jANAY COOPER
ART DIRECTOR + CONTENT CREATOR
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Contact: janaycooper@outlook.com
Check out her Instagram, along with her BEAUTIFUL portfolio for more of her work!
“Our presence is inevitable. The glass ceilings and the gatekeeping are going to completely crumble over time.”
5 favorite musical artists of all time?
It's ALWAYS changing, but in this moment:
Little Richard
Moses Sumney
Kimbra
Kimberley Tell
Emily A. Sprague
What inspires you?
Fashion (specifically fashion magazines, runway shows, and films), Music (specifically experimental instrumentals), and Film + Television (specifically coming of age movies and TV shows, documentaries, and cartoons).
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Yes, you have a good eye but you also have a good voice. Don't stop writing.
What industry blogs/websites/podcasts do you enjoy?
Heardle (the music version of Wordle) and Refinery 29's, Money Diaries blog series and Sweet Digs YouTube series.
What do you think the future holds for people of color in creative industries?
Our presence is inevitable. The glass ceilings and the gatekeeping are going to completely crumble over time. Our insight is continuously moving from trendy to necessary and many of us already have our sights set on making our own moves and establishing our own names at this point.
What is your dream job?
A career that allows me to create because I love to, not for survival. One that focuses on producing work that changes lives and shapes minds in a positive, free flowing way. One that allows me the time to appreciate my life on this planet while I still have it. One that takes into account the importance of rest and mental health along with recovery. One that embodies appreciation and exiles appropriation.
What skill(s) would you develop if you had more time?
A second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. language. Would especially love to brush up on, and eventually become fluent in, French and then start learning Sign Language. I also desire to master in a survival skill some day - wood working, sewing, foraging. The secret musician in me would dabble more into music and the many scientific, mathematical, and psychological crossovers it carries.
What is the last thing you learned?
Recently learned the phenomenon known as, The Monkey Step Ladder Experiment. It shows us the absurdity in the, "we've always done it this way" approach. Highly recommend learning more about it.
What are you working on right now?
By day, I laugh a lot and doom scroll my way through TikTok while also making TikToks for Microsoft. By night (and the weekends), I've gotten more into writing and film - more so learning and self educating as a stress free hobby.
If you could talk to your favorite creative for an hour, who would it be? Why?
God. I mean, just look around.
What advice would you give to creatives of color looking to pursue their passion full-time?
Sometimes you’ll be asked for advice and you’ll have none to offer and that’s okay. It doesn’t make you less of a creative - just means you’re probably burnt out and also looking for advice.
How do you keep your creative drip going?
It can be hard to stay creative 24/7 365 days a year in a traditional sense. Meaning, constantly busting out creative projects. Instead of staying creative in that way, I try to focus on this: as long as my MIND is staying creative and the inner monologue occasionally notes bursts of creativity, then I'm good. Given time, it'll manifest itself on a canvas or in a journal soon enough.
Contact: janaycooper@outlook.com
Check out her Instagram, along with her BEAUTIFUL portfolio for more of her work!