Jill Evyn has been a Daughter of the House for five years. She is a performance artist with a fire dancing and eating skill. Today, we ask her about what drew her to The House of Red Velvet, and what inspires her to make art.
1. What has been your favorite moment while performing in The House of Red Velvet?
My favorite moments while performing in the House of Red Velvet have always been the members shows. Moments of intimate performance when we have been able to connect with guests whose faces we know and present them with moments of surprise and delight one on one. There are really too many to name, but one I will never forget is the time a few colleagues of mine came to a performance of sacrifice - and I got so intimate in that performance I was worried they might have left before the main show. They did not - they stayed and loved every second.
2. What is integral to your work as an artist?
I often have a character in mind when I am performing - or maybe character is the wrong word - its more an enhanced side of myself I am sharing with others. An Archetype. This allows me to connect more specifically to what I am trying to communicate in the story of the piece. This, combined with an authentic deep need, is something that is 10000% integral to my work.
Occasionally, I get these flashes of an emotion I can't quite quantify. It's the feeling of everything being exactly where it's meant to be - a moment of complete levity and joy, even if there are twinges of melancholy associated with this moment. These moments are where I try to create from.
Additionally - music, movement, emotion, connection, empathy and integrity are integral to my work as an artist.
3. What drew you to the work of The House of Red Velvet?
In addition to the gorgeous aesthetic and the questions I am left with after every show, the opportunity to work on a project that asks its artists to be vulnerable and authentic, as well as to explore the darker sides of ourselves is what really drew me to HoRV. So many shows are all about glitz, glamour and sparkle - and I love those things! - but I also love getting to tap into my dark side and work out those feelings creatively. It's been cathartic and life changing to engage in such a show. I have made life long friends and done some of my best work on the Houses' stage. What kept me coming back was the sense of sisterhood with my fellow performers.
4. What has been a seminal experience?
Giving birth to my daughter and watching something that was once an idea grow inside me and become a walking, talking person who reflects so much of myself back to me. It is the most wild thing I have ever done, and I have done a lot of wild things!
5. What art do you most identify with? Who influences you?
I try to explore all art and work to connect with a multitude of mediums so that I might always be expanding and growing my instrument. Having said that, my first love is and always will be acting. It is an art form I am always working to cultivate. I also love dance, fashion / costume design, music, and visual arts.
So many influence my art and make me feel things- I would say one of my biggest influences is Alexander McQueen. His connection to and unique relationship with beauty is something I have anyways been fascinated with and inspired by. His ability to express narrative through fashion is unparalleled and always thought provoking.
6. Name something you love (anything) and why.
I love cats. I love that you have to earn their delicate trust before they will allow you close to them. I love the sound of their purring, chirping, and various other character expressions. I love cats because they are unique little aliens living in our world and am always connecting with and petting them everywhere I go.
Photo by Amie Nicole.
