We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jewell Eastwind-Blessmann a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jewell, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

I will love to say if am a multidimensional creative because I juggle videography, photography and poetry. It actually begun with poetry, spoken word to be precise and from the get go I was just trying to be on stage and perform my work and that was all, nothing more. But moving on i noticed as a creative person I need to bring in the business aspect of it because though its a craft, I am also providing a service, entertaining people, writing to the theme of the program and all so I made a brand, and then put a price tag on it. This is also to provide financial support for your artform because you will need to evolve and become a better version of yourself, from recording audios to making videos. That aside I believe art shouldn’t be given free. And there’s a way videography, photography and poetry connect for me. I am in a place where I can write, make videos to create content for myself and others at a fee, and also create conceptual pictures and short films. It hasn’t been easy figuring this out but I am still learning, I believe as creatives we never quit learning as well, there’s always something new that you can add to your craft as a creative to level up. Also if you can go to school to acquire more knowledge if not read something to get the bigger picture of your artform and that’s what I have been doing and I think it’s been super so far. I am at a level where I feel it’s the god mode. I write with ink and light simultaneously, who would have thought that I could create and put a value to it. I also teach poetry in a school, so another way to level up is to teach what you are good at and for a fact I love my students so much, they’re good. And also for poetry you can participate in poetry slams, it’s a poetry competition where the winner goes with a price and I have won a couple of them. Who knows, you might be lucky and I have been a lucky guy for a long time lol

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I will say the industry is broad and it is in following your passion and purpose that you tend to discover who you really are. I have always had the passion for writing, where I tend to write about how I feel, so back in JHS (Nana Kwaku Boateng), my teacher (Mr. McLean Opare) introduced us to the Junior graphic fan club, My other colleagues had their poems in there and that encouraged me to also submit my works, upon submitting i had two of my poems appearing in the graphic and it was back to back, if made me understand nothing is actually impossible.

You will also need to be determined, focused, consistent and stubborn because many people will try to persuade you so you will stop creating because to them being a creative doesn’t pay but I will say it pays, just learn to meet people, create the right connection and create a balance, personally I do not create a balance but I always advice others to do so because it helps, I have seen it work for others.

With poetry all you need is a pen and a book to write and then your memorization powers, but when it comes to photography and videography you’ll need a camera and a laptop which do not come cheap, and I have been going through it, however I am saving towards buying a camera, for now I am using my phone, sometimes I get a camera from friends, you can also rent which is a little costly, but save up, do Susu and get a laptop first, then tackle the issue of the camera, personally got a laptop, and I am waiting on an old camera to be repaired.

On this journey I am proud of the fact that I have won more poetry slams in Ghana than anyone else, if we are taking the preliminary out I have won 8 poetry slams, if we are adding them then I have won 10 of that and nobody in the history of the country has been able to do that, also I have had the chance to travel out of the country severally to represent Ghana for poetry on so many occasions, One of the opportunities that got me so hyped and knowing i was actually worth it was an opportunity to perform at the apolo theatre in New York as a guest from Ghana, I was sent a letter and everything but it didn’t work out due to the timing and the fact that the American Embassy at the time wasn’t giving visas, but I believe there’s more in store and we are just getting started. Just watch out.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

So i suffer from a mini speech impediment, and I didn’t start out as a good writer/performer, also people did not like my style because they said i was too loud and aggressive but I never gave up on myself, i kept practicing and I will say a big thank you to Royal my younger brother, anytime I have a performance he will sit in the midst of the audience, write down every word I found challenging and then when we get home he will make me rehearse and pronounce over and over till I get it right and that’s why I say I am always learning to become a better version of myself, people listen to me and tell me that I am great but to me I have a lot more to learn so I keep learning and that’s how I keep the fire for this artform burning

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, I just want to be the best there is in this field, combining pictures, videos and poetry to create an art that speaks volumes. Sometimes i am misunderstood especially when I am speaking about my arts, and people think I am angry but that’s the passion talking, we create with our soul and spirit, so every art piece I make is a part of me that I give freely to who ever believes and is inspired and wants to be a desciple. I want anyone that sits under my voice to be influenced by the words of my mouth, the mission is simple, make disciples of the art and that’s the journey I am on.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: spokengodgram, eastwind.blessmann.jewell
• Facebook: Jewell King-Speaks
• Linkedin: Jewell Eastwind-Blessmann
• Twitter: jewelkingspeaks
• Youtube: Jewell King-Speaks
• Soundcloud: Jewell King-Speaks
• Other: Tiktok – jewellkingspeaks_
  Tiktok – eastwindmadeit