Meet Jason Kimes | Artist, sculptor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Kimes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, how do you think about risk?
Risk taking is an unavoidable part of any kind of success. Those unable to take risks remain in a place of complacency because doing anything new will always require some sort of risk. Every advance I’ve made in my career as a sculptor has required me to try something new, be it material, process or aesthetic. Any change is a risk, even a slight one, but a life without change isn’t really a life because change is an inherent part of all life. The sense of unease that comes from risk is the same thing as the excitement that comes from doing something new and challenging. Living without risk is living without excitement and excitement is what drives new and innovative ideas. When I work on a sculpture or project that doesn’t excite me it becomes simple drudgery and something to avoid but a new project that excites me focuses the mind and produces an endless energy to complete something new.
Every step of success is built on the last challenge, or risk, that was overcome and builds confidence to take on new and bolder risks. Because of this progression, the work I make today contains steps that would be unthinkably risky only a few years ago and I know that future work will likewise require steps that I would see as unacceptable risks today. It’s a gradual progression that creates development in art and life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I make large outdoor public sculpture. I tend to focus on the figure as it is a form the general viewing public can easily relate to, giving them a greater ability to see themselves as part of the work. Having an interest in making work that is viewable by the public rather than being confined to those pursuing art by visiting museums and galleries I often use long lasting materials that resist the effects of the natural environment such as wether-resistant steel, or corten, stainless steel and bronze. I enjoy retaining the natural characteristics of any material I work with and therefore rarely alter the natural patina of the material or cover it by painting, I want to let the material exist as it will based on the natural climate determines. Using the natural patina requires little to no maintenance needed which can ease future considerations for beurocracies and collectors when considering placing work in the built environment. My interest in creating outdoor work for the public requires a greater scale than indoor sculpture, the greater scale also fulfills a personal instinct or need to make work larger than myself. I gain immense satisfaction from making work that is physically involved, includes many logistical challenges and can ultimately kill me during the process. The potential danger in the act of making large work creates an energy and constant awareness that is missing when making smaller scale work. I intently miss such energy when not there.
The figures I create are meant to invoke introspection or self awareness by using simplified poses rather than grandiose, exaggerated representations of physical ability. I hope the pose of the figures ask questions by being more visually ambiguous that encourage a viewer to consider the internal mind or soul rather than the external body.

I’ve always been compelled to make art of some kind and as my education went along I was exposed to more mediums, ,materials and processes. In University I was able to take my first sculpture class which essentially determined the form my art would take going forward. I was always attracted to sculpture when studying art history because the added dimension created so much more potential to be said through the work. The added physicality of making art in three dimensions also created a more direct connection to the end result. Few, if any, of my work doesn’t contain some of my actual blood somewhere within it!
Graduate school exposed me to many great peers and ideas about art but most importantly, it taught me that I am not someone who would be happy with a career teaching in academia, which I’d assumed was the only viable option of having a career in art.
After graduate school and having a new MFA in sculpture I spent several years working a regular job until I was again compelled to make art. A chance encounter with a local patron led to me selling several new pieces, while not enough to live on it did give me the encouragement to continue. I dug in and slowly found more opportunities. Over the last ten years I’ve found more success as the work has grown in scale and complexity and have been making work full time. I never expected to survive as a professional artist and because it seemed such a gradual development I still considered myself a “young” artist, only recently at the age of forty-six have I admitted that it’s really no longer the case. I think all artists must have a similar view of themselves, regardless of the success they find, it’s surreal to consider such a life can continue. Although I can’t imagine a profession that would provide a more satisfying existence and am thankful for everyday I continue live by doing something this fulfilling.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Having lived in Laurel since 2006 I’ve made a number of close friends in town that are dear to me so I certainly want to share time spent with close friends. As I’ve entered middle age I appreciate the quality time with friends above the special activities that were more important in my twenties.

I’d take the first couple of days to visit some local highlights, the Caron Gallery here in Laurel is a great new gallery that represents many wonderful local artists including a close friend and fantastic painter, Adam Trest. Despite him being ‘simply’ a painter, Adam’s incredibly genuine and is a first rate critic when it comes to discussing new work. Stopping by his studio would be a must.
Laurel has an amazing museum, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, we would defiantly visit, It was setup by some of the founders of Laurel over a hundred years ago it has an amazing collection that far exceeds what one would expect to find in a town this size.
I’d treat them to dinner downtown at The Loft and introduce them to the owner, Jon who is one of my favorite people. Walking through downtown after dinner would be a great time to see the new shops and sights that have grown up over the last few years, we’d likely stop for desert at the Laurel Creamery.

I’d take the next couple of days driving just south to Hattiesburg where I spent my twenties while attending the University of Southern Mississippi. A lot hs changed since the early 2000’s but it’s only grown so there’s no shortage of things to do. I’m still a sucker for the downtown area, especially breakfast at Southbound Bagels, best bagel/sandwich I’ve ever had. If we’re there on a Saturday I’d take them to The Lucky Rabbit, the most fun flea market I’ve been to. It’s part flea market, part amusement park, part street party. After lunch downtown we’d lazily wander till going for dinner at Hattieburgers and Blues and afterward go nextdoor at The Author Shoppe, a fantastic classic bookstore.

We’d round out the week in New Orleans, there’s so much more to NOLA than Bourbon street. The galleries on Julia street at first class and a great way to see modern and contemporary art. I love going down Magazine street for the shops and food and smaller, hole-in-the-wall galleries. The number of incredible places to eat and sights to see are far too long to list but 2-3 days will be an incredible time and won’t even scratch the surface.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I was lucky enough to grow up in a family that didn’t necessarily understand my passion for art but supported it wholeheartedly and never once gave me reason to think it an unreasonable journey to follow. More dreams are destroyed early on simply due to lack of support rather than active reproach, it’s more subtle but more damaging to be taught by example that complacency is more natural than ambition.
Several mentors and even more peers have seen and encouraged me to develop any inherent talent I’ve shown, they taught me valuable skills along an educational path that illustrated possibilities in art and evolved the way I see the world.
As invaluable as fellow artists have been, their influence was episodic. It’s the long-term, daily support of my wife that has driven me to continue pursuing artistic achievements long after fiends and influences have come and gone. Without her support and encouragement I wouldn’t maintain the consistent drive to continue making work professionally. The stability she provides for me and our children gives me a stable foundation to build from. Everyone, especially visual artists are insecure about their competence at times but her belief in my abilities as an artist gives me the needed confidence to pursue new and higher artistic challenges.

Website: www.jasonkimes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakimes/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jakimes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.kimes.9

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@kimessculpture4135

Image Credits
Bill Sasser Jonathan Traviesa Linda Rukavina