Rose Jaffe in her colorful Washington, D.C. studio. Image courtesy of the artist.
“Do you. Leave the judgment behind.”
In Featured Artist Rose Jaffe’s art practice, judgment takes a back seat so that her colorful creations can come to life.
Working across printmaking, ceramics, and immersive murals, Rose makes vibrant images of people dancing, communing with each other, or just resting in nature. Over years of work and exploration, Rose has found a style that evokes peace while staying playful.
She’s always experimenting, following the beating heart of her practice across the many disciplines she has made her own. “The variety of mediums keeps me engaged in my own work and inspired by what's next,” she tells Artwork Archive. “They all speak to each other. They even uplift one another.”
To get where she is today as a full-time artist, she’s dived deeper into the themes of political activism and spiritual connection that continue to inspire her work. At the same time, she’s been savvy about investing in skills that financially sustain her practice.
From her studio in Washington, D.C., Rose answered Artwork Archive’s questions about fostering community through public murals, the art lessons she’s learned the hard way, and how she is building an art career on her own terms.
As soon as Rose got her first experience of mural painting, she knew she was hooked. Image courtesy of rosejaffe.com.
How One Mural Turned Into a New Artistic Direction
A little over ten years ago, Rose was teaching middle and high school art classes. She loved the energy of her classrooms and sparking artistic excitement in her students, but she was also looking for a way to transition to working as an artist.
Then, a lucky break came her way: She had her first solo exhibition at a gallery that put on rotating murals outside their space.
“It was my first opportunity to paint a wall, and I loved it!” she recalls.
That mural became a gateway to a new way of working, one that prizes connection and community as a key component.
“I enjoyed being outside and engaging with the public, and of course, I loved seeing my art so big,” she tells Artwork Archive. “Fair to say: after that, I was hooked.”
Rose was savvy about turning her mural making into a profitable art skill. Image courtesy of rosejaffe.com.
Making the Leap to Full-Time Art Making
With such a gratifying experience creating that first mural, Rose got strategic about what this new medium could do for her artistic and financial freedom.
“I saw murals as a path to sustain myself financially,” she explains.
For mural artists, funding can come from many different sources, including city percent-for-art initiatives, arts councils, neighborhood development entities, and other inventive ways that communities come up with to get beautiful art in public spaces.
With so many funding opportunities—and so many communities that would love to have a beautiful wall mural liven up their streetscape—Rose saw a niche she could build to supplement her other art income.
So like any artist with an eye to making their practice sustainable, Rose invested in some new skills up front that could pay off in the long term. “I honed my mural skills to generate income and quit teaching,” Rose recalls, "and I haven't looked back.”
Rose has now painted over 50 murals, with her colorful work gracing walls on city streets across the US and even in other cities around the world. That initial effort she took to build up her mural skills has now paid off with interest.
Rose Jaffe, The Scenic Route, Monoprint on paper in navy frame, 25.75 x 18.5 in, and Rose Jaffe, Sky Blue Shift in the Sun, Monoprint on 100% Cotton Rag Paper, 15 x 11 in.
Every Artwork Begins With an Experiment
When your work will cover the whole side of a building, effective preparation is absolutely necessary. But Rose tries not to plan everything out to the last detail, so that she can leave room for experimentation along the way
“My work always starts with some type of sketch and evolves from there,” she says of her artmaking process. “I like some loose planning in any approach I am taking, from ceramics, to two-story building murals, to digital illustration.”
Rather than viewing her different mediums as separate practices, Rose treats them as a cohesive whole. In fact, the lessons she learns in printmaking might flow into her illustration work, which might then turn into an idea for a mural, and so on.
This playful cross-pollination is grounded in a belief that experimentation is its own reward, and that exercising creativity always leads to more creativity. It all feeds into a virtuous cycle that keeps her excited about her next projects.
Rose Jaffe, Yellow Reach, Sculpture, and Rose Jaffe, Purple Hold, 10.5 x 8 in.
Finding the Right Tools to Grow Her Art Practice
Working across so many mediums has made it absolutely vital that Rose keep her art inventory consistent and up-to-date.
But it wasn’t always easy for her to find the tools or resources she needed to keep her business on track. When we asked Rose if there were any art business insights she wishes she had learned before she had started her career, she told us: “Where do I start! Ha, I have learned so many things the hard way.”
It’s common for artists to feel like the money side of a flourishing art practice is a mystery—Rose certainly did. “I studied art, not business,” she recounts, “and failed so much along the way.”
In a testament to the power of having a robust art community, a solution came from someone close to Rose.
“As I moved more into fine art, specifically printmaking, I was looking for a way to inventory my pieces to keep track, share and sell them,” Rose explains. “A friend recommended Artwork Archive and I have really enjoyed it!”
With Artwork Archive, Rose has been able to have her full inventory of her work in one place. She has a Public Profile on Artwork Archive Discovery, where she has divided up her varied work into Collections. With different Collections for Screenprints, Etchings, Monoprints, and her painted Sculptures, all of her work is easily findable and sortable by anyone interested in learning more about her dynamic practice.
Rose also uses her Collections to generate artwork labels and QR codes for her pieces at art shows, making it simple for her audience to browse—and buy—her pieces. Just another simple investment in a tool that makes her full-time art practice possible.
Present Your Work Like a Pro With Collections
Artwork Archive makes curating and sharing your work easier than ever with Collections. Pick the pieces you want, give the Collection a title, and then you'll have a custom link that you can share with collectors, galleries, or feature on your Public Profile.
Don’t Let Self-Judgment Get In The Way of Your Art
There was one more piece of Rose’s art practice that needed to fall into place before she could get to where she is today. And it had come from within.
“Once I started to release judgement for myself, I saw it fall away for others,” she reveals, "in how they thought about my work, my approach to business, etc.”
It’s easy for artists to fall into a constant cycle of second-guessing, thinking “am I good enough to be an artist?” or “am I doing the whole art thing correctly?”
But Rose found that all this judgment was only holding her back—so she just let it go.
“It gave me so much energy back to focus on what was actually important: working toward my own goals,” she shares.
“Its easy to get in our own way, but understanding that you are the one that can step aside and let it flow: that can unleash some very big things.”
Rose Jaffe, MM 15, Etching, and Rose Jaffe, Ahmie and her Bird, Etching, 30 x 22 in.
Artists Need to Prioritize Their Own Health and Well-Being
These days, Rose takes a holistic approach to her art business. She’s realized that a life-long art practice requires the steady cultivation of sustainable habits, rather than sporadic bursts of inspiration.
“I see my physical and mental wellness as a critical pillar to my creative expression and success,” she shares. “It took me a while to understand that—but carving out time for good rest, exercise, time in nature, etc., has been a game changer in my joy and approach to my life as an artist.”
It’s a simple reality, that we have to be healthy and well in our personal lives in order to bring our whole selves to our art practices. But it’s one that Rose had to learn through trial and error.
“I could not pour as much as I do into my practice if it weren't for the consistent tending I have cultivated for my mind and body,” she offers.
As community plays such an important part in her mural practice, she also encourages every artist to recognize the support they already have, and to seek out more when they need it.
“Keep bettering your work (or product) and focus on building a network,” is her advice to anyone trying to build a full art career. “We can never succeed in a vacuum.”
After Rose learned to let judgment go, and allow her community in, she really started to thrive as an artist. Image courtesy of the artist.
No matter where you are in your art journey, getting your business side in order doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. A bit of structure now can mean more time and headspace for the work you actually want to be doing.
Artwork Archive helps artists build an online portfolio, stay on top of their inventory, and create things like tear sheets and invoices in just a few clicks. Start a free trial and see how it fits into your own process.
