by Christina Foster '07
Jason Levesque, 32, is a self-taught Web designer and artist from Chesapeake, Va. He draws. He takes photographs. He uses computer software. Sometimes he mixes all three. He has adapted a "new media" technique in which he creates his works of art and some of them are on
display in Virginia Wesleyan's Hofheimer Library Gallery until Nov. 27.
"I realized early that making money designing is far easier than fine art," said Levesque. "I'd love to go to full-time 'fine art' and illustration, but that's still a ways off for me."
Levesque dropped out of high school in eleventh grade, taught himself how to design and somehow managed to get his foot in the door. He has been working hard and designing ever since.
"I taught myself as much as I could about Web design and was lucky enough to land a job creating Web sites for a now defunct company in Williamsburg, Va.," he said.
He has designed Web sites for Independence Records, Mission Media and The Red Season. His other works have been featured many times on the cover of Webdesigner Magazine, as well as other covers including Playstation Magazine, Design Times, Idea Design, Dig and The Royal.
Most of Levesque's works focus on the female form, and are even a little risqué. He has an eye for detail and a knack for highlighting the woman's best assets. Some of his art is actually reminiscent of Japanese anime as well.
"When I was young, I was very taken by pinup illustration," said Levesque. "It's sexy without being vulgar, and I love that."
Levesque credits artists James Jean and Audrey Kawasaki for inspiring some of his art; however, he also has a family who do the same. Levesque's fiancée, Elizabeth Henry, and two children inspire him every day. Henry is a painter and she and Levesque critique each other's work regularly.
According to Levesque, some of his earlier works were inspired by "references from magazines and other people's photography," but once he started gaining an audience, he realized he needed to stay away from those types of references.
"If someone sees something you've drawn or painted and the first thought they have is 'Isn't that from that Pantene ad?' then you've lost that person's respect," he said. "So I decided if I wanted to use photo references I'd need to take up photography."
Assistant Professor of Art John Rudel chose Levesque to be featured in the Hofheimer Gallery after reading about him in a Virginian-Pilot article. Rudel feels Levesque's art appeals to college-aged people.
"Ideally, the Gallery will function as an organism on our campus. I would like for it to connect the art community at VWC with outside entities, to connect disciplines on campus and to be a catalyst 
for discussion," said Rudel. "If a discussion about the work, the artist or tangential issues arise as a result of the exhibition, then the organism is alive."
Levesque will be giving a talk at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16 in Clarke 118 about his career and how he has achieved success. Rudel believes that students sometimes have a "warped view of what making a living in 'the arts' consists of."
"There is a very dated romantic notion about the starving artist who works solemnly in his/her studio living off of scraps until they are 'discovered' and become famous," said Rudel. "Jason is a wonderful example of how a career in the arts will function much the same as a career in any other field."