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

Hi Jenni, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m from Lancaster, California- born and raised in the Mojave Desert. In fact, for the first 1o years I lived in an outskirt town called Mojave which had a population of about 150 people. Though a lot of folks seem to have some kind of “hometown blues” attitude toward where they come from, in the back of my mind I always knew I loved the desert. There’s something about the vast, open spaces where you can see the vibrant blue sky no matter where you go. I consider myself a dreamer, and I certainly find myself looking up to the sky for answers to my deepest questions. In my 20s I lived in big cities exclusively, and I felt deeply claustrophobic with skyscrapers hovering over me as busy city people bumped into my shoulders. I continuously sought the infinite openness of the desert. After moving back to my hometown after a long time, I didn’t realize how much I truly missed these quiet, vast, and abstract spaces where I can just stop and think.

Aside from the quality of the space in the desert, I must admit that I was able to examine and enjoy it from a privileged place. I was an adopted child at birth, and an only child until I discovered my wonderful half sisters years later as an adult. My amazing parents absolutely adored me and helped me carve whatever path that opened up to me, which led to pursuing art 100% of the time. If it weren’t for their careful nurturing and support, I would not be where I am today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a painter and doodler, pretty much applying paint to whatever I can get my hands on. I’ve always loved drawing, ever since I could hold a pencil. I went to art school and learned the finer academics of art, but lately I’ve been diving into the abstract realm. Not totally random abstract, but more abstract expressionism, similar to Edvard Munch or Van Gogh.

I try whenever I’m creating something, to genuinely put myself into my work as best as I can. If I’m feeling down, I use colors that express that like blues and purples and high contrast. I don’t use my art as an escape as much as a problem solving exercise to explore abstract concepts. Lately I’ve been making paintings with a particular flow, like how water or smoke flows around itself. I combine this with the sounds of music or feelings I’m experiencing to influence how the painting will end up. Sometimes I’ll dedicate an entire painting or drawing to the experience of one song and how it makes me feel, and I’ll even dance a little as I go and let the paint fall where it falls.

Getting to the point where I am now as an artist was not the easiest road, as a lot of my path has been riddled with life experience roadblocks, such as moving every year for a decade, trying to afford to live in expensive cities, paying my debts, and more. Through these trials, I continued to create and made it a type of exercise even if I didn’t really “feel” like it. I’d look back like, “wow it’s been two weeks since I made something, I really need to just do one small thing at least”. And I’m so glad I kept that up, because whenever I just make any small/tiny/2 minute thing, it usually will spark some inspiration and passion in me to keep going. I know I’ve come a long way, and I’m so glad I never gave up.

What I really want people to know about me and my work, is that every piece is a different extension of myself. So much of what I create has a deep story behind it, and often times communicates something that I was unable to say with the limits of human language. Communication is a huge daily challenge for me, and I am so grateful that I’m able to use art as a channel to get these thoughts and feelings out in the open.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love trying new spots and becoming a connoisseur of the area I live in, but once I find something I like I tend to become a regular fairly quickly. If I had it my way, I’d repeat the same perfect day until I got tired of it. We’d wake up, go to Scramblez for a super strong cup of coffee and some delightful egg dish, head over to the EFBC’s Feline Conservation Center in Rosamond to look at leopards for a few hours, then take a long walk at the Prime Desert Woodland Reserve. It’s a wonderful little space with a few miles of desert trails, with some flora that has been there for almost 10,000 years. On top of that, there’s a ton of wildlife there if you keep your eyes open. Once the sun sets, we’d head over to Bravery Brewing for delicious pizza and beer (plus they have incredible wine options too), and probably stay there for several hours. Occasionally they have live music, in which case we would have to stay longer for that. I’ve met some really cool people on the patio, and had countless wonderful experiences that I’ll never forget at Bravery. To end the night, we’d have to do an AV classic and hit the aqueduct parking lot to see the view of the whole valley. The lights twinkle like you wouldn’t believe, and on a (rare) not too windy night with the windows rolled down, it’s like glittering, velvet heaven.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It’s hard to nail down just one person who has helped me the most in my journey, so I’ll have to shoutout a few of my people here. Going back a few years, my dear friend Sarahjane Bernhisel has been there through thick and thin. Art school, post school blues, and even successful times after that. She and her husband Schuyler opened their own gift shop in Oakland, CA called Bay-Made and it has taken off in leaps and bounds. Be sure to check it out if you’re in the Bay Area. I was honored to be a gallery curator in her store for about a year, and it was an incredible experience which helped me land my museum job today. Next I would have to shoutout my online D&D group which formed in the wee stages of the pandemic, and without it I wouldn’t have known how to keep my mind going during those times. Collaborative storytelling, laughter, and just kicking it with friends has been my saving grace. Hailing from Florida, LA, San Diego, and here in my hometown, we have been religiously meeting as often as our schedules allow these past two years, and I love them all dearly. Thank you Kirsten, Lauren, and Deirdra for being there for me consistently and supporting me through all of my endeavors.

Website: jennibambani.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenni_bambani/?hl=en

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.