Running is a small-scale version of life’s larger challenges. I have learned that when I have fully accepted the act of suffering, as one can learn to do through running, I am more receptive to finding and accepting happiness. Suffering is part of the human condition, so it is something that everyone has to live with and accept wholly. It has shown me that through suffering I can summon courage and find peace. Over the course of many miles, I have realized that running has given me not only physical strength but, more importantly, mental strength. I loved the way I felt afterwards-it felt amazing and I was hooked! I fell in love with running because of that race.
For someone who was not running regularly or training at all, I raced pretty well. Two years ago, my wife signed our family up for a CHiPS 5K run/walk in Prospect Park, and I decided to race as hard as I could. Eventually, I started running a bit farther, twice a week, but nothing more than a loop of the Park. I was running about three miles once a week, and that felt strenuous at the time. I quit smoking in 2008, and started running on and off in 2012 to get back in shape. I have always been athletic, playing football and lacrosse when I was younger, but I never ran for the sake of running. How did you start running and what is keeping you going? My favorite PPTC events are Harry’s Handicap and Awards Night. I am able to step out of my day-to-day routines and connect with other members through the simple act of running.
I like that PPTC feels like an extended family and community. As a new runner, the club felt welcoming. The runners stood out and seemed to be an inclusive group. I noticed PPTC’s red shirts when I was running around Prospect Park. I officially joined PPTC about two years ago in January 2018. When did you join PPTC and what do you like about this club? Maquette has transported and installed multi-million dollar artworks, packed, crated and moved Roosevelt’s trophy elephant skeletons from the Museum of Natural History’s attic, and taped bananas to walls at the recent Art Basel Miami fair. During that time, I found a job at an art conservation studio where I was exposed to the fine art logistics industry and that eventually enabled me to create my best piece of art so far: maquette! Maquette has been in business for over eight years, and provides services to museums, auction houses, collectors, and galleries globally. I came to NYC to study at Pratt, and received my Masters in Fine Arts at Hunter College. This has led me to devote most of my life so far in studying the creation and preservation of art. Fortunately, I discovered that I was good at making things so I sought solace and success by drawing, and later sculpting. As a result, my grades suffered and I felt generally pretty bad about myself as a student. At the time, learning challenges and differences were still widely misunderstood and understudied, so my teachers were not properly equipped in teaching or understanding my difficulty with reading and writing. Thank you! When I was growing up in the 1980s, I struggled as a student due to a learning disability.
Read on to learn more about Jason’s artistic background, his involvement with PPTC and Running for Ayotzinapa 43, and his recent accomplishments as a runner in PPTC’s Masters division.Ĭongrats on your recent success with maquette! Before we dive into running, can you tell us a bit about your art background? Jason has worked in the fine arts conservation and logistics industry for over 22 years. Outside of running and spending time with his wife, daughter, and dog, Jason owns and operates a fine arts logistics company he co-founded called “ maquette.” Maquette works closely with major museums and galleries, providing shipping, handling, packing, and installation of fine art objects. Jason Smith is originally from Baltimore, MD, although he has lived in Brooklyn for 27 years.