Jocelyn Padron
Artist Statement
It was quite a journey for me to get into graphic design. As part of my educational journey, I went through many phases before I was able to get to the point where I am today. Throughout my life, I have believed that I would be pursuing a variety of career paths, but I always ended up returning to art, my sanctuary of creativity and peace. Ever since I can remember I have always done something creative, whether creating bookmarks or decorating jewelry boxes. There has never been a time in my life when I have not produced art pieces. A very dear person to me who believed in me and in what I did was kind enough to give me colored pencils in an “artist box” as she would call it in my early childhood. She would often have me fill in coloring books where she would frame the picture I would color. This individual is one of the reasons why I am pursuing my creative career. Unfortunately growing up I was discouraged from following an artistic path due to my anxiety and lack of confidence. When I began graphic design I didn’t know much about Photoshop and mainly did my projects in Microsoft Word for the fun of it. Using the photo editing tool I created collages that were given as gifts to my loved ones for Christmas or birthdays. From there I decided to choose to follow the path of graphic design, after changing my major three times that is. I still remember the first time I used Photoshop and how I immediately fell in love with the software and its capabilities. My main specialty in graphic design is having a whimsical style in my work. This style was used from the very beginning of my graphic career. As a child one often takes advantage of their youth wanting to grow up too quickly. I am admittedly guilty of this. In our journey toward adulthood, we often sacrifice the enchantment of living in the present moment. Unbridled curiosity, genuine laughter, and the ability to find joy in the simplest things are the treasures we risk losing in the pursuit of grown-up aspirations. I am admittedly guilty of this. In my work, I strive to transport the viewer to a world where they are free of responsibilities, where they can be whoever they want to be in another world, where their inner child can come out to play without the fear of being judged. Regardless of our age, we shall always remain youthful in spirit as long as we can hold onto our sense of wonder, our capacity for joy, and our willingness to embrace the unexpected, no matter how old we get. My methodology consists of trial and error while experimenting. I was raised to handle a challenge head-on without being afraid of the outcome. The very first thing I do when starting a project is to research the subject that I intend to create a design for, and once I feel like I have a good grasp of what the topic is about, I begin designing a small rough draft, and I enjoy manipulating and modifying the rough draft to determine what will make it appear great from an aesthetic standpoint.
