Meet Janky Dood | Digital Artist

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

Hi Janky, how do you think about risk?
The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. I tend to take risks and then figure it out as I go. Feels a bit like I’m flying by the seat of my pants, but it’s exhilarating. Almost all of the things I dream about require taking a risk, and if I don’t take the risk then there’s a 0% chance of it happening. I would rather be scared and fail than regret not trying.

Something that felt risky for me recently was trying a new medium. When you get comfortable doing something that works, it can be hard taking the time to try something new. In my experience, it seems that in order to fully go off and do your own thing creatively, you need a solid base in the medium you’re using. It takes time to develop that skill and craft. So starting something new can seem daunting, especially when you rely on this to pay all your bills. But that hard work can also lead to greatness down the road.. There’s no easy way around it, only through. I haven’t shared anything on the new medium I’m working on yet.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have created this character named Janky Dood. She is roughly me and her story is continually evolving. Right now, she lives in a crappy studio apartment with her dog, Maxine, and cat genius, Brian. Her apartment sits above a Chinese takeout restaurant (name tbd) where she also works. She also has her bff, Cleo. None of them really know what they’re doing with their lives.. All they know is that they want nothing to do with Corporate America. They’re sort of bullsh*tting their way through life and filling their days with random jobs and experiences.. Finding humor in the everyday mundane.. It’s like finding gold in a sea of beige.

Getting to this point was not easy, but it was rewarding! No where would hire me, so I had no choice LOL (which I’m now glad it worked out this way). What I’ve learned is that I seem to learn and progress 10x faster when I’m under pressure and given no choice but to make things work. I think it’s important to constantly be uncomfortable.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well the perfect chill day would be to go get a coffee at Good People on Santa Monica Blvd. Then get a bagel sandwich at Pop’s on San Vicente and head down Montana (free parking at the end of the street across from the park, you’re welcome!) to Palisades Park to have a mini picnic in Santa Monica. Then we can take the stairs down to the beach and rollerblade on the bike path along the water. That’s my ideal day, I love chill days.

However, some other things I would enjoy would be hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, going to the beach, or hitting up some farmer’s/flea markets. A couple markets I really enjoy are Venice Artist & Fleas and Silverlake Flea. It’s also fun to go to Malibu, get a burrito, and sit on the beach. Lily’s in Point Dume is my favorite spot, and there’s a beach really close where I like to sit and eat.

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?
Shoutout to my mom, Jarrod, and Lex! The most supportive people I could ask for in this journey. If things aren’t going right or I’m questioning my life decisions, they always have my back and encourage me to keep going. I’ve definitely gotten the “are you out of your mind” look from people when I say I’m an artist, which can sometimes be off putting, so I feel very fortunate to have their support.

Also shoutout to everyone who has supported my art! Everyone who has gotten a commission, ordered prints, or reached out to tell me how my art has impacted them. That means the world and is truly a dream come true! Thank you!!

Website: https://www.jankydood.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janky_dood/

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@janky_dood