Returning to Art and Trusting in Oneself with Jackie Sarah Brown
Illustrator and Artist in the San Francisco Bay Area
Introducing Jacqueline (“Jackie”) Sarah Brown
Jackie Sarah Brown, a Bay Area-based illustrator and artist, began tinkering and making art at a young age. From scribbling through stacks of coloring books to oil painting (Bob Ross-style), pursuing studio art in college, and creating interactive installations for the art world, Jackie always knew she was destined to let the musings of her imagination run wild.
But, it was never easy for her to trust her own abilities and paint outside the lines. After college, instead of pursuing art full-time, Jackie leaned into a career as a front-end software developer in tech – one that lasted nearly a decade. During this season of her life, Jackie created web animations and websites as a flash developer at places like MTV, R/GA, and at a residency at Fabrica in Italy. Jackie then moved from New York to California with her husband and two cats, and landed at a mathematics & physics education startup, Brilliant.org. This is where she had one of her first opportunities to illustrate again. It felt amazing to have her artwork showcased – and, frankly – to be compensated for them.
That same year, she lost her father, and through the experience of her father’s passing, Jackie realized and witnessed first-hand that life is short and terribly unpredictable. She resolved to fully commit to a career in art and illustration.
Jackie’s art can be described as whimsical, imaginative, fantastical, spiritual, and empowering. She mostly works with digital tools, but her favorite traditional medium is watercolor. Jackie is enamored at the blending of watercolor textures and colors, and is inspired by nature and the simplicity of shapes and forms in her paintings. Jackie’s artwork has been commissioned and featured by Google, 826 Valencia, Phil.us, Brilliant.org, Community Health Councils, Tax-Aid, Just Transition Alliance, The Watershed Project , and Niad Art Center.
In this short feature, Jackie shares more in her own words, and the back story of her recent pieces.
Can you tell me a bit about how you started making art?
Jackie: I was born in Philadelphia, and initially set off to be an artist and studied studio arts in college. I almost immediately went to grad school to learn computer programming. I ended up working in front-end development and tech for the next decade. When my dad passed away, I had a monumental about-face and decided to commit to what I was passionate about, art and illustration.
Can you describe how your work connects to the local community?
Jackie: I’ve been lucky to do a couple of murals visible to the public. One is in the Mission Bay district of San Francisco, CA at 826 Valencia, which is a tutoring center for kids, and is an awesome place to visit. The second is the mural on the Ohlone Greenway Trail in El Cerrito, CA which is on the pedestrian and bike path and is part of a collection of other murals on the path painted by other artists this summer.
What comes to mind when you reflect on the emotional parts of your artistic journey?
Jackie: The biggest area of growth that I have is trusting in myself. I started off trying to travel down the “right” path, but I’ve realized over time that it’s up to each person to define what that path is, and following someone else’s path doesn’t work.
Can you describe some of your recent works?
Jackie: This was an exploration into visualizing idioms in a whimsical way. I’m inspired by words or phrases for visual ideas. The connection between words and images is the “illustration” part of my artistic practice.
Jackie: This mural was inspired by the sporty element of being next to the bike or walk trail. I especially wanted to create something playful for this space, so that it could brighten up the mood of an otherwise drab warehouse exterior. The simplicity and bold colors of the mural are designed so that it can catch the eye of someone speeding by on a bike and have a positive, fun impact in what could be a microsecond.
Jackie: This is a playful exploration of imagination and form. We see ourselves in everything, and the characters that I’ve used within this mug illustration are nonsensical and surreal. These mugs will be available for sale at Open Studios at Ar-ti-fact from Aug 17-18!
Where can the community find more of your artwork this summer and beyond?
Jackie: I'll be having an Open Studio on August 17th & 18th at Ar-ti-fact Gallery which is located at 109 W Richmond Avenue, in Richmond, CA. I’ll be showing my artwork, and will also be giving away free stickers! You can also find me and my work on my website (www.jackiesarahbrown.com) and on Instagram (instagram.com/jqln). I am also open for commissions.
Thank you, Jackie, for sharing your imaginative works with the community. The vibrancy and thought-provoking nature of your work colors our neighborhoods’ physical and digital spaces beautifully. And to Tomatokind readers, thanks for curling up with another one. Happy community-gathering!