Delaina Jolley ’22 awarded Winterthur Artisan Market grant

When Winterthur’s Artisan Market opens its gates in Delaware July 15-16, one of its 100-plus featured artists will be Delaina Jolley, a PCA&D Illustration graduate. 

But Jolley won’t just be a participating artist: She was awarded an Artisan Market grant to participate, an honor that encourages emerging artists to take part in the event. 

“It shows me that it’s really only the beginning for my career,” Jolley says. “I’ll be surrounded by other vendors, some new like myself, and others who have been professionals for years. I see this as an opportunity to learn from and with them. I’ll also be presenting myself as a working illustrator in my home state, Delaware, in a really big way.”

Since her 2022 graduation Jolley, who also works as an admissions counselor at Delaware College of Art and Design, has worked consistently to keep her studio practice progressing and her art evolving. It’s been an adjustment, she says, that brings big rewards. 

“When I started my first full-time job, I didn’t realize just how important it would be to utilize any free time I had for myself and my art practice. Whenever I have a break in between the day, I often use that time for planning and ideation. I try to bring my iPad or sketchbook to my office so that any ideas I get during the week, I can make note of it and then use my weekends and days off for creating. It hasn’t been easy. I’ve had to relearn how to manage what I do with my time. There were moments just this past month where I had multiple days off of work for the first time since I started my full-time job. Not only did I use that time to refresh mentally and physically, but I also started just drawing anything I wanted and giving myself the OK to be happy with just creating.

“It’s all still new for me, but each day I’m figuring out the best ways for me to continue making art.”

That transition, Jolley says, includes exploring the inclusion of more nature and patterns in her work, “or creating pieces that have nothing to do with people. I spent a lot of time in nature this past year and that’s been (reflected) in my work.”

At the Winterthur Artisan Market, Jolley will display some of her favorite digital pieces with prints for sale, along with more traditional prints she made during her time at PCA&D, creating a mini gallery. She’ll also offer bags, water bottles, stickers, and greeting cards. 

What’s motivating her art these days?

“My art is largely motivated by what makes me happy and wanting to share that with others. I used to stress out about what kind of work I like making and if it had a place in the current art world,” Jolly notes. “But recently, I’ve been happy with creating things that I genuinely enjoy. An example would be some of the greeting cards I’m selling, (which) include phrases that I often find I need to remind myself of in terms of positive affirmations.”

And those positive affirmations extend to artists who are following in her footsteps, too. 

“Growing up, it was always my dream to become a professional illustrator, but it was hard imagining myself as one,” Jolley says. “Now I’m the representation I wanted to see and I can be that for other young artists too.”

If you go

Winterthur Artisan Market, July 15-16, 10 am to 4 pm. More information, directions, and artist listings here. 

Photo credit: Nick Gould Photography