Jared Power
What's been going on in your world and circles lately?
Personally, I've been chillin. Actively. I've been in the pursuit of chill. I've been skating, making art, hanging out. I'm trying to make all of that more fun; I experience a great deal of anxiety daily, that anxiety can pretty easily devolve into depression. I was sitting in that soup for a really long time, after a while I felt bad for so long it became annoying, which took the edge off of how harrowing it had been. It's been helpful to remind myself that I am a brain piloting a body and I can do whatever I want, and that the present moment is where I belong. Managing my shit in this way is new to me so it's the biggest thing in my world right now.
Anything in particular you've been working on?
Honestly the overall project is to keep going- Like literally every single day is a trial of how much fun I can be having while I'm existing doin my shit and not fall into brain fog anxiety bad time. I have no idea how to really have fun, so I've been focusing on seeking out joy and playing around and whatnot. I've been making this experimental soft sculpture backpack. It's literally just a little pouch with a nylon stocking sewn to the outside, which I'm stuffing with fabric scraps. I'm hoping it comes out looking like a big ol fleshy lumpy orb kinda deal. I got a yellow chain from Lowes to use as the straps. Maybe I'll see what acrylic paint does to the outside, I can so clearly experience the visual texture in my brain, I'm just hoping it comes out like that. I've been wanting to branch out into more *tangible* art forms like that- I'm big into how it feels when I’m making something and recently drawing just hasn't been it. I really hope I can find a way to make it feel good again though, I really miss enjoying drawing.
Some of Jared’s wearable art is currently available at Digit OKC
Tips, Tricks, Techniques?
Quitting is really underrated, if you're not having fun you can switch gears. Trust yourself, be compassionate. Jacquard textile paint is the best fabric paint. Lighting a candle sometimes helps with loneliness. Pacific Arc Black Liners in like 0.05 make the creepiest little lines, awesome visual texture. Experiment a lot and work like you know what you're doing. Putting gesso over cardstock or pre primed canvas gives it a pretty nice toothy texture which feels great to draw on with graphite imo.
Latest edition of Stoked Maggot Zine.
Cover designed by @Heavy.doom
Other projects you see happening around that are cool?
God honestly I've been so wrapped up in my own shit I have not been paying that close attention to others as much as I want to.The Tooth recently dropped an EP, We’ve Got Everything, that goes pretty hard. Canine Chain has been on repeat for sure. Stoked Maggot Zine is a repeating zine curated and edited by my dearest friend Vega @ stoked_maggot.zine on ig, definitely check it out, my friend Haven @Heavy.doom designed the sick ass cover on the one that just recently came out. Havens been killin it with their art in general too.
Future thing you are looking forward to?
Wellllll I'm gonna have a show at Osc Press (teehee) in Aug 2023 and maan I haven't had something that far out on the calendar to look forward to since I was looking forward to graduating High School. I have no idea what kind of stuff I’ll be making for it but some thoughts about connection and interpersonal fear have been building in my mind and I've been big into these squishy expansive blobs.. And I've been more interested in the feeling of using graphite and the idea of making big big drawings so that might be something.
Favorite bands / albums lately?
Lately So much Bummer. Specifically the album Dead Horse. Other than that,
Goat Girl, Chat Pile, Cottonwood Firing Squad, Holy Locust, Bashed In, Glassing, The Tooth, Lealani, Big Thief, Bellows, SEDIMENTUM, Yautja, the Juno soundtrack, yaknow how it goes. What I come back to a lot right now is totally determined by whats on spotify honestly.
Poem?
Blue Iris by Mary Oliver
Now that I’m free to be myself, who am I?
Can’t fly, can’t run, and see how slowly I walk.
Well, I think, I can read books.
”What’s that you’re doing?”
the green-headed fly shouts as it buzzes past.
I close the book.
Well, I can write down words, like these, softly.
“What’s that you’re doing?” whispers the wind, pausing
in a heap just outside the window.
Give me a little time, I say back to its staring, silver face.
It doesn’t happen all of a sudden, you know.
“Doesn’t it?” says the wind, and breaks open, releasing
distillation of blue iris.
And my heart panics not to be, as I long to be,
the empty, waiting, pure, speechless receptacle.
Anything else?
Feelin’ Weird is a good podcast, its about to end, episode 129 is really somethin. I def recommend it especially If you experience emotions hella deeply and would like to feel less alone about that.
Communication is easier when there's mutual compassion
‘How we can change the world’ by Andrewism on youtube is a good video, quite hopeful.
You actually do genuinely deserve to be kind to yourself. Makes stuff a lot easier in the long run.
Tiny sketchbooks are really fun and easy to make, and can be a fun segue through art block.
U can find my art on instagram @EATBADART or some in person at Digit in the plaza in okc.
Jared’s design is currently available for preorder on a black long sleeve or short sleeve t-shirt until Monday December 19th (end of day). Order one here!
