We had the good fortune of connecting with Imani Joand we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Imani, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I think about balance, I think about my wants vs my needs. I try to ask myself periodically what do I want right now in terms of how my day or week will go & what do I need. Now this might change and I will want to get a bunch of ideas out and paint but I might need to rest, clean & reset. I remind myself that one can’t exist without the other. Working from an in home studio creates a very blurred line between feeling like you’re at work or at home. Once you find a sweet spot in balancing your life you’ll realize you make your best work when you’re not burnt out and the whole space isn’t a mess. Vise versa, you’ll enjoy your rest time 10x more knowing you just got a bunch of work done and released your creative energy. When you don’t work on balance, you’re more prone to being unhappy in the long run.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Over the time of getting my degree in Studio Art I wasn’t really sure where it was going to take me until started painting courses. Immediately I knew paint was my love and once I really started, making a career out of it was the easy part! I’m so thankful for the age we live in with social media because I was able to generate a reputation for painting portraits through instagram. Before I knew it I was getting daily DMs & emails with people who either stumbled across my page or knew someone that just got a portrait done by me. By senior year of college I was making art for bunch of people, influencers, rappers, city murals & even the a children’s hospital. On the side I also taught painting classes, and since 2018 to present day have generated all my money from my art. Over the past couple years I’ve started to really get into anime art as well and have been selling my painting at Anime & Comic Cons around the southern east coast. The biggest lesson I’ve learned through my career in this field is to never stop learning. It’s important to dabble in many forms of art and creativity to be able to consistently create. The best way to get out of a creative slump is to touch another medium. If I couldn’t find it in me paint for a little, I sculpted. I think it’s also really important to know that no amount of knowledge is just for you. Being a part of the art community it’s powerful to talk to other artist, ask questions and teach each other things. I had a professor that used to say if you’re afraid of giving someone knowledge in fear they will surpass you then they already have. Cherish artistic friendships, and pour into each other, this will really help you become grounded and go far in your field. The moment I started to get really far in my career was when I had a couple of artist who I felt were just as good or better than me that I was able to send my work to and receive an honest critique. This holds you to standard and keeps you from being stagnant. Although daily I strive to grow within my personal artwork, over the years I’ve realized the importance I have creating portraits for people. Most of them are significant life moments or capturing a deceased loved one and I hope to continue to provide that service because I love bringing moments of joy & healing to others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As someone who is newer to the area myself I would be ecstatic my best friend would be coming into town so we can explore together haha! Sadly I’m just starting to get into the area of myself so I’m still learning, but I know there’s no shortage of things to do and vibes to experience! I’m not really the club lounge type so I look for more niche experiences, and Atlanta will always provide that. From cat bars to speakeasy’s the underground bar scenes have me in a chokehold. I also love activities like Activate gaming center or Bear and Honey candle making! Underneath the main tourist attractions I’m enjoying exploring more of Atlanta.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to all the people who have shown constant support throughout the years! There had been many times in my life that I felt like maybe I was losing my purpose and drive and people showed me daily that I was right where I needed to be! The amount of DMs, emails, and conversations I’ve had through the years of just people reaffirming I’m right where I needed to be has always kept me going and has been a beautiful experience along the way!

Website: https://imanijoart.myshopify.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imani_jo

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@imani_jo?_t=8kP9grouutv&_r=1

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.