Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Mikel.
Josh, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I started doing theatre in high school and went to Florida State University to study theatre & creative writing. There I started playing music in bands around town, eventually landing with my current band Look Mexico. We toured all over the US, and to make ends meet, I worked doing graphic design/ illustration and music video work. In the meantime, I started acting in student films, acquainting myself with the craft of filmmaking. I also was writing theatre and was lucky to get a few young audiences plays I wrote published. Eventually I left the band & moved back to Atlanta in 2010 where I signed with J Pervis Talent Agency and have been working as an actor in the southeast since. I reconnected with my band in 2016 & we’ve started playing shows in the southeast again & writing new music, and I’m still writing & occasionally doing illustration work.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
At this point in my life, I’m primarily working as an actor. It’s always something that has been exciting to me, and when I’m working, it never loses its charm. Every project, role, I take is an opportunity to get closer to the truth of a character, and that never gets stale for me.
As a playwright, which I still consider myself, but am not as able to focus as much time as I’d like towards, I enjoy writing plays that are fun for kids and parents both that gets folks excited about using their imaginations. My work for adults is a little harder to describe. I tend to be excited lately about the “bigger questions”- and most of my plays nowadays start with a big question I’m hoping to reflect on.
As a drummer, I always aim to be unique in style while still hopefully being tasteful. I don’t consider myself a “pocket” drummer and tend to run in danger of doing too much, but the alternative is just not very interesting to me.
As a visual artist, my primary focus was just to create something that was bad ass looking to me. I think at this point in my life I’m going through a bit of hibernation in my work and hoping to find the next thing that will excite me into creating some engaging new stuff that has a bit more purpose/ meaning.
As a director, I like to show the seams if that makes sense. I want my stuff to be accessible and relatable and give folks the impression that creativity trumps a budget any day. That’s the kind of stuff that gets my mojo going where folks say “damn, that was a bad idea, and I bet it didn’t cost them that much to do. I can do this!”
On a very basic level, creating for me is the most exciting way to make a living. I set out to never have to work a 9-5, and I never have. Now that I’ve achieved some basic financial security, I’m searching for that greater inspiration. I’m interested in so much but have the focus for so little these days.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
Damn. It’s true. It’s no revelation that sometimes social media can only magnify that loneliness- giving artists the impression that they’re connecting with other artists or staying engaged with friends or keeping their finger on the pulse in some way, but it never really quite adds up.
I’ve been wanting to get involved in those Drink & Doodle events around town, and when I’m able to make it, I really love working with the writing group Working Title Playwrights. I don’t think I’ve gone enough out of my way to be a part of the ATL arts scene, and I hope to correct that soon.
But, yeah, it can get pretty lonely. I’d love to know other folks’ thoughts!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I’m embarrassingly over saturated at this point. I’ve got a lot out there but no place that holds it all or the best of any of it, but for what it’s worth: You can find the films/ tv stuff I’ve worked on & all my upcoming stuff at www.imdb.me/joshuamikel
Contact Info:
- Address: Midtown
- Website: www.vimeo.com/joshuamikel
- Email: sharksruledude@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuamikel/
- Facebook: Facebook.com/joshuamikelactor
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/search?q=%40joshua_mikel&src=typd
- Other: Facebook.com/joshuamikelplaywright , band FB http://facebook.com/lookmexico
Lennie James as Morgan Jones, Joshua Mikel as Jared – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 3 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Image Credit:
Ask Josh for confirmation, more photos via email
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
