Jonathan Conda
Raised in the working-class suburb of Chicago Heights (Beacon Hill), Jonathan Conda is a digital collage artist with an analog soul. His artwork sparks conversation about our relationship to humankind. He finds balance in celebrating the beauty, resilience, and humanity of his subjects while quietly suffocating the stereotypes that ironically often inspire his source material.
Jonathan’s artwork focuses on oft-overlooked cultures and peoples, interwoven with a deep appreciation for the natural world that surrounds and sustains us all. Politically neutral by spiritual choice, Jonathan’s worldview removes the barriers that often stifle open dialogue and human-centered collaboration.
Jonathan currently creates artwork for a variety of clients from his home studio in Atlanta, GA.
www.thequietfight.com
What initially drew you to art?
My mother had the ability to find beauty everywhere and in everything—I inherited that gift. It makes me a weirdo in many situations, LOL, but I own it. I'm the guy who stops for 15 minutes in the city to photograph a wildflower growing through the concrete.
What elements of your life have ended up becoming a part of your art?
I belong to a global spiritual brotherhood, which has fostered a deep respect for mankind and an understanding of how our cultures are interwoven, similar, and beautiful. Unfortunately, many cultures are overlooked, appropriated, or erased. For example, I still find Ghanaian and Malian artwork that isn't identified as such, but labeled "Ethnic" or "Tribal." My goal is to surface the beauty in our differences and show how those differences beautify the world when they intersect. My artwork is often a merger of global influences, grounded in the natural world that unites us all.
What about your practice do you find the most fulfilling and/or energizing?
Finishing. I'm a serial procrastinator, so I try my best to execute and complete work (but I'm definitely not one of those productivity gurus). My energy has been ebbing and flowing this past year, so when I’m in a creative flow and almost creating effortlessly, it’s a transcendent feeling.
Tell us about your experience getting to where you are now. What has been the most important thing you’ve learned?
I’ve always drawn, painted, collaged, written poetry, made music, and composed as long as I can remember. My modern artistic journey has taught me the value of consistency and communication.
How has ‘community’ impacted your artistic practice?
I’ve learned so much from fellow artists and art directors, especially on the business side of things. On the practice side, it never ceases to amaze me how scared and insecure we all can be. More often than not, I reach out to a fellow artist who blows my mind with their creativity, technique, or whatever else, and I realize we share the same fears and insecurities. Art is a vulnerable world to inhabit, and fellow-feeling is vital for survival.
