Cisco: What research did you do for Moustaches and other musts?

Jason: Really what happened was I was at my show in Indianapolis and I put together the flyer because Art Star needed it the next day. So Jessi and I were sitting in our hotel at 3am trying to think of a title with a bottle of vodka and we had a whole bunch of stupid ones, but I can't remember what they were. So that's where it came from.

C: So you didn't grow a moustache yourself?

J: No, I can't grow a moustache. I'm half Asian.

C: You've recently taken your first art class since you were a kid. What impact do you think that's had on your work?

J: It's good. I think it teaches patience, mainly. When you sit there for three hours trying to draw an apple, if you take even a little bit of that patience and put it into whatever else you're drawing there is a definite improvement.

C: You don't feel that a structured art education will taint your style?

J: I think maybe if you just came out of high school it could. I know a lot of people get into it right out of high school and they either hate it or they start to listen too much to the instructor and take on their style or any variety of bad things. I'm super stubborn already, so I'm not going to change my style or dilute it. I'm just going to pull in what I can get from it.

C: Have you had any backlash from any people or groups that have been the subject of your work? Death threats from gang members, organized bear attacks, that sort of thing?

J: Yes. Apparently a lot of Bloods cruise around my website and they leave me what I think are really threatening notes, but I can't really decipher them. I got this other one about the same drawing. This one guy told me, "You're only allowed to make that comment about the Bloods because you're a privileged kid sitting on the outside. You're just exacerbating the problem." He sent me this whole long email about how I'm victimizing the Bloods. Sorry guys.

C: Nothing from hairy old guys?

J: No, I think they're just happy to be involved in the process.

C: Didn't I read that you were going to the beach and drawing dudes in banana hammocks?

J: Yeah, that's actually not the beach. We live in the gayborhood in Seattle so we just have to go a block away to the park. It's a beautiful thing.

C: I've noticed some changing themes in your work. Recently there are less people in animal suits, or animals in people suits and more political statements.

J: If I see a lot of people doing stuff, I try to wean my way off of it. When I started doodling it was robots and things like that. But I just didn't want to be one of those guys doing the exact same things. I do whatever is on my mind. I've been listening way too much to Air America and shit like that lately and reading too many political books. It's kind of subconscious.

C: So is the shoe store job legit? That's really what you do on the side?

J: Yeah, I seriously do it. I started when I was a junior in college just a couple days a week and right when I graduated I worked it full time for a while. And then I went to LA for a job and then I moved back and I was like, "Hey boss, can I come work a couple days a week?" He's pretty much cool with anything as long as I finish my work. Whenever I have an art show and I go off he gives me paid vacation. He's super cool. He was an artist and a music guy when he was young and then he grew up and had two kids and they both turned into frat boys.

C: So you're the son he always wanted?

J: Yeah, exactly. So he completely encourages it. He always asks me how it's going.

C: Does he own any of your work?

J: No he doesn't. I've probably doodled on all of his mouse pads. He doesn't like it.

C: He doesn't know how much they're worth on eBay.

J: Exactly. Millions. I pretty much decided that's the last real job I'm going to have. Once I quit that it's going to be at a point where I'm just doing this. I like it though. It's also nice because I sit there doing manual labor for eight hours and I keep my little idea notebook right next to me. I like to sit there listen to the radio and write down ideas and then when I come home I put them to paper.

C: To what extent, if any, does your engineering degree influence the way think about or execute your work?

J: Part of it is that the whole engineering thing made me realize how much I don't want to be in an office for the rest of my life. It sucked. I notice that a lot of engineers, like nerdy fifty year old guys, really like my stuff more than other people. I'm sure there is something in there, but I can't figure it out.

C: Would you consider yourself angsty or a hater? Or do you feel that you're an equal opportunity offender?

J: I think I'm more like that. I'm definitely a hater sometimes. I'm pretty picky about what I like. If someone does something that I really like, I try to make sure to let them know that I really appreciate it.

C: I feel like a lot of half or part Asian guys are becoming real popular in the art scene. There's Esao Andrews, Luke Chueh, you, and a book just came out about part Asians that I read about in Juxtapose magazine.

J: I've noticed it's real popular. It's trendy.

C: The one guy wrote in the book that his ex girlfriend was a Asiophile and she would only date part Asians because she thought they were exotic like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix and he said he agreed with that because it got him laid.

J: I actually had a girlfriend and I was going to meet her mom and she was like, "Oh my mom will love you. She always wanted a China baby." So it works sometimes.

C: Do you have any plans for a new series of Valentine's Day cards for all the lovers and haters out there?

J: If December hits and I get inspired, I'll do it. I set aside some time. Last year was really hard to come up with new ones and this year, unless they're really good, I don't want to come out with new ones. I'm going to start doing a daily web comic in January and I'm sure things will start to gravitate towards the Valentine's Day theme.

C: When you start doing the daily web comic, are you going to start doing a lot more merchandising? I know a lot of web comics that the people that draw them are able to make a living off of t-shirt and merchandise sales.

J: Actually, not really at all. I completely hate doing the merchandising thing and it takes so much time to do. But then you get some money and you can pay your rent and eat a little bit.

C: It's an interesting supplement.

J: Yeah, so that's the reason I like to keep my other job. I could totally live off of what I do, especially if I made more t-shirts, but it just feels really odd to me. So that's not the plan at all. My real plan is to do it for six months and compile 150 comics and see what happens and where it goes.

C: Is that going to be a once a week?

J: At least five days a week, maybe seven. And that's a promise.

C: It looks like your show schedule is winding down. Any other plans for the upcoming year?

J: Actually, yeah. I purposefully didn't do anything next year because I worked my ass off this year. I pretty much just want to focus on doing comics and doing more illustration work and then I want to work on my paintings behind the scenes. Right now I've had all these shows, so I've been pressured to put stuff out to sell. I haven't been able to really fuck around. So I want to mess around for a while and work on my skills. Take some classes, too.

C: I know you've painted a couple Dunny / Munnys. Have you thought about a JSG action figure series?

J: I would love to do that.

C: Complete with kung-fu grip?

J: Yes. Kung-fu grip is mandatory. That's one of my dreams, actually, to do toys. That's the only way I see myself using my degree. Originally when I was in there I dreamt of being a toy maker. I can definitely see that happening. I actually want to design the electronics. Little robotic collectables or something.

C: Have you done any sculpture work yet?

J: Not really. Just messed around. When I was in college, my focus was robotics and also micro computer programming. Every little gadget has a micro computer on it. Pretty much that kind of stuff.

C: Do you envision you doing the sculptures based on your drawings? Or you doing the electronics and having someone else do the sculptures?

J: I'd probably want to do everything. I'm not a great collaborator because I'm really critical. I'm really critical of myself, too, but at least if I mess it up then I can blame myself and it's cool. I always feel bad if I'm working with someone and I'm not happy with their side of it.

C: How do you feel about all the feedback that you get from your blog?

J: It's pretty amazing. It's really overwhelming sometimes. I definitely feel like if someone emails me that I should take the time to email them back.

C: You seem like you try to make a lot of personal connections.

J: I really try. It gets hard sometimes. This week I haven't had time to hang out with my girlfriend. Should I answer these emails or hang out with the girlfriend?

C: Probably the girlfriend.

J: I need someone to continually remind me of that. It's cool that they take time out of their day to reinforce me that I should keep doing what I'm doing. And it's also cool because a lot of the first people who told me that I should keep doing it are artists that I really respected. Like Kozy & Dan, Jon Burgerman and Blaine Fontana. That's helped a lot. If people you respect think you're decent, you're probably decent.

C: So who are your influences?

J: Influence-wise, I think I'm more influenced by comics and cartoons. Gary Larson who did The Far Side is completely brilliant I think. It's just weird and a lot of his comics don't even make sense. They're just hilarious. And Dan Piraro, the guy who does Bizarro, he's another one of those guys who is completely brilliant.

C: Have you ever encountered anyone trying to reproduce or rip off your work?

J: Yeah, but as long as no one is making money off of it, I don't really care. That's part of the whole artistic process, too. You see things you like and you copy them and as you go on parts of that stay in your work, but you move on. So I don't really have a problem with it.

C: Ok. I think I have more than enough here. Thanks a lot. Now we can drink!

J: Awesome.