BIO: Jason Savage was born in Indiana in 1971, where he lived a good portion of his life. Relocating to Portland, Oregon in 2003 Jason continues his passion for art, nature and exploring. He enjoys wildlife, reading, music and spirituality studies.
CURRENT PROJECT: (fail not) A Guide for Teens and Young Adults
Hi Jason. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your business, and/or your passions.
Born in ’71, I lived a good portion of my life in Indiana (also Chicago, Nashville and Tulsa, before moving to Portland, Oregon in 2003. I received a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Indiana University in 2001, with a concentration in photography.
Taking pictures is my passion. I want my work to benefit humanity in whatever way it can, whether it is paired with inspiring words, telling a story on it’s own, or just inspiring people to see something in a way thay may not have before.
My websites are http://www.jsavagephotos.com and http://www.threespiritspress.com
Share three interesting/crazy things about yourself.
1. I used to aspire to be a rock singer when I was in my late teens/early 20s.
2. I once hitchhiked from Indiana to Nashville, TN when I was 17.
3. I did the production stills for the movie “In the Company of Men”.
What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
There have been a few things I have done that I consider courageous. The big one that pops in my mind would be moving across the country to Portland, having never been here before.
Name your top five books, movies, songs, musical groups, and/or websites. Are there any books or movies (genres) that you avoid?
Books – To Kill a Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath, Conversations With God, Skinny Legs and All, Where the Wild Things Are
Movies – Spinal Tap, Dazed & Confused, Raising Arizona, Darjeeling Limited, Neighbors
Music groups – The Who, Pearl Jam, Tool, Led Zeppelin, White Stripes
Websites – I don’t know if I really have favorite websites. I look at The Onion frequently, and then whatever site would contain information I am looking for at the time.
Movies I avoid – slasher films, brainless comedies, brainless action films, movies that show harsh violence against women
Based upon the description of a cultural creative, do you feel you are one? If so, why?
Most definitely. I decided years ago that I wanted my work to make a difference. With the company I am a part of, I have the opportunity to allow my work to help people discover more about themselves and let go of unnecessary fears. That is a catalyst for the world becoming a better place.
What made you first want to become an artist, writer, a creator?
I didn’t really enjoy anything else, and I was fairly good at it from the beginning. There was a passion for it that motivated me, and still does.
Does spirituality play an important role in the creative process for you? If so, how?
Yes. When I first began my spiritual path, I felt motivated to use my passion for creativity to help others. When I am feeling really connected, creative ideas seem to flow easier, and even doing the more mundane things involved with photography feel better. My spirituality plays an important role in helping me tap into new ideas for projects.
What is your first memory of creating something you were proud of?
It was a clay imprint of my hand. I was in kindergarten, and I made it for my mom.
Layout from (fail not) A Guide for Teens and Young Adults.
What three words best describe the feeling you get when your creativity is flowing?
Go!
Awesome
Yeah!
What sparks your creativity?
Different things at different times. The feeling that I can do it and that I am worthy of creating something cool, something I see or hear or just an idea that pops into my head, or the feeling that I have not been doing enough and I need to get off my ass and create something.
What was/is the biggest obstacle you’ve faced? How did you overcome it, and what did you learn from the experience?
My own fears, especially fears of lack. Sometimes it’s a fear of lack of money, lack of respect from others or lack of ability. These are fears that I think most artists have. I overcome them as they arise. I remind myself that everything can and is working for me, as long as I allow it. I have learned a great deal about myself from this, and that could probably be an entire book on it’s own.
Putting your vision into the world can be scary. Many of us wonder if we’re good enough. How do you respond to negative self-talk? What tools do you use to help work beyond your self-doubt?
I find that reading inspirational books, meditating, talking to people who believe in me and listening to music I love always helps when I go into that pit. Sometimes it’s just a question of putting whatever I am working on down for a little while, and taking time to collect myself. Ben & Jerry’s or a glass of wine helps too.
If you get google alerts, what are some keywords/phrases you receive? Does this help your creativity?
I don’t get Google alerts. I guess there is nothing online I find so pressing that I would need to be notified of it right away.
Are there any archetypes (hero, warrior, goddess, messenger, trickster, fool, savior, wanderer, magician etc.) that you resonate with which you feel have helped guide you on your creative journey? Does someone or something sometimes act as your muse?
I find that music inspires me the most, especially rock music (probably why it’s called muse-ic). I’m sure there are archetypes that I identify with, though admittedly I don’t know a lot about them. I’m sure on any given day, I would be able to identify with numerous ones, depending on how I was feeling at the time.
Are there any recurring motifs in your sleeping dreams, and if so, what do you think they symbolize? Is there a bigger message for you? Do your nighttime dreams ever spark your creativity?
The most common thing I see in my dreams is jungle cats. They are always my friends in the dreams, sometimes protecting me, sometimes just hanging out with me. To me, they symbolize power that I have within me. My night dreams rarely are a direct inspiration for what I create with my art. I know the dreams have messages for me though. Some it’s easy to deduce what they mean, others are more abstract. I also dream about trying to get away from something, or that there is a looming presence after me. Other themes include being stuck in a place I don’t want to be. This may indirectly effect my motivation to get certain things done.
In what ways do you promote your work?
I have a website, and I contact places that I think may have work for me, such as graphic design houses and magazines. I also do book fairs and events to promote my first book, (fear not). I contact stores a well, to bet the book carried in as many places as possible. Myspace and Facebook are other ways. I have sent out postcards to designers and ad agencies as well. I promote my work based on what I can afford at the time.
Once, while riding in the back seat on a trip with my business partners, who were showing me Beverly Hills, I would occasionally yell out the window “threespiritspress.com!” No celebrities contacted us saying they wanted to help 
I figured it was worth a shot, and we all had a good laugh about it. (I may have been a little buzzed at the time too
If you use social networking sites, have any been particularly helpful in helping you spread the word about your work? If so, which one(s) and how?
They have helped to a degree. We have thousands of friends on out Three Spirits Press Myspace page, but that has not translated into many sales. I had attempted to make a TSP Facebook page, but it would not let me use the company name for a profile, so I had to attach a business profile to my own. We are looking into more ways to get people to know that our profile pages exist. We will probably do a Twitter account soon too, although it is my suspicion that Twitter will lose popularity and not be so trendy soon, but I could be wrong.
What’s your favorite Internet tool either for promotion or enhancing your creativity?
My website (jsavagephotos.com). It allows me to have a full portfolio that can be viewed by anyone at any time. It is less costly than a hardcopy portfolio, and I can showcase all the different sections of my work at the same time. Plus, with a digital portfolio, I don’t have to breathe in all those chemicals in the darkroom any more.
Cultural Creatives tend to want their work to impact society in a positive way. Is changing/improving society with your work part of your goal? If yes, please elaborate a bit on your vision.
Improving society is the main thing that drives me now. I know that “changing the world” is a lofty, idealistic goal, but I also realize that one person can make a difference, even if it is by changing how someone else sees the world or themselves. I hope my work can inspire people to better themselves in whatever ways they want to, and do something good for those around them.
I only see the world changing for the better when individuals change what is in their hearts for the better. That is what I want my work to help with. I want to reach anyone I can with it.
Have you been able to earn a living while pursuing your creative passions? Is there anything from a business perspective that stands out as a key or catalyst to your success that you’d like to share?
Earning a living at photography is a goal i have had ever since I began, over 14 years ago. There are times when I do make enough money for all my bills and things, and the goal I have had for a while now is to keep it flowing. There are times when it gets very frustrating, but I always come back to knowing it will happen. My dream is to make a comfortable living doing photography for things that help make the world a better place.
The main thing I would have to say is a key for success, in any creative medium, is perseverance. I truly believe that if you have the passion for it, and know that it will happen, work toward it, then any goal is achievable.
Tags: fear not, Jason Savage, photography, three spirits press