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

Natasha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

It is important to know your worth as an artist and a worker. It is also important to ask questions when it comes to work. As artists, we tend to romanticize the person we want to become and the “dream job” we want to have. However, this becomes a problem when we are so blinded by what we want that we fail to acknowledge the here-and-now, and how far we’ve already come. Taking the time to evaluate your skills in alignment with your goals– and hence knowing the value you bring to the table– is an important step in avoiding pitfalls such as burnout, needless competition, or being taken advantage of. Also, I think being unafraid to ask questions is just an overall mark of an effective communicator, not just a professional.

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 am a storyteller, first and foremost. I’m almost always making observations and learning lessons in such a way that I can relay my experiences to someone else. Bonus points if the way I tell it is entertaining to others haha. I specialize in making comic books about superheroes, urban fantasy, and historical fiction with the primary goal of centering Black voices and Black stories. I am inspired by my mixed African American heritage and my love of tigers, so the stories I tell are often reflected by that. I am most proud of my current comic book project, Zeraya. It is about a kindhearted girl with developing powers who finally meets her estranged mother–only to learn she is the ruthless leader of a superpowered street gang. Originally, this project started as my thesis for college, but I am excited to see where the journey of its development will take me next.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Remember that art is a skill. Yes, it helps make life enjoyable and some artists make what they do look easy, but art is a learned skill. For every finished illustration I create, there are at least twenty failed attempts I had to toss out, not to mention the hundreds of ideas that didn’t come to fruition. Art isn’t about the idea or the content, it’s about caring enough to undergo the process so that the right ideas shine through. That takes time, effort, and even failure. But that’s ok, because there’s beauty in the journey, no matter the stage.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

While competition can be a good motivator, it isn’t always healthy. Sometimes it’s better to learn from those you can’t “beat.” I remember describing my feelings about art school to a classmate, saying I felt “like an anime protagonist entering the tournament arc” haha. I would look around my classroom, see which artist felt the most “out of my league,” and try my best to befriend and learn from them. This approach not only expands my network, but now I have another person in my corner to encourage me whenever it feels like the challenges I’m facing are too great. My closest friends are creatives I once admired and sometimes felt intimidated by. Yet, they remind me that everyone is on their path going their own pace– even those I thought were “better” than me have their own set of challenges. In other words, it’s good to lean on your connections and that you’re only competing with yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://natashabowersart.wordpress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jungleinx/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jungleinx/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JungleInx
• Other: https://cara.app/jungleinx