Artistic Ashley Ja’nae

Name: Ashley Ja’nae
Age: 21
From: Washington, D.C., USA
Profession: Student, Art & Design Education

BB: Tell me about your background and what type of art you do. Also mention  your studies and what you are studying for in specific? ( I may use this information to do an introductory paragraph on you.)

AJ: I’ve been drawing since I was young and I come from a very creative and crafty family. I really took to painting when I was 16. My art teachers in high school were encouraging yet allowed me a great deal of independence. My first few paintings were abstract and I exclusively used acrylic paint. Now I mostly paint and draw. For my paintings, I still work with acrylics but I also use oil. I’ve been doing a lot of ink drawings lately. Right now I’m studying to get my bachelors in Art & Design Education. I took a few art classes in high school and am now studying in an art school.

BB: It's not the most popular choice for people and is often frowned upon by most well-meaning parents who think you will never be able to make a decent living doing it. Why art? What is your long-term goal or mission?

AJ: I’m really lucky to have a supportive mom who has been incredibly encouraging of doing what makes me happy. Why art? Art has really stuck with me. It’s something that I know I’ll be doing for the rest of my life because I won’t be able to get sick of it. I enjoy other activities and could have easily chosen to study sociological research or women’s studies. But art translate life experiences in a way that a research paper, for example, cannot express. I enjoy creating art because it allows me to not only learn about myself but the world we live in. I don’t have any specific long-term goals for my work but I do wish to continue to make socially conscious work.

BB: A lot of people thing that art is innate and you don't need training to do it well. What are your thoughts?

AJ: Art is highly subjective. Some people might like your work and others may not. To say that an artist’s work is good or bad makes it seem as though art can be viewed from an objective standpoint. And that’s far from the truth. I believe there are specific tools and skills that are definitely useful for any artists. But the amount of training and skills an artist has and uses depends on the subject matter and the artist’s goals.  I don’t think an artist’s validation should be based on the amount of training he or she has but it should be based on the work. You don’t need a lot of training to do great art but one’s perspective on what might be considered great is different from another’s.

BB: How would you describe your work and what inspires you?

AJ: I would like to think that my work is socially conscious. I’m really interested in exploring social issues like feminism, racism, and gender & sex roles. Visually speaking, there’s certainly an element of abstraction to the portraits I create. Lately my inspiration has been natural hair. I’ve been natural for over a year now and as I’ve become more comfortable with my hair in its natural state, I’ve been depicting women with kinky hair more frequently if not exclusively. Conceptually in my work, natural hair represents truth, especially when discussing hair politics, beauty, race and identity in the African- American community. My other inspirations include my personal experiences, and the books I read especially bell hooks.

BB: Where can we see your work and how can you be contacted?

AJ:  I can be reached at http://ashleyjanaeart.weebly.com/.

BB: If you had to introduce someone to the world of art through only one artist's work, which artist would you select.

AJ: Kandinsky would be the artist I use to introduce someone to the art world. I feel as though his work is either loved or hated ergo, his work can be used as a starting point for one’s future work or an artist can go in the complete opposite direction and take a formal direction in the art world. Kandinsky was my introduction to the art world and I found (and still do find) his compositions visually enticing. I also love that he incorporated music in so many of his pieces. I think it’s necessary for all types of artists (visual, musical, and performance, theatre) to reach out to one another. And I don’t think collaboration should be limited to the art world as well but should expand to other fields as well.

BB: Finish the next sentence. I know I will feel successful as an artist when...

AJ: I know I will feel successful as an artist when I’m happy with my work. I certainly don’t define success by the change in my pocket. My success is dependent upon my happiness. I’m not completely happy with all of my creations but I’m enjoying the process and I like the direction I’m headed in.