Meet Trécha Gay Jheneall | Transdisciplinary Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Trécha Gay Jheneall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Trécha, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I am very used to juggling everything at once and now recognizing there is anxiety in that approach which ultimately leads to self-sabotage — following an intensive semester, to finally be able to rest feels really important but that doesn’t come without guilt and frustration from the newfound stillness.

So for me having a routine that isn’t lopsided is the goal and I am currently experiencing a shift in my approach to work/working. I am really trying to find the sweet spot in the midst of rest, work, and play so as to influence an existence that’s restorative to the demands of being a full-time artist. I fantasize about harmony in my daily rituals around productivity, pause and rest where each activity is supportive of the other.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I’m most proud about my willingness to be vulnerable in my work and I’m excited about how my willingness is going to continue to shape my future creative processes. While it’s a big part of my creative process now, in the past I’ve had some restrictions about revealing my personal affects in my work but over-time I’ve come to embrace it through trial and error – through experience.

As a migrant living in the States, the process of immigrating is vulnerable through itself as it is often navigated within certain degrees of uncertainty – like the process of leaving your home country comes with a lot of precarity and I think arriving at this point in my career came through a lot of redirection in the form of “Nos”, and trusting the process, even if is unknown.

Trusting, can feel like the counter-intuitive process to uncertainty but by allowing myself to trust, I am able to organize my life the way I dream it – by way of support from chosen family and friends with my community – the opportunity to practice trust and vulnerability has afforded me a lot more ease into my life, therefore success.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Starting the day sweet with some donuts from Buttermilk Drop or beignets from Cafe du Monde and coffee from Park Island Brew. I’d definitely take them to the bayou for some hammock time in the day and blankets down with some wine at night. If it’s a “Second Saturday” weekend we are definitely doing the Art District walk on St. Claude and closing the night at the Sea Cave game arcade.

Morning rides to the lake by way of Marconi Dr and on the way back we would ride through city park.
It’ll be a po-boy for lunch kinda day from Banh Mi Boys or Parkway Bakery followed by sitting in a pool at any of the local Rec centers or hotels.

Weekday hangouts will be indulgent in all the New Orleans eats: seafood boil, oysters, snowballs etc., a French Quarter stroll is definitely encouraged as well as a ferry ride to Algier’s Point to see the Tardis at the Crown & Anchor. If there’s enough time to drive across the lake to Fountainbleau Park. , it’s definitely a cost effective way to see some friendly reptiles (:

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my community and chosen family: from my native home in Jamaica to New Orleans, and all the stoppages in between – I’ve been fortunate to be able to maintain life-long relationships in spite of geographical distance feels like an accomplishment in itself, all while creating new friendships and communal bonds. So to the people who’ve held me up over the years; Kimone, Whitney, Kevin, Carmen as well as all my siblings and chosen family/community in New Orleans.

Website: trechagayjheneall.com

Instagram: @duppyconqueeror

Other: https://www.patreon.com/duppyconqueeror

Image Credits
Main image: Whitney A. Givans Top 2 images and third image from the bottom: paris cyan cian, Remaining images: Courtesy of the Artist