Artist of the Week: Jasmine Worth

How big of a factor is comfort in the world of art? That question speaks more to the way you view art that challenges you or makes you uncomfortable then the comfort of the artist. The idea that art that makes you unconformable is naturally dark or unpleasant is not always right. The art of San Diego's website is often classified as dark, but a closer look reveals a world that is complex and in a subtle way beautiful. Her work focuses on fairy tales, and is often ripped directly from the books she reads.

Recently, Jasmine was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): I know you associate with the darker side of art, but do you feel your work is really that dark? What would make an image dark in nature?
Jasmine Worth (JW): What is considered "dark" art is pretty subjective, but I would consider my work to be dark compared to some. I think images that make people think, or make them uncomfortable, are often considered "dark".

OA: Your work has been describe as a fairytales brought to life. Are these your
internal fairytales?
JW: In a way, each piece is its own little fairytale told through the characters, colors, and symbolism in the piece. I think there is a quirky or whimsical aspect to some of my pieces, and so they have often been compared to dark fairytales.

OA: You have also pulled images from actual tales, like "The Bell Jar" and work
by Poe. Do you find stories tend to inspire you to create images?
JW: I am an avid reader. Often what I am reading at the moment will inspire or influence my pieces. I love stories that conjure up a visual image while you're reading them.

OA: You seem to have had some success with Etsy. Is Etsy currently the best place for artist to get their work in front of potential buyers?
JW: I show my work in galleries, and that is my primary outlet for showing my work to the public. Etsy is way of reaching out to people and making my work accessable to many people who may not otherwise see it. Not everyone lives in a city with an art gallery, or can afford an original piece of art, so I try to make prints and other things available so that anyone can afford to own a little piece of art if they choose to.

OA: How do you determine which pieces should become prints and what is that process like?
JW: I try to make all of my recent pieces available as prints. My older pieces are also available as prints by request.

OA: What's next for Jasmine Worth?
JW: I have some wonderful shows coming up this year in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and NY. Please check www.JasmineWorth.com for details as they become available. As always, I will be adding new prints to my etsy store.

Bonus Questions:
OA: If you could sit down to coffee with anyone (alive or dead) who would it be?
JW: Probably would have to be Crowley, but I think he would probably want to drink something a little harder than coffee. ;)

OA: What type of music do you listen to and who are a few of your favorites?
JW: Some of my consistant favorites would have to be Sopor Aeternus and Corpus Delecti.

For more information on Jasmine Worth please visit her website.

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