College second-year Jasmine Roberts: Illustrator, Digital Designer, Photographer, Painter

What inspires you to create?

I’m inspired to create by the people and things around me. My grandmother was an art teacher and my brother and uncle enjoy making music, so I’ve always been encouraged to do art by my family. I was told a lot from a young age that I had a gift and that I should explore it, so I did. I have also always enjoyed nature from birdwatching to hiking and fishing — and my dad would sometimes take me out to draw what I observed.

What is the function of your art?

I feel the function of my art is simply for the enjoyment of myself and others.

What role does artmaking play in your life?

I see artmaking as a way for me to help myself and others. It gives me something to focus on that I enjoy doing and can give me a feeling of accomplishment once a piece has been completed. I’m also more than happy to do art for other people and be able to provide them with something they can appreciate and enjoy as well.

Would you say your artmaking is a healing experience?

Artmaking can be a healing experience if you want it to be. Art is a good way to express yourself and get your feelings out in a healthy way and I believe that the process of creating can be calming and satisfying.

Where do you want to see your art?

I want to see my art wherever it is appreciated. I want it to be something that people can enjoy.

How do you begin your creative process?

 I usually begin my creative process by having an idea of something I would like to do pop into my head. Or I receive a request for something. Then, I either construct an image in my head or search for references to get a better idea of where I want to start and how I want a piece to look. After that, it can go anywhere for the most part. I like to enjoy the journey of creating by experimenting with different techniques and ideas. Sometimes I’ll even change or mix mediums in the middle of a project if I think it might look better.

Who are your influences and inspirations?

I can’t really say I have specific influences or inspirations. One reason is because I don’t consider myself as having a specific style either. My art is kind of all over the place, but I like that. However, I have drawn inspiration from various artists for more specific projects. For example, some of my metaphorical or surrealist art has been inspired by Salvador Dalí, and I’ve done a painting that is a combination of Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” paintings.

To what degree does your art reflect the world around you?

A lot of my art isn’t really meant to directly reflect the world around me. It includes things from my surroundings more often than not because art imitates life, but usually I just create things for fun. A deeper meaning can be applied to some of my art to make a commentary on my life or the world around, but the main goal for me is to create something nice and have fun doing it.