Jordain Molloy Gillen is a 26 year old artist and designer from Ballymena.
Graduating in Fine Arts in 2017, was the starting point for Jordain’s career as an artist. He recalls his time at uni as a period full of mixed emotions as he was able to work in the local art scene throughout Belfast. After he left, he felt a little lost in direction.
His journey really began when Jordain participated in a local creative business programme at Midtown Makers. Here he met some wonderful people who really helped give him some direction and a foundation for the work he is creating now.
What genre / style do you create in?
I work in mixed mediums as I like experiment with my practice. Over the years a lot of my work has become quite holistic and colourful. For me, the quality I love the most about my work is being able to tell a story.
What would you be best known for?
For me I would say I am best known for my flamboyant and colourful work, including headdresses I have created for local performers.
What would you consider your biggest achievement?
Honestly, I would say my biggest achievement is being able to do what I love. It means so much to me that people really appreciate the work I create as I put my heart and soul into everything I do. I just want to make people smile and give them a little escapism from everyday life through the work I create.
What would you consider to be the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your industry?
The biggest lesson I have learned is that you need to be consistent with everything you do. You make your own opportunities and it’s up to you to keep on top of everything. You are in charge of you and your work. If things get a little too much, take a step back, and prioritise what’s right for you. Be realistic, you can’t do everything.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
My biggest challenge has been finding out where I want to be. Even at this moment in time, I’m not entirely sure where that is. All I know is that I am enjoying everything I am doing now and that I have come a long way in the past few years to where I am now.
Tell us a little about your personal life, are you married, kids, hobbies etc?
I am a very holistic and spiritual person and love to spend a lot of time in nature which is heavily reflected in the work I create. It’s where I feel most at home as you can get lost and take a moment to just be. I’m also a huge fan crystals and have a wonderful collection throughout my home.
I have a wonderful partner who is also very involved in the arts and shares similar interests to myself. We really bounce off one another and support each other in our career paths and in everything that we do.
Other interests I have include all things music-related, Disney, and reading. Anything magical is what appeals to me most.
Tell us about your most recent work?
Most recently I have been working on a few different projects at the one time, including my ‘Smile’ exhibition. I’m so happy to be able to share the ‘Smile’ exhibition with the rest of the world at this moment in time, as it’s a collection that is very close to my heart. Which I hope will bring some positivity and inspiration to people during these gloomy times.
I’ve also been working on a little sculpture collection recently which I am excited for sharing sometime soon in the near future. As well as a collaborative project with my dear friend Megan Sanderson which we have been drip feeding through various different platforms at the moment. So all very exciting things.
What would you like us to tell people about?
I am so excited to be finally be sharing the ‘Smile’ collection with the rest of the world. This is an exhibition I created throughout lockdown and it came from the heart. During lockdown, I was feeling very isolated and lost. Like everyone else, everything changed in such a short time and I had to learn to adapt from working from home. But surprisingly looking back it was the best thing that could have ever have happened.
I’ve done a lot of healing and self-reflection which is reflected in the work I have created in this collection. The collection also pays homage to Katy Perry’s latest project ‘Smile’. Which follows a similar journey of healing and ‘finding your smile’. The collection for me worked as a form of therapy, being able to turn something negative into something positive.
Something I am very passionate about is mental health, as it’s something that affects a lot of people. I love that recently there is a better awareness of mental health, but it’s something I would love to be talked about more. Sometimes we can feel that we are a burden to others when we need help, but sometimes even giving someone 5 minutes of your time, could really make a difference to their day. So this is just something I would love to see discussed more in everyday conversation.
If you had to describe your work to someone who has never heard of you what would you say?
I would say that my work explores a mixture of magical, flamboyant, queer and holistic qualities, telling stories of nature, healing and the world around us.
What’s the funniest experience you’ve had in your business?
The funniest thing I have experienced in my business is collaborating with my best friend Megan Sanderson for our photography projects. Working with my best friend is the best craic, we’re both so goofy and elaborate and share the same thoughts and ideas for what we want to create. We do the most crazy things when creating work together and we have had so many good memories.
What would your advice be to young people hoping to pursue the same industry?
My advice would be to do what you love and always stand by the work you want to create. Sometimes we can all get a little worried about how to make a living, or what will work best. But what I’ve learned is that if you create something from the heart, that you enjoy, you will get the best results. No point in doing something because others want you to. You have a purpose and the world will want to hear your story.
Who do you look up to and why?
People I look up to include Cindy Sherman, Katy Perry, Lady GaGa, Alexander McQueen and Dreamy Moons to name a few. What I love about these artists is that they aren’t too concerned of what others think about them, they tell the stories they want to tell and create a whole world of their own with their vision, talent and courage and this is something I like to convey within my own work.
To keep up with Jordain’s work, you can visit his Website or find him on social media using the following links >>