Jason J. Jaspersen

With 18 years of professional experience,Jason is an accomplished painter, printmaker, illustrator, animator, and sculptor. We like him because (well besides the mad talent) when asked for answers to ‘bio questions’ he kept changing the questions on us and quoted contemporary painter Chuck Close instead:

“Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and work.”

Chuck Close

And work, he does. From well known mediums such as oil paint and ceramic to the less familiar sumi ink and sand animation, there isn’t much Jason hasn’t had his hands in. He also estimates that nearly 100 bonsai trees have perished under his care over the past 20 years. Shall we say, prolific? 

BFB: What influences you?

JJJ: Comic books had a strong hold on me from about 12 to 18. In college I started looking more at “serious” artists of the past and present. At about 35, I took another look at graphic novels and it felt like coming home. All kinds of influences go into my creative stew. Tree branches swaying in the breeze, origami patterns, music, movies, automobile design, the cadence of languages, art history, all of it.

I love this quote by contemporary painter Chuck Close, “Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and work.” I don’t believe in the paradigm that a great idea precedes production. In my creative practice the best ideas happen when I’m working. Mixing paint on my palette, drawing iterations of an idea, wedging clay, buttering on some plaster…these actions reveal new potential outcomes. This is a difficult reality in writing a contract for an artwork. Clients like to know what they are paying for. With me, it’s more like paying for a safari experience. I know the territory of creativity, but I can’t control the outcome as much as one might expect. When we’re making original artworks, not even I can predict what will happen. This kind of mystery is not so unusual. It’s the same reason we watch athletic events, invest in the stock market, and go fishing. An unknown outcome can be a refreshingly authentic departure from a life of scripted, designed experiences.

How does your work impact society? Is that important to you or a side effect?

This is important to me. I believe conservative Christians have spent a few generations blaming the arts for a lot of problems. How do we feel about the influence of popular music, movies, games, theatre, or books? When did we decide to tell our kids to stay out of those fields? Was it when Kennedy was elected President? By avoiding the arts, we’ve allowed others to claim them. I don’t want to hide anymore, I want to stand up.

In twenty words or less, what does your work say?

Salvation is a personal, exciting reality that connects all humanity to eternity and to the God of power and grace.

Tell us your favorite artist, musician or writer that we may not have heard of yet.

Favorite doesn’t compute. That you may not have heard of yet?…Contemporary: Yuko Shimizu, Kako, Christophe Charbonnel, Sabin Howard, Nick Wroblewski, James Gurney, Denis Sarazhin

Historical: Gianlorenzo Bernini,, Käthe Kollwitz, Andre Derain, Umberto Boccioni, Claus Sluter, Anders Zorn, Isamu Noguchi, Carl Larsson, Eugene Carrier

Any advice for someone looking to get into your field?

Don’t look too hard.  God is gifting you all sorts of opportunities every day. Everyone has a lot of work to do well. 

Beyond that understanding a basic understanding of the doctrine of vocation, realize that the opportunities you want to discover are probably connected to the people you already know and in the place you live. Your geography, social circles, and era are not coincidences. God directs all things and you are just where he wants you. 

If you are determined to be an artist, I advise praying to be the best artist God will allow you to be. Work on your craft so that you can communicate in a clear, engaging way. Work and wait and pray.

Name an interesting way you get out of a creative slump.

Depending on the situation I either believe in prolonged creative battle or a “sabbath” rest. I can tell when I’m empty and need to step away for a while.  This is when I get caught up on tv shows. Pablo Picasso supposedly said, “The artist goes through states of fullness and emptiness, and that is all there is to the mystery of art.”

Other times I just need to dedicate a whole day to wrestling with a stubborn issue. The more difficult the problem, the sweeter the victory.

Name one area of your life that’s positively affected because of your creativity.

I love the tribe that gathers around creativity. When creatives get together, there’s a shared understanding of the lonely hike and the rewarding vistas that come with making things. Creativity has brought some lovely friendships into my life.

Because I have chosen to make art that deals with my faith, the research I do for projects leads me through corresponding Biblical readings. I’ve found a way for my art and my faith to feed each other.

For a more in-depth view and explanation of Jason’s masterpieces, visit his content category.

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