Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Phoebe (Feebee) Joynt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Phoebe (Feebee), thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
I have been a full-time artist (self-employed) since 2019 and still to this day in April of 2022 the question of “should I just get a real full-time, work in a cubicle, in an office, water cooler talk, actual co-workers kind of job?” And I think that’s okay, as creatives, to question our self-employed commitment especially under times of stress, feeling under appreciated by our clients, or just during times of creative writer’s block and struggling. Let’s face it; knowing at the end of a work week at a 9-5 job that you are guaranteed a paycheck from your company is a HUGE stress relief. It’s scary and risky to be a self-employed creative. We don’t have that guarantee of a paycheck at the end of the week. I recently had this question flash through my head this past week when mid-way through creating a tufted wall-hanging my machine that I use completely broke down on me. I had a really tight deadline to begin with, which was why I was working ungodly hours and through the weekend to finish it. But there was just no way around this problem, the very tool that is essential for me to create and finish this piece just broke down in my hands. It was like this inanimate object was telling me that it too was pushed too far and couldn’t continue at this rate.
I thought how easy it would be to just have to sit behind a desk and answer phones or input data or etc. at a “normal” job. But the thing about when this question or thought pops up into my head I quickly recall all the positives that are in my life because I am a full-time creative, doing what I love. I don’t watch the clock waiting for it to hit 5pm at the end of every day, I don’t really TGIF either. I get to spend more quality time with my loved ones and pets on MY TIME not dictated by a boss. I think about how lucky I am to be able to do this and that I can get by doing what I love and creating every day. I think it’s important for us to remember that fact. To be thankful for the all the positives in our lives and not get sucked into the negative thought spiral of comparison or financial stress. Have faith in the work you do and the financial safety net will follow. Keep pushing your creative ideas, and bettering your practice and most importantly PUT IN THE WORK. When you put in the work everything else will fall into place.
Phoebe (Feebee), 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?
My name is FeeBee. I went to art school in NYC and graduated with a BFA in 2015. Post college I was working in a lot of different screen printing shops, working myself up the ranks and really getting familiar in that kind of work environment and setting. I worked myself up to be a graphic designer in a big apparel screen printing shop in NY and got really familiar and skilled with the entire Adobe Creative Suite (something I had been avoiding in college as a hard-core believer in creating with your own two hands and being a scaredy cat of computer programs unknown to me). In 2019 I was subtly let go of my graphic design position from a small screen printing shop in Austin, TX. It was really terrifying at first. But I had been putting in the work every weekend up to that point by creating new paintings and artworks from my in-home studio and going to the local graffiti park and practicing and perfecting my mural skills on a large scale basis. Getting fired from my job was the biggest blessing in disguise and instilled in me the true power to the saying “when one door closes another one opens.” I was able to get a big break and participate in SXSW in 2019 and complete my first large-scale mural and really get my name out there. From that point on it was some really great word of mouth and essential networking opportunities that allowed me to become the creative artist I am today. Today I focus on pushing the creative limits with my modern pop-art style through the mediums of acrylic paint, fiber arts, and spray paint. I work on large scale walls or big canvases from my home studio.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
PAY ARTISTS A LIVING WAGE and most importantly pay FEMALE artists a living wage, especially in the mural / street art community. The public appreciates and engages with murals more now than ever before through social media. Good art drives good business and improves the communities it resides in. There is so much power in art and artists need to be offered substantial and fair compensation for their work, to allow them to continue creating and putting good work out there and most importantly to inspire the next generation of amazing artists.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Watching how the community engages and enjoys the bright, colorful mural art I put out into the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://phoebejoynt.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/feebee_n_jay/