Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaden Gilliam.
Jaden, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I grew up in Oregon, which is full of very diverse ideas on any topic imaginable. Some people see this as problematic; I loved it! Each unique thought, scenario, and perspective was eye-opening. As I grew and began to form my own opinions and ideas, I found myself looking at a situation from multiple perspectives. This skill was a great conversational tool, but it really showed through when I picked up a camera. As a photographer, you have sole control over how to portray a story through the perspective you choose. That is why I fell in love with photography. It gives you the ability to share stories and start a conversation like a journalist could, while using a universal language.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I aim to make the audience contemplate the scene. Since the main goal of my work is to tell a story, I get to work with all sorts of subjects through all sorts of mediums; photography, photoshopping, video. Now, it is a photographer’s job to guide what the audience thinks about through emphasizing certain things, which is the challenge. But I enjoy a good challenge just as much as I love creating content that starts conversations.
What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
Success for an artist can be described in three general forms. The traditional form is, can the artist support him or herself through their work? A newer definition of success is, how many likes, retweets, followers, etc. does the artist have? This is a somewhat modernized, “If you are popular, you must be successful” form of thought. My favorite definition of success is if the art generates something bigger than itself – conversations, actions, understanding – it is valuable; thus the artist who created it has succeeded. Not everything is a successful piece of art, but even professional baseball players don’t hit the ball every time they step up to the plate. As long as you keep creating, even when you failed, you are a successful artist.
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?
The best places to view my work and start your own conversations would be my portfolio, to which the link is below. Other than that, I do run an active Instagram account where I put up my more experimental pieces. They often vary in topic but are mostly San Diego based.
If you want a more personal look at my work, I do sell prints through my website. Or, I can tell a story for you. Just contact me through my website.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tallifoto.myportfolio.com/home
- Phone: (503)-403-9215
- Email: Tallifoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tallifoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tallifoto/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tallifoto
Image Credit:
Jaden Gilliam
Tallifoto Photography
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