Meet Jasimen Phillips | Painter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jasimen Phillips and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jasimen, how do you think about risk?
Risk drives everything I do. My expressive style, bold colors, and storytelling wouldn’t exist without stepping outside traditional boundaries. Hanging my paintings sideways is my way of challenging how art is experienced. The rotated orientation dares viewers to see the world differently.

Risk has fueled my artistry by allowing me to trust my vision and take unconventional paths. Instead of playing it safe, I embrace the unknown, which is the foundation of creativity and the key to making art that resonates.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My paintings are famous for their use of rotated canvas orientation along with expressive style , which has become my signature. This has sets my work apart and makes my work easily recognizable to viewers. This has helped me gain recognition as one of the leading contemporary female painters in Los Angeles today.

As a self-taught artist, I had the freedom to develop my own techniques and push boundaries. My rotated canvas orientation didn’t come from tradition—it came from a desire to tell stories differently and invite viewers into a new way of experiencing art.

As I’ve grown in my artistry, I’ve learned to trust my vision and embrace risks.I believe that great art is about conveying perspective, emotion, and daring to do what hasn’t been done before.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d start with the Getty Museum, where I’m always inspired by the classic paintings by Monet and Van Gogh and the museum’s breathtaking architecture. It’s the perfect place to soak in the atmosphere and find creative fuel. Then we’d head to the Hammer Museum, which offers incredible contemporary art that sparks fresh ideas. The Fowler Museum at UCLA is another favorite—its African and Indigenous art collections are rich with culture and history, providing endless inspiration for an artist like myself.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My expressive painting style is inspired by the master painters who came before me—artists like Picasso, Matisse, da Vinci, Basquiat, and Rembrandt. Their work taught me the power of bold color, storytelling, and emotional depth. From Picasso’s abstraction, Matisse’s vibrant palettes, da Vinci’s meticulous detail, Basquiat’s raw energy, and Rembrandt’s use of light, each artist has shaped how I approach my own creations.

As a Black American woman, my perspective adds a unique lens to these influences. I see their works through the filter of my own experiences and identity, reinterpreting their ideas to reflect the complexities of my culture and history. Their art inspires me to ask new questions about representation, and innovation, and to use my voice in spaces where those perspectives have been marginalized. These artists paved the way , and today I continue that path by defining and creating art that is distinctly my own.

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/jasimenphillips

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/jasimenphillips

Other: https://artslb.org/artists/jasimen-phillips/

Image Credits
Jasimen Phillips