Fearfully and Wonderfully Artistic

Black In Business

The Black in Business Challenge is a heroic, encouraging, and touching moment for Blacks in business who need the support of everyone, not just our own. Being black in Business can be a challenge itself because it comes with so many stereotypes.

A Black business entrepreneur that I believe deserves acknowledgment is my Artistic, fierce, and beautiful Aunt, J. Yvette Oliver. She is an upcoming Artist developing her own style of art and applying pressure in the world of artists today. She takes her profession in Art seriously. Janice is an innovative artist she is able to execute the old and make it new. She totally enjoys her craft and finds every resource possible to continue in learning about art, because it is her passion. J. Yvette has been painting for as long as she could remember.

I interviewed J. Yvette Oliver and asked her a few questions about her taking this big step to turn her painting into a career, she gave me the exclusive inside scoop. Here's what she had to say.

Interview with J.Yvette Oliver:

It's never too late to pursue a dream, I recently started to pursue my dream at age 52. I decided to get formal studies in enhancing and improving in my chosen profession of art. I enrolled in the Mastery Program at the Milan Art Institute.

The Institute is here in Georgia, where I have the opportunity to attend in person at my own leisure. Currently, I have decided to yield totally to online study until I feel comfortable enough to attend in person during Covid season. However, I have been able to connect with many of the students via our study group on Facebook. It has been a joy to hit it off with students from other parts of the world such as the Netherlands, Australia, Sri Lanka, Israel, Canada, & India to name a few.

The course is a one year accelerated course. We know what accelerated means right? That means that I am super, extra, super busy! I have spent 20—30 hours a week in-class sessions, drawing, and painting, plus working 40 hours per week on my job. One of my father’s famous sayings in our home was “hard work pays off”. I must say that in one month’s time the hard work has surely paid off. I have attached a few of the renderings from this month. Listen, before school, on a normal basis, it would take me 3 to 4 weeks to complete a painting. Now... It takes me 3 to 4 days.

My Thoughts

Wow, how amazing is that? Doing what you love to do and pursuing your dreams despite the challenges. Totally, Awesome that’s why Ms. Oliver is the perfect honorarium for me to acknowledge. She’s strong, beautiful, intelligent, God-fearing, disciplined, determined, and well-rounded. Ready to take on whatever, to achieve her goals and heart desires. I appreciate the motivation. I’m inspired.

Here’s another painting J. Yvette painted recently in one of her sessions, she calls this painting, “The Beauty of Melanin”.

The Beauty of Melanin is J. Yvette's first portrait in oil paint! Great job right? She stated, "This process was such a challenge until it spilled over into week four of her studies. The method used was 8 brushstroke blocking and was called the monster painting because starting out the portrait looks monstrous, it's a new painting technique she learned. It was challenging because she had to come out of the habit of perfectly blending everything. The challenge was to make various brush strokes and to leave signs of brushstrokes behind which is the sign of a mature painter. Awesome, I hope you enjoyed a taste of amazing artwork from J. Yvette Oliver as I did. She's a phenomenal person to know and present. I wanted to give you all the inside scoop as well. Enjoy the art of a black entrepreneur. If you would like to follow her on her art journey, and view more of her artwork follow her on Instagram @ jyvette_art.