Daily Inspiration: Meet Clarence Jernigan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Clarence Jernigan. 

Hi Clarence, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
For as long as I can remember I’ve always been fascinated by color, art, and design. As a child, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on my first box of 64 count Crayola crayons. You know the one with the built-in sharpener that seemed to have every color known to man? I couldn’t wait to break open the box and start coloring. Doodling mostly eyes, lips and shoes were always my favorite. So, I guess it was inevitable that I would end up in a position where I’d be utilizing those traits in some way. The Sunniest Spot In Tennessee is the motto of the place where I grew up. A small rural town about 40 minutes north of Nashville called Orlinda. After graduating East Robertson High School in Robertson County, I attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville. But later finished my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Upon graduating I moved to New York City. I lived there for several years before returning to Tennessee to make Nashville my home. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
You could say my journey was a was a bit bumpy. Like many people just starting out finances can be an issue. Especially in the creative field. There were times when I would put my classes at university on hold to work restaurant and catering gigs. Then go back and pick up the semester that I missed. I did this periodically until I finished my education. After graduating I moved to NYC and found that it would be hard to support myself on a beginning artist’s salary. Loving the city and wanting to stay, I knew I would need to do something else for a better income. Luckily some of the foodservice experience I had gained earlier helped me land a job at a major hotel. This enabled me make more money and to stay a while longer. A few years later I had an opportunity to move back to Tennessee to do something more related to my degree. So, I took the offer. When that particular design studio downsized a few years later, I left to go to an ad agency. I was there a year and a half before leaving because of layoffs. After being unemployed for a while I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but I knew I wanted to go in another direction. The positions I held before were more production-oriented and I had truly grown tired of what I had been doing. Then I received a call one day from a makeup artist friend of mine. She needed a fill-in for one a job she wasn’t able to make it to and asked if I’d be interested. She had remembered the makeup that I did at a party we both had attended and thought I would be a good fit. I nervously said yes as that was my first time to do anything like that professionally. And that’s how it all started. I continued to do just freelance for a while before taking position with MAC cosmetics. That is where I honed my skills. After leaving MAC I landed my current position with Tom Ford Beauty. And I freelance in my spare time. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
If I had to choose a specialty. I guess be it would be beauty and editorial application. I can do the most natural makeup. Or exaggerated extreme beauty making each application just as beautiful as the other. I have a keen sense of color. Combining colors that are complementary but not traditionally thought to go together is one of my favorite things to do. Many times, the looks are created on the fly. Especially on shoots where the only thing I know is what the model looks like. There’s a mood or theme of course but that sometimes changes as the things evolve. Rarely do I have the luxury of planning what I’m going to do and doing exactly that. One thing for sure is I love attention to detail. No matter who I’m working with or what the expectation is I do my best to make sure my contribution is as flawless as possible. 

What makes you happy?
What comes to mind most are music, art, sharing a meal with friends and family, laughter, my cat “Kitty”, and all things creative. These things I can always turn to no matter what. They bring me joy, peace, and pleasure. 

Contact Info:

• Email: caj1661@comcast.net
• Website: Clarencej.com
• Instagram: @theartist_cj
• Facebook: Clarence Jernigan
• Other: @tomfordbeautynashville

Image Credits
Gina Binkley
Daniel Meigs
Ruth Chapa
Lauren Athalia
Zachary Gray
Gina Binkley
Jared Olson
Elijah Rodney
Monet Kittrell