Today we’d like to introduce you to James Mabery.
James, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ll start from the top and quickly run through my work journey.
My career officially started way back at 19 years old. I worked for a local college in Tennessee as a designer doing all the print-related work. It was a bit weird because a lot of my friends were attending the college, and there I was working for the university at an administrative level. It was great. I learned a lot from my colleagues there and miss them today, still.
Fast forward 4 years later, I left TN Tech University to attend SCAD Atlanta for Motion Design and Animation. SCAD was great, but not completely for me. After a year of attending while working with agencies in town, I dropped out of SCAD and never looked back.
Post-SCAD, I freelanced briefly with a cool, small studio in Pittsburgh, PA doing work for American Eagle and Coca-Cola Freestyle. Since 2010, I’ve worked in Atlanta for two of the largest digital agencies in town – Razorfish and HUGE.
Last year, I moved back to my freelance career full-time and it’s been amazing. I’ve been lucky to have worked with some great studios and clients from coast to coast. In that short period, I also co-founded Screen with my friend Linda McNeil. Screen is an annual video projection show where designers, animators, directors and like-minded people submit work which is premiered at a one-night event for everyone to see. Screen was created out of a simple idea to bring people in our industry together to network and learn from one another.
My focus now is creating design-driven animation for clients in and outside of Atlanta, and pushing Screen forward to be bigger and better.
Has it been a smooth road?
Yes and no.
The biggest struggle was moving to Atlanta because I came from a very small town in Tennessee. I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back, there were times my ignorance was exploited. Mostly, though, being naive was a blessing and it allowed me to create freely without outside noise and clutter.
The other struggle was being an introvert in a city of extroverts. I’m still an introvert by nature, but I have learned to let go and relax a bit.
Who, or what, deserves a lot of credit for where you are today?
There are a number of people that has shaped my career into what it is today. If it wasn’t for those people, I would have never made it to this point without family, friends, and mentors.
Obviously and most importantly it all started with my parents. Growing up in the rural tiny town of Gordonsville Tennessee, Art & Design was not in the forefront of people’s mind as it is with most rural towns. Gordonsville was and still is a farming and sports town – and nothing is wrong with that.
At 5 year old, my parents recognized I had an advanced artistic ability and curiosity in which they encouraged me to create and experiment. With little income and resources, my parents still provided art supplies that allowed myself to learn on my own and get better.
They truly deserve all of the credit in the world on what lead me to the creative career I’m in now.
Do you have a favorite type of client or project?
I’ve been very fortunate to have worked on some of the smallest & biggest best brands in the world but there’s something missing.
I’d love to work with organizations like nature and wildlife preservation, natural history, botanical gardens, etc.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Not a damn thing. : )
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jamesmabery.com
- Email: james.mabery@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamasonbmbry/
- Other: https://dribbble.com/jamasonbmbry
