When we last put the spotlight on 100 creative forces in Phoenix, it was no secret there were more than 100 individuals who were making waves in the local arts community. So in celebration of our Best of Phoenix issue, we're profiling 100 more. Welcome (back) to 100 Creatives.
Jordon Roberts says he was born in "some roadside Texas town that goes by the name Odessa. Apologies if it's far more than a roadside town that is known for greatness and I'm just dismissing it. I say roadside because I think labor started during a drive and Odessa was the closest place." He lived in Texas before moving to California, Goergia, and then Phoenix, where he's been since high school.
Roberts is a graphic designer who works for Rethinc Advertising, a small boutique advertising agency in Old Town Scottsdale. He also does a number of side projects including poster design and illustration under his own name.
I came to Phoenix with ... a hope that this was the last time my family uprooted and moved. I can say that we've (2 brothers and 1 sister) have move about 15 times. If I'm exaggerating, it's not by a lot. My dad worked for an oil company that called for relocation a lot and loved making hilariously gory safety videos that my dad would bring home for my brother and I to watch. Despite watching these and Robocop several times over, I'm pretty normal. I've had to say goodbye to more childhood friends than I'd like to count, but I feel living so many new places has made me a well-rounded person.
I make art because ... I have so many weird things swimming around in my head that I need to let them out and see what they become. I'm just really lucky I have the ability to do so. Having a creative imagination but not being able to express it would be nightmare scenario for me.
I'm most productive when ... I hit a happiness groove. Several people can say that "I am most productive at [insert time frame] but Im not automated enough to keep that kind of schedule. The weather has to be right, the right Mogwai song has to be on, and how much I enjoy the work that is unfolding in front of me. There's a point in every project for me where I doubt myself nearly to death for hours. When this slips away into that glowing reveal of knowing exactly where I'm taking a project... that resulting excitement... that is when I am most productive.
My inspiration wall is full of... I don't really have one. Sure, I have Christopher Walken face stencil cut out of a manilla envelope that I accidentally won at a silent art auction hanging over my desk, but most of my inspiration sits dormant inside of my head. Movies I've seen, albums I've listened to, books I've read, video games I've played; I draw elements from each and mentally store them away till something pops out and makes it into a project in one way or another. As for those elements, I have a tendency to enjoy things that are both dark and whimsical. I love when those two qualities meld together. I sometimes refer to it as "Whimsical Grotesque".
I've learned the most from ... my family and myself, because they've been the only things in my life that remained constant while our surroundings continued to change as we'd be skipping all over the country.
Good work should always ... elicit a reaction, even if it's as small as just getting someone to smile at it. The opposite of this would be the stuff that's hanging up in the typical cube farm... the poster with the people skydiving with the words "TEAMWORK" typed above it. The crap you see everywhere but no one really notices. Good work should also have a concept. I enjoy work that has a miniature story to tell. I get so annoyed when I see posters that are just a quote typeset in Helvetica over some image.
The Phoenix creative scene could use more ... passion. I'm not saying the creative scene doesn't, because I've seen it in full force several times and it's magnificent. I just wish the scene was a lot bigger.
The Creatives, so far ... (And while you're here, check out 100 Tastemakers on Chow Bella.)
100:Lara Plecas 99. Isaac Caruso 98. Brandon Gore 97. Kelsey Dake 96. Hector Ruiz 95. Caroline Battle 94: Jennifer Campbell 93. Jeff Chabot 92. Tiffiney Yazzie 91. Daniel Germani 90. Irma Sanchez 89. Daniel m. Davis 88. Kirstin Van Cleef 87. Emmett Potter 86. Sarah Hurwitz 85. Christine Cassano 84. Fred Tieken 83. Lindsay Kinkade 82. Ruben Galicia 81. Robert Uribe 80. Heidi Abrahamson 79. Josephine Davis 78. Travis Ladue 77. Taz Loomans 76. Mikey Jackson 75. Alex Empty 74. Joe Ray 73. Carol Roque 72. Daniel Funkhouser 71. Carla Chavarria 70. Hugo Medina 69. Cavin Costello 68. Claire Carter 67. Lindsay Tingstrom 66. Catherine Ruane 65. Christopher Crosby 64. Aaron Johnson 63. Brenda Eden 62. Colton Brock 61. Ernesto Moncada 60. Benjamin Phillips 59. Brad Armstrong 58. Angela Hardison 57. Tyler Quinn 56. Andrew James Benson 55. Charles Anthony Darr 54: Tiffe Fermaint 53. Eric Cox 52. Victor Vasquez 51. John Randall Nelson 50. Lauren Lee 49. Kyle Jordre 48. Julie C. Kent 47. Sean Deckert 46. Niba DelCastillo 45. Joseph Benesh 44. Ashley Harder 43. Dan Vermillion 42. Daniel Shepherd 41. James B. Hunt 40. Lori Fenn 39. Seth Gideon Fainkujen 38. Wayne Rainey 37. Christian Filardo 36. Melissa Cody 35. Jason Rudolph Peña 34. Cindy Iverson 33. Ryan Gentry 32. Sebastien Millon 31. Andrea Beesley 30. Chris Pruitt 29. Robert Diehl 28. Rachel Malloy 27. Jonathan Simon 26. Ann Morton 25. Kim Moody 24. Kevin Flanagan 23. Such and Champ Styles 22. Julia Fournier 21. Rebecca Green 20. Jules Demetrius 19. Averian Chee 18. Sara Cochran 17. Daniel Mills 16. Nina Miller 15. Robert Brandan Martinez 14. Rachel Bowditch 13. Ashley Macias 12. Eddie Sparr 11. Bob Roman 10. Melinda Bergman 9. Emily Stergar 8. Tomas Stanton 7. Becky Nahom
