THE SECRET IS THERE IS NO SECRET

The secret to your success is that there is no secret. There isn’t any one person out there who has all the answers to your life’s questions. There isn’t any one person who has all the answers, to begin with. All you have is your own willingness and courage to move forth despite not knowing it all; not feeling the most confident, and understanding that you may not be the most qualified. But so what? Right? Don’t let the fact that you don’t know “enough” prevent you from getting started. If I did that I would’ve never became a photographer. I would’ve never traveled the world. And I wouldn’t be writing to you now. Let the haters keep talking. You just gotta keep going.

by Jason Lam

MARIE KONDO YOUR PORTFOLIO

Sometimes you just need to let go. Sure. You may have spent countless hours on a project way back when. But that work may not represent who you are anymore. If anything, it might just be serving to hold you back.

Did you know? If snakes fail to shed their skin, they die.

And sure, perhaps that’s a little too dramatic but the concept is still the same.

If you fail to let go of old work you never get to grow into the greater version of who you are meant to be. Instead, you hang on for dear life. Clinging to your old work in the hopes that it will get you where you want to go. When in reality, you need to be a little more like Marie Kondo.

Acknowledge the work for what’s it’s done for you in your life, both personally and professionally. Acknowledge the fact that since the work has already served its purpose, it’s ok to let go. By letting go, you create space, and with that new space, you finally give yourself the opportunity to become who you were always meant to become.

A badass muthafuckin artist.

by Jason Lam

TRUST YOUR EYES

You don’t have to understand why. You don’t have to understand how. All you need to know is that whatever it is you’re looking at moved you, so take the photo. Trust your intuition. Believe that what you feel is right and taking the photo is exactly what you need to do. Stop looking elsewhere for affirmation. Stop thinking that somebody else has a better idea. You’re it. There’s nowhere to hide. Take the photo that you know is true to who you are. Nobody can do this for you but yourself.

by Jason Lam

ART KEEPS ME SANE

Sounds cliche but art keeps sane. Art is therapy. I need an outlet and art is that outlet. I don’t need a specific medium. I just need the freedom of time and space to create. Or in other words. To release. Because life is hard and throughout the journey, I get all this pent up energy. Conflict. Inconveniences. Arguments. Criticism. And my only way to cope is to let it all out with words on a page, or ink on canvas, or photos on... well, pixels nowadays. But you get the idea, it’s the aesthetically pleasing form of hitting a punching bag or screaming into a pillow, even road rage. Only I channel all that energy into my art, because even after a punching bag it’s still not enough, lol, jk. Art keeps me sane. Art is healing. Art helps me answer questions that need answering. It helps me better understand parts of myself that I often find rather confusing. When I’m not allowed to create, I go crazy. I operate at a lower frequency and I have trouble sleeping. I’m more irritable. Like if a tornado was forced to live inside a box. Or if your parents forced you to wear that old sweater from decades ago that you’ve clearly outgrown. So I create. I’m an artist. Surprisingly, I can’t really say it’s by choice. Honestly, sometimes, I’d just rather not, because I almost feel like most my energy for art comes from a rather negative place. My logic goes like this, if I was living a happy life I wouldn’t need to create art because I wouldn’t need to release any of this built up energy. Then again, who knows. The grass is always greener on the other side and there’s another saying that goes the grass is greener where you water it. So I won’t go hopping around from here to there. I’ll continue tending to my garden, right here, right now, with my angry tornado sweater too damn small art.

by Jason Lam

"WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOU?"

My friend, Natalie, once took me to eat at Tito’s Tacos in Culver City, Los Angeles. That was when she introduced me to this amazing dish called, “chilaquiles”. For those of you who don’t know. It’s tortilla chips covered in a delicious red sauce, freshly chopped green onions, sour cream, queso, and if you want you can even add an egg on top. Of course, we had to add the egg.

During the meal, we talked about life and artistry, which is something we often talk about. I like talking to her because she is very understanding, and as an artist herself, I feel she gets me in ways that maybe other people don’t.

And as the conversation weaved through seemingly inappropriate topics like sexual organs and other disgusting things to life purposes and goals, (we’re weird like that), she asked me:

“What’s something you wish people knew about you?”

My answer: I’m actually trying to help.

This was a question no one had ever asked me. And this was a truth I noticed I never expressed.

I’m here to help.

I want to help.

As cheesy as it sounds, I want to leave this world a better place than I found it. My desire to help informs everything I do. From my seemingly lazy days where I appear to be doing nothing. To my angry rants and frustration when I feel like things aren’t quite going the way I’d like.

I travel because I want help. I create because I want to help. I write because I want to help.

Maybe it comes across a weird way. Maybe it’s a little too abstract. Maybe it sounds too uppity or preachy. But from my experience, it always served to put myself out there and share my perspective than it was to stay on the sidelines, hoping, wishing, and praying that I would get picked.

I create, I share, I put myself out there because I picked myself. I decided not to wait. I decided to fail and embarrass myself in the hopes that I get better, and that by getting better, I can help even more. That’s something I wish people knew about me. Because I know sometimes as an artist I may seem self-indulgent. I struggle with that sometimes too. But through it all. I’m here to help. I really am.

Thank you, Natalie, for creating the space to bring that out of me. And also for introducing me to the most delicious meal of my life.

I love chilaquiles! =)

by Jason Lam

1 SECOND EVERYDAY - 2018

Quite a random year. But still learned a lot. I turned 30! Yikes!

by Jason Lam

NO ONE'S GOING TO TELL YOU TO START

No one’s going to tell you to start

And even after you’ve started, no one’s going to tell you to keep going

Do what you know is true to yourself

Not everyone is going to like it

Some people are going to hate what you do

Others couldn’t have a care in the world

But there will always be the select few that will love what you do

And those are the people that matter

Create for those people

Forget about everyone else

Keep going

by Jason Lam

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KEEP GOING?

What do you need to keep going?

I like this question for three reasons:

1. It assumes you are already working towards your goal. Which assumes you are capable, willing, and deserving of having what you want.

2. This question doesn’t allow excuses. It only allows forward progression. It is purely utilitarian.

3. You can only answer with what you know will be of true benefit to your journey.

My answer to this question in regards to my work is simple.

I need the discipline and the confidence to keep creating.

How about you?

by Jason Lam

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET

I recently made some cutting boards. It’s all part of a larger plan to become a little handier and create more work in the analog world. I’ve been a little disenchanted with having to stare at a digital screen to make everything all the time.

The cutting boards are beautiful. I made three. One for me. Two as gifts for friends and family. They all combine beautiful pieces of walnut, cherry, and maple, all of which I went out and picked out myself, cut down the size, glued, sanded, oiled and buffed to a nice shine. I was there every step of the way. It has my personal imprint on it, and I won’t be sharing it with anyone on the internet. I’m tempted. But I won’t. Because this is something that I did just for myself, and it feels nice that way.

Do you ever feel like you can’t get any satisfaction from the things you do unless someone “likes” your photo on social media? 

I think it’s important to be able to feel good about ourselves on our own.

It’s time to take back control of the things we find joy in.

Do something for yourself.

by Jason Lam

THE SECRET GIFT OF FAILING

I once had to sing a song by Frank Sinatra.

After struggling to get through the entire song, I sighed and said, “I sound nothing like Frank Sinatra.”

My voice teacher responds very seriously, “No, you sound like you.”

The secret gift of failing is you get to be more like you.

by Jason Lam

YOUR FRIENDS DON'T HAVE TO LIKE YOUR WORK

It's a tough fact to face but I think it's important to accept the fact that there will be large amounts of people in his world that won't like the work you make.

And no, your friends don't have to like your work either.

It's hard and it might even make you want to quit. Especially because we've all had memories of everyone absolutely loving our random childhood scribbles as if we created the Mona Lisa.

I went to an art school for one year and basically, all we'd do is post our work on the wall and have people criticize it for the entire day. Imagine doing that for a year straight. Needless to say, I was very tired by the end of it and didn't feel like I had it in me to do it any longer.

But it's ok if people dislike your work. You might even find that you might even dislike your own work.

I don't think that should be any reason to quit.

Sometimes I think it's a good way of hearing truths that you need to hear.

Other times I think it's a good opportunity to defend your work and continue having faith in your integrity as an artist despite the opposition.

It's tough, even for me to know that I can't make everyone happy, but I've been slowly learning that its ok.

Sometimes it feels lonely.

But that's also what makes it exciting.

Keep creating.

by Jason Lam

OVERGROWTH

I wish someone could’ve prepared me for all the waste I was going to produce as an artist and taught me how to trim the garbage off like weeds in a garden. Just because you made it, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. Not everything needs to be kept. Cut things out like your life depends on it.

by Jason Lam

UNFOLLOW YOUR IDOLS

Because if you don’t, you never get the chance to become your own idol. And on the off chance that you do become just like your idol. You fail by default because you didn’t learn a thing they were teaching you. To pave your own path. To create your own style. To stay true to your voice. Or as my college professor once told me, "You already have a unique voice, you just have to stay true to it."

by Jason Lam

ALLOW YOURSELF TO FORGET

One thing I’ve been working hard on is to try and forget everything I’ve learned in dance, in photography, in writing… I think I might have been too good of a student, taken too many classes and took my teachers too seriously. Because what usually ended up happening in all aspects of my “serious” learning was a really robotic cut out of technically correct moves, but lacking of any authenticity. 

I haven’t really been dancing for the past 5 years. I’ve still been taking photos but I really haven’t been as active as before. I also haven’t been writing as much. I got bored. It wasn’t really that fun anymore. I think it's partly because it felt inauthentic. Like each time I got to work, I wasn’t being myself. I was just being an idea of what I thought I should be. 

So, lately, I’ve been trying my hand at these things again. But this time just kinda going for it and seeing what comes out. It hasn’t been looking very pretty. Honestly, everything looks kind of weird. But it’s been quite fun to create without constantly comparing yourself with “the greats,” without searching for “how to” videos on YouTube, and without critiquing your work before you’ve given yourself a chance to grow. I love learning, but I put equal emphasis on the importance of unlearning.

by Jason Lam

THE SEARCH FOR EXCUSES!

On the journey to living the life we want, there is always this abyss we must overcome. I call it the bottomless pit of excuses. Nobody escapes. Everybody falls in when they begin their journey. 

I actually find it quite peculiar how it shows up in my life. Every time I’m about to go out and shoot a video or reach out for collaborations, I fall into the bottomless pit. 

My brain goes on autopilot and takes me on this epic journey through the pit of excuses starring: “Omg, I need to wait for my laundry to finish!” + “It’s too late, the sun will set by the time I start recording and it will be too dark” + “I don’t have enough hard drive space for all the new footage anyways”. All of which have quick and easy solutions, so it’s really quite trivial.

But my body loves it. It craves excuses like how I used to crave soda and candy. I just can’t get enough! Well, I’m about 10 years deep into pursuing my curiosities so I’m a bit more experienced. Now I am aware of the bottomless pit. It doesn’t catch me off guard (as often), and I’ve figured out many more ways around it. But the first step is knowing it’s there, that it’s an epic journey we like to go on, and that as good as the excuses feel, it’s not good for you.

by Jason Lam

A LITTLE CREATIVE TIP

Sometimes it helps to make things when you’re tired. I learned this from my dance experience when I was living in New York. Often times, I felt my dancing was best at the very end of the night when most people have already left the club. Why? Because I’m too tired to think and try to come up with clever tricks and moves. I can only do what is truly in my heart and soul, what truly wants come out of my body. No gimmicks. I’ve noticed this is true of my writing. And this is also true of my photography. It’s almost as if you have to jump through all the hoops trying to impress the crowd before you can really tap into the deepest, purest, most honest form of your artistry.

I guess the idea is that your true self can only ever present itself when you’re too tired to be like anyone else.

by Jason Lam

WHAT'S ART IF NOT JUST..

Whats art if not just a way for us to get someone to pay attention when we’re sad, lonely, afraid?

No, crying didn’t work. Ranting didn’t work. Screaming. Yelling. Throwing tantrums didn’t work.

So we make art.

We make our problems beautiful.

So for once,

Someone, somewhere out there,

Will listen.

by Jason Lam

DEEP DOWN

if you find you are having trouble moving forth in your work. Consider the fact that you are not being authentic. It could be possible you are pursuing something that you know is not your heart's desire. That deep down inside, you know you are lying to yourself. Deep down. You know that there is more to do, and you haven’t done it. Consider the fact that you might just have to throw it all away and start all over again.

Things I’ve been thinking about.

by Jason Lam

HOW TO FIND YOUR STYLE

Well, first you gotta experiment. And not only do you have to experiment. You have to allow yourself to do, see, and experience things that are totally outside your comfort zone. Totally outside your usual realm of existence. So yes, that means go volunteer on a cow farm in Iceland for a month. Yes. That means go backpacking in that random foreign country that your friend invited you to. Wander off into the metaphysics section of the bookstore. Go try that new restaurant. Go take that acroyoga class. Go ask that girl out on a date. Do it. And by doing so, you stretch yourself. And by stretching yourself you widen your spectrum… or palate, if you will, so you have more tools at your disposal.

Much as I would like style to just magically appear one day, it won’t. It’s something you work towards every day. Not just in the studio, but by living. Style must be carved out of you through blood, sweat, and years.

And then one day, you will find that hey, you actually have come up with a style that is pretty unique to who you are. Notice I said who you are. Not who you are as an artist. I mean who you are as a person. Because as you are, so is your art. 

So I guess what I’m saying is, to find your style you must find your life. To carve it out. To seek out the unknown. To embrace the darkness with the light. To fall into disaster and to claw yourself back out. And one day, sure, it might seem like magic, but you will find yourself. And thus, your style. 

by Jason Lam

HOW QUITTING SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP YOUR ART

I quit social media about a month ago. It wasn’t easy, and sometimes, I do get bored, but I’m already noticing some of the benefits. The main one? I feel less anxiety because I’m no longer comparing myself to other people 24/7. I can’t! In fact, the other day I relapsed. I signed on for business purposes and then found myself reacting quite negatively as I scrolled through my friends feeds, seeing how some of them have 10k+ followers and how I only have 600. I’d like to say this stuff doesn’t affect me. But it does. Higher number, higher status. Lower number. Lower status. And who likes to have lower status? Not me...

But quitting social media can help. I know because I’m experiencing it first hand. I feel more free to be myself. I no longer have the whole world (the internet) watching. I don’t have to be as careful. I can like what I like, do what I do, and live the life that I want and that’s about it. Who cares about likes and followers? Better yet. Who cares about the numbers? Because if we do, well, then we’re just creating art for other people. And while there’s nothing wrong with that. I just feel like sometimes we forget to feed ourselves.

I used to do that.

So much to the point where I lost all joy in creating art. I also lost all sense of purpose. I couldn’t find answers to so many questions that started popping up. Why am I creating art? Why does it even matter? And why should I continue anyways? Because I’m just not having fun anymore.

It’s like, post more selfies! Because people will engage with you more. People want to know what you’re up to! Show us what’s happening behind the scenes! More! More! More! But what about me? Is it all just for the numbers?

I used to have the dream to be able to get paid for a large social media following.

But not anymore.

Not if it means having to be someone I am not and to create art that doesn’t resonate from the depths of my soul.

So… quitting social media. Should you do it? I think you should at least try. See what it does for you. No, the world won’t stop turning. You won’t lose your job. If anything, you’ll gain your sanity back like I did. And perhaps, by doing so, you’ll be able to come back to terms with your art in ways that you couldn’t when the whole world was watching.

by Jason Lam