Psithurism #19 Painting

Jason was born in Urbana IL., in 1978. He took interest in drawing and the martial arts at a young age. Early foundations in copying cartoons and comic books later matured into more classical approaches with charcoal, watercolor, gouache, and oils. After acquiring a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and earning an AFA and BFA from Parkland College and the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign respectively, Jason spent the summer of 2002 in Korea and Japan to learn directly from some of the asian cultures he admired. Armed with a backpack and a sketchbook, Jason spent entire days traversing the streets and parks of Soul, Osaka, and Tokyo - journaling/reflecting on the people he met and other colorful experiences while resting in the capsule hotels he found along the way. Upon returning to the States, Jason worked as a graphic designer, freelancer, and Tae Kwon Do instructor. In 2014, he moved to Chicago to focus on his painting career, and currently works as a commissioned portrait painter, exhibiting artist, and teacher. On technique: I am often moved to make an impression of what is beautiful and graceful. The simple aspects of applying a mark on paper or canvas is a joy, but working with a suite of marks that eventually deliver form is a way of giving life all over again. My drawings and paintings act as an outlet and reference to my studies and curiosities. My work often embraces the discipline of classical applications, yet makes allowances for little discoveries to soak into and loosen the confines of precision. On discovery: I paint and draw with many mediums. But prefer charcoal, watercolor/ink, and oils. As my subject matter can vary, I am drawn to the portrait and figure. Generally speaking, the human condition and the pursuit of experience is what drives my work. As curiosity is the greatest passage to study, I constantly look to people and other cultures to find our connections with nature, the drives of the individual, and the cumulative human engine. To paint any one thing, is to celebrate a part of all that exists within the scope of our interpretations, and to respect the truths offered inside and outside of it.