Jason Walker

Jason Walker introduces himself to University Galleries

  When it comes to clay, there are only a few things that really catch me upside the head and have me flabbergasted.  One artist that continues to do this is an artist by the name of Jason Walker.  Jason started off painting business signs in his home state of Idaho and this transferred to his clay when he started work in that medium.  His virtuoso paintings on his mechanized forms are some that make me green with envy, but it is something that inspires me as well.  Sometimes you come across an artist who is fully immersed in the technical aspects of their work.  This is Jason Walker.  Not to say that that is the only aspect that comes forward in his work because it surely is not.  It was not until graduate school that Jason really started experimenting with his painting techniques and forms.

Illustrated bowl.
Photo Credit: Jason Walker 

In undergrad it was mostly design for Jason, but graduate school is when his painterly skills started to blossom into something great.  Like most artists Jason was consumed by the academic schedule. Jason picked up a position at a community college after grad school and had enough at that point.  He decided to become a studio artist and rely on that for a while.  From that point Jason attended many artist residencies anywhere from Hawaii to China (the long way).  His work has transformed from objects of utility to compelling sculptural phenomena.

"Split down the middle, but one always wants more"
 Photo Credit: Jason Walker

  Jason uses animals to convey certain conceptual messages in his work.  He uses birds because of the connection of flight.  Birds are able to "fly to the heavens".  In a world where we look up to the sky for answers for the realm we have created.  Above is an image of two birds on opposite sides of the nest.  In the nest there is a divide that is created.  One side is a city scene, the other is open land.  This show the tension that both create with each other and how each takes from the other, sometimes not for the better of the other.  Another animal is the fish.  In Asia the fish is a sign of wealth.  It is a food source and if you are lucky enough to be near the source you can flourish. He makes these forms mechanical.  A cultural critique if you will.  A self reflection of his own perceptions to show that technology is friend, but it is also foe.

"Whirling Disease"
Photo Credit: Jason Walker

"Stopping to sniff the flowers in my concrete shoes, I gave a crust of bread to John Muir"
Photo Credit: Jason Walker

Another source from the animal kingdom is the bear.  He states that when you see a bear it is most likely not where the masses inhabit.  In the image of the bear above, Jason incorporates the writer John Muir.   Jason walker quoted John Muir in his lecture, the abstract is this, "Humans need wilderness to escape the mechanisms of life." He  also incorporates Deer because of their resilience to adapt and move to all different areas and coexist with humans.  In the photo below it show a deer in a city.  Although the buildings are blades of grass below it's feet and he also incorporates other aspects of urban life such as cars, hazard signs and a lightbulb.
  

"Redtail"
Photo Credit: Jason Walker

Jason speaks to us about the divide that we have created between ourselves and nature.  He wants us to question it.  Why do we have to drive an hour to go "see" nature?  Is there not nature all around us? Or has technology made it impossible for us to see?  Well I'll have to say it is relative to the viewer.  I do believe there is a constant struggle between nature and culture.  Jason's work shows that they can coexist, if we are more conscious and allow them to.  At least in our own minds. That is a start in the right direction.