Daily Inspiration: Meet Jaclyn Olszewski

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaclyn Olszewski

Hi Jaclyn, 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?
*Insert a Classic Midwestern Hello* – I’m Jackie. When I was 5 I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. Over the years it changed and I lost touch with my creative self when I first joined the military, but somewhere along the way I found it again.

This is love for me. It’s joy, it’s giggles, it’s bold, it’s sweet, feminine, goofy, and beautifully messy. Art helped me connect with more artists like the ones I feature on my website. We’ve spent many nights together coloring, doodling, connecting and creating. (Highly recommend the Florida Man Coloring Book for cheap laughs.)

It makes me so happy to share what my friends and I have made. This is 5-year-old-Jackie’s dream come true. My greatest joy in life is lifting up those I love, supporting them, and celebrating them.

I started my small business in fall of 2023 – I was welcomed into my first store front months later – started to sell at markets that spring – and was featured in online exhibits by summer.

I took a chance, I kept saying yes, and I invested in myself. I then invested that faith into my friends. One of them has been featured in 2 gallery exhibits who never thought her photography was really art. Celebrating HER has been my own greatest success. I can’t wait to champion more artists just like her- it inspires me.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I am by no means savvy with online shtuff. Building a website was REALLY hard!! Shout out to Shopify who makes it much easier for people like me. Building that and navigating the business end of this drains the creative juices out of me.

There are some days when I have to decide if I’m going to be an artist that day and make space to create – or if I need to be a sales woman that day and market my work. It takes effort!! Smartist app has been helpful with that, but it still takes time. Balancing making More art and selling the art I’ve made has been tricky. It’s very fulfilling when you sell a framed piece at a market that a buyer is really excited about.

(Pro tip- zip ties and grid walls are very helpful!)

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I consider most of my art as “play.”

My digital art is often based on puns or dad jokes because they make me happy and laugh.

My paintings are often more abstract. I walk into my studio space (currently my dining room) and I just play with paint and I see what comes of it! I recently played with coffee on canvas, watercolor paper, and canvas boards. I wanted to see what types of stains they’d leave behind on different materials. I try not to spend a lot of money on materials because I’ll overthink the value of the work I put on it. If my materials are thrifty finds, I give myself more freedom to simply create and play. Those are often my favorite pieces.

What matters most to you?
Sharing this with others. Sharing your art, sharing their art, sharing freedom to express, sharing joy, sharing gratitude. I share my physical space at markets with artists who are too afraid or nervous to put themselves out there and attempt to sell their art. I share my paints and canvases with my friends when we want to have a silly paint night to get ourselves out of a creative dry spell. I share my online space for poets to post their work and for photographers to sell their photographs.

If you have the means – share it. Especially if it doesn’t cost you anything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.originalzencollective.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/originalzencollective?igsh=YzAwZjE1ZTI0Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Kim Rogers Photography
AlyBMonster