Meet Chynna Jenkins of Made in Chynna and Psychic Friends in Glassell Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chynna Jenkins.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised between Silver Lake and Glendale in a town called Atwater Village to a Thai mother and 2nd generation SoCal Dad.

Made in Chynna was born out of a clever use for my name. My earlier artistic ramblings started as a kid – I was always drawing and being inspired by my dad who was a painter, musician, and woodworker. In college, I took photography classes and wanted to be the next David LaChapelle but ended up back at the drawing board, literally. I started taking printmaking and screen printing courses and started this sweet, short-lived collective called FOTO/GRAFF with a bunch of pals.

On and off, I knew I wanted to work creatively but didn’t know where to go. When I started working at an art store in DTLA back in 2012, I discovered a love for zines and met my good friend Emily Hillburg. We quickly formed a zine group and in 2015 for the next four years, attended and tabled at every zine fest we could. I illustrated my own zines, created my own sticker packs and became obsessed with the DIY aesthetic of unlimited possibilities. I met so many wonderful people in the zine community which opened the door to many creative opportunities.

I’ve had the pleasure of working as an apparel graphic artist for a couple of years now and it has lent a hand in my newest venture, Psychic Friends. This project is a kid’s t-shirt brand which was actually a zine idea that never really made it full circle. It’s filled with fun characters from another world living together in unity. I have big plans for Psychic Friends and I really feel that I have found what I’ve needed to do all along.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I definitely feel that being a creative person comes with its fair share of struggles, especially coming from someone who didn’t finish school – there’s always a weird sense of pressure with school because socially, it shows that you were able to finish something to completion. But what I find most profound is that I learned more on my own with my sense of will than I did in the classroom. I also think a major struggle for most artists is financial stability; being able to live and also create. Working a job vs. working on a passion can be extremely soul-crushing because you’re constantly thinking of what you want to do next while doing something you may not want to do, but it’s for survival. You have a torn sense of well- being but it can only motivate you to work harder for something that you really want in the end.

Made in Chynna and Psychic Friends – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Made in Chynna is mostly illustrative work – everything from repeat patterns, zines, stickers, and graphics that showcase cannabis, music, and feminism. Most folks will know me from doing zine fests on the west coast and being a part of the BBHM$ (now HomeBody Collective).

Psychic Friends is a children’s brand in Glassell Park focusing on a multi-disciplinary art approach in creating and printing pieces ranging from sizes 2T-6T. Our aesthetic is based on a D.I.Y attitude – we dye or own garments and use our imagination to create a world where cosmic friends from all over the universe can hang out together in unity. Every quarter, we will design and print a special edition t-shirt benefiting a youth BIPOC/LGBTQ+ of our choice, sending them 100% of the profits.

I’m most proud of this moment – that at age 34, things are finally coming together. I’ve had mild levels of success doing zine fests and putting my work out there, but I always fell a bit short on consistency. Since COVID started, I knew this was going to be my make or break it, and living through this strange time has really pushed me to work creatively.

What sets me apart from others is that I’m willing to put in the work and learn for my passion.I don’t have a rich family or a trust fund cushion to help me along the way – my ideas and creativity have to work – I don’t have a backup plan! I want to be part of everything – designing, social media, shipping – you name it. So far, it’s working out!

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success as having a job that you enjoy and being around loved ones and friends that bring the best out of you. When I met my boyfriend Mason over eight years ago, I was still discovering what I wanted to do. Not only did he persuade me to buy my first drawing tablet but he has been part of my growth as an artist and made sure that what I was doing made me happy. He’s a screenwriter so our relationship when it comes to work ethic and determination go hand in hand.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great brands along the way that have given me my sense of business + design (Hi Paulina Quintana, Mokuyobi, Doen, and Ban.do!) and also artist friends: Emily Hillburg, Leah Lebeau, Ashley Huliganga, Jon Lim, Camille Kolo, Melissa Mendavia, Kris Raos… and countless more that have helped and shaped how I view creativity and hard work.

Pricing:

• Psychic Friends 2T – 4T Shirts $16.00
• Psychic Friends 5T – 6/7T Shirts $17.00

Contact Info:

• Website: www.psychicfriendsclub.com + www.madeinchynna.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @madeinchynnastudios + @psychicfriendsclub

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