Meet Jonathan Joiner | Creative Director & Crafter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonathan Joiner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonathan, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work-life balance has evolved for me over the past ten years. Early on, when I started working as a creative, it was hard to balance a life that was separate from work. I would constantly be working on projects, whether for a client or myself. I didn’t create any routine or boundaries. Over time I realized that having no structure eventually burned me out, and I got to a point when I stopped doing work for myself and was only able to complete client projects. I had wholly depleted myself and had no way to reset myself. Once my wife and I started a family and had our son, I re-evaluated how I spent my free time. I could no longer stay up for hours on end working on projects. I had to be more intentional about choosing projects that would grow me as a creative instead of saying yes to everything and burning myself out. I learned that I need some dedicated chunk of time outside of work that allows me to make something for fun, even if it’s doodling on an iPad or going on a walk and shooting photos. Other days, it’s using that time to exercise and process my thoughts so I can reset myself. Separating that time and creating structure has helped me be more present with my family and create a healthy work-life balance.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is very detail-oriented. I love spending time on all the parts that no one will see, but only some appreciate. I have gravitated towards stop-motion and crafting over the years because it’s an art that requires the constant use of my hands. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a piece of work that started from nothing become a reality. I am currently Head of Production at Fathom, a digital creative studio in Sacramento, and I work with a team of crafters and filmmakers who get to make content for all types of clients. What got me here today is the relationships I’ve developed with all the people I have worked with. So many of them have influenced me and inspired me to choose the path I am currently on now. It’s been years of refining my work and a constant desire to grow and learn from my mistakes. The biggest lesson I’ve taken away is never to stop learning from the people around you. I want the world to know that people won’t always remember the work you create, but instead, they will remember the conversions and relationships you had while working with them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Because I love cycling, pizza, tiki drinks, and coffee, we would enjoy the following places around Sacramento:

Coffee at Mast Coffee.

Eat breakfast at Katrina’s Cafe.

Pizza at Pieces.

Ride MTBs in the foothills.

Have Tiki drinks at Jungle Bird.

See a film at the Tower Theater.

Antiquing at Midway.

Day trip to Lake Tahoe.

Explore Nevada City.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Many people in my life have influenced me and taught me so much. But I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my parents. They have supported me in every way possible. They introduced me to filmmaking by giving me the family camcorder to shoot all my videos as a kid. That’s where my love for making videos started. They were always on board with whatever I was into throughout my childhood and teens. Whether it was letting me use their truck to collect scrap wood to build ramps or painting my entire room from floor to ceiling however I wanted, they gave me the freedom to create and gave me access to the tools to be creative. Once I started High School, they helped me purchase my first computer so I could edit my videos at home. From then on my parents kept supporting me and didn’t hold me back. So my shoutout goes out to them for creating an environment that influenced my creativity.

Website: https://www.jonathanjoiner.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonjon/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanjoiner/

Other: https://giphy.com/mrjonjon

Image Credits
Black and white photos are taken by Raoul Ortega