Flawless - An Interview with Toronto-Based Artist and Graphic Designer Jason Zante
Meet Jason Zante:
A young graphic design student at OCAD University. This emerging Toronto based artist is best known for his celebrity drawings on Instagram. Even the Winter Soldier from Captain American (real-life Sebastian Stan) has taken notice of Jason’s work. Now it’s your turn to get a glimpse into his Flawless world.
1. Hi Jason! Tell us a bit about yourself. What makes you flawless?
Well, I’m an 18 year old currently attending OCAD University for graphic design. I love to entertain and make people laugh, especially myself. I think that as an artist, you have to make sure you enjoy your own company, especially if you are going to be spending countless hours on an art piece by yourself. For me, I try to savour the hours of working on my art in solitude, which becomes a form of a ‘de-stressor’ if you will. Aside from my art, I think that what makes me Flawless as a person is the confidence I exude. 2016-2017 was really the year where I started to embrace the qualities that used to make me insecure, such as my sexuality. Accepting myself as a gay individual has made me more comfortable with who I am and encouraged me to be more receptive with everything that has come into my life. Being Flawless is the act of willingly accepting the hardships that life brings you and making the most of this beautiful life we have - which is the only one we will ever know. I believe that accepting yourself, and realizing that there is nobody else in the world like you, is extremely important. I don't believe in dreading over what I don't have, but rather embracing everything I have to offer the world.
2. How has attending Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, and now OCAD for graphic design influenced you as a person and an artist?
Attending an arts based high school has helped me tremendously. I have been fortunate enough to meet such beautiful and wonderful people in my high school years, who have not only inspired me but also opened up my eyes to the endless possibilities of creativity. The skills I have acquired at Cardinal Carter have not only helped me develop my technical skills, but also my grasp for knowledge as an artist. My mind has been exposed to such wonderful literary, artistic, and intrinsic forms in the field of the arts. I feel that I have grown a stronger expression of myself through my art and can share my own thoughts and admirations with others through that medium. Thankfully, in terms of being well equipped and handling the workload at OCAD, Cardinal Carter has allowed me to become familiar in that type of artistic environment. The skills and knowledge I previously learned at Cardinal Carter made it conducive in my transition to university. Both Cardinal Carter and OCAD have influenced me in fostering good working habits and by continually pushing both my conceptual and technical abilities as an artist. However, transitioning into university has made me reflect on how grades, especially for art, are irrelevant as it is subjective. Grading art does not exist in the real world and what matters most is how artists choose to express themselves. I try to focus more on the intent and quality of the work I produce rather than numbers on a paper.
3. Your Instagram is full of your drawings of celebrities and characters, what about these well-known figures intrigues you?
I think what gravitates me towards making portraits of well-known figures and characters is the way that they make me feel based on their life or personality. Yes they are depictions of faces of celebrities and characters, but if one looks at the back-story and qualities that make them that person, I think that’s what makes it interesting.
"Bow Down Queen Bey" By: Jason Zante
4. Tell us about the first time one of your drawings got recognized by a celebrity.
I think it was when Blake Lively liked my drawing of her husband, Ryan Reynolds. I intended for Ryan to see my drawing, but when Blake noticed, I was ecstatic. The fact that the social media platform of Instagram has the ability to connect people across the world is amazing. Especially when you are vying for your idols’ attention, it's an amazing place with the opportunity to display your talents.
5. You have not only a strong presence on Instagram, but you’re also very active on Snapchat (I for one love watching your stories). What do you think the importance of sharing both your life and work on social media is for an artist?
I think it’s very important to show that you’re not just an artistic working machine who is constantly posting pieces on Instagram. People get used to looking at the final product of the art and that makes it easy to forget that these artists have other interesting things in their lives too. I, for one, love to show the dramatic aspects of my life as Jason, going about doing things. Showing that you’re not just confined to a desk working all day provides some sort of inspiration for your viewers. Showing the process and struggles in making an artwork becomes interesting because you provide a behind the scenes in the completion of your work. Posting your work on social media, especially for an artist, is very important because that is how you establish your own audience specifically for the type of work you produce. It can be vital in that having a readily accessible portfolio may bring opportunities that you don’t expect. Plus, it encourages you to have a habitual behaviour of constantly creating art because of the added pressure of having to post regularly.
6. Many people say that the Toronto arts scene is very young and therefore lacking in opportunities. Would you agree (and why?)?
Yes, I definitely believe that Toronto does lack artistic opportunities compared to that of NYC or Montreal. Toronto has always been a busy working city that doesn’t appreciate art or express its creativity through large art exhibitions or galleries. I love Toronto, don't get me wrong, but for such a large city, I had always expected more. Famous artists such as Warhol, Koons, and Lichensteins are such strong art figures from America, and in Canada, artists do not have the same recognition- other than the Group of Seven. I hope in the future, Toronto will bring forth more shows and exhibitions for emerging artists who want to share their creativity and expressions with the world. I think we’re getting there.
"Daddy's Lil Monster" By Jason Zante
7. You’re actually starting your own art business to sell and promote art now! Congrats! What got you started with this project?
I’m very excited to get my small art business rolling. What encouraged me to begin my own little business were followers on my Instagram who would constantly ask if I sold prints of my work. The idea that people want to actually buy and possibly hang my artwork in their homes is what enticed me to start. Also, having a professional website and art store on Etsy is a great way for people to be more connected with your work.
8. We hear you’re currently working on a piece about Syrian refugees. This subject matter is quite different than your normal work, what motivated you to take on this topic?
I chose the topic of refugees, specifically the Syrian refugee crisis, from the ongoing civil war. I wanted to focus primarily on the displacement of refugees and the tribulations they experience from war. The piece that I created has an overall black exterior with a tear in the shape of the country of Syria from which blood drips, indicating the bloodshed that continually occurs. My objective is for the viewer to question what such a piece could be and entice them to know more about it. Because of this, I made the front of the piece mobile so that it acts as a gate or door through which one can look upon such a prevalent issue. I wanted to have the person initially expecting nothing from a simplistic exterior, but once opening the piece, shows how this is a relevant topic that should not be dismissed. The painting on the inside is a depiction of a Syrian boy in an ambulance that has just been pulled out from the rubble. I choose this little boy because this was all over the news and shows the true reality of war. In doing so, I want to make a deliberate emotional reaction from the viewer by looking at the bloody boy. Children are most affected by war as their childhood, loved ones, and innocence are scarred from the traumas of war. The writing on the panel says, “The price of war” which relates directly to the people that are affected and the children that are left vulnerable to the cause.
9. With everything going on in the world, do you think it is more important now than ever that art/artists illustrate these political messages?
I personally think it is very important to shed a light on prevalent topics around the world. Art has the ability to move people through visuals, which can be powerful in that it can influence and possibly change people’s outlooks. Whatever we artists depict, it is our prerogative to express what we want. Doing this takes courage in standing for what you believe in. Given this, using our technical and creative minds to illustrate political messages becomes more important than ever, in a world that needs it more than ever. Art can be more than mere aesthetic objects, but a didactic vehicle for change.
"Forbidden Love" By: Jason Zante
10. And finally, as a young artist taking on such heavy topics and so involved in social media, what do you hope people will take away when looking through your feed?
I hope that people will be influenced to an extent that they hopefully become more receptive and understanding of topics that I focus on, such as, equality, LGBTQ rights, and recently the refugee crisis. I do such pieces when I feel very moved or relate strongly to the issue. As for the rest of my feed, I want people to feel included in my journey as an artist and aspiring graphic designer. Hopefully, people can experience what I, as an artist, love to do which, is create.
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