“Living Room” by Jason Maas at Lyons Wier Gallery

After Hurricane Sandy struck New York City and, consequently, my studio building in Red Hook, I started volunteering full-time in the Hurricane Sandy relief effort and have been stationed in Rockaway in the month’s since. These first-hand experiences led to the reinterpretation of my drawing practice to involve social practice, and to include multiple media, using Sandy as a focus for making socially conscious work about this ongoing disaster. I often use the drawing surface as a starting point, building and demolishing drawing panels, designing and printing wallpaper, salvaging and installing discarded Rockaway materials, and creating videos on a green screen. I’m interested in expanding the contemporary dialogue of social practice by helping other artists find ways to be inspired through opportunities to volunteer both locally and abroad.