Janabstra, tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Jany and I am an artist from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico currently living in Raleigh, North Carolina. I’m a mother, YouTuber, small business owner, martial artist, and wonder woman / artist. I love sculpting, painting, and creating art in general. I used to sculpt for a living but not anymore. I needed to reinvent myself after a health issue I had. For me there’s no better outlet than to paint. Every brush stroke is a feeling, a thought out of my mind,that relieves my soul. Painting has been an excellent outlet for me since it so therapeutic. I could paint all day!

How long have you been painting & drawing? What inspired you to become an artist?
A couple of years ago, I went through a very crucial time in my life. In my darkest times, art saved me. I became really interested in digital art and ended up enrolling in art school. I had no interest in art before. I had never drawn, painted, or sculpted in my life. I decided to apply to the most prestigious Art University in Puerto Rico. But this was a hard one since future students are expected to pass a week-long test seminar to be selected from an extremely talented group of people. I’ve always believed in myself and I was accepted! I completed my goal to be a student at the Escuela de Diseño y Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico.

How would you describe your style?
I'm a varied artist which means I don’t only paint. I sculpt, work with resin, make paper art, Graphic Design, make jewelry, and anything creative that catches my attention. That being said, it's very difficult to define my art and style. Most artists I've known struggle with finding their art style and honestly, I don't understand what all the fuss about it! I honestly think that you need to stick with what makes you feel happy without worrying about categorizing yourself with a "style". Just be you and your art style will define itself. About mine I'll say that most of my pieces are very clean and well composed, very simple and light.

What is your favorite GenCrafts product to use?
My favorite Gencrafts products are the Watercolor Brush Pens. I really love the brush tips, the material they are made of is excellent. The colors are very vibrant and you can use them with or without water to create beautiful strokes!

What advice do you have for beginner artists?
Don’t compare yourself to other artists! Your work will flow from your heart and mind which will define you, but if you feel you aren’t good enough – then you aren’t good enough. If you are not happy with your art try to identify why and work on it until you are satisfied. As an artist you have to be brave because you are not only putting paint on a canvas, you are creating feelings and memories. You are touching someone’s heart, entering someone’s home and sharing a piece of you with the world. That’s my favorite thing about art. It’s not only something you can see, it’s something you can feel.

What is your favorite part about the creative process?
Most of the time an idea will stick in my head and it will be there until I put it on paper. I do not make sketches or color planning unless it's for a very important project. Even though I am a very structured person, I don’t like to be too rigid with my process. I enjoy immersing myself in what I'm doing, mixing the paint, feeling the brush strokes, just losing myself in the experience of creating something without thinking about it too much. Sometimes our best works are the ones we don’t put much thought into.

Tell us an interesting fact about your art!
To me my art is limitless. It’s ever changing, continuously evolving and truly the best form of expression. Art makes me free.

YOU CAN FIND JANABSTRA ON:

• YOUTUBE:  ​Janabstra - https://www.youtube.com/user/cutetreatsbyjany
• INSTAGRAM: @janabstra - https://www.instagram.com/janabstra/
 

We’d love to see your artwork on Instagram - Show us your talents!
Post your artwork on Instagram, be sure our product is featured in the photo, tag us, and use the hashtag #gencrafts
As always, CREATE, SHARE, & INSPIRE!