The Strategic Storyteller: Expert Brand Builder and Multimedia Artist Jawansa Hall Inspires as He Creates
By: Jeremy Angione | Photos by: Ashlee Glen
Jawansa Hall is a multimedia artist using his art and experiences to fill Lynchburg with color and community engagement. Much of Hall’s art and creativity is focused on branding. He served as the Creative Director of Marketing & Communications at the University of Lynchburg for two years, and he recently assisted in the rebranding of The White Hart Cafe into Lamp & Post. His marketing savvy has afforded him a unique talent for storytelling through a variety of media.
“My main goal is to create work that invites interaction and creates an emotional response. I’m interested in helping people, businesses, and organizations better understand who they are, what they are trying to say, and how they want others to experience them,” Hall said.
Hall founded Blackwater Branding, a story-focused marketing firm that has spearheaded the design and execution of high-profile, local projects, including a redesign for the Lynchburg Hillcats (now named the Hill City Howlers) and the 40-foot downtown mural entitled “Creating Our Culture.”
Recently, Hall partnered with the City of Lynchburg, local artist Christina Davis, and other artists to paint the 12th and Fillmore Streets mural, “Every Color Speaks.”
©Multimedia Artist Jawansa Hall
“Art, design, branding, and storytelling all have the ability to shape how people see themselves, how they see their community, and sometimes how they see what is possible. For me, impact doesn’t always have to mean something massive or life-changing. Sometimes it’s simply helping someone see value in something they had stopped noticing,” Hall stated.
According to Hall, his sources of inspiration are just as varied as his projects.
“A lot of my inspiration comes from my peers and fellow creatives. I really believe that iron sharpens iron, so I’ve intentionally built a circle of people who I can bounce ideas, concepts, and sometimes completely ridiculous ‘what if’ scenarios off of,” he said.
He also cites film, graphic design, and fashion as continuing sources of inspiration.
“Jazz influences me in a different way. There’s structure there, but there’s also improvisation and freedom. I think a lot of my creative process lives somewhere amongst those things,” Hall noted.
Hall’s latest endeavor is the Brand Therapy Studio, a consulting agency that offers his unique expertise and affinity for storytelling to businesses needing a solid direction.
“The goal is to help businesses and organizations find clarity in their identity and how they communicate. Often, people have something valuable to offer but struggle to explain it in a way that connects,” Hall said.
While Hall has been instrumental in helping organizations and individuals create strong visions and connections, he still maintains an excitement for his personal art and dream projects.
“That [dream project] would be bringing together art, film, music, and the community in one immersive, interactive experience. I have the vision—just not the funding yet,” he mused.
To learn more about Hall and his work, visit jawansahall.com.
