Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Andrew.
Hi Jason, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story starts with what could be considered my second “migration” —the first being my Mormon pioneer ancestors, as tenement farmers, crossing the plains in the early 1840s. In the Fall of 1994, I relocated to New York City. I had met and married my ballet instructor from the University of Utah, Julia K. Gleich. Deeply in love, we were married by an “Elvis” in the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas and were desperate for what New York City had to offer us.
I arrived in the Big Apple with huge dreams that included dancing professionally. Almost immediately, I landed a job working for the artist Jeff Koons. My little BA degree in Studio Art from the University of Utah paid off! Within the year, I was managing the production of one of Koons’ most ambitious works, the ten-foot towering “Play-Doh.” At the time, Koons was funneling all his time and money into the creation of a series of contemporary masterpieces that pushed for flawless finishes and heroic scale. “Balloon Dog” anyone?
Through the Koons Studio, I met some big stars including Madonna and Elton John, and the best part of The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards. I met art stars like Damien Hurst and dealers Jeffrey Deitch and Larry Gagosian. When I eventually left the studio, I got a string of jobs in various galleries on 57th Street, and with a referral from the painter Robert Natkin, I got a job working as a personal assistant to an eccentric private art dealer on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She represented sculptors Henry Moore and Lynn Chadwick and focused mostly on Modern Art. I learned more about the machinations of the art world from her than from anyone since.
That’s the short story about how I got started in the New York art world. It’s been nearly thirty years and I can’t believe how far I’ve come from working the fields at my Great Grandpa’s farm in Springville, Utah.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I left Utah for New York City, I left everything that was familiar. At the time, the newness of the city and the urgent struggle to survive, suppressed any sense of longing for what was my life in Utah. This included the struggle of coming out—I was gay.
This indeed was hard to express, especially considering my religious upbringing and the thought of betraying the single person I loved and trusted the most in the world at the time, my Julia.
It was a dark time for me emotionally. As dark as one could get and not completely give up. Coming to terms with my sexuality was one of the greatest personal challenges I’ve ever faced. But as they say, time heals… or is it love heals all? After a few years of gay clubbing, I met my husband Norman Jabaut while waiting to see Cher perform. “A Different Kind Of Love Song” anyone? We were married the minute gay marriage was legalized in New York State and we’ve built quite an amazing life together. Norman is a nurse in the emergency room at NYU Langone and keeps things real.
Ignoring every therapist who said I have to move on with my “new life”, I needed to completely separate myself from my “former life,”. In 2004, I founded with Julia, the nonprofit arts organization Norte Maar for Collaborative Projects in the Arts (https://www.nortemaar.org/). This organization continues today with a mission to present collaborations in the visual, literary, and performing arts.
We’ve been impressed with Artist Estate Studio, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is Artist Estate Studio (https://www.artistestatestudio.com/). It is founded on the philosophy that all art is relevant, reflective of its time, and in need of preservation. We service the studios and estates of artists in the management of their art and the promotion of their legacy. All my decades of experience are poured into this entity, which fills a unique niche within the art world. Firstly, as galleries rarely have the time or talent to organize the art and the archives of the artists they may represent, this is where my team excels. Secondly, artists are primarily focused on making art (and they should be!), we advise and assist in organizing their studio, cataloging their work, and preparing the work for exhibit and sale. Creative and timely approaches to website design and the development of social media strategies are also a big part of what we do.
Currently, we manage the estates of Siri Berg, Janice Biala, Elizabeth Murray, Edith Schloss, Mimi Chen Ting, Jack Tworkov as well as the studios of Judith Dolnick, Hermine Ford, and Joan Witek, among others.
As a recognized curator and writer, I use my brand to shed light on the works of artists and art groups that exist under the radar. When USA Today invited me to select 10 of the Best Art Spaces, I jumped at the opportunity to highlight the Ephraim, Utah, based non-profit Granary Arts Center (https://www.granaryarts.org/). Wherever I travel I strive to meet and connect with new artists.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
As a competitive athlete, I’ve learned to see risk more as a chance to gain over a chance to lose. For many of us, the thrill of risk is what drives us. When I moved from Utah to New York, I had every expectation that I’d find a way to survive. Never in the world would I have imagined that my life would turn into what it is today. I certainly didn’t go to college to learn what I do. I think one needs to always embrace spontaneity and anticipate the unexpected.
And never would I have dreamed that I’d become the owner of a theater, but when the opportunity presented itself and with the leading enthusiasm coming from my husband, Norman, we jumped in with both feet and purchased the Ausable Theater (https://www.ausabletheater.com/) in Au Sable Forks in Upstate New York in June 2021. Our vision is to re-imagine this 1930s vaudeville theater with the purpose to uplift the local community through the presentation of music, dance, theater, and film. Though the struggle to finance such a project is real, the benefit the theater will serve to highlight our creative diversities, broaden our collective experiences, and express the artistic, civic, and educational interests of our community outweighs the risk.
Surrounding oneself with supportive friends and family who can offer critical advice, has been key for me. The personal connections and relationships we make and the collaborations we develop as a result are a big strategic component of success. Relationships are the greatest equity.
I’ve been very lucky to have recently reconnected with my four sisters, drawing inspiration from their individual sacrifices and successes. My older sister Kristie (@kristierosser) is a mother of four kids, a champion runner, and is a nurse practitioner who founded her own business based in Pleasant Grove. Kristie Rosser Wellness (https://www.kristierosser.com/) specializes in Hormone Balance, Healthy Aging, and Lifestyle Medicine. Amanda (@kempkuties / https://www.soulsolegood.com/) is a mother of twin girls and a Certified Professional Medical Coder/Biller living in Springville. She is also a Certified Foot Zone Practitioner (CFZ) and a Therapeutic Nutritional Counselor. My third sister, Joanna (@joannachrisman1) is a mother of four kids and an avid marathoner. She is a Medical Office Manager also living in Springville. My youngest sister, Carly (@carlybmortensen) is a mother of four kids and is a Group Fitness Instructor and Personal trainer at Mercy Fitness Center in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Thanks for the opportunity to share my story. Utah has and will always be home—a place to draw inspiration and recharge with family and nature.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artistestatestudio.com/
- Instagram: @jandrewarts
- Other: https://www.ausabletheater.com/
Image Credits
1) Jason Andrew. Photo @rosscollab
2) Jason Andrew with Julia K. Gleich with works by Elizabeth Murray and Mary Heilmann at the Victoria Miro Gallery, London.
3) Jason Andrew installing work by American painter Elizabeth Murray at Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
4) Jason Andrew with Jack Tworkov’s painting “Idling II” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA.
5) The Burt and Deedee McMurtry Lecture: Critic Roberta Smith and Curator Jason Andrew in conversation on Elizabeth Murray with an Eye on Art Today, Stanford University, CA.
6) Jason Andrew with his husband, Norman Jabaut, Monument Valley, UT.
7) Jason Andrew with his husband, Norman Jabaut, hiking the High Peaks, Adriondacks, NY.
8) Jason Andrew with his mom, Rebecca, at Arches National Park, UT.
9) Jason Andrew with his four sisters Joanna Chrisman, Amanda Kemp, Carly Mortensen, and Kristie Rosser at the Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT
