We recently had the chance to connect with Jonae Michelle and have shared our conversation below.
Jonae, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My mornings aren’t rigid, but they’re intentional. The first 90 minutes of my day are about easing in, not jumping ahead. I take a few moments in bed to decompress, set intentions, and sit with gratitude before moving too fast. I light incense, open the blinds, and invite the sunlight in when it’s available. Those small rituals help me feel centered and remind me that the way I start my day matters.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
First and foremost, I am an artist, and even saying that still feels a little surreal. For a long time, especially when I first started returning to my art, there was a part of me that struggled to fully believe it. But over time, my confidence grew. Art is what helped me find myself again, and in many ways, it saved me. There was a period where I felt lost, searching for the thing that would reignite that spark in me, and art became that anchor.
I spent a lot of time exploring, experimenting, and refining my style, so my work today looks very different from when I first started, and I think that’s a natural and necessary part of being an artist. I’m deeply grateful for that evolution. When I look at my work then compared to now, I don’t just see growth in my art, I see growth in myself. There’s beauty in that kind of progression; it’s a journey.
Lately, I’ve been leaning more into collage work, and it’s been especially meaningful for me. Working with my hands, creating something tangible, has pushed my creativity to a whole new level. It’s allowed me to explore my ideas in a more physical, intuitive way, and I’m excited to continue growing in this direction as I evolve as an artist.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped how I see the world was finding my way back to art after a period where I felt genuinely lost. I didn’t fully realize how disconnected I had become from myself until I started creating again. That process forced me to slow down, sit with myself, and pay attention to what I was feeling instead of rushing past it. Art became a space where I could be honest without having to explain myself, and through that honesty, I began to understand myself more clearly.
Creating taught me patience and perspective. It showed me that growth doesn’t always happen in big, dramatic moments and that sometimes it unfolds quietly, over time. Things don’t have to come together all at once to be meaningful. That experience reshaped how I move through the world now. I approach life with more intention, more grace for myself and others, and a deeper understanding that becoming who you are is a process, not a destination.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to sit with myself without distraction. It forced me to slow down, listen inward, and develop patience and self-trust in ways success never could. Success can affirm you, but suffering strips things down and shows you what you’re made of when there’s nothing external to lean on. It taught me empathy, humility, and resilience, and it gave me a deeper appreciation for peace and small moments. Those lessons stayed with me in a way success alone never could.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
A belief I once held very tightly was that if I was disciplined enough, kind enough, and did everything “right,” life would unfold in a fair and predictable way. I believed that effort alone could protect me from disappointment and that clarity would always follow good intentions. Over time, I realized how naïve that was. Life isn’t transactional, and outcomes aren’t always tied to how much heart or work you put in.
Letting go of that belief was uncomfortable, but it reshaped me. I learned that uncertainty isn’t a failure, and detours aren’t punishments. Some lessons only come through waiting, loss, or things not working out the way you hoped. Releasing the need for control taught me resilience, humility, and a deeper sense of compassion, both for myself and for others. Now I hold things more loosely. I still work hard and move with intention, but I no longer expect life to follow a script just because I did everything “right.”
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What false labels are you still carrying?
One false label I’m still unlearning is the idea that I’m “behind.” For a long time, I measured my life against timelines that weren’t mine and internalized the belief that I should be further along by now. That label made me overlook the growth that was happening quietly and the progress that didn’t look conventional. I’m learning to release that narrative and recognize that my path has its own rhythm. What once felt like delay was often preparation, and I’m still in the process of fully letting that sink in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.theartistjm.com
- Instagram: Jonaemxchelle
