Delaina Jolley has always felt like an artist. “I remember being five and saying my career would be as an artist,” she recalled recently. “My mom, Yvonne, is an artist. She did a lot of portraits. So, I’ve always been an artist, but now I am learning how to be a working, professional artist,” said Delaina, now 23.
Growing up in Newark, Delaware, Delaina spent hours looking through books just for the illustrations, creating her own mini-comics, and thriving in her art classes.
“This passion led me to attend the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, where I graduated in May of 2022 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in illustration,” Delaina said. “I learned not only how to be an artist and designer but also the importance of using my work to create positive changes in my community and those around me.”
Delaina will be one of the more than 100 artists, musicians, and vendors featured in Winterthur’s Artisan Market on July 15 and 16. She received an Artisan Market grant to participate. The grants encourage emerging artists and start-up businesses to take part in the event.
“Receiving this grant means that the first step in my career as an artist starts in my home state,” said Delaina, an admissions counselor at Delaware College of Art and Design in Wilmington. “This will be my first time creating my own booth and showcasing my own work. I’m just excited about being around other artists, designers, and artisans. This is kind of like my first rodeo.”
Receiving the grant is also about serving as an example to artisans who, like her, are just starting out. As she explains, “I can show other young local artists that they can take chances, create what they love, and even sell their work, too.”
Check out Delaina’s work at her website: https://www.delainajolley.com/
“I enjoy incorporating portraits with bold colors and abstract shapes, and a lot of my work includes writing, lyrics, and songs,” Delaina said. “Sometimes I just want to convey what I am feeling, and sometimes I am inspired by different songs, quotes, or people. I recently did a portrait of (poet, author, and activist) Amanda Gorman.”
Delaina said her work has two different sides – catching people’s attention with color and raising awareness about broader issues.
“Sometimes there is the pressure of having to create a finished piece. But sometimes you just need to take out your sketchbook and just draw. Sometimes I just need something to do that’s not being on my phone. I just want to sit and let my mind be free. It helps with my mental wellness.”
Maintaining a schedule of creation is key to succeeding as an artist, Delaina said.
“That starts you on a path to success,” she said. “Being able to continue to communicate through my work is a big thing. If I need to communicate something, I need to do it through art.”
In addition to selling her own work, Delaina has ambitions to become a creative director, leading projects through a creative process.
“I would love to do book covers as well,” she said. “If I could get my art on a book cover, that would be something amazing.”
