Meet Jewel Bright | Artist/Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jewel Bright and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jewel, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
I have learned a lot of lessons in my art career, some of them pretty difficult. But I think the most important lesson was how important it is for us to share our unique voice with the world.

With the over sharing social media world, we’re bombarded daily with everyone else’s experience, and sometimes we can conclude that our voice will just get drowned out, that other people have more worthy stories to share, etc.

The truth is that sharing our story is necessary; no one else has our unique way of creating and speaking. No one else has our individual magic. And the world needs it.

In the art world, most of us (or all of us) feel the burden of “imposter syndrome.” It’s the feeling of not being good enough, of being a fraud, or not being a credible talented artist in our own right.

It’s easy to compare ourselves with others- every day I see an artist online that can draw better, that has better engagement, that’s more funny or insightful than I feel at the moment. But I have learned an important lesson from listening to other artists speak, from reading personal development books, and hearing the stories of people seemingly more interesting or talented than I am.

They all feel the same exact way!

The realization that everyone feels this way, and taking into context how their personal stories and art has greatly impacted and inspired me, has made me a believer. A believer in the power and magic of sharing my own voice, and art, and experiences.

On the days I wonder why I’m taking on the risks of running my own art business, or I second guess sharing a difficult story from my past, I remind myself that it matters. That the world needs my voice too. My personal experiences help others get through theirs, and my creations bring a message that’s absolutely and wonderfully necessary in this world. And I continue to make the magic.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Although a life long creative, I never really expected to be a full time artist. 5 years ago after being laid off of a nice office job, I answered a very random Craigslist ad for a fine painter at a local company. To my utter surprise, I got the gig! It soon turned into a full time job, custom painting furniture made from repurposed skis and snowboards. Very Colorado!

Taking my career in a completely new direction, learning the pros and cons of working from home, and becoming accustomed to wearing painted overalls instead of pant suits and working an unconventional job was a challenging journey. I learned to keep strict work hours every day, to make sure that I take 2 full days off every week, and turn to my online community to help fill the void of working by myself all day.

This first art job made me realize that I was meant to be an artist. I soon felt the strong desire to create my own art- and my company Jewels Bright Art was born.

Finding my specific style was my hardest obstacle to face. It took years of experimenting and creating in many different mediums until I was able to hone in on my message and brand.

I decided that my most important message was from my own personal experiences. I know the pain and struggle of being in an abusive marriage, twice in my life. I know the hardship and uphill battle of raising 2 kids on my own. I know how society and sometimes our own family and friends fail us as women, and I know first hand of the challenges of PTSD and living in the aftermath of trauma and assault. I draw inspiration from my own story, and share my thoughts and insights on how we as women can take our power back through my art.

My message is one of hope and positivity- it comes from a place of healing and perspective that I have gained over the years. I really love to make somewhat controversial feminist concepts into more digestible insights that most women can relate too. I strive to create art that reaches all types of woman and connects them with shared experiences. I hope to encourage more women to speak up, speak out, and take back their magic.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We currently live in the Pikes Peak area outside of Colorado Springs. We love camping and fishing in the nearby mountain town of FairPlay, the town that the show “South Park” was based on. In the Colorado Springs Area, the Garden of the Gods is a must see. It boasts beautiful hiking trails through tall prehistoric red rock formations and some of the best photo ops in the area.

In nearby Manitou Springs there is the Incline- a long and steep staircase up a mountain that is the king of cardio challenges. There is so much hiking in the surrounding mountains but our family likes to stick to the National park trails that are less busy than the main tourist attractions.

We live very close to one of the Wolf Preserves- so close that we can hear them howl at night! A tour there is always a great experience for visitors and helps support the Colorado wildlife.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shout out to my husband and kids, who have been on this magical roller coaster of creating an art business with me now for over 5 years.

Website: JewelsBrightArt.Etsy.com www.jbrightartgallery.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/JewelsBrightArt

Facebook: Facebook.com/Jbrightartgallery

Other: Tik Tok- @JewelsBrightart