Giving a voice to all of us hardworking dreamers out there, as she would put it, the incredibly talented illustrator, Jordan Wester, takes us on a journey through her art into the lives of those socially deemed “average” and all of their individuality and beauty that is way beyond what the eye can initially see. Revealing her inspirations and creative processes, Jordan ideally expresses that beauty is much more than just skin deep.
Growing up, was art always a part of your life or something you developed a love for over time?
It was always a part of my life. I remember being 4 and camping out in a giant box and drawings mermaids obsessively. I’ve always loved combining people and animals, even from an early age. I was also very shy and not very verbal until my teens so drawing was the only way I had to communicate.
From an artistic point of view, how and when did you decide to focus in on the middle-class female and her day-to-day struggles and circumstances?
I think it just stems from my friends and me. I see a lot of stories, both fiction and non-fiction which focus on the financial extremes at either end- which is certainly valid- but very little about the quiet hardworking dreamers in the middle and their secret lives as forces of nature.
Was there a specific girl or group of girls that really inspired you to, in a way, give them a voice through your art?
I think Miss Moneypenny from James Bond was probably the original catalyst. I always wanted her to have her own adventures! I’m inspired by women who are smart and funny, but not necessarily alpha females.
You designed a very special illustration, just for this issue. What was the inspiration behind it and in what way, it’s dedicated to Chasseur?
Again returning to that feeling that humans are a part of nature and not separate. Even as a child I had zero problem with evolution. It seemed very natural to me because I felt like an animal, like a plant, vs. feeling opposed to nature. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, here, the soul is ready to take flight. But her eyes are closed so perhaps she doesn’t know us well enough to share her journey right now. The illustration for Chasseur was inspired by listening to Joan Baez’s, “Diamonds and Rust.” There is something so bittersweet, but still strong about her voice. Her unconventional beauty, physically, vocally, and spiritually is inspiring. What initially attracted me to Chasseur is that you define beauty as individuality, which is something I connected to immediately.
Based on your interest of ‘overlooked beauty’ in your pieces, do you think in today’s world there is a struggle or need to be beautiful? How does your work reflect that?
Oh yes. Almost everyone I meet uses really hateful language about the way they look and it drives me bananas. They are always comparing themselves to whatever the current fad is. Often, they intellectually understand the absurdity of this, but emotionally are unable to overcome it. Society feeds us a steady diet of discontent. I have utterly beautiful friends who constantly criticize their breast size, their waists or stomachs, their thighs- and also strange completely made up things like their toe length. Who cares about toe length?! From a sort of quietly defiant place, I wanted to say, “Well, I don’t want to draw what people are dictating to me must be attractive, I want to show what I think is beautiful.” And there’s certainly a lot of self validation in that, but also a push against the dominant beauty mold in a way that allows me to connect with other like-minded people.
How does the process of creation begin for you?
Usually listening to music- I grab a sketchbook and make some chicken scratches to capture the basic idea and note colors. Then I start refining the drawing until I have something smooth and fluid.
What are your favourite materials to work with?
Paper and a bunch of sharp pencils. I use Canson paper to do the final drawing, Artist’s Loft pencils which I’ve colored coded with red, yellow, and green erasers- green for the hardest, lightest leads, yellow for the medium, and red for the darkest, softest leads. Then I color it in photoshop on my mac.
In what ways will we see your work/material evolve?
As far as digital painting goes, I’m moving closer to the Japanese woodblock aesthetic that I love and farther away from heavy airbrush and shading. I’m hoping after the new year to have some time to begin painting with acrylics on canvas. I used to paint on hot press watercolor paper with gouache in very eggshell smooth areas, like an animation cell bound by black ink outlines. But I became dissatisfied with that and it’s been quite a journey looking for a different way of painting. Last year I finally found it. So now I use technology to express the flat aspects I still love, which has freed me up to create something more painterly, less bound by outlines on canvas. It’s very exciting!