This article was originally published Dec 16th 2025 in Bold Journey online magazine. It has been re-created below or you can read it at Bold Journey by following this link: https://boldjourney.com/meet-yohanna-jessup/
We recently connected with Yohanna Jessup and have shared our conversation below.
Yohanna , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I didn’t find confidence in performance or applause.
I found it in the quiet act of sitting still.
Through many years of meditation, self exploration and ongoing rigorous practice I have let silence cleave away a lot of what I thought I was, what I ‘should’ be. Instead I continually search for what feels alive moment to moment.
A quiet sense of knowing has developed inside. A simple sense of presence. Having this to rest on internally has changed my experience of myself and radiated out into my creative process as an artist.
I’ve always been drawn to what’s just beyond the visible—to the symbolic, the mystical, the liminal. My earliest art school years were filled with technique, ambition, and the usual post-grad questioning: What now? It wasn’t until I began meditating daily—and learning to perceive the inner landscape—that my creative purpose began to crystallize.
Over time, I saw that my role as an artist wasn’t just to make beautiful things—it was to translate inner states of consciousness into form. To make the invisible felt. To hold space for unity in a world of fragmentation. In a world that rewards visibility and noise, I chose depth.
That’s what painting became for me: not a performance, but a practice.
A bridge between worlds.
Today, I work with collectors, retreat centers, and mission-driven spaces to create artworks that resonate with presence, insight, and the intent to reconnect with what’s essential.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a visual artist and creative guide whose work is rooted in meditation, symbolism, and experiences of consciousness. I create large-scale paintings, sculptures, and limited edition prints that reflect moments of insight—inner landscapes made visible.
My current series, Faces of the Mountain, is inspired by how natural beauty can elevate and inspire experiences of profound connection. I also work with collectors and retreat centers to create commissioned works that act as energetic anchors—art as a threshold to something deeper.
Alongside my studio practice, I run a boutique design and storytelling studio, Archetype & Hourglass, where I help mission-driven clients clarify their visual identity and tell meaningful stories.
I share monthly reflections through my newsletter Art That Inspires, where I offer a behind-the-scenes look at my creative process and announce new work.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Presence – Without presence, nothing truly connects. Presence is what allows us to listen—whether to inspiration, to others, or to ourselves.
Devotion – Creativity is a long arc. It requires patience, commitment, and love. Devotion keeps you anchored when outcomes are uncertain.
Discernment – Especially in a noisy world, discernment helps you stay in touch with what’s real, what’s aligned, and what’s worth bringing into form.
These three qualities—presence, devotion, and discernment—have become the foundation of both my inner practice and my creative work.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I’ve been deeply influenced by my meditation teacher Samuel Sagan and the lineage of practice that taught me how to navigate the inner world with clarity. I’m also continually inspired by the collectors, collaborators, and clients who trust me to create something meaningful with and for them.
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