Great Minds: Dessie Jackson

Dessie Jackson is a Philadelphia based artist with an obsession for buffalo sauce, pugs, and Frightened Rabbit. Get to know a little more about her and what keeps her inspired.

THE BASICS

Name: Dessie Jackson

Date: April 15, 2013

Time: 8:20 pm

Location: On my couch, in Philadelphia

Occupation: learner and maker and adventurer

THE NITTY GRITTY

1) Before you started this Q&A, what were you doing?

I was attempting/butchering really awful pilates moves in my living room. I’m sure my neighbors got a kick out of witnessing that…

2) Are you a morning or night person?

More of a night owl.

3) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 17, and find line 7, what does it say?

“If you’re trying to decide how fluent a name is, imagine that you’re presenting the Oscar for best foreign-language film.” I promise I’m not reading baby- name books. Drunk Tank Pink by Adam Alter

4) Do you remember your dreams?

I believe I remember most of them. I have re-occuring dreams quite often.

5) Tell us something about you that most people don’t know.

When I was younger I use to collect the fake flowers that fell on the ground at Jo Anne Fabrics or A.C Moore. The rejects. I believed that if you watered them they would bloom or change. I would save them for school and me and my galpal would go into the bathroom and soak these poor little fabric flowers till they warped. I mean, bloomed*

6) If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

There is a lot that I wish could change and that needs to change. But, I’m going to go with: that every human carried an open-mind in regards to all things, places, people and ideals.

7) Do you like to dance?

I LOVE TO DANCE. I grew up dancing- jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop, musical theatre.

8) What did your last text message say?

“ 🙂 ” If I could get by with texting in pure emoji language I would.

9) If you could have lunch with one famous person, who would it be?

I’m not much for idols. Hitchcock would be interesting… Maybe my girl B Spears to fill my 9-year-old dreams. Hitchcock and Britney, at the same table… That would be golden.

10) What are you currently obsessed with?

Buffalo sauce, pugs, Whirr, Frightened Rabbit.

11) What word do you use the most?

I follow way too many sentences up with “You know?”

12) 3 things you’d like to do before you die?

Drink tea in Japan, catch fairies, feel 100% free.

13) Have you ever been in love?

Luckily, yes.

14) If given a yacht. What would you name it?

I’d name it after some sort of food particle. I think I’d name it Pickle. All aboard.

15) Who do you admire the most?

My Mom, my Dad, my Brother, my Grandparents, and June Wright- the woman responsible for feeding my creativity and passion.

16) If handed 10,000 dollars what would you blow it on?

Traveling without a doubt. Memories > things.

17) What is the one thing you can’t live without?

I love sauce. All sauce.

18) What were you doing at midnight last night?

My roommate was dying my hair while we watched Law and Order. Very typical.

19) What did you want to be when you grew up?

Honestly, I’ve always wanted to be a fine artist. I went through a few phases however, (teen angst will do that) Dessie’s list of occupations: geologist, historian, interior decorator, animator, Disney princess ect.

20) What would you tell your 13 year-old self?

I would say to stop taking myself so seriously. That my braces will come off, that my inner voice will get louder, that xanga groups do not define who you are, to keep going to shows (even if it’s with Hunter’s mom), I’d say that Abercrombie kids store really sucks and to stop spending my chore money on the discount rack and to stop experimenting with blue eye-shadow, to keep drawing, to keep listening to good music, that some of my 13-year-old best friends will remain my best friends in 8 years. That everything will be okay.

Artwork by Dessie Jackson