Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Jerrell Evans.
Jon, before we jump into specific questions about your art, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Columbus, GA and everyone I know is either trying to leave because all the youth are doing things they don’t want to do or doing things they shouldn’t be doing. The opportunities there are very slim especially for artist and creatives. It’s easy to get stuck there. Ever since I was a child, all I did was draw. I am an only child so I really didn’t have anyone around to play with, so I would draw to keep myself busy. I watched a lot of television growing up so I would always draw the cartoons and movies that were on. I grew up in the era of cartoons of the mid to late 90’s. All of the greats from Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon would soon send me down the career path I am at now. Everyone from Genndy Tartakovsky, Craig McCracken, Tom Ruegger, and Bruce W. Smith would eventually shape me into the artist I am today. I kept drawing as I got older, but didn’t start taking it seriously until high school. It was during my final year of high school, where I said to myself that I had to pick a career that worked best for me. So I looked in the direction of graphic design and I would later enroll in the Art Institute of Atlanta, but I didn’t stay due to my having a strong fear of FAILURE. My mind would constantly stay in the realms of the worse possible outcomes and sometimes it still does today, but I learned that things we are afraid will happen don’t always pan out that way. I decided that after that, I would not let any other opportunity pass me by EVER again.
So I enrolled in school in my hometown at CVCC and my first year there was terrible! During my first semester I took nothing seriously and failed most of my classes. I stopped messing around and got back into school and I worked really hard and networked while I was there. I ended up meeting and interning for someone who would change my career path for the better and just has been a really great friend to me, Mike Jones. Mike is the Head of Design for Aflac and I interned for him at his company, Serve Studios. It was the best time ever working with them! Mike and the team have an event called Creative South that is REALLY AMAZING for artists in the Columbus area. I got my first design gig and around the time I was interning, I was referred by a friend and after that, I’ve just been putting myself out there. After the internship, I ended up working as a student assistant at my school for one of the best people to ever come into the Art Department, Christine Cannon. She is the best! She cares for her students and it shows. Upon graduating she helped me get a job at Columbus State University where I work in Printing. I am blessed for that opportunity even though it isn’t what I thought my first gig would be fresh out of college it has taught me so much and I love everyone there. Around this time I was diagnosed with MS and it allows me to be able to afford the medicines and doctor visits. I am grateful for everything, good and bad. It definitely shapes us into who we later become. I spend a lot of time reaching out to people and networking to get freelance design gigs. I get a lot of work now from the Atlanta area, which is great. Atlanta is a great place for people in creative fields. I recently got to design a movie poster here in Atlanta and it was the coolest thing ever. The movie appeared on Revolt TV and I have a lot more projects that I am working on. So I look to keep raising the bar for myself and keep growing as an artist.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My career has been both rewarding and traumatic. One of those events being the loss of my great grandmother. She was the root of our family. She meant the world to all of us. Losing her hit me hard. Around the time I lost, a year later, one of my best friends from school had passed away. Being that young and losing someone that young really made me feel like whatever you want to do in life go ahead and do it because you never know when your time is up. One of my cousins who was always like a big brother to me, ended up getting ten years in prison, and at that point, I had to be my own big brother. Life for me in later years was going good. I had a successful college art show that took place and I graduated college and got a job right after college due to the awesome head of the Art Department, Christine Cannon. Upon this time, I would be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It definitely hurt and it felt as if I was in a nightmare that would not end. I have my ups and downs with it, but I still keep it pushing because I know God has great things ahead for me. My life has been a cycle of bad things happening and GREAT things coming right after it. If it is something that we truly want we must go through obstacles to get to it. If it comes too easy it may just not be for us.
Please tell us about your art.
Well, as of now I am a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. I get a lot of jobs for branding at the moment but I do so much more when it comes to design. I try to keep a big umbrella of things that I can do that way I can’t be boxed into one particular thing. I do branding, ads, movie posters, logos, and so much more. What I am most proud of is the relationships I build with my clients. I feel that is important because that will keep your name clean and your work flow steady. When it comes to design, what sets me apart is my ability to bend over backward to help a client see their vision. I like to give them one hundred and ten percent satisfactory every time. When it comes to illustrations, I love to touch on topics that are personal whether it is my own life or something that we are all going through.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I am nothing without God first and foremost. He deserves all the credit. One of my biggest mentors who has really helped me a lot is Mike Jones. He really took time out of his busy schedule to sit and talk face to face to me about the business and how I could get better and be a better designer. I never hesitate to call him for anything. He has definitely been a vital part of my success. Another would be Christine Cannon, or we like to call her Miss Cannon. She helps the students a lot and she really helped me and she takes time with each of her students. My family has also been in my corner. They are always telling me how proud they are of me. My mom, dad, aunts, my amazing and beautiful girlfriend, and the world’s greatest grandmother who I call “Bamma” it is a name that stuck when I was a kid, your guess is as good as mine as to where it came from. They’ve been to all my art shows and constantly cheer for me. I love them all.
Contact Info:
- Website: jonjerrellevans.com
- Phone: 7065778701
- Email: jer93rell@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/neverlearnedtoswim/
Image Credit:
Isabel Guzman for my personal photo
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