Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Faver.
Hi Jordan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I always joke and say I came out of the womb holding a box of crayons and haven’t stopped making art and engaging in creative thinking ever since. My mom, an art teacher, passed down her artistic gifts to me and instilled in me to think and act ‘outside the box’ at an early age. My dad, a retired Marine Corps Veteran, encouraged me to stay persistent and committed in everything I set my mind to. The engagement of these beliefs helped to shape my personality and value system and have carried me throughout my early adulthood and career as an artist, wellness coach, and therapist. I felt the calling on my life to become an Art Therapist in middle school. It sounds crazy to say I knew what I was going to do at such a relatively young age, but I never doubted my love for people, and their behaviors and actions fascinated me. Being an empath, I learned I was equipped with a gifting that not all people possessed, and I strived to use it for positive change in my community. After taking advanced art throughout high school, I was accepted to the University of Arkansas School of Art where I coached my studio professors in what Art Therapy was, and then developed a unique set of coursework within my degree plan to prepare for graduate school requirements. I was accepted into an independent study by a professor who believed wholeheartedly in my abilities and helped me to establish an artistic series on mental illness and its challenges. This portfolio within my Bachelor of Studio Art was a steppingstone towards acceptance at my top 2 graduate programs along with my Bachelor of Psychology. I chose a small, private Art Therapy and Counseling program in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where my skills and knowledge were tested and grown before receiving my dual Master’s. I will forever be thankful for the opportunity to have earned such an incredible education from both institutions. Today I work at a private practice in Prosper, TX, called Planting Seeds Center for Wellness. I’ve had experience working with ages 4-80 using Art Therapy and Counseling with a wide span of disorders and illnesses in schools, hospitals, alternative and residential programs, and non-profits. I’ve been able to facilitate and witness countless accounts of transformation and restoration through the therapeutic art process, and I’m so grateful to be a part of my clients’ healing journeys. The capacity for human resilience is astounding and highly underestimated. In the midst of all life’s incredible plans, I got married the week Covid hit in March 2020 to the absolute love of my life! Cody is my rock, and we are so excited to be welcoming a little one into the world this Thanksgiving. We are both in ‘people professions’ and love every second of it. We thank God every day for what we have, what we do, and who we are in Him.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’m unsure that there are any smooth roads when we are ambitious enough to chase after our dreams; there will always be challenges along the way. It’s how we cope with and overcome them that is of significance. I was headstrong (sometimes to a fault) in my goals and plans for the future and chose to deflect the doubt from others that came my way for a few years. There was a lot of “Are you sure you want to do this? Are you going to make enough money to support a family? What if it doesn’t work out?” etc. I also chose fast tracks for both my undergraduate and graduate programs which was brutal and tiresome at times. I found myself navigating and constantly avoiding burnout for a few years. I loved what I was doing with my whole heart, but the drive I had consumed me. Through my own required counseling sessions in graduate school, I’ve been equipped to overcome personal barriers with tenacity and grit. I discovered that drive is not always the way, but being led and slowing down to enjoy the in-between is much of the battle. I’ve realized there is so much beauty in the process; it is not always necessarily about the end product. This, for me, is for life as it is in art and therapy.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a Licensed Professional Counselor (Associate), I am trained in mental and emotional health symptoms and diagnoses, understand human cognition and behavior patterns, am able to devise treatment plans and goals and advocate for overall wellness and health categorized by the client’s particular definition. Being an Art Therapist, I am knowledgeable in materials and mediums which are utilized as healing tools in the therapeutic process where talk therapy may not do justice. Art therapy is an added dimension to therapy; a subconscious process explored through art-making and material usage. I incorporate the Expressive Arts Continuum into each of my sessions which requires knowing and understanding which materials work best with each individual client and their specific needs or diagnosis. As of now, my client caseload is mostly comprised of teenagers. I love helping them navigate adolescence and all that comes with it! And as an artist, I am trained in mixed media and prefer to work large scale. I love using bright and bold colors, patterns, and texture in my work. I think of my paintings as somehow being a reflection of who I am and who I hope I’m becoming. A never-ending process of making marks, editing, erasing, painting over, messing up, and starting again. I’m unsure that I’m ‘known’ for anything more than being completely and authentically myself, although I hope that I’m seen as being an advocate for positive change.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking is so important! Finding others in our fields who are more knowledgeable than us allows us to gain insight in areas we might not otherwise have. I use networking as an opportunity to ask questions and grow every single day. I think it’s of utmost importance that we have mentors in our lives whom we can seek counsel and guidance from. The more we learn, the more we realize we do not know! I strongly believe we need mentors and higher counsel in our personal and professional lives to become stronger, more resilient, and wiser individuals. There is always someone we can learn something from, and we were never meant to do any of it alone.
Pricing:
- 36×36-48”: $650-900
- 48×48-60”: $1,200-1,500
- 60×60″ and up: $1,600+
- Diptychs & Triptychs Available: $1,500-4,500
Contact Info:
- Website: JordanFaver.com
- Instagram: Jordan_Faver_Art
Image Credits
Claire Jennings
