We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jennifer Lail. Check out our conversation below.
Jennifer, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
When I tell people I’m an artist, I think they picture just the painting aspect. There’s so much packed into my day beyond studio time. Of course, there’s administration emails, phone calls, and texts to return. But there’s also devoted time for contemplation, meditation, sketching, and journaling. This is when ideas come or don’t. There’s inventory management, marketing, promoting yourself (which never feels quite right), bookkeeping, professional development, networking, photographing and documenting work, maintaining website and social media presence, framing and preparing work, coordinating with galleries and collectors, shipping and logistics, and keeping on track with goals and deadlines. I’m sure much of this is standard for any business owner, but people rarely associate these tasks with being an artist. They see the final painting, not the hustle that makes it possible to call it a career.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jennifer Lail, and I’m a painter. I maintain a studio practice and paint primarily geometric, abstract watercolors on both paper and linen. I graduated with a BFA from the University of North Florida in 2010, with a focus on painting and drawing. It was there that I took part in an artist-in-residency program at a local children’s hospital with Art with a Heart in Healthcare. It was during this experience that I witnessed how powerful art is in healing. After that, I wanted my work to carry that same sense of healing and contemplation, to create spaces for viewers to pause and reflect.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was an abstract problem solver, able to see multiple vantage points and think of out-of-the-box solutions. I was visual and hands-on, always creating but never considering it “creating.” I never liked labels, but the world finds a way to make sure you know yours well before you’re ready.
When did you last change your mind about something important?
Being in an industry that is notoriously challenging, hence the “starving artist” description people recite, redefining success and what it means to me on a regular basis has become part of my biannual ritual. What success meant to me when I first started and what it means to me now are completely different. At first, I had this incredible picture and definition of what success would look like as an artist. To be clear, I think any success in any industry takes a good amount of delusion. But reevaluating and redefining success in this industry, which is much more like a marathon than a sprint is pretty vital for your mental health and well-being.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m not a public person at all. However, I used to struggle with how to integrate my life as a mother with being a very introverted and contemplative artist. At first, they felt like two completely different roles. I’ve come to realize that both roles are rooted in curation and creating. The duality of being a mom and also being an artist provides deeper connection and balance within my creative life. They inform and enrich each other in ways I didn’t expect.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m in nature not in a cliché way, but in a way where I notice how multiple systems run successfully and flawlessly by design, all interconnected. I also feel most at peace in my studio when ideas are flowing and I’m sketching in a way that makes me feel connected to something much larger than myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https.//jenniferlail.com
- Instagram: @jenniferlail
Image Credits
headshot photo taken by Toni Smailagic
