We recently connected with Jason Levi and have shared our conversation below.
Jason, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
It was Barcelona, Spain, 1973 where I had just opened my first commercial and portraiture photographic studio. I was preparing an exhibition of portraits of famous people in Barcelona when I realized that I needed to add Salvador Dali to this exhibit. Dali was living in the town of Port LLigat about a two hour drive north of Barcelona and on a whim I looked up his phone number and called. To my surprise he answered the phone, and I proceeded to explain to him my intent. He responded that he had heard of my planned exhibit and invited my wife and I to his home. To make a long story short, we became close friends until his passing. I am forever grateful to his mentoring me, and telling me not to be afraid to try new techniques and to go big. Salvador stressed to exhibit large works because although some people may not like or buy your work they will definitely not forget it.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was born in Italy, and came to the United States with my parents when I was ten years old. My late father a movie and theater producer so I grew up surrounded by show people. I’m sure that influenced me to become an artist although I also have a law degree. My work is mainly geared for wall space decor and Fine Art Photography. My clients are hotels, offices, celebrities, and museums. I love landscape fine art photography and I’m proud to say that my work as exhibited at the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Old West Museum in Cheyenne, Wyoming where several of works are part of its permanent collection, the Peoria Art Museum, Peoria, Arizona, and the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, Wyoming, Most recently, I have added aerial photography to the mix thus adding a new perspective my work.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
To me drawing the viewer into the picture is the most important thing. I have clients tell me that they were drawn to purchase my work because it reminded them of a place where they had been when they were younger.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Photoshop. In the 1970s when I started we had to create our effects by hand. This was a time consuming, and risky venture. Today, with Photoshop what used to take painstaking hours to accomplish can now be done with a simple stroke of a computer keyboard. However, I wish to add that I am very careful not to overdo any effects. In the case of these editing tools, less or always better.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.photolevi.com
- Instagram: @jmlevi2
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jmlevi2
- Youtube: Jason Levi