Our Artist

Pimento Creations' Owner & Artist, Jolianne Alexander

I began my life story in Kingston, Jamaica as the first-born child of Dr. Everton and Leila Walters. According to my mother, my first word was "why?" and my mother always joked that I would "never be bored." I always found ways to entertain myself, and as an inquisitive child, with an eye for seeing the world just a bit differently, the best outlet for me to express myself was through art.

During my formative years, I filled my bedroom to the brim with my early childhood drawings and musings. From sketches of ballerinas to intricately shaded faces of people who I thought were beautiful, art has always been with me and has always come natural. Art was especially important to me as a child, as I felt I did not have a voice to express myself outside of my art. I was never the most assertive person and I had always struggled with confidence and self-acceptance; but my art was always my way of being my unapologetic self. 

Fast forward to my adulthood, I channelled my inquisitive mind into a successful legal career and I am a practicing civil rights attorney in the Chicagoland area. My work as a civil rights attorney has not only given me the voice which I did not have as a child, it has also allowed me to help others find their voices in profound and direct ways. While being a lawyer is extremely challenging and rewarding in so many ways, I still find myself gravitating back to my art, as it is my true solace for when I feel overwhelmed by the world. 

Due to my repeated gravitation back to my original identity through art, in 2010, I toyed with and imagined starting my own art business dedicated to giving voices to the voiceless and empowering others to accept themselves--merging my legal and art passions into one cohesive vision. This seed has been growing within me for the better part of the past decade; but due to my lack of confidence and self-acceptance, I never allowed it to blossom, until now. 

In all honesty, it was not until the COVID-19 crisis hit us all in 2020 that I finally found the motivation I needed to start this venture. During the course of this devastating pandemic, I found out that I was exposed to an individual with the coronavirus. That moment changed my life forever. In that moment of shock and horror, one which I never could have prepared my mind for, the first thought that came to mind was, "have I lived my best life?" My immediate answer was, "no." It was "no" because I knew I hadn't completed the main task I wanted to complete--to start Pimento Creations. I knew that it was now or never. I knew I had to take this leap of faith, even though I still doubt myself. I knew I had to push through that fear. 

I'll be the first to tell you that I do not have life figured out and I still live with the fear of failure, but I think it is important to live life without regret and the threat of death really humbled me to understand where I still had unfinished business. It is my hope that through Pimento Creations, I can use this platform to inspire so many others to pursue their dreams, live without regret, accept themselves for who they are, and live loving, beautiful, and inspiring lives. This is what I want. This is my vision. This is my goal.