In episode 2 of the Birdhouse Podcast, we welcome special guest The Spontoonist himself Jonathan Plotkin who riffs on humor and curiosity as the foundation of his high-speed mixed-media creative process. The visual metaphor toolkit from Jon's firm 'The Drawing Board' is available here: https://www.mural.co/playmakers/the-drawing-board

About the Spontoonist:
Jonathan is a nationally published editorial cartoonist and illustrator whose art can be found on the pages of the Chicago Tribune and other national and regional publications, as well as on his own website, www.spontoonist.com and Instagram account @spontoonist https://www.instagram.com/spontoonist/
Jonathan firmly believes spontaneous doodling has the power to expand the creative potential of the human mind and that every child should be allowed to daydream in class with a fist full of colored pencils and a stack of blank paper. As a world traveler and self -proclaimed expert on all things strange and unusual Jonathan believes that art is a universal language that can be used as a tool for creative problem solving and expression.
Coming of age in the 60’s and early 70’s allowed Jonathan to witness first hand some of the more socially and culturally impactful experiences of the times, including the Vietnam War demonstrations, crossing the Berlin Wall on foot and driving a school bus across the West filled with a dozen cats.
Over the past 2 years Jonathan has been at work on his memoirs entitled “Yellow Jacket Blue” consisting of various hitchhiking and other personally impactful encounters he experienced travelling alone and with friends across the United States, Europe and the Far East.
Jonathan is a member of the National Cartoonist Society where he proudly serves on the governing body as Minister of Ways and Means for the Chicago chapter. He is a standing member of the National Association of Editorial Cartoonists and former Board member of Chicago’s Remains Theatre. He is currently a member
of the Chicago High School for the Arts Foundation Board (ChiArts) and co-founder of The Drawing Board
https://www.cartoonists.com/ where he works with companies to elevate their ability to think visually.
In his spare time Jonathan is a commercial real estate investor. He is the proud father of four extraordinary children including Noah, Oliver, Alexander and Pearl and three grandchildren, Arlo, Jonah and Gabriel who will one day grow up to read about Pop’s and his adventures.
Jonathan lives with his wife and best friend Robin just a mile from where they met on the same street as 3 year olds in the fall of 1957.
Instagram: @spontoonist
Web: www.spontoonist.com