Novem Life, Yo!

Chicago has provided Novem the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most artistic, motivated and intelligent women in the city limits. This monthly blog is dedicated to the Novemettes that have contributed to Novem Life with their support, artistic collaboration or just rocking the shirts because “they know what’s up”.

Lauren Jenkins (laurenjenkinsart.com)

When did you first become interested in art?

Its genetic for me, runs on both sides of the family. I have been playing with art since I could hold a pencil. I’m a total doodler lost in la la land.

Who are you influenced by?

Um Picasso’s early cubist period, Salvador Dali, Roy Lichtenstein, Piet Mondrian and the De Stijl movement, Basquiat, Disney, Warhol, Kaws, Manolo Valdes, my mother’s craftiness, and everything I lay my eyes upon.

Are there any artists in your family? If so, please explain what they do and if that has impacted your growth in any way.

Father is a photographer, mother is super crafty, sister is a graphic designer who was an aspiring fashion designer, uncle is an animator, another one is a director, aunt works in television, grandmother drew architectural drawings from her head, the other one did anatomical sketches, etc. See, it’s genetic. Well all that to say it made me want to be a business woman. I did not want the *starving *artist lifestyle.

Please describe your artistic style and the mediums you use.

My style is simple. It is the use of the most basic elementary art class tools, using simple, ready made lines and colors and creating something that has depth, contrast, conveys emotion, and is truthful to anyone. It is as if each piece is trying to reveal a child like honesty of something. It is the simplicity of technique, material, and color palette that is a signature of my style. Abstraction is also a big part of my style as it plays out in different ways in each piece. I want my work to be readable. I want the viewer to have 1000 words when looking at a piece, but each person’s 1000 words can be different. Each piece thus far really stands alone as a one of a kind, its own expression. This makes me feel like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing…creating.

Do you have a message that you are trying to spread through your artwork?

My artwork is my ambition to completely give my story to the world and hope that my honesty allows all kinds of people to connect to it. How? Because I keep it on a basic level. So through my work I always want people to connect to the art and to each other by acknowledging our raw basics in humanity.

What’s hot on your Ipod at the moment?

Errrrrum the Whole joint is hot. I’m rocking the shuffle and letting it play from classic Roy Ayers ish all the way to a Birdman hood joint Mo Milly. Yah, I keep it messy with the music.

Submit entries for the next NOVEMETTE to CREATE@NOVEMSTUDIOS.COM

Please include: Name, email address and picture of the candidate wearing their favorite article of Novem gear.
Thank you,
-The Novem Team