The Intimate Nature of Storytelling
Jameelah Platt is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa where she attended Pittsburgh CAPA, and then went on to attend the University of Art in Philadelphia. Creating art gives her an indescribable fullness! She creates paintings, collages, and sculptures illustrating narratives that nurture what’s familiar and introduce what is foreign. She has an interest in nostalgia and the intimate nature of story telling. Hearing, documenting and reading the stories of others captivates her. She sees it as a privilege when she is given the opportunity to hear an account of another person. It’s like time traveling!
How would you describe your work as an artist?
I would describe my work as vibrant, detail oriented, narrative based, sentimental and nostalgic.
Where does the inspiration for you work generally come from?
I’m inspired by stories and the art of story telling. I’m inspired by dance and the beauty of the human body, through movement of the body. I’m inspired by the translations of sentiment and nostalgia through music, film, literature.
When you aren’t working on a new project or piece, what do you like to do in your free time?
When I’m not working on a new project, I’m usually outside sitting under a tree. Trees have a stillness, a permanence that gives me a lot of calm. If the weather doesn’t permit for me to go outside, then I’m usually inside enjoying a good mystery or comedy movie. In addition to watching movies I also watch and conduct a lot of research about how to improve my studio practice and translation of content. Since I get some of my inspiration from dance I watch videos and performances of people dancing to study how and why people move their bodies in the fashion that they do.
What role do you hope your art can play in the community?
I would like for my work to educate and heal the community. I want my work to act as a mirror, allowing my audiences to introspectively reflect and explore their own minds, hearts and memories.
Where has your work been displayed and where was your favorite place to display it?
My work has been displayed by visual works at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, The Ace Hotel, The Flower House, The Black Arts Festival at Circle of Hope in Philadelphia Pa, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia Pa, The University of Pittsburgh, Assemble Learning Center, EQT Plaza, The University of The Arts, The Mr.RobotoProject, Seton Hill University, The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and at the Museum Lab here in Pittsburgh Pa. In addition to these visual works I have also presented a production at the Dance Alloy theater, which was conducted through the Fresh Works artist residency. My Favorite Places to display my work has been at the Museum Lab, and at the University of Pittsburgh.
Which one of your pieces holds the most meaning to you?
Its difficult to chose which works hold the most meaning to me, because they all hold meaning. They’re all significant to me because when I create, I’m sharing a bit of myself into the work. One of my favorite paintings is a very small work titled Company, it’s painted on a small piece of wood. It’s a simple painting, and one of my favorites because it colorful and portable!
Do you have a general process you follow when creating a new piece?
My creative practice is 50% instinctual and 50% intellectual. When I create new work, I usually begin with research. I’m always interested in learning and discovering new information, and I believe that can’t be done without investigating and reading about the things around you. Once I’ve gathered the information I need to construct the narrative I want, I begin to think about how to visually represent that information. This is when I’ll start to think about the use of my materials and will begin to map out my compositions. Once this is complete the rest of my process becomes a push and pull of adding and taking away elements of the work until it feels just right.
2020 has been a trying year for many people, has your creative process changed for better or worse during the year?
This year my creative process has definitely changed for the better. 2020 has provided me with the time that I normally wouldn’t have to experiment more with materials, to read, to investigate and to really immerse myself into my practice.
Who are some artists/mentors that helped you grow and gain confidence in your work?
A lot of my friends and family who are artist and curators definitely help me grow and gain confidence in my work. They remind me not to sell myself short. They remind me that its ok to not always be in the mood to create, and that its also ok if I can’t stop thinking about creating. I have two major mentors, both whom live in PA but in different cities. They both have shown me what its like to be part of an artist tribe, to be part of an artist community. All of these people have helped me elevate my creative practice to the next level.
What goals do you hope to accomplish in the next five years?
In the next five years I hope to gain funding towards the production of newer stronger works and to have participated in more artist fellowships and residencies. With some of those funds I’d really like to be in a position to help other artists and develop a communal studio space or residency of my own to welcome other young artists. I’d also really like to gain support from and show my work in larger institutions and museums.
