Q: Tell us about your paintings? I'm horrible with that. I'd have to take the standard response of, "What do you think?"

Q: What comes first for you, colour or form?
Subject matter. Then form. I'm not much for colour in my own work. It accentuates, but isn't necessary in the work I do. I like muted tones. The main goal is subject and how far I'm going to take it. Colour comes in as a second sense.

Q: I see struggle in your pieces, is that true?
In the subject? I'm sure you see some. Even with single figure pieces the subject is battling with something. Maybe because I rarely have a second to myself where I'm not constantly struggling or trying to figure some problem out. It's all I know or at least all that interests me in my painting.

Q: Where are you from? Portland, Tennessee.

Q: Did you go to art school?
No. Though I did work along side of a few older, more experienced artists in my twenties and that taught me a lot.

Q: What do you think art can do for the world?
What it's always done. Provide a visual history and an escape from reality. Art will always exist. We, even as human beings, have always needed something more than survival and procreation. We've always taken a moment to notice or do something beautiful. I just want to be a big part of that.

Q: How do you see the state the world is in today?
Based on my last answer, the current state of the world is that it needs more art, especially in the US. There's so much subconscious hatred and prejudice bubbling to the surface right now. People are marching against their own best interests out of fear and propaganda. The world is angry and scared right now. Everyone needs to take a step back and breathe.

Q: What is your Favourite medium?
Pen and ink. It's direct and it's bold. For me it’s a little more than painting and definitely more than pencil drawing. There is something to that organic black line. It allows for the crispness of an image while still letting you flow.

Q: Favourite place you have travelled to and why?
Italy, because...... it's Italy.

Q: What are your hopes for the future?
To keep pushing myself.

Q: What do you listen to when you are working? Mostly old Mississippi Delta Blues, nothing sets my mood better. A lot of Tom Waits and Billy Holiday as well, but also Beethoven and the band, Tool. Whatever makes me feel something genuine.

Q: What other artist influence you?
All of them really. My studio and house are full of books from all walks of life. Norman Rockwell to Cy Twombly. Will Eisner to Rodin. I can't say it enough. I. Just. Love . Art.

Q: Favourite living and deceased artist?
I like artists that pushed buttons, Kaethe Kollwitz and Francis Bacon. As far as living, Cy Twombly still gets me excited and I enjoy seeing new work by John Bellany.

Q: Do you go to Museums? I love museums. The Tate Modern and The Metropolitan Museum of Art are amongst my favourites.

Q: Greatest Joy?
Being able to take a step back and see the good around me. Achieving real work. Something substantial... and a nice single malt scotch.

Q: Greatest Sadness?
Seeing unchangeable ignorance.

Q: Does Jason have a dark side?
You more than likely see it in the paintings. That's really what they are. I'm a happy man, for the most part, and that's primarily because I try my damndest to put everything else in my work. Work is therapy for me. I can't explain how that is, but I'm changed every time I finish a piece or have a full day of painting.

Q: What would you do if you could not paint?
Drink. I kid.... a little bit. I could see myself writing or directing film. I'm a visual person. If I couldn't tell a story through images in my life, I'd probably be done with it.

Q: Any upcoming shows we should look out for? I've my first solo exhibition on the west coast at the Corey-Helford Gallery in Culver City. The show correlates with the "Mourners series". Around 20 new pieces including some of the largest canvases I've ever worked on and easily some of the most personal work I've done.

Corey Helford Gallery's Jan and Bruce Helford with Jason

Q: Do you have prints available of your work?
Later this year. The fall of 2010 should produce prints of three of my paintings.

Q: When did you first start collecting?
I don't really collect. My collection is primarily through trading works with artists I admire. Though, if I could get my hands on a Leonard Baskin drawing, I'd be in heaven.

Q: How do you feel art could or should impact our world? I believe it already does, always has. I believe a large mount of people do not recognize that fact, but everyone is affected by art. I wish more would give fine art a chance, but music and film impact the world more than we could imagine even in down economies, theatres don't go out of business. Art is an escape and a journey we all need.

Q: Tell be about the Mourners?
The Mourners have opened up the next chapter in my work. It's the chance I've wanted to figure out and take for a few years now. Larger drawing with only specific elements brought up with painting. They will have changed a lot for me in how I work in the future. These pieces are the ones that have come the most natural to me. Expressive, dark, figures. I couldn't have done them in just paint or line. The combination is what makes them what they are. The rawest, truest expression of sadness and strength I've been able to accomplish to date.

Q: Do you get time to browse galleries when travelling?
Not often.

Q: Biggest fear?
Never producing, what I believe down deep, I'm really capable of. Being scared to push a piece into something great out of fear of failure.

Q: If your place was on fire or earthquake what would be the one thing you would take from the building?
I want to say the portrait I painted of my father, but he would smirk and say, "not your computer or a handful of clothes? You can paint another, don't lose all that work and stand there naked."

Q: Last, what kind of experience would you like people to have in your space with your work?
I want, more than anything, for someone to feel, to be engrossed around my work. I don't care if they don't care for the subject matter, or technique or composition. What matters most is that they see something in the work that makes them stop, even if just for a moment. I want my work to be LIVED with, not just dusted off and passed by on the way out the door.

Q: So as we know you have done a piece for the "Art from the New World " CHG Bristol Museum show, can you tell our readers about this particular painting?
The Diving Bell. It began as another painting for a show in Berlin, Germany. Once I got it back, I saw I had something but I'd completely taken it the wrong direction. I began to rework it and watched it transform exponentially. It's the painting, now, that it was meant to be. A lonely wet figure diving into the abyss.

Q: You are still so young but I will ask anyway what would you like to be remembered for?
I would like to create my own non kitsch way of doing figurative, narrative work that's never been done before and rips your heart out.

Thanks Jason, Good luck with the show. Richard and Chippy

For sales information please contact jch@coreyhelfordgallery.com

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