Introducing : Jonathan Edwards

We must admit that here at The Irregular we love to find new talent, ideas, creations, designs, places... the whole bit. But since The Swills banned together to create this site, we've always had our minds set on celebrating the political, fun and unforgiving work of Washington D.C based artist Jonathan Edwards (and it's not simply because we adore his ever-brilliant fiance either).

Jonathan Edwards is the creator and CEO of Pocketlint Productions, a creative universe geared towards critiquing the complicated culture of the 21st Century. The company creates T shirts, posters, album covers and well, anything it seems... as long as it has at least SOMETHING to do with, well, analyzing life. The irony behind this feverishly assertive company is the man himself. With such patience in his mannerisms and such kindness in his eyes, it's hard to imagine such brooding thoughts emerging from this otherwise calm, collected gentleman. However, its fortunate for us all that the creative chaos bubbling in his mind actually does end up on the clothes we wear and the wall hangings in our homes. After all, what's the good of thinking if thoughts are never shared? And believe me, we always learn a little something when this man thinks out loud.

The Irregular: We were first introduced to your work about seven years ago and the personal, immediate thought was how political and unforgiving your work is. What inspires you to be so direct?

Jonathan Edwards: My work originally started out as t-shirt designs, so I wanted them to be attention grabbing and say a lot at once. I wanted people to look at them and have a reaction that gives them a double-take. In that second look, I tried to get the viewer to agree with things they might not have if presented differently. This taught me to draw on themes that hit close to home like race, religion, music, education, hair, and weed. These themes just happen to be political.

TI: Through image, you really do hold people (and full communities) responsible for their actions. Have you ever experienced a backlash or anger about it?

JE: Yes, I have. Every now and again people tell me that I’m being harsh and overly political and racially charged. People disagree with the way I hold law enforcement, government, and communities accountable for their actions. It’s just what I see and how I think—plus it’s fun, it’s satire. If it makes you talk about it, it’s done its job. There’s truth in my work and I think that’s the problem. The truth offends some people.

TI: As an artist, what is your responsibility towards your community, if any? And I realize this is redundant question, but i've found that its particular to each artist and i'd love to hear your thoughts.

JE: I would consider my community to be working black people with common sense, so being that I am a member, I never want my work to make my community look silly. I also feel a responsibility to create art that is accessible to them on all levels.

TI: How do you create a scene or narrative? Is there a particular process or do you idea come from just observing the world around you?

JE: The ideas come from my experiences as a token black and then pseudo-revolutionary and then jaded black working professional. I used to think that those experiences were unique, but I see now that they are pretty universal. The ideas usually start out as sketch comedy ideas, jokes or funny scenes that I start to draw out. I do have a process of sketching and tracing before I color.

TI: Dubois once said that the greatest "problem with the 20th century was the color line." What do you think is the problem with the 21st century? In under 2 paragraphs;)

JE: I think that DuBois’ famous words still ring true—the line is just more fine now. I think this is most clear in education. The fact that black people are disproportionately underserved by their public schools, but overly represented in prison is a sign that we are still denied access to the American Dream. School is where American students learn to get what they want out of society. If it doesn’t teach you that, then it’s useless. If your school does teach you that, then its students have endless potential. I think that if our schools looked like their schools, our communities would look like theirs and vice versa.

TI: With so many art programs being stripped from school programs how would you encourage other people (your age or not) to get into art? So many people miss the chance to cultivate that side of themselves these days, how would you go about "outside" art education?

JE: Our schools fail kids on so many levels that it makes sense that art would be one, too. I never took classes outside of school, so if school didn’t have art, then I didn’t either. I always drew at home. I would have to say that everyone should set aside time for artistic expression. It’s just like starting a habit of going to the gym. You can’t count on someone else to make time for your art.

TI: What was your first experience with art?

JE: I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I would make up cartoon characters like the ones I saw on TV. No one in my family knows where I got my talent from, but my parents always allowed for creative expression. There was always blank paper, musical instruments, things to draw with and books in our house. Whenever we needed to be calmed down, our parents would encourage us to draw and I would draw for hours.

TI: Whose your favorite male vocal, visual or performance artist? You can choose one of each or one out of all the above.

JE: Vocal: I like Killer Mike’s “I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind: Part II” and Wale’s “The Mix-Tape About Nothing.”
Visual: Gary Larson’s “The Far Side” has always been an inspiration.
Performance: My favorite male actors are Edward Norton and Dave Chapelle.

TI: What's the mark of a modern gentleman?

JE: The mark of a modern gentleman is vocabulary. You can fake having style and class right up until you open your mouth. Articulate speech separates real gentlemen from the phonies.

TI: So we hear your getting married! Will you be wearing a bow tie or not?

JE: I haven’t worn a bow-tie since I was 5 years old and it was a clip-on. I guess I’m not really a bow-tie type of nigga.

For more information contact:
pocketlintonline@gmail.com
or visit:
www.myspace.com/pocketlintonline

Cheers,
The Swills