Never compete with other artists — never gauge the quality or value of your abilities based on others. While it’s important to draw inspiration from masterful artists, it’s also important to stay true to your vision and remain indifferent to outside distractions that might influence your process. Inspiring art is created by uniquely inspired perspectives.
Many successful people reinvented themselves in a later period in their lives. Jeff Bezos worked on Wall Street before he reinvented himself and started Amazon. Sara Blakely sold office supplies before she started Spanx. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was a WWE wrestler before he became a successful actor and filmmaker. Arnold Schwarzenegger went from a bodybuilder, to an actor to a Governor. McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was a milkshake-device salesman before starting the McDonalds franchise in his 50s.
How does one reinvent themselves? What hurdles have to be overcome to take life in a new direction? How do you overcome those challenges? How do you ignore the naysayers? How do you push through the paralyzing fear?
In this series called “Second Chapters; How I Reinvented Myself In The Second Chapter Of My Life “ we are interviewing successful people who reinvented themselves in a second chapter in life, to share their story and help empower others.
As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jay Mikal.
Jay Mikal’s mixed media art is a spiritual journey that transcends the physical, blending precious stones, gems, and natural elements to channel the energy of the Universe and ancient history. His bold colors and abstract forms create a cosmic, sacred experience, serving as portals to higher consciousness. Guided by an unshakable connection to God and the symbolism of angel numbers, Mikal infuses his work with divine energy, offering solace, strength, and clarity. Through recurring themes of divine connection, cosmic mysteries, and spiritual awakening, Mikal invites viewers to explore a realm where color, spirit, and creativity unite, unlocking the hidden potential within.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
Iwas born and raised in Atlanta, GA by a single mom. I was a unique child to say the least lol. I demanded to wear a full suit with cufflinks and clip-on ties — carrying all of my belongings in a briefcase to school everyday for years. My peers and teachers didn’t understand me — I was a bit of an outcast. I always believed in the power of manifestation before I understood what it meant. To me, the suit was an omen of success and wearing it meant that one day I would be successful (even though I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to be successful at).
By the time I got to middle school, I stopped religiously dressing like a presidential candidate but I never lost the belief that I could shape my world through concentrated thought and inspired action — that being true to yourself and your dreams is more important than being accepted. Being unpopular and unapologetically peculiar early in life had a fundamental impact on my development as an adult and as an artist. Because I didn’t subscribe to what the masses believed as a child, I never felt a need to do that as an adult. My mom just allowed me to be myself without any restraints and embraced whatever crazy ideas I had.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Used-to-bees don’t make no honey” (Popular Quote by Motivational Speaker Les Brown). Most people relish in their past accomplishments and find comfort in reliving moments of victory — while neglecting the calling to write new experiences that surpass previous milestones. The quote ‘used-to-bees don’t make no honey’ is a comical (but powerful) reminder that our existence is not defined by what we ‘used to be’ or what we ‘used to do’. It encourages us to actively pursue the future and what’s possible (next). It forces us to reject a life of complacency and mediocrity.
You have been blessed with much success. In your opinion, what are the top three qualities that you possess that have helped you accomplish so much? If you can, please share a story or example for each.
Vision.
I actively pray and meditate to receive downloads from the universe… instructions.. ideas… messages. I’m really good at sourcing materials and transforming them to match the most meaningful version of the concept I see in my mind. I feel obligated to do my best to ensure the message received is the message that is executed in the tangible work.
Faith.
To manifest success, you first have to believe it… Imagine what it looks like and believe that it’s possible. Before I completed my first painting, I depleted my savings to buy thousands of dollars of art materials because I believed I was being called to pursue a career in art. Even though I logically had no idea how this endeavor would end, I believed it would work out somehow. I felt that I was being guided down a different path… a path of purpose. I’m a strong believer that following truly inspired action will always lead to inspired results.
Devotion.
I make creating art a top priority in my life. If I feel inspired to make art, I will stop everything I’m doing to go to my studio and begin creating. Most of the time, I feel these urges of inspiration at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning… and I don’t stop creating until the sun comes up, and I may repeat that process for an entire week before the piece is completed. Once I get dialed in on creating a piece, I can’t stop until I feel like I’ve brought the vision to life. It’s a blessing to have the ability to create art and something that’s truly transformed my existence — I always want to honor that gift no matter how successful or busy I become.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about ‘Second Chapters’. Can you tell our readers about your career experience before your Second Chapter?
Before becoming an artist, I spent over 15 years working corporate gigs in digital marketing and advertising for startups, for-profits, and non-profits, including Sony Music, MTV, the YMCA, and Nike. I spent most of my time managing multi-channel ad campaigns, analyzing customer data, and leading teams of growth marketers. Nothing that involved acrylic paint or canvases for sure.
And how did you “reinvent yourself” in your Second Chapter?
Exhausted with the corporate world, I plunged full force into a new direction. I wanted to leverage my experience in growth marketing and creative ambitions to do something completely different. I decided to pursue art full-time, dedicate my resources to perfecting my mixed media works, and build a new career as a successful artist.
Can you tell us about the specific trigger that made you decide that you were going to “take the plunge” and make your huge transition?
My last job was at a well-funded Chinese startup. About a year into the role, our investors pulled funding and decided to close down our operation. At the time, I honestly wasn’t financially or emotionally prepared for that announcement — it was a complete shock to myself and my team. For some reason, I had an overwhelming sense of peace (that I had never felt in my life before). I decided to take this as a sign it was time to do something different… It felt like a pivotal moment in my life. I wanted to exit the corporate world completely and write a new chapter that didn’t involve the toxic, unfulfilling work environments I was accustomed to.
What did you do to discover that you had a new skillset inside of you that you haven’t been maximizing? How did you find that and how did you ultimately overcome the barriers to help manifest those powers?
In the beginning, I had a strong vision for the art I wanted to create, but I didn’t know exactly how to execute the ideas that I was seeing in my head. When I first started exploring art, I purchased as many different materials as I could to experiment and find my voice. I treated my art studio like a laboratory — I really just had fun constructing and destroying canvases and sculptures until I was able to mold them into a work I was proud of. As time went on, I started to identify the materials and processes that best complimented my style of work. From there.. my techniques evolved. The creative process should be fun and unrestricted — so that the finished product can be a manifestation of positive, authentic energy that radiates meaning beyond the composition of the piece.
How are things going with this new initiative? We would love to hear some specific examples or stories.
I’ve been really blessed and have honestly been overwhelmed with the support I’ve received on this path. I’ve been able to sell my artwork in major galleries, host multiple high-end art shows throughout the US, and have garnered attention from major publications. I’m still early in my career, but I’m really fortunate that the doors have opened for me. I know I still have a lot to do, but it’s been really encouraging to be embraced by the art community at this early stage.
Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Hands down… my manager, Danielle Montreuil of MM Culture Group. She was an experienced publicist and event curator who believed in me early in my career (when I only had a few pieces) and worked diligently to help open doors to major galleries, investors, and publications to help get me exposure. Not only was she instrumental in the critical business aspect of developing strong art relationships — but she was also deeply involved in providing invaluable feedback on artistic concepts/execution that helped improve my processes and elevate my finished pieces. She’s been an amazing ally in this journey, and I definitely credit her for how quickly things have come to fruition.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started in this new direction?
Completely unrelated to art… but I met a beautiful woman in the elevator when I was carrying one of my first pieces to a photo shoot. She was enamored with the painting and I invited her to the photo shoot to see some of my other pieces. We ended up talking for hours, went on a date that same night, we’ve been inseparable since, and now we’re engaged. Pursuing art has opened this beautiful portal in my life to great friends, relationships, and experiences that I’m so thankful for.
Did you ever struggle with believing in yourself? If so, how did you overcome that limiting belief about yourself? Can you share a story or example?
When I first decided to abandon the corporate world and pursue art full-time, I sometimes questioned if my art was competitive with other successful artists or if I’d be able to realize a sustainable future in the field. The main thing that helped me overcome that nagging inner voice was deciding NOT to compare myself to other artists. I embraced the notion that you should ONLY compete with yourself, NOT your competitors. It helped me stay confident in my creative direction without being influenced by what others were doing or trying to emulate popular trends. I stay in my own bubble, and it’s completely freeing during the creation process.
In my own work I usually encourage my clients to ask for support before they embark on something new. How did you create your support system before you moved to your new chapter?
Unexpectedly (but fortunately), my support system grew and expanded quickly as I moved deeper into art. While I didn’t receive much support from my existing group of friends, family, or previous work colleagues, I kept meeting new, influential people who were critical to the journey along the way (art buyers, managers, photographers, journalists, etc.). They invested in me, supported my early work, and encouraged me to keep pursuing art during difficult times. This support was extremely consequential to my development as an artist.
Starting a new chapter usually means getting out of your comfort zone, how did you do that? Can you share a story or example of that?
Early in my art career — I knew having an art show to expose my first pieces was critical for feedback and promotion from the press and gallerists. While this was really exciting, I was extremely critical of which pieces I presented. I was confident in my work, but it was still a new experience for me to allow so many people to view my first collection, which had 20+ pieces on display. After that show, I definitely had critics lol, but I also realized that there were more people who saw my vision, supported me, and were moved by the collection. That day was a really humbling and special experience that boosted my confidence in doing larger shows and solidified my belief that I was on the right path.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started” and why?
1 . Getting in a major gallery is only the beginning. Once you’ve placed a piece in a gallery, it can take days or years to sell a piece. You have to trust the process and keep yourself from setting arbitrary goals of how much artwork you can sell and how fast. Stay optimistic that the the right buyers will resonate with your work. Don’t get discouraged if things aren’t moving as fast as you’d like — it’s just a part of the journey.
2 . Never compete with other artists — never gauge the quality or value of your abilities based on others. While it’s important to draw inspiration from masterful artists, it’s also important to stay true to your vision and remain indifferent to outside distractions that might influence your process. Inspiring art is created by uniquely inspired perspectives.
3 . Once you’ve developed a piece of art and found a moment in the process where you’re satisfied with the current state, let it breathe. It’s good to walk away for a few days or even weeks to get a fresh perspective on if the piece is actually completed or if it requires more work. Early in my career, I found myself extremely frustrated by ruining so many good pieces — trying to add more detail and unsuccessfully elevating the work. Sometimes, the first version is the best, most authentic, and visually appealing. More doesn’t always mean better.
4 . Only create when you feel inspired, and don’t stop until you’ve exhausted your creative energy. It’s important to tap into moments of inspiration and prioritize the craft at those critical times — stop everything you’re doing to tap in and create when you feel the calling. It’s a gift to be able to create art and serious creators should honor those moments of inspired action to produce. The more you practice this process, the more you’re able to discern the best moments to create.
5 . Feel your way through creation. Don’t think your way through the creation. Don’t overthink the process or become paralyzed with planning. Give yourself the opportunity to release any doubts or insecurities about wasting materials or making mistakes. It’s freeing to detach from the outcome and get lost in the process of experimentation. Let the art reveal itself — see yourself as a vessel for the manifestation of the vision instead of as an individual contributor.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Angel numbers have always deeply inspired me in my personal, spiritual, and creative journey. Angel numbers are repeating number sequences (333, 444, etc.) used as guides for deeper spiritual exploration. I often use them in my artwork to bring attention to their hidden codes. Most people will never hear the voice of God, but I believe recognizing these repeating patterns helps us see God and receive divine guidance across every aspect of life. I would love to collaborate with other artists and create massive mixed-media art installations around the world that draw attention to angel numbers and the specific messages of each number sequence. If more people were aware that they were constantly being guided, protected, and surrounded by divine support (when they see these recurring sequences), I believe more people would strengthen their spiritual connections and have the confidence to move through life with more faith and optimism. I want to let people know that they’re not alone on their journey.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. :-)
I would love to meet with Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats. I recently visited one of their exhibits, “Giants: Art fromThe Dean Collection”, a world-class collection the pair have curated of paintings, photographs, and sculptures by diverse, multigenerational artists. I was really inspired by their vision to promote ‘artists supporting artists’ and their ambition to highlight the works of talented artists who may be underrepresented in the community. It would be a dream to collaborate with them on future projects and help create more visibility for emerging artists around the globe. I was blown away by the collection and the mission.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can visit my site at jaymikal.com or follow me on Instagram at @jaymikalofficial
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com .
