Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Thorvaldson.
Hi Jillian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. It never mattered if I ever made any money or gained any notoriety; I just wanted to do something creative with my life. Two artists raised me; my mother was a performer, and my father was a visual artist. They allowed me the space to explore that creativity for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I explored many avenues of artistry, but the one that felt most exciting was always photography. I decided to devote my college life to learning more about art, photography, and the business behind it, earning myself two degrees in Studio Art and Arts Management from the College of Charleston. During my final semester, I applied to a residency program called the Lightning Residency at Redux Contemporary Art Center in downtown Charleston. I was fortunately accepted into the residency and set to start in July 2022, two months after graduation. Overjoyed, I gave the residency my everything, and it was the best thing that could have happened for me post-art academia. Through the residency, I was asked to teach darkroom lessons at Redux, to which I excitedly agreed. A few months after the residency was finished, I was given an incredible opportunity to take over Studio 4 and become a part of the Redux permanent studio artists, along with my amazing residency and studio partner, Nick Kawczynski. I’ve been at Redux in Studio 4 ever since, and I wouldn’t change a thing!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has had its smooth moments, but it has had a lot of bumpy and scary ones, too. I am incredibly grateful for my friends and family, who constantly show me support and love, which makes the bumpy and scary parts easier to manage. Every artist struggles not only with finding their voice but also with being confident in the work they create. It is easy to fall victim to imposter syndrome and convince yourself that your work will never be as good as you want. Creativity is a slow-burning, life-long experience that we must embrace as it ebbs and flows. A good friend once told me that a key part of creativity is allowing yourself a break to feel and the space to create when you know the time is right.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am primarily a photographer, working in both digital and film. I specialize in portraiture and well-directed shoots regarding my creative life. Still, recently, I have photographed many events and performances for others within the community. I classify myself as a ‘perfectionist’ artist and am actively working on fixing that. It does come in handy when I find myself in a darkroom; however, as anyone who has worked in a photographic darkroom knows, there is little room for error. I often find myself focusing on the LGBTQ+ community within my work; as a gay person myself, it is an excellent objective of mine to uplift the gay community here in South Carolina through collaborative artistry. Additionally, my work tends to be very intense emotionally, battling feelings of depression, anxiety, and insecurity. The project I am most proud of is titled To Love in a Place Where You’re Hated, which was the work I made for the Lightning Residency. I interviewed queer people in Charleston, SC, and asked them about their experience being queer in the American South. Accompanying the interviews was a photo shoot with each subject, where I photographed them in their homes, taken on black and white 35mm film. For the display of this work, I typed up each interview and created a zine using mini darkroom prints that guests could read through, along with larger framed darkroom prints of each subject and large mirrors with hand-drawn designs.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love Charleston because of its atmosphere and liveliness. I love that I get to live downtown and walk everywhere. I feel so free in this gorgeous city. I was raised in South Carolina, and Charleston is the best that this state has to offer! I do not, however, love that there are a large amount of people in Charleston who do not understand the LGBTQ+ community or may even dislike it. I do not like that Charleston is a place of historical pain, but I hope that my generation and the generations after mine will have a great impact on the morality of this place. This is part of why I choose to stay here- we cannot leave this beautiful place to those with corrupt beliefs.
Pricing:
- Private darkroom lessons- $60/hour
- Individual session- $200/hour
- Performance/Event photography- $125/event
Contact Info:
- Website: jillianthorvaldson.com
- Instagram: picturesbyjillian
Image Credits
Jillian Thorvaldson
