Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaia Bright.
Jaia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Since I was a child, my father and Meme have always encouraged my creativity ,even if that meant dedicating an entire room in our house for me to color on the walls, paint, and make all the mess I could dream of.
Fast forward a few years, and I lost interest in creating. Then 2018 came around, and I had this overwhelming sense of, “What is my purpose?” I cried out to the Lord God, asking Him, “What am I meant for?” and He put it on my heart to go get some paint from Sam Flax and paint for 30 days straight.
Although I was confused at the time because I’d never really been a painter and hadn’t done anything creative in over 13 years or so, I trusted His guidance and did exactly that.
Shortly thereafter, I began getting commissions from friends and family. Then it progressed to friends of friends, being invited to Miami Art Basel twice, and getting to be a part of the Orlando Museum of Art’s 1st Thursdays six times, with one of my pieces selling and another receiving a People’s Choice Award.
My mom, although not artistic herself, is probably my biggest supporter. She has made it her personal mission to showcase my art any chance she gets, and I can always count on her to make sure somebody, somewhere, knows her daughter paints.
Painting, for me, is not a hobby. Nor is it a talent I can take credit for. It is a spiritual experience for me, where the Lord truly guides each brushstroke and color choice. Anything I “know to do” is quite literally like a little whisper in my ear.
The moment I come back into my own thinking/consciousness, I forget how to paint… like, no joke!!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. COVID wrecked me creatively. I had about a two-year run of art block due to the immense sense of devastation surrounding so many people. Almost all of my commissions became memorial pieces, and it got to a point where, mentally and emotionally, I just wasn’t able to continue taking on that toll.
Eventually, God reminded me that I’m here to use my art to have a positive effect on individuals. That reminder helped me find my way back to creating not from a place of pressure, but from the same sense of purpose that led me to painting in the first place.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love all things landscapes! It’s truly when I feel the most connected to the Lord God because He created all things, so the fact that I’m able to even attempt to imitate Him is such a fun blessing.
You’ll notice that in almost all of my work, there’s lots of texture or some colorful aspect. I love taking something we may see every day in nature and putting my own colorful, textured spin on it. I don’t necessarily want everything to look perfectly realistic. I want you to be able to feel it, too.
I think what sets my work apart is that I’m not just painting what I see. I’m painting what I feel and allowing God to guide what happens on the canvas. Sometimes that means unexpected colors, heavy texture, or letting the painting become something completely different from what I originally pictured.
I’m most proud that my work still feels like me. As I’ve grown as an artist, I haven’t lost the joy and freedom that made me start painting in the first place. Every piece is still an opportunity for me to experiment, connect with God, and hopefully create something that makes someone else stop, feel something, and connect with it too.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I would love to be traveling and doing anything creative, while still having opportunities to do local murals and eventually creating an outreach program that allows me to teach others how to lean into their creative side.
I’ve had the privilege of doing 17 Paint & Sips, completing my first mural, and now I’m starting to get my art onto accessories and stationery. I’m really enjoying seeing how art can exist beyond just a canvas, and I think there are so many opportunities for artists to expand their creativity into different spaces.
For me, I see the next 5–10 years being about continuing to explore all the different places my creativity can take me, whether that’s murals, events, products, teaching, traveling, or something I haven’t even thought of yet.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://paintedbyjaiabright.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: @Jaiaelise
- Youtube: @PaintedbyJaiaBright
