Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Kennedy.
Jillian, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
The first time I ever remember being singled out for something I had drawn was in 2nd grade. My homeroom teacher, Mrs. Mraz, gave me and the rest of her students photo-realistic objects cut perfectly in half. The assignment was, to the best of our abilities, draw the other half of the object we received. Most of the images my fellow students got were random, every-day objects of food, school supplies or different sports equipment, etc. When Mrs. Mraz got to my desk, she gave me a little smile and put in front of me a very realistic portrait of a tiger. My neighboring students kind of chuckled, thinking I had gotten the short end of the stick, but I was anything but intimidated. At the end of class, my teacher (along with other students) huddled around my desk and congratulated me, talking about the likeness of my drawing to the photo. Before that, I had always liked creating and doodling, but being challenged in class and reaching a (2nd grade) level of success pretty much lit a switch in me that hasn’t gone off since.
After graduating from high school in 2011, I enrolled at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL. Growing up in the suburbs, I always marveled at the idea of living and working in the city someday. So, to say I was excited about the upcoming chapter of my life was an extreme understatement. About a month before my freshman year, my dad unexpectedly passed away. He was truly one of my best friends, so recovering from his death right before starting college was an extremely difficult feat for me… but that’s life. I don’t mean to dumb it down; it’s the most traumatic thing I have yet to experience and missing him is constant, but I would have been a fool to stay stagnant. I persisted and started college that fall. Four years later, I graduated from the Academy with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art with a specialization in Life Drawing. I now have experience in drawing, painting, sculpting, digital design, photography, mixed media and so much more. Since graduating, I’ve been involved in numerous art shows throughout the Chicagoland area, I’m teaching painting classes at a local arts & crafts shop and I have consistent work as a freelance visual artist.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a fine art visual artist. Dissecting it, there is a huge difference between what I make for commissioned requests and what I make for my own personal body of work for gallery showings. For most commissions, I work with my clients on an on-going basis figuring out exactly what they want. A large portion of them have been drawing or painting requests, whether they may be portraits, landscapes, significant buildings or houses. I like to challenge myself, so regardless of medium, there are not many projects I’d resist taking on.
Creating pieces for a body of work, on the other hand, requires a lot of solitude and self-reflection. For me, my creations are not just for documentation purposes. When I feel inspiration, I believe that it’s my subconscious telling me that it’s something that has to be either mentally or physically curated. After that, it’s just a matter of execution. I can’t say it’s either my mission or my duty to give my audience something to take away from my art. I doubt myself all the time; however, when it gets excessive and I do fall victim to seeing that the glass may very well be half empty, I will go out of my way to get to a sink and fill that glass to the top. So, in that sense, I hope people can see my efforts in following inspiration.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
Life is such a contradiction in the sense that it’s both an extremely precious and extremely brutal place to exist. And while there are highs and lows in every profession, choosing a career as a fine art visual artist is extremely taxing on your psyche. Continuing to pursue a career in the art world on top of that realization could probably, on some level, be considered self-abuse (haha, you know what they say about jokes). But seriously- any artist, craftsman or creative who tells you their journey was easy is lying. And, I mean, why would you want it to be? Not earning what you’re working for takes away the ability to be proud of yourself and what you do.
The best thing that can be done for any artist is to just be supportive. Choosing to pursue and make your ideas public is really quite an intimidating process. I think social media plays a big part in what is influential these days, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Sure, it’s an easier platform to gain recognition, but what an uninspiring life to lead: living for ‘likes,’ especially when the entire algorithm of social media favors popularity over content. Diversity should be the common ground of where artists’ inspiration is derived- not similarity. Life is messy and imperfect and truth be told, at 25, I’ve reached the point in my life where I’m simply unconcerned with following trends and keeping up a façade. It’s important to just stay true to who you are, regardless of criticism. I encourage artists to stick up for themselves and what they believe they’re worth. Criticism is inevitable. Expect it, embrace it and don’t let it scare you.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I participate in art shows throughout the Chicagoland area and I have continued showings with Echoes of Chicago, which is an amazing non-profit organization that promotes Chicago culture and community. Other than that, I regularly update my website and instagram with new work, so feel free to stop by either with any inquiries you may have.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jilliankennedyart.com
- Email: jilliankennedyart@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jillykennedy
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jilliankennedyart
Image Credit:
Jillian Kennedy Art
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