Today we’d like to introduce you to Jahmai Brown.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In the heart of North Omaha, behind Skeet’s Ribs and Chicken on 24th St, lies a mural. This mural, painted in vibrant shades of yellow, blue, and brown, depicts the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American men from Omaha that fought in World War II. It is a proud moment in Omaha’s history. This is also a proud moment in my life, as I helped paint this mural. This mural symbolizes my passion for art and for helping the community, two things I plan to continue in my future.
My passion for art began in elementary school. Many of my classmates complained about art class, but it was always my favorite subject. I didn’t even know anything about art or what I was doing yet, but I knew that I loved to draw and paint things. My art teacher, Mr. Parker, taught me everything I know. We started with basic shapes, patterns, and all of the things we needed to build a foundation for a deeper understanding of art. Not only did Mr. Parker teach me about art, but he’s also the person who told me I was good at it.
I began to realize that not only was art something I enjoyed, it was also something that I had a natural talent for. As I got into late elementary school and school got more and more difficult, I began to struggle academically. During my struggles with school, art was my escape. It was the one thing that came easily to me. I looked forward to art class because it was fun and relaxing to create things. As a result, my love for art grew even stronger.
I continued doing art in middle school, and the more I practiced, the better I got. My middle school art classes were more serious, and we began learning about art history. We read books about artists, and I even began reading books about art in my own time. I was also creating more and more art at home. My godbrother loved to draw as well, so we often did it together. We would look up YouTube videos on how to do graffiti, and we had to use Sharpie markers for everything.
I would also print out pictures of Jordan’s shoes and draw them. In school, whenever we did projects, I would always try to do a poster or drawing or something that incorporated art. I began showing my art to my parents. They really encouraged me to keep going with my art. My mom was so proud of my drawings, and she would even have me draw things for other family members and friends. When my parents realized the talent I had for art, they began showing me the different career paths art could create for me.
I began to realize that to create a career out of art, I needed to go to college and to go to college, I needed good grades. In elementary, I struggled and wasn’t as focused as I needed to be, but middle school is where I began to work hard in all my classes, not just art class. I continued working hard into high school, and my grades kept improving. It felt good to do well in school, which is something I never thought I would be able to do.
I eventually got a 3.8 GPA and even made Honor Roll, which I consider one of my greatest achievements. All this success in school leads back to my love of art. It was not only something I enjoyed, it inspired me to do better in all aspects of my life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It wasn’t easy another opportunity high school brought was finally being old enough to get a job and make money. Since I love art, I really wanted to find a job where I could make art and get paid for it.
That turned out to be easier said than done, but I still found some jobs that I really enjoyed, such as working for the Omaha Boys and Girls Club, where I worked with kids, or the Hope Center, where I filmed videos that were shown on a local television station. But the chance to do a job that involved art finally came in the summer before my senior year.
I got a job with the FLIYE Arts program. FLIYE Arts is a company started by Aaryon “Bird” Williams, a local artist here in Omaha. It provides many services, such as art workshops, writing art curriculum, motivational speaking, and commission artwork. Clearly, I could learn a lot from working with this company.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an African American artist who wants the viewer to look at my everyday artwork of experimenting with objects and see the possibilities that they may have. My work is a process based on the exploration of colors and gathering non-traditional art materials.
These include items such as glitter, spray paint, magazines, and tools. For example, my clay piece was created with thick chipboard and sobo to glue on the clay. When this process was finished I then used tape to outline a frame onto the piece. The next layer was spray paint. I wanted to find a visual balance between the variety of materials and multiple layers.
I gravitate to bright colors for my pieces to get the viewer’s attention. No matter the color combination, I want the viewer to take one look and say, “Wow, this is beautiful!” In order for my work to have a scene of life and create order, I want the viewer to interact with the pieces. Seeing the viewer’s first expression is what I’m proud of!
Any big plans?
Art has truly made such a difference in my life. In the future, I hope to continue creating art and make a living. My knowledge of art has grown so much since I first discovered it in elementary school—now I am interested in not only drawing and painting, but music production, photography, graphic design, and even apparel design.
Using these skills, I hope to start a business that not only makes money but is also a positive force in the community. There are a lot of causes I care about—such as helping people find healthcare, feeding the homeless, and donating to the Boys and Girls Club, shelters, churches, and other groups that help people in need.
If I can use art to raise money for these causes, it will make our community better for everyone. Art has positively impacted my life in so many ways, and now it’s my turn to give back and use art to positively influence the lives of others.
Contact Info:
- Email: Jbrown@kcai.edu
- Website: https://linktr.ee/JBdbrown12
- Instagram: @Iamhaj._
- Twitter: @JahmaiBrown
