Meet Jena Blanck: Fine artist & Designer

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

Hi Jena, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by my surroundings. I find inspiration by sights and smells, by the people, the city or nature that surrounds me. I love fusing history and intention into each project I work on.

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.
My work is explorative. Ever changing and evolving. Abstract and graphic merged with intention and inspired by history. In every project I take on, if for a client or personal, I refuse to follow a trend. I want to be guided by trends and visual language but understand that rules are meant to be broken and that staying true to how I see the world is the only way to create true work that I can be proud of. I spent 7 years trying to fit into specific styles or creative careers because I believed that to be the only road to success. It wasn’t until after the death of my mother that I realized I had no reason to fit in anywhere, I could stand out on my own and create the world I wanted to live in! My career doesn’t fit into one box, my graphic design enables me to understand marketing, social media and helps me cultivate relationships with companies I believe in. My fine art gives me a platform for self exploration and an understanding of the rules. My creative voice is what has given me my career and is helping me curate my future.

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.
I recently bought my first home just north of Joshua Tree, CA in the Mojave desert. Being a city girl that has lived in Los Angeles, Portland, and Berlin. This is a bit of change. When people come to visit me from the city I let them just be. This desert is special. It provides a space for your mind to clear and provides a reprieve from the hustle of the city. We spend our time drinking wine around a fire as we watch the sun set. The brilliant colors fill the sky almost nightly and it is grand. With the covid pandemic, this place has become a haven for myself and my creative friends from around the world.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My small group of class mates from Portland State University. Lauren Chapluk especially, I am forever grateful to you. Without these friends, I would have never survived design school. I would have never pushed myself to carve out the space for myself or my creative career!

Website: www.jenablanck.com
Instagram: jenamb
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jena-blanck/
Other: tik tok – @_is_it_over_yet_

Image Credits
all mine