Check out Jared Murray’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared Murray.

Jared, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’m a recovering youth services worker who spent eight years in the freelance writing world, 3 years in the corporate marketing world, and is now back in the freelance world. Oh, but as a photographer, not a writer—though I still dabble from time to time. No longer using words, I now prefer to tell stories through images.

I live with my partner, Leighann, and our two dogs, Deuce and Ruby. Our little gang of four is attempting to untether our lives from the unnecessary complications of life in a number of ways. We spend as much time as we can outdoors, sipping coffee (me) and tea (her), slowing down, and minimizing where necessary. Nothing encapsulates this mindset more than our current project: a 1954 Traveler camper trailer that we are rebuilding in hopes of being our eventual home. The goal is to strip everything down to only what is essential and hit the road in search of adventure, community, and a life well-lived.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I hate self-mythologizing, but I’ll give this an attempt.

I was never really a good student, but I’ve always been at my best when I’m teaching myself. The classic stereotype of the guy who refuses to read the instructions applies to me, although not 100% (I prefer to “glance” at them, at least). I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, and each one of them was an opportunity to grow. This has encouraged me to not fear making mistakes as much as I once did, which is a necessary mindset when creating anything.

As such, I want to empower any client or subject of mine to feel the same. I experience no greater satisfaction in my work than when another person is somehow affected by what I do. I’m not always too concerned about what that effect might be, because we each receive and interpret everything from a foundation based on our individual stories and experiences. What I am concerned about, however, is leaving something in this world that provides value and meaning—to myself and to others.

While my work might not quite be considered proper “art” yet (at least in my own eyes), I’m strive for a theme of self-discovery that brings a new lesson each day. With those lessons I hope to further hone my voice in ways that further enhance my work, and thus further enhance the lives of myself and those around me. One day I might be shooting portraits for someone who wants to document a specific point in their journey; another day I might be shooting photos of houses that are about to go on the market. It’s not always “sexy”, but you can be damn sure I wouldn’t rather be doing anything else. And that is a component of what I mean by searching for a life that is well-lived.

The stereotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
If your art isn’t making you enough to live off of, then find a way to finance your passion where you can. Do whatever you have to in order to pay your basic necessities. Get a job at McDonalds or a coffee shop. Simplify your life and belongings.

You might never get to the point where living off your art is a realistic option, so you have to find a way to accept that. Once you’ve accepted that art isn’t a means to finance a lifestyle, you’ll discover a well of inspiration and creativity you might not have realized was there. It then becomes about the art itself and not about the dollars it is or is not putting in your bank account.

It’s different for everyone. Don’t focus so much on what others are doing, or what privileges they might have that aren’t fair. Focus on your voice. Focus on your journey. Focus on telling stories.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have a website and Instagram, though I probably don’t update them as much as I should.

www.jaredmurrayphotos.com

www.instagram.com/jaredmurray

The best way to support me—should you feel so inclined—is to hire me to do some work for you. I shoot portraits and real estate, and have been doing a little bit of brand work here and there. I’m really picky about who I work with on the latter because I don’t want to contribute to the noise too much, but I also need them ducats.

Beyond that, I can’t get enough of collaborating with other creators and artists. I learn so much from the processes and perspectives of others, so I selfishly want to meet as many diverse individuals as I can. In my mind, competition is a fallacy. If you’re another photographer, I want to hear from you. I don’t care if we service the same industries and clients. There is plenty to go around for everyone. Let’s provide value to each other instead of looking to extract as much as we can for just ourselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jaredmurrayphotos.com
• Email: jared@jaredmurrayphotos.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jaredmurray
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/jared_84

Image Credit:
All images created by me with full license to use by me.

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