Meet Jiela Rufeh | Photo-Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jiela Rufeh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jiela, what role has risk played in your life or career?
From an early age I’ve been a risk taker. I changed middle schools, high schools and even colleges mid-year or after the first year. My gut told me that quality of life and emotional happiness would always be my guide to make big changes and not to settle until it felt right. Such philosophy continued in my career life. At first, I followed my childhood dream to be a fashion photographer. After graduating from Syracuse University with a BFA in photography and a minor in sculpture- I moved to New York City. It was a dream come true! Harper’s Bazaar Magazine offered me an internship and I was assisting well known fashion photographers. To help grow my portfolio, a friend offered me a pass to shoot a runway show featuring super models Nicky Taylor and Naomi Campbell for Fashion Week. Somehow, I couldn’t find her in the craziness of the event, and in order not to miss my chance- I went around back and pretended to be a model to get past security. Although I was making quick connections for the goal I thought I wanted to achieve, I realized that deep inside I was not happy. I greatly missed escaping into nature which was so grounding for me and near impossible in such a big city.

After a few years in Los Angeles (a place of year-round sunshine, endless beaches, and warm weather) I moved to San Diego- a smaller city with easier access to nature, less traffic and fewer crowds. Again, I was embarking on a new adventure. The good news is that after many years of moving- San Diego was the perfect fit. I was shooting product catalogs and traveling a lot for jobs. As time passed, I found I was losing my love of photography due to the strict and limited style of catalogue work. My soul was beckoning to be more creative, so on the weekends, I returned my focus back to art. My mission: rebel against every aspect of the perfect catalog shot and to really push the boundaries of the traditional photograph. I experimented with liquid emulsion on various objects, I glued images of nature on old aluminum siding I found at abandoned buildings, cut into it with razor blades, and painted onto them with oils, pastels and even types of acid to see what reaction would appear. Eventually I was introduced to encaustic painting- an ancient medium of bee’s wax, damar resin and pigment. It was used for portraits on caskets in Egyptian Tombs and even used to waterproof Viking ships. The luminosity of the encaustic medium adds a three-dimensional quality to my photographs and brings me back to my days of welding metal sculptures. I use a heat gun to melt /fuse the wax onto a porous surface and once cooled can scrape, carve, paint, and even embed organic material into it. The versatility of this medium has captured me, and I continue using it to create magical, ethereal photomontages.

The last decade has proven that my determination and steadfastness was well worth it as I have been fortunate to have exhibited with many museums and prestigious galleries, won awards and been in several publications.

I have always looked for ways to push myself – not only in my career but also to look inwardly to challenge myself to heal and grow from past hurts or situations. In my spare time I studied and was influenced by different cultures and ancient ways, specifically Native American culture, mysticism, Shamanism, Yoga, and Eastern philosophies. The more I personally grew, the more my connection with nature deepened. It became richer, meditative, and more profound which is reflected consistently in my artwork.

My most recent risk came about when we had the big shutdown due to Covid. It was a wonderful break to my psyche- knowing that all the galleries were closed so there was no pressure to market myself. Instead, I used the interruption as my chance to truly be wild and crazy- and create whatever I wanted… regardless of how it was interpreted. I refused to care what others thought and hence, my Animal Guide series was born. I drew inspiration from the ancient cultures “Spirit Animals”, Totems, and Shamanic influences- and molded them into my own creation. These beings took nearly three months of intense photo-manipulation and montaging and several weeks in the wet studio of encaustic. These animal guides were also made bigger than life at 46” tall by 32” wide. When hung on a wall I feel these magnificent beasts are watching over us, protecting and supporting us through life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I draw my inspiration from “Terra Mater” (Mother Earth) and I see both ourselves and our Journey reflected in nature and in the way its various elements affect one another.

Trees have been one of my favorite subjects to shoot. Each tree is different, as is each human being. Trees emanate a unique identity- created and affected by its surroundings-the weather, the terrain, the change of seasons or lack thereof. I am continually struck by the beauty and resilience of such magnificent trees. I feel they possess a deep soulful experience of wisdom and power while they stand tall in grandeur and strength- speaking to the most unshakable qualities of the human condition. As time goes on my work has been shifting from trees to animals, or in some cases a merging of both.

My greatest love is going on adventures to remote natural locations to explore, photograph and to be completely absorbed by the elements around me. The colors, smells, the silence- the wind, clouds and sun- all awaken my senses.

When I come back to the studio I never really know where the photograph will take my piece. The picture speaks to my gut, mind and heart- and my soul responds instinctively, emotionally- with color, texture or the absence thereof. My goal is to recapture the feeling of the location and the magic that I felt, and thru this visceral approach, to communicate something personal that “becomes” universal.

Through my love and admiration of nature, I also hope to raise awareness that as a society, we need to learn to protect mother earth so all species (be it plant, animal, or human) can all have a safe home and rich life on this planet.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to the Oceanside Museum of Art and continue north to Laguna Beach to hang out for the day. We would stop by boutiques, art galleries, have a cocktail and tacos at Las Brisas overlooking the ocean and finish the evening off with some gelato, a play at the Laguna Play House or find some live music. The next day I would go to Del Mar beach, play some frisbee and get something to eat at the Poseidon restaurant right on the sand- I sure do love their brunches as well. La Jolla art galleries BFree Studio, R.B. Stevenson Gallery and Quint Gallery, North Park, South Park, Little Italy, Old Town, Balboa park, the Wild Animal Park and Coronado would also be on my list depending on their mood. Spa-time in Palm Springs would also be another fun getaway or perhaps hiking in Julian and having some apple pie. If we wanted low-key we would stay in downtown Encinitas, stop by the beautiful peaceful gardens of the Self-Realization grounds and have a bite to eat at the Union Kitchen & Tap. Carlsbad is fun too- I enjoy Sunday brunch at The Compass across the street from the Front Porch Gallery and I often crave fish and chips from The Galley (a very happy, lively place) in Chula Vista on the marina.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am so grateful to many people who have encouraged me throughout the years. My art collectors, my mother (also an artist) Heidi, Robert Sanders who took me under his wing in LA, Julie Weaverling artist and director of Front Porch Gallery who always lifts me up when I get frustrated with the art world, Karen McGuire of Cannon Gallery, Barbara Freeman of BFree Studio who constantly cheers me on, my friends for all their support, modeling and gallery attendance, and my partner who is always game to travel , explore and hike with me to photograph enchanting places (and for modeling though she rather not!) I feel so lucky- thank you all. And I thank God for all the endless beauty to be found in this world.

Website: JielaRufeh.com

Instagram: instagram.com/jielarufehart

Facebook: facebook.com/JielaRufehArt