Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazmin Anita.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been creating my entire life. My mother and grandmother will tell you how I never left the house without a box of crayons or a piece of paper to draw on; it came that naturally to me. Growing up, I was heavily inspired by Japanese animation and cartoons and would spend hours drawing and painting my favorite characters and making up my own until I eventually started taking art classes in high school in an attempt to refine my skills. One demotivating art teacher later, I found myself wondering if a career in art was ever in my future, and so I packed up my supplies and joined the military where I didn’t touch a pencil or brush for 3 years. It took a lot for me to unlearn that art was supposed to look a certain way or be one specific thing, that it could be whatever I wanted it to be.
That was when I transitioned to digital art in 2017. it was easier for me to experiment and finish whole pieces while I was deployed and overseas and allowed me to expand my reach as an artist. my iPad and I definitely had a love/hate relationship for some time, but the response from my art outweighed a lot of my self-doubt. My following grew and before I knew it, I was being contacted by Adult Swim to illustrate 4 pieces from them. And then it was Proper Gnar, a Black woman-owned skateboard company. And then Netflix, and I realized I had to get the heck out of the military. I was reminded of the little girl who would carry around her art supplies all day every day and I missed her. So I made the decision to leave the military after 7+ years and become a full-time artist. It’s been less than 6 months but I feel as though my life and opportunities have opened up entirely. I don’t regret a second of my journey, and I’m so excited to see where my art takes me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s hard to explain the military climate to someone who never experienced it firsthand, but there was never a moment I felt free from stress. I witnessed a lot, some of it being unfathomable, and it took 7 years for me to break free and finally find the courage to leave. After experiencing 4 overseas deployments, global racial injustices, a pandemic and an overarching struggle with mental health and self-doubt, I really believe art saved my life.
It was my escape and my outlet. It was my tether to the ‘real world’. And more than that, every time I saw someone holding a piece of my art or I read an email expressing how it affected them, I was reminded of my impact and that my current situation was only temporary. I would make it out and flourish.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in ethereal portraits that capture the natural essence of Black people and people of color, and illustrations of the anime style that offer representation for the Black community. Lately, I’ve been doing more of the anime style and something in between, but that has garnered a large following from fellow nerds who love to see themselves in their favorite characters.
My motto is “I want people to look at my art and say, ‘hey, that looks like me’.” I firmly believe in this, and I’m proudest of my ability to capture the BROAD scope of blackness through my art. We are so versatile and I aspire to capture as many variations as I can. In my recreations, we can be queer, fat, magical and scary and fun and everything in between. There’s no limit in any sense.
A noticeable feature in all my art is the dots or periods underneath the eyes, a homage to my mother who once told me stories can be told through the eyes. it’s a subtle touch, but a reminder that every piece I create holds an important narrative.
How do you think about luck?
Rather than luck, I’d say opportunity has played a huge role in my business. Viola Davis said it best. “The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.”
I’ve been blessed to work on the projects I have so far and that’s all because someone saw something important in me and my work. They believed in my ability to capture their vision and gave me the opportunity to do so, and that has been EVERYTHING. I think it’s so important to open doors for Black creators and just believe in them. It can change the trajectory for someone’s entire life.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@jvzmina.com
- Website: jvzmina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jvzmina/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jvzmina
Image Credits
In photo with elderly woman holding the skateboard, the design is by me, the board is from Proper Gnar in collaboration with Black Girls Anime in profile photo submitted, my tattoo is by @kandacelayne
