We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Byron Nelson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.

Hi Jason, thanks for joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

As any creative person will tell you, you’re aware from a very young age of the subjective nature of your output. But with that said, there are some elements within my work, both commercial and fine-art, that are less subjective. Problems, for lack of a better word, within my work that I didn’t even know to consider, much less try to improve. When I first sat down for a portfolio review with a potential employer (for a graphic design position), I was complimented about my technical abilities but criticized for my lack of concepts. Concepts? For some reason, the idea that my logo designs and illustrations would benefit from a concept had never occurred to me. I was completely focused on the look and layout and had never even considered that meaning played a much more crucial role. With meaning… thoughtful, researched, deliberate meaning, my work could be based on a concept which immediately gives the work more weight. Without concepts, the work was interchangeable and impersonal. It seems obvious now but that idea was revolutionary to an art major fresh out of school. Nowadays I apply that lesson to my commercial and fine art pursuits (the division being that one is filtered through the needs of a client, while the other has no filter). Another lesson I learned late in life and still struggle with is that creativity trumps technical ability any day of the week. As an artist, if you possess both, wonderful, but originality via creativity wins out every time. I’ve met so many artists in my life that could translate what was in their head to canvas or a computer screen, so many artists that could draw exactly what they see… yet many of these artists were struggling to find their voice… hell, most didn’t know they even needed to. But that’s what separates a great artist from the pack; the ability to say something unique. Sometimes you find this voice in your approach and methods, sometimes you find it in concepts that are unique to your perspective; regardless, finding it is key. For years, I tried to improve my craft through practice, in an attempt to improve my physical abilities. I thought it was a vital component, akin to learning all the words before trying to communicate. But I think I was wrong. With art, it seems that the best communicators, the ones that break through the noise, always have something new to say… or at least a new way to say something that’s been said before. And I think that goes with any medium, whether dance, photography, culinary, poetry… finding what makes you distinct and the mastery of it, is key. That’s what I aim for now.

Jason, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Like most artists I assume, I was drawing in the margins of my books instead of listening to my teachers. There was a time, elementary school, when it seemed we all did this. But then, one by one, other kids stopped… but I didn’t. I was good at it and I had a tendency to romanticize the idea of it. In my head, I didn’t need to be successful as long as I was just making art. I woke up to the many problems of that perspective when things like rent and car insurance raised their ugly heads. So I decided to focus my education on the creative side of advertising and marketing. It seemed like the easiest way to make money as a creative, besides, I could always spend my nights pursuing more personal outlets. And that’s what I did. I worked for advertising agencies for years and used any spare time I had to paint, draw, write children’s books, plays, make music, basically anything I could do without the creative restraints of client involvement. But that’s the thing… I think the ultimate goal of any artist is to work without compromise, especially if they can make a living at it. And it’s not that I didn’t like the advertising side of what I did; it paid the bills and I enjoyed the diversity of it. So about 7 years ago now, I went 100% freelance and opened up my own creative boutique called Trick Button. This way I could still pay the bills but hopefully be a bit more choosy about the projects I work on, being that I was now my own boss. This would also allow me to allocate whatever time I need for my more personal pursuits. In this time, I’ve finished a third childrens’ book and I’m now a founding member of a creative collective in my hometown where my fine art has found an ever-expanding audience.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think we all want a job that we don’t consider “a job.” We don’t want to wake up and dread our day or always have to look forward to the weekend. For me, that’s reward enough for staying on this path. Another thing, that may be a bit harder to explain, is the emotional outlet that art has provided. I can’t speak for everyone of course but for me, life is complicated. There seems to be a new emotional or financial hurdle every day. Sometimes these hurdles surround me and I feel boxed in by my own choices. Without art as an outlet, I’m sure this feeling would be overwhelming. I get to use art as therapy, as a release. And then as an added catharsis, folks see the art, they want to discuss the art, buy the art… next thing you know, you’re in a conversation with like-minded folks that feels therapeutic.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I work for myself now and have for over 6 years but it was a decision of necessity. The idea was always in the back of my head but the fact is, I’m not a good business owner. I simply don’t have the mindset that it takes to build a business. I’m afraid I’m the stereotypical creative in many regards – the math alone that’s required was daunting enough for me to never really consider starting a business. Alas, I was working at my third agency in 20 years, and for whatever reason, it simply didn’t go as well as expected. Next thing I knew I was being handed my papers. Luckily I had a good relationship with the agency that I had left only a few months earlier, meaning if I wanted to go back to them, I think I could have. But I learned enough from simple observation over the years (plus I was always freelancing, building a small but crucial client base) to feel confident that I could step out on my own. Thus Trick Button was formed with a business model to bridge the gap between commercial art and fine-art. Ultimately I’m not sure I ever built that bridge but the flexibility of working for myself has certainly allowed me to grow my fine art career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jasonbyronnelson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbyron/
• Other: https://www.courtyardoncotton.com/jbn https://www.trickbutton.com

Image Credits
the artist photo is by Kelly Moore