When you think of Olive Jol, think of creativity in human form. Olive, the Florida then Nashville and now California resident, is a twenty-year old multi talented photographer. Her whimsical, immersive and alluring photography is not only eye catching but inspiring. As a photographer I found myself in complete awe of her artistry. From her shot choices to her editing techniques.
Olive Jol knows how much an environment can impact your creativity. She moved to Nashville from Florida at a young age, “It allowed me to see my childhood, where I grew up, where my parents grew up, as in the distance, instead of right in front of me," she stated. When she made the big move to LA it was an immediate culture shock but a beautiful one. "Going to college opened my eyes… creative careers are very frowned upon where I grew up and so like coming here and working with people and being with people that actually do the things you want to do, it's such a life changing thing." Olive expressed how LA just has “energy that encourages creative exploration." She was unaware of the limitations placed upon her in her small town in Nashville. She talked about how she pushes things away that made her conform to other people's views of her. When asked about her challenges she faced she stated how she would listen to others opinions before her own. "I've had to choose between making art and keeping relationships. I've always chosen art. I don't see myself like that anymore so [their] opinion doesn't matter.” Olive now knows the importance of her own voice “an artists perspective is the most important, most valuable thing to them and I feel like keeping that sacred is so important. Like that saying ‘if you love yourself first you can love the world.' If you nurture your own creativity it's going to ripple and effect everyone else around you. You find your place in the world by learning your voice through art." When it comes to other challenges Olive is presented with it's simply the will to make art even during turbulent times. She express the importance of never taking your foot off the wheel even when it gets hard. "Being consistent when I'm at a low point and keeping faith that everything will workout even when it doesn't feel like it,” is something she works towards everyday while perfecting her craft.
Unlike most artists who find inspiration in their respective mediums, Olive looks to music as well as the occasional old tumblr poem. From artists like Pharrell, Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator and Childish Gambino, they’ve all impacted Olives work. “Of Course I have photographers I love, other mediums just emotionally influence me.” She continues “.. music helps me find whatever. It literally digs straight to my core, understanding what I'm feeling then I translate that into my art.” She expresses how music helps her understand herself better. Just like the artists who inspires Olive, her work pulls you in while viewing. When asked her approach when taking photos she states “I approach it from different angles. I try to create a world. How does the lighting make the model look? How can we use this lighting to say this? What does the clothes he’s wearing tell the audience about the characters' feelings about themselves? What props can we bring in to make this feel like this?" She continues with how it's about “...creating an experience not only for myself but for the viewer and everyone who's on my team when I work with people.” What also elevates her art would be the fact that she trusts herself. "I rely on intuition and instincts a lot of the time, rather than the technical stuff, which is not the best but it works for me."
When asked to give advice to other creatives Olive didn't hesitate in getting it out. "Don't focus on what others are doing, focus on what you’re doing and how to improve and be a better person. Don't lose sight of your own path. Everyone's path is so unique you can't fall behind, there's no behind or ahead you just are where you are.”
She continues with this. “You’re never going to feel good about your own accomplishments if you're always comparing yourself to people around you."