Ying Yall | An Interview With Jesrill Velasco

My name is Jesrill Velasco (She/Her), I am 25 years old and I am a digital artist. I was born and raised in Southern California, where I still currently reside with my boyfriend, Devin, and our two dogs, Matcha and Ziggy. I am a self taught artist, which I find more and more common nowadays with all the available resources that are provided through the internet and through networking with other incredible artists.

We love your work, what inspires you the most when you create your illustrations?

I get this question so often and I find it both difficult and easy to answer. The easy answer is obvious, womxn. Womxn inspire me the most which is why they are the main subject in all my pieces. It’s why I’ve dedicated my life to drawing them.

Tell us about the pieces you’ve submitted to this issue of CURIOUS magazine:

The pieces I submitted are all of womxn, of course. The stories they tell are simply those of confident womxn; whether they are taking selfies, smoking cigarettes topless, or just rocking an empowering outfit.

What have you noticed people relate to the most about your work?

Oh my god, people fully enjoy the fact that I illustrate womxn of all body types and skin colors! It really opened my eyes to how not only generally rare it is for so many womxn to see themselves through art, but how rare it is for any person to see (for lack of a better term) “real” women in their work. So many people also really relate to the body hair I showcase on my illustrations, which I love! I do get the occasional male opinion on those pieces where they outspokenly tell me they don’t like that. How ridiculous is that though? Overall, I really believe and hope that my illustrations resonate so much with others because it creates feelings of self-love and confidence.

How important is feminism as a theme in your work?

Very! The feminism that my art represents is all-inclusive. I want everyone to know that my art was created by a womxn of color for all womxn of all identities and shapes. I have a degree in Women’s Studies from Penn State University so my entire adult life has been literally focused on womxn’s rights and feminism. Since I was a child and teenager I always drew womxn; looking back it actually surprises me that womxn have always been my favorite subject matter. It’s essentially like everything has come full circle for me and led me to my art career, which has given me so much happiness and purpose in my life.

Why is it important to you to create work on the theme of feminism?

I want womxn of all identities to feel seen, I want to evoke confidence in them, or at the very least make them smile. I want those who normally don’t see themselves in art content to be able to identify and recognize their bodies and attitudes through my work. It’s a nonstop process but it’s very rewarding and important.

Where can we usually find your work for sale or on display?

You can find my work for sale on my website (yingyall.com), which is also where you will be able to find the events I will be vending at. I will also have my prints for sale at a new store in downtown Pomona, called Vital Pomona.