Art and Our Masks

A Conversation with Jahna Rae

We were just across the street from City Park, sitting on a couch in Jahna Rae’s cozy living room. Down the hall, her dog Rooster was barking up a storm—no doubt on high alert with a member of the press lurking about—but, after a few minutes, we became deeply immersed in the conversation. 

In this interview, the painter, illustrator, and muralist opens up about her art, while contemplating the influences of the Denver scene, both positive and negative. 

Denverse Magazine: How did you get your start? What inspired you to pursue art when you were young?

Jahna Rae:  I mean, growing up, my parents didn't really like us to be in front of a screen a lot. They had us do other things, like play outside and make art, right? My father is an incredible artist, and so I picked up my love of art from him. And my mom's very crafty, too. I also think being a young kid with undiagnosed ADHD, I just gravitated towards art. I felt like it was a peaceful space for me and like a really nice way for me to ge…