Meet Jen Carmiel | Figure Painter & Artist

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

Hi Jen, how do you think about risk?
They always say that the only way to get the life that you want, the one you haven’t had before, you have to do something you’ve never done before. Yet, so many of us are so intoxicated by our comfort zone that we never explore the possibility of making our daydream a reality.

We may say we don’t “feel ready.” We’ll take that risk once we’re “ready.”

And until then, we stay in our comfort zone.

But “comfort zone” is a misnomer, isn’t it? You’re not really all that comfortable in the comfort zone, are you? When you’re someone who has a dream or a vision, being in your comfort zone is actually very uncomfortable.

That’s why a better, more fitting phrase is “familiar zone.”

You’re in your “familiar zone.”

You can imagine taking your first risk as stepping down the first step into a pool. One foot in– Ooh! So cold! And moving into the unfamiliar can feel so daunting and scary that you might retreat, and sit back on the warm, dry land, constantly thinking: I wish I could swim.

So yes, taking the risk is scary. But what’s scarier is sitting there always wishing, wondering what might happen if only you took the first step.

As they say, the best time to start is yesterday. The second-best time to start is today.

Taking risks in my life has felt like being pushed into the deep end of a pool. Like one day I just couldn’t take it anymore– sitting there and thinking about doing it. The second I took that leap to live in the essence of my creative life, it terrified me, yet excited me at the same time. Until you learn to swim, you might feel like you’re just flailing your arms around.

And while taking risks has removed some element of security from my life, I can’t imagine living life only thinking about the life that I wanted. I had to take measures to bring that life closer to me, inch by inch.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think about my home art studio, full of vibrant reds, oranges, and blues. My work embodies women in their fullest joy, breathing their way through life.

Creating art is always the easy part, isn’t it? As a child, I can only ever remember drawing. I would fill up spiral bound notebooks front-to-back. Then I got sketchbooks and canvases. I would draw and paint on scraps of cardboard, things that others recognized as trash but that I saw as an opportunity for beauty.

Staying creative as an adult is not always easy. Slowly but surely, self-doubt and the nagging question of responsibility gets in the way. While I did eventually graduate the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, I initially entered as a political science major. After a year, I switched to be in alignment with my passion.

Then after graduating, I got sucked into a corporate 9-5. The allure of a steady paycheck danced in front of me, coupled with the anxiety and high-pressure of the job description, and I stopped painting for nearly 2 years.

Out of the blue in December of 2023, I received a commission request from a friend I hadn’t spoken to in years. I came alive while painting, and my partner mentioned that he’d never seen me paint before. It was nice to see me in my element.

I stopped, shocked. Had I really let go of it that long?

I struggled to balance painting with my 9-5 for another year when things came to end. I remember walking into A House of Frames and leaving in spontaneous tears. Surrounded by all that artwork reminded me of what I’d spent so long without. It solidified the decision for me: I couldn’t allow myself to be pulled anywhere else but towards being an artist.

Another couple months later, I quit my 9-5 with absolutely no back up plan but to make artwork.

Was it insane? Maybe. But living in denial a minute longer about what I wanted out of life felt more like insanity to me.

So I re-launched my website, my shop, a YouTube channel, and a blog all over the course of a month. I rebranded my Instagram page, and created marketing materials. I’m now booked up throughout August for art markets. And every moment I get to spend where someone walks by my art booth- I hear the catch in their breath- and they inch in for a closer look. . . That’s what I do it all for.

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.
The first place I would take them is downtown Columbia to the Riverwalk! I absolutely love a nice walk by the water. Then, we would get breakfast at Hide Out WeCo. They have the absolute BEST croissants, and they’re full of local artwork too!

Other amazing coffee shops include Drip, Piecewise Coffee, and Azalea. We’d get some tea or coffee from Azalea, admire the gorgeous artwork inside, and then take a little walk down the shops on the street. There’s so many beautiful fashion shops and boutiques.

For lunch or dinner, we may go to Hickory Tavern, Pasta Fresca, or Cantina 76. Cantina 76 has this absolutely amazing margarita called The Divine.

Finally, we’d end out day with a little walk through the 701 Contemporary Center of Art, and get something to eat or drink either at Iron Hill Brewery or Hunter & Gatherer brewery.

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?
I have to offer a shout out to my sister, Sarah, who I call on Facetime every time I feel like I need direction and encouragement. She has that kind of no-excuses attitude that my caution-minded heart needs to hear sometimes. I also thank my partner, Joseph, for supporting me through the ups and downs of my journey. And finally, I am absolutely in love with Stephanie Langdell’s art process and presence online. Her artwork is vibrant, full of energy and life, and she also presents herself with the authenticity I aspire towards.

Website: https://jencarmiel.com

Instagram: @jen.carmiel

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOO3LeW9SUA&t=882s

Other: https://patreon.com/jencarmiel?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink