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L.A. has an ego problem. That’s understandable, as we’re so busy producing movies and T.V. shows for the rest of the world that we don’t have time to recognize what anyone else is adding to the global cultural conversation. As Angelenos, we’re sitting at the cool kids’ table with Brad and Angelina, so who cares what the less beautiful are up to? But the Internet’s a massive lunch room food fight, and when there’s delicious art from all around smacking us in the face, it’s time to take notice. Hey, look what this guy from San Antonio just hit me with!
Who is Jason Limón?
I am an observer of our world. Silently scanning the cement paths and those who move among them. My mind absorbs and overflows with thoughts, emotions and dreams with no way to be revealed but through marks on a blank surface. There is a very young soul within me that begs to show it’s existence. I live in big dreams. My mind wanders to far off places in hopes of returning with an image to share with others.
I was born and raised in Texas among a large family. Second youngest of nine children. My father was a Marine, a Vietnam War vet, and my mother was a housewife. We didn’t grow up to be closely knit. Most of the time it was as if we were all strangers living under one roof in one extra large bedroom. My older brothers are all fairly artistic in some form. I was inspired by the things they did, though at times they were mischievous and enjoyed drinking a lot of beer. But what can you expect from boys that were constantly abused as they grew. My first experience in creating art was in elementary school, of course. The greatest thing that stuck with me was when we created things using crayons, glue, construction paper and sometimes macaroni pasta. That and making letters in a Big Chief writing tablet. Drawing was the one thing that I loved as I grew older. I always pictured myself being an artist sitting at a table creating images. Not caring where the images would end up, but rather that they needed to come out. Art has always been a great part of me and it is the one thing in my life that I do best.
Why do you create?
I create so that I may speak. I’ve concluded that dramatic events in my history as a child have tarnished my verbal communication skills. Maybe I saw that if I didn’t say much I wouldn’t get hurt. As noted before, the physical and mental abuse of my siblings and mother at the hands of my father had its lasting effects. As I see it, painting and drawing are the only real way to say what I truly feel. Sharing these images with others leaves me content as if someone telling a story to another who is happy to listen.
A Few Disturbed Electrons
You have embraced the Internet - with your own website, as well as Flickr and MySpace pages – as a tool to share and collaborate. At the same time, you’ve travelled in the opposite direction creatively, no longer making digital art in favour of old-school methods and materials, like painting on canvas. How have technology and the Web influenced your creative voice?
The internet rocks! It is the greatest tool out there for an artist who wants to share what they have to say. My neighbor or someone on the other side of the planet can see and feel my artwork all in the comfort of their underpants. It’s amazing! It helps connect with and learn from other artists as well. Technology has taught me plenty. I was a graphic designer for twelve years and it seemed that things always had to be extremely precise, from type to color to layout. It’s a harsh business where you are constantly judged. I spent a lot of time exploring software like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I got hooked early on drawing in vector lines; mastering my curves with clicks of a mouse. The more and more I drew on the computer, the more I began to feel restricted. It just didn’t work for me. As I drew digitally I had lots of other graphic design work to get out at the same time. Eventually it led to the point where I was getting very tired of spending all my time on the computer. Plus, the illustrations I was doing digitally didn’t seem to portray the emotions I felt. So it was finally time to get back to creating my work by hand. I still use the techniques I’ve learned on the computer to improve my paintings. I love to use typography and the computer aids my composition and layout. I also try to keep that smooth line work as if drawing in vectors.
Sweet Life
According to the site’s homepage, “Limón.4 is a collaboration between four brothers with a passion for art.” Tell me a specific story from your younger days that illustrates how four brothers concurrently developed the same love for creativity.
This is the first time that we as brothers and artists, have successfully been able to work together to create art. Establishing Limón.4 has brought us closer together than we have ever been. Of course, if we could fit the other two brothers and my three sisters in some how it would be a great gathering. Unfortunately a sibling connection is something we never really had before. Limón.4 consists of, in order of age, Michael, Steve, me, and Nathan. It started over two years ago when I asked Nathan if he might want to collaborate on one painting. We had tried other things like creating a magazine we called Flush and a comic book called Wyre. Those really never went anywhere because we always seemed to be preoccupied with other things in our lives. So I thought this latest idea would just fizzle out and die. A few weeks after our discussion Nathan delivered a half painted canvas. I was ecstatic to begin working on my part. Nathan then brought to attention that maybe we should invite Michael to collaborate with us. He was overjoyed and graciously accepted. Soon after, Steve got wind of our project and was a bit upset that he wasn’t automatically in on the deal. Before we knew it, this collaborative project grew legs of it’s own and we were determined to make it work. We developed twenty three pieces for the first collection titled Epiphany and nine large pieces for the second titled Carnifour. The third collection is slow going and we have really started to focus on the word “collaboration”. We meet every two weeks and paint on one canvas together until it is complete. I feel that we will always stay connected somehow as artists.
Dosage
On your website, you have a work of art entitled Skytacular under which you included the following comment:
Autumn of 1978. From an open window in a second-story apartment came the sounds of shattering glass and the high pitched wails of a drunken mother. Below, in the lush green lawn, rested a young child guarded among a few older brothers eager to avoid the torment of their fathers consistent virulence. As most five year olds dispositions abruptly shift, this untried boys scare turned to wonder as he gazed into the endless black sky. His eyes wandered about the shimmering specs of light scattered high above as all the opposing noise slowly faded. Peering from the edge of his view was a brighter, much larger entity drifting calmly across. It seemed to fill the sky. Very large with letters glowing on its side forming bright words. His eyes frozen, unbroken on the placid phenomenon until it faded into the darkness. Slumber had overcome the hypnotic moment. In deep sleep the dream of a thousand blimps filled the night sky. The tiny lights floated and blended with the millions of stars. Bam! Sounds of an angry door slam bursts the vision like tiny bubbles. He rubs his eyes then lifts the covers over his head in hopes that the lights would return. Inspirations can arise from lowest points.
As the son of an alcoholic, I had similar formative experiences as a young child. How did such events shape you as a man and an artist?
That short, little story is a brief memory from my past. It’s strange how once in a long while a tiny flash of my history will come to mind. As I noted earlier, my father was a Vietnam War veteran. I guess I can’t blame him for being so angry and abusive. He most likely experienced some very difficult and horrible times in that war. He never really speaks of those times. On the other end, my mother was truly a great person at heart. In many ways she made me realize that the actions of my father were not right. Watching her as I grew taught me to be strong no matter the circumstances. You can still come out of all the pain and torment as a kind and caring soul. It has educated me as a husband and father to treat those that I love with all the respect and care that I can offer them. As an artist it has helped me tell the stories I need to say regardless of the outcome. Although my childhood may seem bleak it has helped me in many ways as an adult.
My thanks to Jason for sharing his work. Please visit limon-art.com to see more of his art.
If you would like to share your creativity, or you’d like to suggest someone for Show Us Yours, please send an e-mail to share@yorkrules.com.
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