Interviews, Questions, and thoughts behind the art

--->Describe your Process: I never approach one piece the same way in terms of a working method. I am always readjusting my thoughts and being as explorative as possible. To break it down to simple terms, it's infusing traditional methods of drawing and painting with modern day technology of digital cameras and computers. The end result is a merger of different mediums that are harmoniously unified to create a new evolution in art.

--->Inspiration: Inspired to draw came from watching the movie Alien my father as a youth. My fascination with fantasy, science fiction, monsters, and creatures grew as I took in such classic sci-fi films as Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Star Wars, and Clash of the Titans. In addition I loved comic books and playing D&D growing up. Artists such as DAT, Keith Parkinson, all of the old D&D modules, Tony Harris, Tim Bradstreet, Art Adams, Jim Lee, Todd MacFarlane, Dale Keown, Mike Mignola, Travest Charest, Bill Sienkiewicz, Zdzislaw Beksinski, and Dave McKean were few of the many who have influenced my artistic vision. Let's not forget about the film production artists such as Syd Mead, Ralph McQuarrie, Phil Tippett, Iain McCaig, and the Brothers Quay.

--->Why is the majority of your pieces depicting women?: It�s no mystery that most artists throughout history have been inspired by the women and their figures. Seeking to pay homage, the art usually represents a glorified image that is benign and full of beauty. But sometimes the image can depict something more sinister and foreboding. It�s fairly common that most people are perplexed by my deceptions and curious to know my motives behind the art. Specifically, why is my work dominated by images of woman that may allude to a perverse outlook.

The way people react to my work is profoundly interesting because I never know what to expect. Seriously, it seems that my work opens up a cornucopia of emotions where either there is like or dislike. Do or do not. Very black and white. Within those two emotions are extreme energies and thoughts that I highly respond to because I tend to react the same way.

Back to the addressing the question my depictions of woman. I�m proud to say that I was raised predominately by my mother whom was strong and a steer figure. I respect women and all their adversities they face. Not only with HOW the world depicts women, but also the inequality they face regardless of how much progress has been made. No wonder why emotions run high because some men may lack the understanding or the ability to empathize with what women face on a daily bases. Not only are they a person, they are also a business pioneer, a mother, care taker, worker, and a friend.

The modern day world is now over saturated with media in which is undermining the women�s movement towards equality. No longer are women in the media being presented as an individual, rather they are being presented as an object. An object of desire for both men and women that fosters judgment being placed on body size, weight, and most cruelly on feeling insecure.

The artwork that I create either echoes my distain for the media slanderous ways of objectifying or empowering the view of the female form. My hopes that the images stir a sense of self-identification, a renewal outlook upon the mass media pretrial of women, and question the strife that life opposes on the body.

--->What is the meaning behind your work?: I�ve struggled with that question for years. Never do I think, premeditate, or sketch a painting. Rather I enjoy the essence of creating without restrictions, boundaries, or worries of what the end result are. Its about the moment and interaction with the media that produced a symbiotic flow of unrestrained creativity that has no name. I�ve always left my work untitled simply because labeling a piece felt too confining and even find myself searching for a meaning each time. By informing the viewer of my ever-changing thoughts, it narrows the amount of interaction each person may undergo. My hopes it that every viewer has their own thoughts, experiences, and interpretations of what they see.

For the book, names were required for each piece to help solidify the visual index. While I was not comfortable with the notion of labeling, I did spend a lot of time researching each piece for some personal meaning and interpretation. Or, at least, take the chance to learn something new about the world we live in.

--->Who are your current influences?: The list is very extensive as my interests tend to shift as years progress. To narrow down the field I can comfortably say that I have 3 artists that I respect and influenced by deeply: Beksinski, Brothers Quay, and Dave McKean.

--->Where do you want to see your work headed in the future? What do you see yourself doing five years from now?: I love and embrace all the new digital tools that are around us. There was aperiod of time where digital photo manipulations were to avant-garde for any market. I want to see my work headed towards exploring more with my digital transmutations and film shorts. It's such a liberating media and honestly I feel unconstrained by the limits of my own imagination. It's a new frontier that needs exploration and I want to be within that abyss of the unknown.

In 5 years time I see myself dividing time between producing more personal projects with original IP's (art books, children books, and graphic novels) and expanding into other fields such as film.

--->What was the inspiration for your new book: Salvaged?:At first, my dabbling with photoshop was more about exploration and honestly trying to enjoy creating artwork once again without limitations, constraints, or the needs to market the material for jobs. Dave McKean had shown me that the new digital media is geared up for the next step in the history of artistic movements. I started to mimic McKean in hopes to understand his process. There was less interest on my behalf in knowing how to achieve the end result; rather I was more interested in the process and his influences.

There came a point where I had to put away all my influences, inspirations, hide my collections, and shut myself off from the world to dig deep into my own essence of creating. That is where I found a hidden place or a part of myself that was undiscovered which is allowing my subconscious to guild the work. Within my thoughts during the creation, I embrace mistakes, encourage accidents, and feel I can do no wrong. It was the most liberating experience I have felt to this day.

--->What is a typical day for Jason Felix?: Each day is always peppered with surprises and mysteries. Currently I work full time as the lead creature designer for Flagship Studios. Given my past experiences, I maybe be called up to create character suit designs, animations, textures, and even models(hence the surprise and mystery part). Not 2 days are alike!

To generalize a given day, I wake up at 8am to push the snooze button till 9am. It's a horrible habit in which I actually trick myself into thinking I am getting more rest which is actually the opposite. But, I LOVE the feeling of falling back to sleep. Anywho. I arrive in the studio at 10am and begin the day reviewing emails and the schedule. Then transition into work and start designing. For lunch, it can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. My day is at the studio comes to an end around 7pm and commute home on a train. The commute takes 1 hour so I usually spend that time sketching. When I arrive home, I greet my wife and play with our two adorable feisty cats. They love to play and really enjoy seeing them go crazy. I'll enjoy a nice dinner and back to work by 10pm. I've always been nocturnal and seem to thrive on late night working sessions. My creative flow peaks around 1am and crawl into bed by 3am.

--->Who are your favorite contemporary artists?: Beksinski, Rick Berry, Jenny Saville, and Dave McKean. For motion design and film will be Matthew Barney, Brothers Quay, and Chris Cunningham.

--->Anything else ya want to share?: Salvaged has been in production since January 2000 and has faced many obstacles. At times, the whole project all most collapsed upon itself which would have resulted in this book never seeing the light of day. It's a relief to have the final book in hand, excited to share with everyone the work, and very proud of the end result. One lesson that I have learned is this: The journey in life is about knowing your goals and where you want to be. The most difficult road to follow is being true to yourself and never forgetting why you do what you do. Never giving up, never loosing focus, and persevering has lead me from the deepest depths of depression to the brink of bliss. -J-