personally, to one purpose – Fostering happiness. I don’t need a big house and a fancy car. I just want to support the modest lifestyle of my family. I don’t need to be well-known, and I don’t expect that my work will hang in museums once I am gone. Putting aside glory and riches allows me to focus on what I think is most important – making beautiful things that bring light and peace to people’s lives, even if it’s for a small, fleeting moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bodacious-badger-designs.com/
• Instagram: @bodacious_badger_13
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessie.eckroad/
• Other: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jessie-eckroad

Image Credits
NA – All photos taken by artist