Introduction
Hi all! Welcome to my personal site, The Jaded Creative. This name is an homage to my middle name Jade and my general outlook on life. I mainly focus on botanical paintings in watercolor and acrylic, but I wanted a studio name to encompass any changes or growth of my micro-business as well as the other wide variety of hobby crafts I will share to my site and other social media.
For a while I didn't put much weight on my middle name since in the US my first name is already pretty rare. I love my first name, of course, and have a small collection of “Heidi” from different decades, but in college I grew more interested in botany and keeping houseplants; hence, the quick discovery and love of jade plants! Then it was a quick downslide into the world of geology and minerals/gems... I never stood a chance against some polished rocks. This commitment to collections, symbolism, botany, shinies, and maximalism is reflected in my art.
I am very aware and try to resist it now, but even as a teenager I was described as cynical, realistic, and sometimes pessimistic. It’s no easy thing living with all the knowledge of today at our fingertips. I appreciate the global connections the internet and social media allows us, but I often feel constantly bombarded with tragedies, misinformation, and political strife that give me a feeling of hopelessness. I have always found consolation in arts & crafts as a simple way to keep my hands occupied or to express my feelings in today’s hectic world.
As I moved through an undergraduate degree in Marine Science and then a Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Science I slowly (very slowly) realized that I cannot keep myself from creating and, above all, it is what I continuously look forward to and turn to time and time again. In fact, the other careers I had started working toward-- scientific field work and teaching-- were chosen secondary to the fact I would still have some creative tasks in that job field.
So here I am, 3 years later, dedicating myself to this creative spirit instead of denying it for an easy, traditional career path. Art was never an option for a career path for me because I was taught it was a hobby that didn’t provide enough money for a career and or give back to our society. But thankfully I have stumbled into the truth on my own: through all of history art provides undeniable comfort for the weary and jaded soul, which is just as important to our society as the sciences or education. No matter what direction I turn, creating art gallery-worthy pieces or doing freelance illustration, I hope to keep myself dedicated to preserving the sake of creating.
Thanks for reading!
