Bio
Emerging Artist and Michigan Native Jason VanDeusen is currently finishing his last academic year at Grand Valley State University working towards a BFA in Illustration. A Fine Artist and Illustrator Jason pursues both with equal Passion and Dedication. Growing up Jason spent many happy hours immersed in books and the outdoors. The vast richness in both of these worlds would prove to be an important source of inspiration for Jason. Today, Through Woodblock Printmaking Jason combines many ideas and subjects that have been influential throughout his life such as the narrative, history, mythology, illustration and fine art. The end result is highly crafted work that combines all of Jason’s skills and experiences in art that is significant for the viewer.
Statement
My work is essentially a conversation between two people that begins visually with ink on paper. The artist and the viewer each have a role in this conversation and I always try my hardest to fulfill my end of the bargain. This “job” is very important to me and is one that I take very seriously. My end goal is to create an experience that enriches and stimulates the minds and imaginations of the viewers of my art. I want to leave something
with them when they walk out of that gallery or turn the page, and at the same time express myself both formally and conceptually. This is what satisfies me, this is why I make art.
My images must speak to the viewer, and this conversation must be rich and wonderful and be very succinct and never lack purpose. I make decisions both formally and conceptually for specific reasons, all through my process I am working towards an end goal. My art fuses itself into new forms and develops continuously during creation always striving towards that clear visual statement but with all the complexity and depth of our world.
In my larger more involved works you will be presented with layers of information. These layers of information react to and bounce off each other, sometimes with specific goals. In the “Last Michigan Grayling” I wanted to conceptually step back from the subject and present a summary of the history behind the fish and the events leading to its extinction. My aim was to formally accomplish this in a very dynamic and energetic way. The swirling imagery of fish becomes educational in scope and yet the work still retains that narrative quality which I find so exciting and interesting.
Even in the simpler less complex work that I create the same attention to craft and overall form is present. The conversation is shorter between the artist and viewer, but the statement must still be credible and with purpose.