Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Engle.
Jess, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I have painted for as long as I can remember, but never considered art to be a career option. So, I went to school for something more “practical” and spent about a decade working in advertising and branding in NYC. About half of my way through that, my soul started to let me know that corporate life was just not going to fly long term.
It took me a few years to convince myself that I could be an artist and support myself at the same time and gain the courage to quit my day job. Two years ago, I took the leap, moved back to Austin to be close to family, and completely turned my life around. I’ve never looked back!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I do a pretty broad spectrum of work, which is what keeps me inspired. I focus on a balance of modern fine art that I sell as reproductions through retailers and illustration for kids and brands and businesses. My first love is children’s illustration, so my longer-term goal is to write and illustration picture books, but for now I’m enjoying the blend.
In terms of my style and inspiration – my parents were diplomats, and as a result I spent most of my childhood in Africa – Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa and Togo. So, I really got to live in different cultures from all around the continent. Africans still have a very strong culture of crafts, so there were handmade goods and markets that speckled almost every road. Since everything was handmade, it was all imperfect, and I thought that imperfection was beautiful. No two things were ever exactly the same. That has really influenced my own process and aesthetic. It’s about capturing the imperfections, the visceral response, the simplicity and life that is inherent in everything.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
I think the most important thing is to keep doing the work. Don’t worry too much about money initially, because you should focus on your voice, that is what is going to ultimately bring in the money.
As an artist there is no one-size-fits-all business model, I see this as an opportunity, rather than a struggle. I diversify my revenue streams as much as possible so that I am never dependent on just one to pay the bills. I focus as much as possible on passive income, and then I supplement that with higher paying freelance projects that are less reliable but will bring in bigger chunks at a time. It’s all about finding balance and believing in yourself.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can follow my work on the world wide web:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orwellsadventures/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/studiojess
dot com: http://www.jessengle.com/
People can buy giclée prints on Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/studioxjess
Or, people can commission a custom piece or work with me on an illustration project anytime!
Contact Info:
- Address: 5509 Gloucester Lane.
Austin, TX 78735 - Website: jessengle.com
- Email: jess@jessengle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orwellsadventures
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wasabipear
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/studiojess
Image Credit:
Art by Jess Engle
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