Meet Jaden Nye | Visual Development Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaden Nye and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaden, why did you pursue a creative career?
Being able to create art for the rest of my life seemed like a dream come true so pursuing a creative career was the perfect fit for me. Ever since I was little, I’ve always found a way to express myself through different mediums of art. From playing with sidewalk chalk to doodling in a smudge of shaving cream on the bathtub walls, there were endless ways for me to draw.

It wasn’t until I was in high school that I truly began to focus a lot of my time on art. I had always loved going to art class in my younger years of school, but when I was able to choose my electives, I was able to explore so much more and find what I really loved to do. My high school offered classes in pottery, photography, drawing, painting and 3D design, all of which I found myself taking. Near the end of my junior year of high school when it was time to start considering colleges to apply to, I didn’t really know what I was going to do. One night my mom showed me the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) website and we planned to go tour the campus during that spring’s SCAD Day. After the tour, one of the admission advisors encouraged me to apply, so I did because what did I have to lose? I had my senior year to figure out what to do if I didn’t get in. However, that summer I got my acceptance letter, and I couldn’t wait to go to SCAD to pursue a degree in illustration.

I have always loved watching animated films, but it wasn’t until I discovered “The Art of” books that I realized I wanted to be a part of the process of creating these films. The breakdowns of color, the variations of costume design, and the way they designed each character was so fascinating. The first book I received from this series was “The Art of Frozen” as a Christmas present and I can still remember how amazed I felt while flipping through the pages and seeing the visual development for the environments. The book also introduced me to Brittney Lee, a visual development artist for Walt Disney Animation, and led me to learn more about visual development because I realized that’s what I want to do. I love to create things that can entice laughter and be enjoyable for all ages for generations to come.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
A lot of my art is inspired by the things I see in nature, especially when I take my dog for walks. I look at the way a tree is shaped, or a puddle is formed and find ways to create something out of the silhouettes. A few of my favorite projects that I’ve worked on have come from my dreams and I wake up so I can draw it out even if it’s 3am. My work is constantly changing as I grow as an artist, but I always make sure that everything I do comes from the heart and brings joy.

Getting to where I am today has taken a lot of time, work, and persistence, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Growth comes from learning new skills and taking on challenges by practicing different styles and drawing every chance you can. The creative process is not always clear but pushing through the hard parts to get to the end result will teach you to be a better artist and person.

It’s taken some time to get into a good creative routine and mindset but taking the time to find what works best has benefitted in my success. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to just let creativity flow freely and trust the process. A lot of times I would hold myself back because thinking forward, I felt an idea wouldn’t come out well, but you’ll never know unless you explore it out and see it on paper. Another thing I’ve learned over time is a work-life balance. Creating a list of all the things that need to be accomplished takes some of the pressure off starting a new project and allows for fun things to be added in-between working. Stepping away from your work will let you recharge creatively, and you’ll have fresh eyes when seeing your project again so you can adjust if needed.

One thing I want to be known for is my passion for what I do. Whether it is creating characters, imagining new environments, or playing around with clay, I always do everything to the best of my ability. As I grow, I continue to learn new things and implement that knowledge into my work. The core goals of my art are to share stories, inspire others, and to bring happiness to all that see it.

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.
The first thing I’d do if I had a friend visit me in Savannah would be to take them over by City Market and Broughton Street. Our first stop would have to be at Kung Fu Tea and then go around the corner to Ellis Square to enjoy our drinks. For breakfast, my favorite place to go is Henry’s for their omelets. Another option would be to go to Goose Feathers, but because their food is so good, they tend to get busy fast if you don’t wake up early. For other meals, I like going to B&D Burgers, Molly MacPherson’s, and Treylor Park. Walking along River Street is a must-do for shopping, sight-seeing and getting coffee from Vic’s Coffee Bar. Other things to do in Savannah would be to walk around Forsyth Park or go to the Jepson Center and Telfair Museums. The Old Savannah Tours are also a fun activity to do to see a lot of the city and learn about its history. If they’re looking to get out of the city for something to eat, a notable place to go is BowTie Barbecue Co. To end the visit, I’d take them to the SCAD Museum and a tour to the different buildings because going to SCAD allowed me to fall in love with the city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There have been so many people to thank for supporting and inspiring me on my creative journey so far. I owe a lot of the credit to my family for surrounding me in such a creative atmosphere since I was a child and encouraging my ideas.

First, my parents for encouraging me to go for my dreams and supporting me along the way. They have always told me that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, and my determination will get me far in life. To have such an amazing support system from them, I am forever thankful.

I owe a lot of my creativity to my grandparents, especially my Poppy. I would spend a lot of weekends at their house growing up and would paint everything! From canvases to birdhouses and even a stone slab for my Nanny’s garden once. My Poppy has taught me so many life lessons at that table while we painted, and those lessons have helped me to grow to who I am now. My Nanny is quite creative herself. She is the one who taught me how to sew, to make door wreaths, and she always takes me to the local craft fairs because, “it’ll be good inspiration for your drawings!”

I’d also like to thank all of my professors at SCAD who have guided and helped me to be my very best as an artist and a professional. A special thank you to Arden Von Haeger, Mike Wimmer, Ron Spears, and Brian Bowes for pushing me to be my very best.

Going to SCAD allowed me to grow as a person and an artist. I will be forever thankful for having the opportunity to attend a school that encourages growth in all aspects. It also allowed me to meet so many other talented artists and make true friends along the way. I don’t know how my future will unfold, but I know it’ll be with a great group of people by my side.

Website: https://www.jadennye.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaden-nye/

Image Credits
Kristen Nye, Chris Nye.