Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jon Edmondo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Although we think taking risks is far and few between, we actually take small risks every day! Most are non-eventful, but every once in a while, we take a risk that changes our lives.

I never thought of myself being overly talented in anything, especially the creative pursuits. In my past I was constantly trying to find the right style or genre for my painting. I would get bogged down by the perfectionism instilled in me by my father. “If you can’t do it right the first time, don’t do it all”. I lived by that mantra far to long.

As I grew older, I decided it was time to just paint what I enjoyed. Who cares about success. I told myself to just do what I love.

Surprisingly, that was exactly what my career needed! painting content in a style I enjoyed unshackled my creativity from the boundaries of perfectionism. My work was fresh and interesting. People were moved by what I did and started collecting my paintings.

I wish I had taken this risk much earlier in my life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve always been creative, spending time drawing, creating, building. Our house was the epitome of a maker’s space. Tools in the garage and materials to play with. I liked to draw, paint, landscape and build things. I just liked to create.

If I wasn’t creating, I was out in nature, My brothers, neighbors and I spent hours playing in the beautiful Marin County hills. To say we enjoyed being outside was an understatement. It didn’t matter what the weather was like, we found an outdoor activity that we could pursue in the rain, wind and heat. Whatever nature brought us!

I decided to go after a college degree in Graphic Design, with an emphasis in fine arts. If I had to do it over again. I would have just painted and figured out how to survive! After college I spent 30+ years in the printing industry. I continued to also pursue creating art. I’ve won numerous awards and have collectors throughout the US and world.

Art brings me joy.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

My father was an engineer with a creative mind. He was a great businessman and very driven. He had one fault. Somewhere in his life, someone told him that it wasn’t worth doing anything, unless you did it right. That was his mantra when we were working on projects. “If you can’t do it right the first time, don’t do it at all”. Maybe he heard this from his father. I don’t know! He passed away before I ever thought to ask him.

It was a tough lesson to unlearn and one that held back my creativity and growth for many years. When I was at a point in my life when I didn’t have to worry as much about surviving financially, I realized that I needed to take my perfectionism to the dump and leave it for the seagulls to pick through!

What a change in my life and a boost to my creativity. I could now explore without the worry of what people thought. I realized that the best philosophy is to just keep trying until you feel you understand the process and can create successfully.

It’s okay to make mistakes. Not everything you create will be a success.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I never had or looked for a mentor. I never had that person who was a champion of my journey towards success. I wish I knew that success as a creative is to find a mentor or mentors that can help you along the way. Someone that can help you look from the outside in. Someone that can provide you with resources. Someone that can be brutally honest and provide you with teh feedback you really need.

If you don’t have a mentor, look for one.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://latimerartclub.com/jon-edmondo/
• Instagram: @jonedmondo
• Facebook: Jon Edmondo
• Linkedin: Jon Edmondo