STEP INTO THE BOLD, VIBRANT & PLAYFUL WORLD OF JADE PURPLE BROWN
This Black History Month, Urban Decay has joined forces with multidisciplinary artist and illustrator Jade Purple Brown for a collaboration that celebrates leaders and those making history one day at a time.
GET TO KNOW JADE PURPLE BROWN
I grew up in Illinois and attended The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
Did you receive any scholarships or awards?No
Were there any Black artists that inspired you to pursue art?Lakwena was a huge inspiration to me when I first started out. I love her use of color and bold impactful messages.
Did you have mentors and/or role models in your early career?No, I’m self-taught and picked up everything I’ve learned by researching online, YouTube tutorials, and reading art/design books.
How do you celebrate your African American heritage through your art?Representation is a key component of my work. When I first started out, Black voices weren’t celebrated as much, so it quickly became important to highlight our beauty and individuality in my own unique way. My goal is for Black Women to feel authentically seen and empowered when they come across my work.
What are your early memories of beauty? Do you have a memory/story of your first Urban Decay productMy earliest Makeup would have to be glitter lip glosses and eye shadows from Libby Lu and Claire's!
My very first introduction to Urban Decay was the iconic Naked Palette and Primer Potion. I remember seeing influencers sharing tutorials on how to use the products during the early days of YouTube and I was obsessed.
Diana Ross, Sade, Donyale Luna, and Grace Jones have always inspired me when it comes to their beauty. They all have very iconic looks that perfectly match their essence.
How do you integrate beauty into your art?My favorite things to draw have always been bold portraits of women, capturing them in a daring and dynamic way. Playing up the eyes with strong winged liner, and adding fun pops of color to the lips is always my go-to since they instantly create a strong sense of confidence.
I also get a lot of color palette inspiration when I see beauty looks online in fashion editorials and on beauty influencers.
BEHIND THE SCENES OF
UD X JADE PURPLE BROWN
