Meet Jess Soparlo - Would be Nude Not To!
Jess Soparlo is an artist from Canada who's art journey has taken her from hobby, to full time job. Snowboarding, surfing, drawing, painting and living each day to its fullest are what inspires Jess's creativity. Her artwork is influenced by the feelings and emotions (positive and negative) that come with being a woman snowboarding, surfing and living an active lifestyle outdoors. There is also a bit of nudity involved, because why not!
ABOUT ME
Hi! My name is Jess, and I am the graphic designer, and illustration artist behind Would Be Nude Not To. I currently live in Squamish, BC, Canada!
ARTISTIC JOURNEY
My art journey has evolved from a full-time hobby to a full-time job over the last three years, which I couldn't be more psyched on! When I started Would Be Nude Not To, it was purely a way for me to hold myself accountable to my daily creative practice. Once I started sharing my little nude doodles, I noticed that not only were people looking for that type of illustration style, but they also needed help with illustration work in general! I still try to keep up with my daily creative practice and create pieces specifically for me. But now I mix that in with paid work for other small businesses!
DIGITAL DRAWINGS
I am 99% digital. I have an iPad Pro (which I LOVE), and I use a program called Adobe Fresco! I used to use pen and paper to draw my initial sketches, and then I would bring them onto the computer to edit, etc. But once I bought my iPad, that process quickly became a thing of the past for me. I would love to get back into sketching on real paper with a real pen so that I can avoid excessive screen time, but you can't beat the functionality that comes with an iPad! It makes everything so quick and easy. This last year I had the opportunity to paint two murals, and now I've made it a goal to paint more - whether it's for myself or for others ;)
INSPIRING CREATIVITY
I keep my eyes and ears open for inspiration constantly! Whether it's something that was said by one of my friends on a chairlift, how I feel snowboarding down a particular run or some photograph I've seen on Pinterest. Inspiration comes in waves for me, so when it strikes, I really try to make the most of it. Right now, much of my work is inspired by future trips and experiences I'd like to have. I would love to get back down to Mexico this spring for a surf trip with my girlfriends, so you can pretty much bet that I will be creating more tropical surf-inspired illustrations ;)
ART EVOLUTION
Personally, I think my art has evolved tremendously over time. But as the person behind the work, I think I am a little biased and more aware. I still love incorporating nude, female figures but lately, I have been more drawn to abstract compositions and emotion-based themes. I love being outside, and my favorite things to do are snowboarding and surfing. Lately, I've been trying to focus on the feelings and emotions (positive and negative) that come with being a woman participating in those activities. I hope to always see my work evolve - especially as I learn new things, pick up new hobbies, travel to new places, meet new people, and gain more experience in general!
PATH TO SUCCESS
One of my biggest wins has been receiving exponential support from my friends and family. I've been able to collaborate with some really amazing brands and small businesses, and it's all because I have a rock-solid support system and some pretty big cheerleaders in my corner! Having friends and family believe in and promote my work has not only been beneficial financially but, most importantly, has given me the confidence to keep going when freelance life gets tough. Thanks to those people (they know who they are!) I now only suffer mildly from imposter syndrome, haha.
SETTING GOALS
One of my goals is to paint more! I would LOVE to do another mural or two! I've had 'get t-shirts made' on my to-do list for about two years now, so I think 2022 will be the year for that. Any kind of apparel collaboration would be amazing, actually! And of course, I would love to surf more, travel to new destinations, and work with some brands/people I admire!
SUPPORT MY CREATIVE JOURNEY
You can find my work on Instagram @wouldbenudenotto and my online shop www.wouldbenudenotto.shop
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
- Guilty pleasure?
Skincare and Sugar. I will spend almost anything on skincare and do almost anything for a cookie.
- Hidden Talent?
Probably the toughest question of the bunch. I think I'm still waiting for my hidden talent to appear!
- Favorite sport?
Right now, it's surfing because it feels like spring where I live (even though it's February), and that's when I put my snowboard away and start spending all my time, money, and energy on surfing hehe! But give me 30cm of fresh snow, and I'll say snowboarding! Although, yesterday I just bought a new mountain bike and I am VERY excited to take it for a spin!
- Song or artist you're listening to on repeat?
In The Air by L.A.B
- Quote to live by
"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me." - Jack Nicholson's character, Frank Costello, in The Departed. Yes, it's a bad mob guy that said it, but for some reason, that quote stuck with me when I first heard it! And now it's my life motto.
