Who are you, and what do you do?
My name is Jono and I'm finishing up my MFA in New Media at Paris College of Art. I mix graphic design and computer programming to connect and question things. As such I often pair distinct subjects to frame this creative process. The combinations range from latin and emojis through typography and animation to music and image. While pairings vary, there is always a consistent and accessible tenor to the digital and physical objects I make. This focus allows people to access complex subject matters including painting theory, the collision of black holes, and music composition. Jono’s work offers considered respite from the fatigue of the attention economy.
My work has been shown at international festivals including TED, Sundance, Tribeca Film Festival, SIGGRAPH, and the Japan Media Arts Festival. I spoke on The Responsibility in Democratization at San Francisco’s first creative coding conference, the Gray Area Festival, and about The Human Side to Being a Digital Practitioner at OpenVis Conference. My commitment to Visual Music has sparked collaborations with musicians including applications with Lullatone, a performance with Nosaj Thing, and interactive music videos for the Arcade Fire and Matthew Dear.
What hardware do you use?
The hardware I use the most are my 13" MacBook Pro, an Asus 3 button mouse, USB-C wired headphones, my Leuchtturm softcover sketchbook, MUJI pen, and my Claska workers apron which keeps me in a productive mindset. I have high blood pressure, so I also carry an Omron cuff. Recently I've been using the Oculus Quest to develop Virtual Reality experiences, like the one for Matthew Dear. For live performances, I use a ROLI Seaboard Block Studio Edition. For inspiration and messing around I look to my 11" iPad Pro, Nintendo Switch, and OP-Z. For transport, I ride a 17/43 Mash x Cinelli steel fixed gear bike. In a similar vein to John Maeda's email list, one non-tech item I'm a huge fan of are curaprox's manual toothbrushes — can't argue with Swiss design.
And what software?
To develop my projects I write a lot of custom software. Since undergraduate studies at UCLA’s Design Media Arts, I have and continue to actively participate in open source communities. I share my own libraries, such as the event driven two-dimensional drawing interface for the web Two.js, on GitHub. I'm also an investing backer in Arena. I love tinkering and messing around in professional software environments as well. Atom text editor and Adobe CC is my second home and I'm getting my feet wet with Cinema 4D, Rhino, and Blender. When working with sounds I also find myself relying on Ableton quite a bit.
What would be your dream setup?
My dream space would bring me the feeling of cooking in the kitchen when I'm working on my computer. The apron is a small gesture towards that...