An Arty Interview with PHAMEtastic Hosts Jessica & Jason!
Our PHAMEtastic hosts smiling for the camera.
We’re thrilled to welcome back Jessica Dart and Jason Rouse to host this year’s PHAMEtastic gala! Jessica was PHAME’s Artistic Director from 2009 to 2015, and Jason is a Teaching Artist in our education program, and together they are an artistic power couple specializing in tear-inducing jokes and endless goodwill!
With this year’s gala theme being “The Art of Giving,” we thought we’d ask them some heavy hitting questions about ART. Read on for the full transcript!
Another stunning photo of our hosts.
PHAME: Let’s start by getting the most important question out of the way: if you had to choose from all the art that’s been made ever, which artwork would you be, and why?
JASON: I would be a poem by Anis Mojgani or a song by Leonard Cohen or Nina Simone’s voice. These three artists have a direct connection to my soul, and they speak directly to it.
JESSICA: I would be the song “Under Pressure” by Queen & David Bowie because every second of it is larger than life perfection and I never get tired of hearing it. Brings me to tears almost every time. OR I would be a sculpture by one of my favorite Louises (Bourgeois and Nevelson). I love Bourgeois’ scale and unsettling imagery, and Nevelson’s monochromatic but highly detailed assemblies. Neither artist was afraid to take up space with their work. I’m not good at taking up space for myself, but if I could exist as a piece of art by either of these women I would happily take up ALL the space.
Left: Black Wall (1959) by Louise Nevelson. Right: Louise Bourgious in 1975 wearing her sculpture Avenza.
A small dog taking a nap.
PHAME: Andy Warhol once defined Pop Art as being about “liking things.” Please list five things that you like and two things you think are “just ok.”
JASON LIKES:
1. Italian Foods
2. Small Dogs
3. Criterion Collection BluRays
4. My Wife’s Face
5. Katie Carlsen*
JUST OK:
1. Tapioca
2. The second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
JESSICA LIKES:
1. Napping with a dog
2. Soft pants
3. Grilled cheese sandwiches made by Jason Rouse
4. My nieces and nephews
5. Katie Carlsen*
JUST OK:
1. Napping without a dog
2. Lukewarm burritos
Marina Abramovic performing The Artist Is Present at The Museum of Modern Art in 2010.
PHAME: In 2010, renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic sat quietly at a table in the Museum of Modern Art’s main gallery every day for nearly three months, inviting viewers to sit with her and meet her gaze. Wow, that’s a lot of eye contact! Since you two are married (Congrats on tying the knot!), do you ever sit quietly at a table together, and if so, do you have any secret hand signals that allow you to communicate?
JESSICA AND JASON: We have and we do, but if we shared them people would be on to us and we can’t have that. STOP TRYING TO STEAL OUR SIGNALS! What are you, the Houston Astros?
''Ram's Head, White Hollyhock — Hills'' (1935) by Georgia O'Keeffe.
PHAME: New Mexico artist Georgia O’Keefe became famous for making paintings of flowers, skyscrapers, and animal skulls. Please provide three fun facts about New Mexico that our readers probably don’t know.
JASON AND JESSICA: Jason’s mother was born there, Jason’s first plane ride was to Albuquerque, Jessica has never seen BREAKING BAD (Which is set in New Mexico) and Jason thinks that is INSANE.
PHAME: What are your favorite colors?
JESSICA: Anything that hides dog hair, preferably in a mid-century modern type palette.
JASON: Pizza.
PHAME: As you know, PHAME’s gala is 100% the best party of the year. Can you share a few of your favorite memories from last year’s gala?
JASON: It was the first time that Jess and I ever did anything like that...hosted a thing or performed together. I also LOVED the iPad Ensemble performance.
JESSICA: I got to wear a dress with an attached cape (always a highlight), get a sneak preview of The Poet’s Shadow, write some fun stuff with Jason, and see the PHAME staff sing the theme from The Love Boat!
PHAME staff and student Aaron Hobson sing the theme from The Love Boat at 2019’s PHAMEtastic gala.
PHAME: Of course, the gala is more than a party—it’s an opportunity for our community to support adults with developmental disabilities so that they can empower themselves through the arts. You’ve both been invaluable members of the PHAME community over the years. What does PHAME mean to you, and what would you like to tell our community about why they should support PHAME?
JESSICA: I started working at PHAME over 10 years ago. It was my first job in Portland, and probably the most meaningful job I’ve ever had. I met and learned from hundreds of people in ways I never expected. It changed me on a fundamental level and forced me to confront any unconscious bias I may have had about people who live with disability. PHAME is a space where people can gather, learn and create freely and safely, and then take that confidence and knowledge out into the larger community as powerful self-advocates. It’s the kind of resource we all need, and the kind few artists with disabilities have the chance to experience. PHAME’s artists need your support because all of us, not just some of us, deserve access to education and opportunity in the arts. Artists with disabilities deserve to be seen, heard, acknowledged, and accepted, and PHAME is doing the work to make that happen.
The characters from Breaking Bad (which Jessica has never seen) staring at a big pile of money (that could support artists with developmental disabilities to empower themselves through the arts!). Not that you should donate drug money to PHAME. That’s bad. Just regular money!
JASON: PHAME is where I go every week to spend time with my friends and make art. That is so precious and valuable to me that I have a hard time putting it into words. Class after class I have the opportunity to help others create art and express themselves. I watch as they inspire one another, answer each other’s questions and learn from their experiences. They broaden my perspective, giving my life a greater context. I have been confronted with my own bias’ and my trajectory has changed. It means the world to me. To be allowed to share time at PHAME with the students and staff is a privilege. It’s also the place where I met my wife.
If you have the means to support PHAME, you should. You will be supporting artists in a variety of disciplines. You are giving a voice to those who aren’t afforded that in the rest of their lives. You are helping to remove the stigma around the word “disabilities.” PHAME is helping to create work that WILL NOT happen without your support.
PHAME: Thanks, guys, that was really lovely. We are so lucky to have you as part of our awesome community.
One more question. When we talk about art, we mean more than just drawing and painting—we’re talking about music, performance, movement, and all kinds of self-expression.
At PHAME, we believe that art is a human right, and that everyone should be able to pursue their own creativity. But for the sake of this interview, can you please draw the Mona Lisa from memory?
JASON AND JESSICA:
Drawing of the Mona Lisa (from memory) by Jason and Jessica. Not bad, guys!
Thank you, Jason and Jessica! We can’t wait to see you at PHAMEtastic on March 8!
*Not sure who Katie Carlsen is? She’s a fantastic PHAME artist and you can learn all about her—and her art—at PHAMEtastic! We’ve got a brand new video all about Katie, and we think you’ll find it pretty great.