BRINK: Your most current project is Prime Produce. Tell me about it.

JERONE HSU: It provides a channel for young people who would like to help the nonprofit sector, but utilizing the tools which they are best equipped. So specifically, we're trying to reach out to get creative people involved, because traditionally people who are in the nonprofit sector have a history of social work or advocacy, which is great and really does make a difference, but as a sector, there are other skill sets that could strengthen it. So we're looking for entrepreneurial and creative types of students, and I do feel that there are a lot of students in our generation who really do want to help but not the way bleeding heart nonprofits volunteers want to help. They shouldn't have to do that, and if they want to help, they should have a way to do that. And that's what we're hoping to provide. We're hoping to start off with programs and projects that artists can be a part of as "producers" being "productive"—you sign up with us, and we'll hook you up with non-profits who need your help. There are other services that do similar things, but for more engaged participants, we have programs, such as the street wear designs. The street wear designs is a way for graphic artists to do something cool that benefits nonprofits. All the profits go to the nonprofit, and you get college credit--as long as everyone is getting into it with the right mindset, that the products of their efforts are going to a nonprofit.

BRINK: How do you fit into Prime Produce as an artist?

JH: At this point I'm a facilitator, but I am doing a lot of art stuff. In order to get artists to help, I need to show that something is actually going on. And I'm trying my best to make it look good. In terms of my role, originally I was going to do much of the art, but unfortunately there'll be a time I won't be around to continue the art. What's more important is the sustainability of the organization--so that other young artists have a strong system to guide them through donating their time and efforts. 

BRINK: What background in art do you have?

JH: So my dad painted, he wanted to be a painter. He grew up very poor in Taipei and he wanted to do a lot of art. He did the yearbook and projects for school, and he found that designing technology is similar to art. There are rules and parameters to follow in each case. My mom is also very artistic. My house is full of oil paintings, and my brother and I have a lot of art up in our house. Since middle school we get together and just make something for the holidays instead of buying something. We've been painting and drawing since we were little. I would work on my own art projects even in grade school, just getting into gluing and cutting things out.

BRINK: How have you grown as an artist since childhood?

JH: I don't think I have at all! I still just like to make stuff. I just make stuff, yeah, I don't know.

BRINK: As a facilitator, what do you see art doing?

JH: I see artistry today as being everywhere, and there might be a right way and wrong way, and that's something you want to bear in mind, hopefully, but usually there's a way to do something beautiful. I like that. I like the idea of producing beautiful things. I think that's the goal, and I think that's what prime produce is about. We're in the middle of a major shift right now, and originally I was thinking of prime produce as a nonprofit first and foremost, but now I feel like the products themselves have to come from beautiful idealism, beautiful artistry, and the outcome hopefully is beautiful, which is the product itself and also the transaction. The beautiful transaction.

BRINK:What is the beautiful transaction?

JH: That as a consumer you can have this object predicated upon this idealism. The consumer is also giving back, caring for nonprofits.

BRINK: Last words on art?

JH: Art capital A is totally blown open, the context of art capital A is gone. In the context of my own work? The way I'm looking at it is … here's the question that I'm really asking. I'm wondering can raw idealism and energy and beauty, can those things produce more raw idealism, energy, and beauty? Because I think a lot of people these days assume that if something is beautiful or good there was some tradeoff to get to this point.

Published January 2008