Check Out Jessie Keylon’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Keylon.

Hi Jessie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
Growing up in the Conejo Valley shaped my preferences for quiet hillsides and hidden trails to explore. It was a quieter place in the 80s than it is now, and my grandparents would tell me stories of even quieter times in the 30s and 40s when sheepherders would stop traffic on the 101 to let their herd continue grazing on the abundant rolling fields sprinkled with oak trees. 

We went camping every summer in the eastern Sierras, finding gentle creeks and lakes to spend afternoons fishing and exploring the watersides. When at home, my dad would do some carpentry and woodworking in his free time, and my mom sewed some of our clothing and worked on meticulous hand-stitched quilts while my brother and I spent countless hours at the dining room table drawing on scratch paper. I believe my eye for detail and catching the quiet, hidden moments of nature in my artwork came from my upbringing of gentle moments and quiet focus. 

Fast forward through early adulthood and a decade of being an art teacher in San Diego, I landed in Joshua Tree and later to Pioneertown, where once again I found myself surrounded by a multitude of quiet moments and astoundingly beautiful landscape visuals. I opened my studio/shop next door to Mazamar Pottery in Pioneertown on Mane Street in 2017 and have been flourishing in this beautiful desert community of artists, musicians, and outcasts ever since. I am in the studio/shop most weekends and take 2 months off in the summer. The Pottery next door has a collection of my prints and some originals, available most days of the week. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth or rough, a road is a road. I had to beef up my tires and suspension for a few miles, but that road still brought me to where I am today, and I am forever grateful for every speedbump and pothole. 

The human experience is the classic comedy/tragedy dichotomy. Had I been provided with a smooth road through life, I would not have my current priorities in place. Had I been detoured off the road with more difficult experiences and barriers, I am sure I would be in a different place as well. 

Bumps in the road like failed relationships, losing people, health problems, etc., have all shaped my life and made me more thankful for every cherished moment I spend with my loved ones, and every day I wake up and am able to walk and talk and work on my art. 

A decade or so ago, I made the switch to full-time artist and had to overcome a few false narratives in my head telling me that I was an imposter, that I wasn’t a legit artist since I didn’t go to art school, that I wasn’t capable or strong enough, or smart enough… etc. I had struggled with these in my early adulthood, and it kept me from pursuing art as a living for many years. It still comes up today, too, but the voice that whispers it keeps getting quieter as I live as a creative with my artist partner and artist community, working to create this life that contradicts my insecurities. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
My subject matter varies from personal emotional figurative works to poignant lettered word signs to landscapes and critters. 

Since I live remotely, the jackrabbits and their scenic background are what I wake up to every day, and it has noticeably permeated my artwork. I have been painting desert scenes and rabbits predominately (I’ve been called “the rabbit lady” more than a few times) and have found a kinship with their subtle personalities and expressive possibilities. 

Watercolor rabbits, acrylic rabbits, clay rabbits, wood rabbits, animated rabbits… I surround myself with their quirky moments and twitching satellite dish ears. Many of them play musical instruments in my paintings; one rabbit wears high heels, another has bloody fangs, while others look up at the viewer in silence with the awareness of the passing of time. 

My partner Geoff Fennell and I are getting ready to release an animated short film of my rabbits. Geoff is an experienced visual effects artist and animator and introduced me to the concept of my art in moving form. 

The film is set to a beautiful song, “Can You Here Me Love You” written and performed by Lukas Nelson. We were struck by how strongly his words and melody moved us and responded by making a film about my rabbits and our story of love and loss. 

The process of making this film together helped Geoff and I through the pandemic and mind-numbing social chaos of the following years. We made the film for our friends and family to tell them how much we love and missed them. 

We are looking forward to the release of the film and are grateful to be able to contribute a moment of gentle compassion and love to the current state of the world. 

Geoff and I are getting ready to start production of our second film, which I am currently writing. 

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Some mentors speak with experience and years of knowledge learned first-hand or wise spoken ways handed down from generation to generation. I keep checking in with these mentors and listen hard to their words, trying to remember to express my gratitude and love to them as often as possible. 

While it is important to surround myself with good influences and inspiration, the responsibility has been my own to find ways of making art that is genuinely from my voice and my heart, expressing the emotions I feel. 

Contact Info:

• Website: jessiekeylon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessiekeylon/