Jonathan

Travel information

I am currently

Description

hello 👋, I’m Jonathan

I’m a dancer, visual artist, finishing carpenter, balance artist, scrapper, and all around creative with a passion for found/reclaimed materials and honest work. I practice coaxing the beauty from within the discarded and reworking it into a new use, a new life, believing the broken, warped, and scared to be stories better told than erased. I am in love with humanity and the arts, which is why I want to see more of the world than just the places I have lived and explored to death, (ie. my family farm in Michigan and off 6 mile on Detroits east side).

I am currently working as a finishing carpenter focused on custom cabinet installation. I also have experience with painting, drywall, roughing carpentry, landscaping, gardening, forklift, fencing (including electric), livestock (goats, cattle, chickens, horses, sheep etc.), and graphic design for marketing.

Creativity, resourcefulness, and genuine human connection are my natural strengths. I have just finished my 3 year journey with dance company BAIRA MVMNT PHLOSPHY and my 1 year artist residency (Blue House Artist Residency) where I focused on building structures and cairns in harmony with Detroits natural ecology deep within the neglected land of Detroit’s inner city, sourcing my materials from blighted buildings, illegal dumping sites, the streets, trash cans and dumpsters. The wood framed windows and doors from land bank trash piles became my favorite building materials (along with an abundance of pallets). I also developed light design concepts (which I started in my Senior Capstone at Wayne State University) with digital projection and etched/layered 35mm projection designed to create vibrant, nostalgic atmospheres I used for performance and installation art.

In my free time, I am exploring abandoned & liminal spaces for photography, building cairns and other impermanent art from found materials, mountain biking, skateboarding, making stencils for street art, watching films or how to YouTube videos.

I love things that are real. Working in construction for money, I work with a lot of things that are fake and horrible for our health and this world. Raised by my naturopath mother who homeschooled me and my rebellious father who hates corporate America but was forced to play the game, it is my dream to create a community in deep connection to nature in a corner of this beautiful world. I want to to be a steward of the land, but I lack the eco building knowledge I need to make it happen… and that is a large goal with Workaway… along with expanded cultural experience I can use to create more continually relevant art.

Check out my socials to see more of my art and projects if ur curious…

🪨Balance Art Insta page — love.and.cairns

📷Photography Insta Page — so.much.too.little

🙋🏻‍♂️Personal Insta Page — jon_chap_01

Interests

Culture

Self development

Movies & TV

Carpentry

Drawing & painting

Performing arts

Photography

DIY & crafts

Art & design

Hiking

Outdoor activities

Mountain

Winter sports

Camping

Nature

Cycling

Dancing

Adventure sports

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent

More details about my language interests
I know very little of my heritage or have cultural ties, but both my last name and my mother’s maiden name is French. With my name and 12 years in classical ballet, I am very interested in learning the language while in France.

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Eco Projects

Hospitality/Tourism

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Some knowledge of:  

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

Gardening

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

General Maintenance

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Able to teach about:  

Art Projects

DIY and building projects

More details about your skills

I have skills in finishing carpentry. I can work with most any power tool having to do with woodworking, but my most proficient are the impact driver, miter saw, table saw, jig saw, circular saw, and multi tool.

I have skills in farming. My first business was selling registered Miniature Silky Fainting Goats through online sales, but I also raised heritage breeds of cattle, chickens, sheep, horses, cats, and dogs. We also practiced organic gardening, mostly strawberries.

I have skills in the arts. Graduating with a degree in fine arts from University, I have cultivated my creativity on many fronts throughout my life. I have a passion for blending art with construction, imbuing beauty into the functional.

I have skills in graphic design. Through artistic projects, both student companies and personal events/campaigns, I have practice in creating thoughtful digital design with the intention to convey the essence of the event/product while functionally advertising what it is.

Age

24

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  Peanuts

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  Special dietary requirements