“...so there isn’t necessarily a story I’m trying to tell, rather my works are more of an emotional release for me. More therapeutic than anything. ”
It all started when…
SOULDEGA: When did you step into your power with visual art?
JASON: November 2011 is when I fully became aware of it, but it really started when I was 14.
That summer after 9th grade I was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, and spent a few weeks in the hospital. When I got back home, I was inside the house a lot while I recovered and was very bored. My mother is an artist and designer and always had supplies around the house, so one day I grabbed some markers and just started drawing.
Fast forward to 17 years later, and I was home for a weekend visiting my mom and she pulled out those drawings I had done as a kid. I had complete forgot about them, and I had just happened to move into a new apartment so I took the pieces and brought them back to hang on my walls. A few days later I had a friend over and she asked me where I got the drawings from and I told her the story about how I made them as a kid. She really loved them, and felt that u had a talent and that I should definitely get back into drawing again.
About a week later I was reading Complex magazine and saw an advertisement for the Bombay Sapphire Artisan series which was a nationwide contest looking to find the next great undiscovered artist to have a chance to show their work at Art Basel and receive their own solo exhibit. So, I decided to take the pieces down, take a photo and I submitted my work to the contest. About a month later I got an email saying my work was selected from thousands of entries as one of the 20 NYC regional finalists, and that my work was going to be shown at Rush Arts Galleries in Chelsea where one winner would be selected to show at that national finals in Miami. I didn’t make it to the finals, but the opening reception for that show is what got me back into my art. I loved the feeling of the show, and the gallery that night and the fact that my artwork brought all of my different groups of friends together in one place. So ever since that night, I haven’t stopped creating.
SOULDEGA: What stories do you like to tell in your work? or do they speak for themselves? or both?
JASON: Almost all of my work is abstract, so there isn’t necessarily a story I’m trying to tell, rather my works are more of an emotional release for me. More therapeutic than anything. What I really enjoy is what other people see in my work. Many times others will see images or shapes that remind them of certain things and they‘ll interpret what the piece means to them personally. That is one of the main reasons why I create. So, I would I say that my work speaks for itself, but what exactly it says is different for everyone.
SOULDEGA: Do you believe Art is Activism? If so, how and have you used your medium as a form of activism?
JASON: I feel art plays a huge roll in activism and has throughout history from the civil rights movement, to women’s suffrage, anti-war and so on. The first piece I’ve made with the intent to evoke a message for change and activism was something I had created in 2017 after Charlottesville. The events that followed over the next few days and the appalling reaction from the White House to what happened really brought a lot of emotion out of me, and I felt creating something helped me to release that.
Most recently I created a few pieces in support of the black lives matter movement and anti police brutality which I personally used while protesting, and also made them available at a few outlets for others to use while marching.
SOULDEGA: What are the top three artists that have influenced and inspired your works?
JASON: It’s really hard for me to have a top 3 since there are so many artists from so many areas that influence my work. From musicians, to visual artists, poets, architects, fashion designers, photographers, film directors, etc... Honestly, anyone who creates something that I’m fortunate enough to experience has an influence on me in some way or another.
As far as visual artists I would have to say it’s George Condo, Keith Haring, Kara Walker, Joan Miró, Judy Chicago, Futura and Jose Parla. Music plays a huge part in my work since I draw a great deal of inspiration from whatever I’m listening to while I create. Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Run The Jewels, Fionna Apple, Moses Sumney, James Blake and Sault. I can see a lot of influence from these musicians in what I’ve been creating as of late.
SOULDEGA: How do you know when a piece is complete?
JASON: Honestly, I just feel it. However, there have been times where I’ll come across a work in my studio that I may have completed weeks or even years ago, and I’ll see it and feel like it’s missing something so I’ll make a few changes and add a few things until it feels right.
SOULDEGA: What three emotions do you feel when you are creating?
JASON: It’s hard for me pin point what exactly I’m feeling when I create. I really just sit down in front of a blank canvas, put music on and go. I really just let whatever‘s inside of me come out. However, sometimes once I do finish a piece I can look back at it and see what my sub-conscious was trying to release.