Jed Dorsey, son of well known local artist Jack Dorsey and patriarch of the Dorsey family of artists, his wife Renae and daughter Willow are moving back to Washington State. Jed is a highly gifted artist and this is a coup for art lovers and the art scene in the Northwest. We were finally able to catch up to Jed for an interview on their homecoming.
Sunnyshore Studio: Tell me about the big news of you guys moving back to Washington?
Jed: Well, the big news is that on April 30, Renae, Willow and I will be leaving Indianapolis and heading to Washington state to make our home there. Our plan is to live on Camano Island initially until we figure out where we might land more permanently.
Sunnyshore Studio: How has Indy been a great place for you to launch as a full time artist?
Jed: Indianapolis has really been a wonderful place for us to live in general, and for me as an artist, it has been great also. It is a city that feels like a town. There are enough people to have all the great things you’d expect from a city, but it just feels more personal than a big city. For me, it has meant that the art community here has been super supportive. I’ve loved having a studio at the Harrison Center and hope to find another community of artists that are as great as the friends I’ve made here.
Sunnyshore Studio: What will be hard for you to leave in Indy?
Jed: We are super connected here. We made a list of the things we are hoping to find in a community in WA, and the reality of it is that we already have it all here: good friends, close to schools, great studio, great church, diversity of people, etc. The only thing we are missing here is family. And that is a big thing, so that is why we are moving. But the thought of leaving Indianapolis has been really sad because we love so many people here.
Sunnyshore Studio: What are you excited about in your move back to the Pacific Northwest?
Jed: We are excited about living close to family. Willow loves the idea of being close to cousins. We look forward to regular meals together, working on projects, doing art… you know, just doing life with family, which is something we haven’t had too often because we’ve lived most of our married life separated by some distance. And we still have some distance to travel to see Renae’s parents and sister in Edmonton, but we will be way closer than when in Indy.
And the other thing we’re all excited about is the physical beauty of the Northwest!
Sunnyshore Studio: Tell me about your thoughts on joining up with your family of artists in Washington?
Jed: It will be fun. I think we will be able to encourage each other in a lot of ways. I look forward to painting with everyone again. My life is different now that I’m a full-time artist, and I look forward to how that will allow me to do things with my family.
Sunnyshore Studio: What do you see as the next steps of your career as a professional artist?
Jed: Really, I just want to get settled in Washington and see what is happening there in the art scene and try to get plugged in. I hope to get involved with some plein air painting groups eventually. I think there are so many things for me to learn at this next stage. I have very little idea about what is happening there in the art scene, and I don’t know much about the communities of the Northwest. So for me, I’m thrilled to be able to come back home and be like a little kid again, exploring and discovering the area. I know it will be fun.
Looking forward to seeing you and your family when you get back.