| Name: Jasmine Magno Location: Boulder, Colorado So we’re going to start with the difficult question: sum up your creative process in one word/phrase, and explain why! BE In life, I strive to simply be. What does this mean? To be in the moment, to think in the right way, and not overthink something with a single perspective. I’ve struggled with anxiety all my life which prohibits me to enjoy the present. I often dwell in the past or worry about the future. As a way to overcome this, I create. I paint what troubles me, so it doesn’t take over my daily life. Through this process, I analyze my fears from different perspectives. After painting what scares me, I realize that I’m okay and it gives me hope that my future will be okay. My continuous line drawings that are transformed into paintings is a process that’s dedicated to being in the moment. I’ll make a continuous line drawing of a mundane moment. During these exercises, I take in what’s around me by just looking. It gives my mind a break from analyzing. It goes with my mantra, “Be you, just be, to be, be.” 
Were you always an artist, even as a child? What was your path to becoming an artist? I have always been an artist. As a child, my mom would do crafts with me which sparked my interest in the arts. During elementary school, I would copy images out of Disney books for fun. For some reason I would lock myself in my room, sit in the closet and draw for hours. Every Saturday my father and I would watch Bob Ross on PBS as I started to get a bit older. Finally, my father bought me my first oil paint set when I was 11. I fell in love with painting and used it to channel all the emotions I kept bottled up. The so-called path of becoming an artist was always there. It’s more like art chose me rather than me choosing to take this path. 
What is your medium of choice and what drew you to this particular medium? My medium of choice is usually oil paint. Once I started to get serious oil paint was the first medium I used. I always seem to go back to it because honestly, I’m slow. The properties that make it wet for a prolonged period of time are perfect for me since I work at a turtle’s pace. While attending school at CU Boulder, I have tried to find ways to become faster and more efficient. Combined with the need to give my mental status a break from analyzing myself and the need to work at a quicker pace I started using watercolor. This medium can be seen in my continuous line paintings. Also, as I have experimented with more mediums, I have become fond of colored pencils because of their vibrancy.  Is there any particular experience, person, place or thing that inspires you to create? Tell us about that. Life, in general, inspires me to create. It began with the desire to imitate some of my favorite stories from Disney books. I then became inspired by Bob Ross to paint landscapes. Now I view the world through an artistic lens, so everything inspires my work. Whether it be my nightmares like giving birth to a baby alien or the mundane moments in life that are often taken for granted. Deeper personal experiences like the passing of a dear friend inspired me to create in order to commemorate her life. 
What is it like showing your work to people and what do you hope people take away from it? Showing my work to people is equally terrifying and gratifying. It’s scary because showing my work leaves me vulnerable. My art is a reflection of who I am and when I show it to people it’s like revealing my deepest darkest secrets to strangers. It terrifies me to be judged by a person I don’t know; however, the gratifying aspect outweighs my uneasiness. When someone relates to my artwork on a personal level it allows me to not feel alone. It’s a special feeling to share something with a person you don’t even know. Even though our experiences may be a little different this association unveils a greater human connection that brings people from different backgrounds together. What advice do you have for other artists who may be looking to get their work exhibited? Don’t stop trying. Being an artist is tough and you may get knocked down a million times over. Get back up, brush yourself off and try again. Making the work is the easier part. Getting your art there for the world to see is the harder part. Keep applying to as many places as you can. Rejection is okay, it’s bound to happen. The more you apply the better chance you have of being accepted. It’s scary to put yourself out there. Especially with the fear of “not being good enough.” But you are good enough if you believe it to be true. You must constantly remind yourself, “I can do it.” Contact information: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jasmine.magno.7?ref=bookmarks Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jasmine.awkwa/ | 
