We had the good fortune of connecting with Judea Lowe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Judea, how do you define success?
Success is nothing more than being happy and content with where you are at in your life. It’s the part in life where you take on the challenges and find ways to continue to grow as a person. In society we are shown that success comes from our statues, materials, and money when in reality it comes from finding what is working for you all while living in your truth. Success is nothing more than just the journey rather than the destination. The destination is already there waiting for you but it is up to you to get to it. That’s what makes everyone’s successes unique.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As someone who is an artist and a creator the only thing that sets me apart is me. We all have creations in our own unique way and that is what makes art beautiful. No one will dance the way I do and vice versa. It is about finding what works for you and knowing what you do is out of love. To get to where I am today in the professional world took a lot of patience, trust, and discipline. I had to look at myself and trust that I was going in the right direction and that I could trust the process knowing that I am able to make it all happen. Having that trust will create a safe place for you to make those risks, knowing that it may take time. That is why having patience for the process that you are in enhances the experience and keeps your grounded in the moment. It keeps you wanting to move forward to get your wants and desires. And through all of that comes the work through discipline and knowing when you have to be consistent with the work and your craft to see the growth and opportunities began to blossom.
Oh, nothing is every easy in life but you can move with ease. It was a challenge to get to where I am today. If it was easy then everyone would be where I am, but it takes dedication and love to keep going in your process. The way to overcome this is to find what makes you happy. See what happiness means to you can continue to work on who you are. It all stems from love and if you love what you do, you will find a way to get through the challenges to get to where you want to go.
The biggest lesson I learned was to validate yourself. You will constantly be judged or praised for the work you do but if you put yourself down and never give yourself credit then you will not see the beauty and hard work that you have done for yourself. This is all for you and no one else and that is a lesson that can be hard to get out of because we all want to feel validated by others. Once you see that you are the one making it all happen, all you can do is find ways to keep seeing your amazing life keep growing.
I want the world to know that we are all artist. No matter what that may look like just know that we are here to uplift and support one another with our creative ideas and art work. My whole purpose is to find community in the artistic expression and show others that we are all here experiencing life together. Life is not easy and that is why I am starting the journey I am. I want to help others see their light and creativity for what it is!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many places to chose from out here in Phoenix but if I had to make a planned first day here I would recommend going to Cartel Coffee in Tempe. They have the best coffee hands down and is located in a cool artsy neighborhood by Arizona State. After that I would check out Desert Root Kitchen in Tempe vegan brunch. It is off of Mill Ave in a little cute plaza with other adorable shops. Now for the activities! For hiking places to check out I would say the Mormon Trail in Phoenix is the perfect place to see the city and get gorgeous views of the landscape. After a nice hike you usually are hungry again so I would stop by Testal Kitchen in Phoenix to get some good authentic Mexican tacos and burritos. For night time activities I recommend The Duce on Thursday nights for Salsa/Barachata night. Everyone is super friendly and brings good vibes all while dancing and having great drinks!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give thanks to the community of Cleveland Heights for teaching me and showing me what community looks like and being able to show how art can bring people together. I also want to share a special thanks to LaTasha Barnes, Bboy House, and David Olarte for supporting my journey and showing me what true artists can do in the world. With all of the support and love they all have shown, it has helped so many individuals grow and start to create their community in the artistic world in whatever form that may be!

Instagram: _jujulowe_ and experimental_creation

Facebook: judealowe

Youtube: judealowe565

Image Credits
Eboni Keys (Instagram @ebonikeys) Key Studios (Instagram @ketstudios)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.