Cup of Coffee With... Jenna Spurlock

One of the main reasons I came out to NYC was to reconnect with old friends and meet like-minded individuals who share similar passions and motivation. The first person who came to mind was Jenna Spurlock: 20 year old computer animation and visual effects major, and an old high school friend. 

This may be a tough first question, but can you remember a definitive moment when you realized that art was more than just a hobby? 
It's kinda of hard because I've always thought of it as more than a hobby. I'm gonna guess I was 13 or so, and I was walking home from downtown. I thought it was cool to walk under the bridge rather than on it and in doing so, I found an old "side-walk closed" sign. I took it home and painted all over it. Even though it didn't look like much, I just felt great that I had made something out of nothing.

If you had to choose, what is your favorite art medium? What tools do you use in the production of this particular medium?
I used to be mainly focused on painting, but now I'm studying digital art. It's very new to me but its definitely my favorite. My answer kind of counteracts what I'm studying, but I love working with charcoals. I just love that it's messy so that when I mess up it just looks like a part of the work. Because I came from a more fine arts background, I enjoy using tools of the hand to express what I want to say.

How does the art you create reflect the way you present yourself? Does it have any affect on your personality as well? 
It's interesting because I do different things with different mediums. When I was a painter I had a theme that I was trying to portray - more feminine creations, kind of like Lee Price. But now as a digital artist, I like to draw illustrations and more whimsical things. I like to paint feminine things in a kind of unsettling way. I know it's unsettling because my parents don't like it (laughs). But it's freeing to me, because I am feminine and consider myself a feminists, but I also believe I am off-putting to some people.

How would you describe your personal style? 
I'm a New Yorker now, so lots of black. I guess I go for sophisticated and people tell me the same. One day I'll wear all black with heels and look like an 80s business woman and the next I'll wear a stained sweater with a collar underneath and oil stained pants. I don't know what you would call it... Painter chic? Yeah, let's go with that.

     

 

Say you've hit a rough patch of artists-block; what do you typically do to regain inspiration?
When I want to create, I'll look through the photos on my phone and find something that will make me happy and say, "yeah that'll be special to recreate." Also, walking around the city - this is so cheesy - but it really is such a visual stimulation. At work, I work at a doggy daycare, I really enjoy drawing the dogs on my digital mediums. They act like children's book characters and are so goofy - looking and in personality, so I enjoy bringing them to life digitally. 

Is there any one artist whose work heavily influences your own? 
Definitely Lee Price. She's a New York artist and paints these hyper-realist paintings of herself naked, surrounded by food. She blows my mind, she's like my feminist art hero. She takes what women won't expose - eating a bunch of junk food - and makes beautiful and vulnerable art out of it.

Lame but necessary question: do you have a muse? No answer is too embarrassing.  
The concept of muses is so confusing (laughs). It used to be the "beautiful mistress" but it's changed so much in modern times. I don't wanna say Disney, but you said no answer is too embarrassing, so Disney. It's really the reason I went into digital art. I guess if my muse is motivation, then it's Disney.

Fire round:
Favorite pair of shoes?
I have capsulitis in my right foot, so I buy these $50 nurses shoes and slide my orthodic insoles in them. It's so funny, but they keep me comfy when I'm on the go and at work. Walking dogs in anything else is not an option. My Chelsea boots are my second go-to pair - which I accidentally stole from H&M. On accident. But I felt so wild.
Favorite movie?
Lady in the Tramp, that's easy.
Dream job? 
Whatever John Lasseter is. I wanna be John Lasseter. I wanna run Disney World. More realistically, Disney conceptual artist, but I'm still figuring out what I'm good at.
iPad paintings or canvas?
Painting on canvas takes a lot of patience, but digital art you can tweak as much as you want and make it perfect. But I'm gonna say painting.
Minimal or colorful?
Minimal for sure. I like to think I'm a simple person and I like simplicity, but that is still beautiful.