Meet Taylor Jackson | Illustrator & Graphic Designer

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

Hi Taylor, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Currently one of my favorite quotes that has been getting me through difficult times is “there is no easy way from the earth to the stars” (Seneca). To me, it has been helping me put my struggles with mental and physical disabilities into perspective and allowed me to be more compassionate towards myself. This year was one of the hardest of my life and so realizing that healing won’t be easy and getting to that destination will be so worth it in the end. This quote makes me think of the actual process of space travel and the sheer amount of effort it takes to get a rocket into space. Because I like space related things, the subject matter helped the quote stand out and catch my attention.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am on the cusp of pursuing a professional career. Right now I am not really concerned with being set apart from others in a competitive sense. For now I am focused on finding my voice and remaining true to creating things I would like to see. In that aspect I would like to be set apart from others because it’s important to create things in your own unique way. It is never easy to pursue a creative career because you have society on one hand saying that it’s not sustainable, and some relatives saying the same thing. Not everyone has access to the same education and networking opportunities. It feels like I am overcoming these challenges in baby steps, but they’re important nonetheless. Actually taking the time to rest and not be too preoccupied with the lie that is productivity, as well as recognizing that you need to absorb different types of media for inspiration and looking at tutorials has helped boost my confidence and willingness to put myself out there. I want to create without fear, which means being unapologetic in my messages and not being afraid to take creative risks. I want to utilize animation, illustration and design skills in order to tell stories about people who look like me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I am vegan, we would definitely have to hang around Midtown or Washington/Waugh because there are a lot of different food options there. I love to eat okay! There are escape rooms (which is something I recently discovered that I really enjoy), go-karts, and so many art events, especially in the Museum District. If someone were to visit around the time of the Carnival we would definitely have to go then as well. Those are my favorite things to do currently-eating out, laser tag, go-karts, concerts and festivals!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like t shout-out my therapist, however because of confidentiality reasons I cannot do that. Just know, without her help and understanding, I would have given up on myself a long time ago. I would also like to credit some artists whose work has been inspiring me a lot. The works of @GDBee (Geneva Bowers), Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, and also art books like Creating A Champion (The Legend of Zelda) have been inspiring me when it comes to telling a story and emoting using color, texture, shade, and expression. It still feels like I am trying to discover who I am as a person and an artist and having people you look up to is important in deciding what you want to say in your own art.

Website: https://jacksongalart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacksongalart/
Linkedin: tayajackson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jacksongalart
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEFymQ0amt-x0IibLnLABRA
Other: Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/jacksongalart