Casa Cultura Welcomes Jazmyn Jones as Inaugural Artist-in-Residence

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Art does not always begin with a canvas. Sometimes it begins with emotion, memory, or the need to be understood.

For Jazmyn Jones, art has always been a way to make sense of the world and invite others into that process. As Casa Cultura’s first Artist-in-Residence, Jazmyn brings a practice rooted in honesty, openness, and the belief that creativity belongs to everyone. Her work encourages people to let go of fear and create freely.

“I want people to feel that art is for them.”

That belief is at the center of Jazmyn's work and is why she is the perfect artist to launch Casa Cultura’s Artist-in-Residence Program.

Jazmyn Jones is a Trenton-based artist whose work moves between abstraction, culture, emotion, and storytelling. Her art is not about rules or perfection. It is about expression, freedom, and connection.

She believes art should feel welcoming, not intimidating. There is no wrong way to create. This idea shapes her workshops and now her residency at Casa Cultura.

Art as Freedom

During her residency, Jazmyn will be working on her new body of work while also offering programming that helps people reconnect with creativity in a natural and honest way. One of her core ideas, No Wrong Way, focuses on abstract expression using color, texture, and emotion rather than strict techniques.

Whether working with children, adults, or elders, Jazmyn wants participants to leave feeling proud of what they made. Her goal is not to teach people how to draw “correctly,” but to help them rediscover their creativity.

Along with painting, she plans to explore sculpture, mixed media, papier-mâché, and hands-on projects. Her workshops are designed to be joyful, accessible, and centered on community.

Healing Through Art

Jazmyn is open about how mental health shapes her life and work. Living with bipolar disorder influences how she experiences the world and how she creates. Instead of hiding this, she uses honesty as a source of strength.

Her art reflects emotional shifts. Some pieces are quiet and heavy. Others are bold, colorful, and full of energy. At times, she includes personal writing or poetry in her work, creating space for connection and shared understanding.

For Jazmyn, art is more than expression. It is a way to reflect, heal, and survive. By sharing her story, she invites others to feel less alone.

Culture and Community

Jazmyn’s Puerto Rican identity is an important part of her story and creative practice. Reconnecting with Trenton’s Puerto Rican community brought new energy into her work, influencing pieces rooted in memory, music, and cultural pride.

At the same time, Jazmyn is intentional about creating programming that is open and welcoming to all communities. While her work is grounded in Puerto Rican culture, her residency programming is designed to be inclusive of the broader Latino community. She recognizes that across Latino cultures, there are shared histories, values, struggles, and traditions that connect us.

Her workshops and creative spaces are meant to reflect that shared experience. They are places where people from different Latino backgrounds can see themselves, feel represented, and create together. While the focus is intentional, the doors are open wide.

Casa Cultura embraces this approach. While the space is open to all, its mission centers Latino culture as a way to build belonging, understanding, and community connection. For Jazmyn, this alignment makes Casa Cultura a meaningful home for this residency.

About the Residency

Casa Cultura’s Artist-in-Residence Program is designed to support artists while also serving the community. Artists in the program spend three to four months working in the space, with dedicated time to develop their own body of work. At the same time, they commit to leading community workshops centered around their artistic specialty.

The residency is meant to be a shared experience. Artists are given space to grow creatively while inviting the community into the process through learning, collaboration, and creative exploration. Each residency reflects the artist’s unique voice while staying rooted in Casa Cultura’s mission of access, culture, and community connection.

As the first artist to take part in this program, Jazmyn Jones helps shape what this residency will become. Her presence sets a tone of openness, care, and creativity that will guide future artists and participants.

An Invitation

Jazmyn hopes her residency will be about more than showing artwork. She wants to connect with people, collaborate with artists, and be part of the community.

Her message is simple:

Come as you are. Create as you are. Be yourself.

We are proud to welcome Jazmyn Jones as Casa Cultura’s first Artist-in-Residence. Her work helps set the foundation for a program built on creativity, honesty, healing, and community.

Welcome home, Jazmyn.