About

John Clay

About myself

I am a 2008 graduate from Indiana University with a degree in graphic design, but have recently moved to the Kansas City area. Growing up I used most of my free time focusing on two main interests: music and hockey. However, upon entering college I quickly realized that music was not the right field and fell into a new way of expressing creativity in the Visual Arts field. Growing up I had always created websites for myself and friends, but never really thought about a career in it until I got into classes that taught the importance of design. In college I was exposed to a whole new world, and fell in love with it all, but more than anything I gained a passion for conceptual art, typography, and 3D design.

I got myself through college working for Circuit City as an in home PC technician/home theater installer, and have an extensive knowledge of both PC and MAC computers (hardware and software) as well as the ability to install nearly any piece of home entertainment equipment. The best skills I learned working for Circuit City are the ability to listen to a client, interpreting what the client wants (even if they don’t know how to express exactly what they want), patience, troubleshooting, and the ability to document or explain to a client or co-worker how to do something. Spending the time teaching someone how to operate their new gadgets, and letting them enjoy it rather than getting frustrated has been one of my greatest achievements. Since Circuit City’s disintegration, I have created Gizmos with my Brother-in-Law and continue to offer my expertise of Computers and Home Entertainment.

Along with Gizmos I freelance design work here and there, but I am looking for a full time career in advertising or marketing. I have a lot of creative ideas that I can bring to the table and I am eager to learn from others with more experience than me.

About My Work

I have three mediums that I use in the majority of my work. Those three include pen and ink traditional drawings, typography and computer art, and 3d modeling. I feel more comfortable behind the keyboard and mouse and find that I can express myself better at the computer. However, I find something very therapeutic about the time and concentration I put into traditional drawings. I also like the idea that in traditional drawings, the creations are one-of-a-kind.

My most recent works have been inspired by viewer participation and interactivity, as well as finding the human emotion and displaying it visually. I am excited by conceptual work, especially gallery installations that give you an escape from everything else in the world and provide a chance to view one idea from a new perspective. I strongly believe that the viewer has the ability to interpret and change the artwork as they see fit. Who am I to tell the viewer that this is what my work means and it doesn’t mean anything else, when they clearly pull a different interpretation from my work? My intention as the artist is only to inspire and start the snowball of change rolling. I find more about myself and my work from others’ interpretation.

For the future I want to continue my work in 3D and animations, but find a way to integrate the conceptual interactive work into a digital 3D environment. Technology is only improving and giving artists more tools to inspire others. With ever changing technology, I can find my own inspiration to never be content with who I am and be forever changing myself for the better.

My Inspirations

Street Art (graffiti)	Apple	Kurt Vonnegut	Pixel Must Die
Marcel Duchamp	Typography	Ken Wong	Eduardo Recife
Light Art	PostSecret	®TMark	Karol Kolodzinski
MinimalMagic	Frank Gehry	Trompe-l’œil	This American Life
Oceans	Moodstream	COLOURlovers	Aerial Photography
Music	Fireworks	Long Exposure	Desktop Customization
asofterworld	Minimalism	Surreal & Dark	Silhouette Photography
Salvador Dalí	Chicago	Paranormal	Cityscape Photography
The 80’s	Lego	Orson Scott Card	Coast to Coast AM

I find inspiration in a lot of places including radio, tv, books, life, … but these happen to be the most influential to me at this point in time.

Social Networks

I spend a lot of time in, on, and/or around the internets and can be tracked down through a few social networks if you so choose. Unless you use myspace, because it IS everything that is wrong with the internet rolled into one website…more dancing hamster? anyone?