Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Gott.
Hi Jon, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Except for a brief time when I thought I wanted to become a detective or some kind of criminal investigator, it’s always been art for me. As a kid, I loved working with materials and building and crafting things. During my teenage years, I got really into movies and rock ‘n’ roll, and that led me down the path to art. I was obsessed with Iggy Pop, so I began to follow all of the influences and situations that brought rise to his moment in time. Before long, I was learning about Andy Warhol, Fluxus, Dada, Yoko Ono. A world of revolutionary philosophy, ideas, and all things made by artists.
About twenty years ago, I went to art school and started practicing and showing in Cleveland. Everything since then and leading up to the present time is kind of a blur of travel, teaching, and art- living and working in Chicago, NYC, Miami, New Orleans, and a handful of other places. The past few years, I’ve been building SHED Projects with my partner Gabrielle. We started producing public arts and culture programming from our home in New Orleans in fall 2021. Our programs have since expanded to include a film festival, artist projects, residency, exhibitions, publications, and educational programs.
This summer we broke ground on a major project in Cleveland, revitalizing a designated historic landmark property that will be our home base of operations. A site that brings together elements of time, space, historic preservation, performance, design, utility, family life, sculpture, learning, and social engagement. It’s a big experiment in art and life, and it feels like we are building a giant magnet. This place drew us in, and now in stewardship of this power, we are working to cultivate its special nature. It’s a new kind of place for art in Cleveland, and we are excited to open our doors to the public with programs coming this fall.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being an artist is both free and lonesome. The easy part about it is that you don’t have to make a decision to become an artist- it’s something that’s already there, and you just have to figure out how to create the conditions to nurture it. It’s a lifelong discipline investigating yourself, your culture and generating a particular set of ideas, philosophies, images, and ways of working. You then have to take them out into the world to share with a bunch of strangers and hope they resonate with someone. Doing exhibits and projects with artists is much simpler; all you have to do is pick good people who you trust to work with then say yes to whatever they want to do.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an artist, teacher, and co-founding director of SHED Projects in Cleveland. Someday it would be interesting to find out what I’m known for, but I would guess it’s the building, sculpture, and installation work that I’ve done. I produce painting, sculpture, video, photography, ceramics, performance, drawing, collage, and writing. There are a lot of buildings and structures out there that I built or built-in part of, and some of them are pretty special to me. Certainly, there’s some residential plumbing out there that I’m responsible for that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Also, probably for the work I’ve done with SHED, which has been both dense and geographically widespread, taking on several different forms in a small window of time. Thanks to all our incredible artists and patrons, we have been able to explore so many fresh approaches to thinking, making, and living together. The really compelling thing about the present moment is that we are still forming, and we don’t know exactly what it is that we have. Getting all of these creative producers together is generating a firestorm of energy that just drives this thing forward regardless of destination. It’s a fascinating and provocative thing to bear witness to and be a part of.
What matters most to you? Why?
When Lula, our Great Dane, reads this, she is going to be incensed and heartbroken that I didn’t say that she matters the most. But besides her, what matters most to me is connecting with my true self and following the path that this connection reveals. Everyone has treasures that make their lives special. Some of them are innate, while others have to be found and acquired out in the world. Finding them is a magical journey of life and self-discovery.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jongott.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jongott_
- Facebook: www.instagram.com/shedprojects_
Image Credits
Nicole Carroll
Judy & Jane
Jon Gott
Gabrielle Banzhaf
Melissa Pokorny
