Jason A. Maas

“Listening is a shadow art form.” As an artist dedicated to mental health issues, Jason Maas is deeply aware of the importance of being present for someone, and letting people speak what is on their mind without fear of judgment or interruption. The Shadow Form Project was a listening performance that provided a safe and open environment to invite visitors to share what may be easier to tell a stranger than someone they know. During the first iteration of the Shadow Form Project, which occurred in summer of 2016, these instructions were shared with interested participants: Jason listens carefully and paints the sitter's portrait in watercolor during a session that can last one to three hours. Visitors are encouraged to freely talk about any topic they choose. Jason will provide feedback on what is shared if requested. The paintings will be shared but the conversations will be kept confidential.

In 2015 I was a fellow at the Laundromat Project. The fellowship culminated in "Field Day" an opportunity to engage the public with the arts. For my fellowship I was placed in the neighborhood of Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. I created a project called Legacy Draw. I was connected with elders from the community through a partnership with the nonprofit Bridge Street Development, and invited them to share their story about their legacy and the legacy of the neighborhood. The audience was presented with drawing materials and encouraged to draw the portraits of the speakers as they shared. Creating portraits serves as a way to both honor the speaker, and facilitate focus on the part of the listener. Legacy Draw took place at the Luminal Theater in September 2015.