Jason Johnson makes his case in paint and in photographs, and his advice comes just as direct. A Detroit visual artist working across painting and photography, he opens The Blueprint with hard won lessons on going all in, building trust in yourself, and refusing to stay quiet about the work.
What do you wish someone had told you when you started?
"Go all in. Go all in and reinvest. That's what I would have loved to lean into. Take stock of what works and discard what doesn't. Don't just do something that works and immediately move on to the next thing. Getting better at one thing, really refining it, would have done me well. And speak up. I think speaking about what you do, what you want, and where you're trying to go will attract opportunities and the right people. I'll add this: surround yourself with people you're impressed by, people who are really good at the things you're not, so you can learn and understand how to execute. Take something from everybody, study them, and build yourself into the person you need to be. Then your blessings start coming a lot easier."
"Take something from everybody. Study them, and build yourself into the person you need to be."
What's the part of building that nobody warned you about?
"Nobody tells you how addictive it can be. It is so much fun, especially once you get a few wins under your belt and some momentum going. Once you focus on one thing you want to improve and see how fast it happens, it gears you up for the next challenge. You start building trust in yourself, and I think confidence comes from that. You don't always have to know how to do something, but you have to know that you can figure it out. Once you know that, your energy is palpable. People trust you because you trust yourself. So the part nobody warns you about is just how satisfying it is."
What is this generation getting right, and where do you worry for them?
"Honestly, it might be the same thing. What you get right is the use of technology. You use your resources incredibly well, you understand how community works, and you're not leaning on the traditional nine to five. A good amount of people are shooting to become entrepreneurs, and that's where you're getting it right. Where I worry is I'm not sure how many people are hands on. Everything is convenient right now, and a lot of outsourcing is happening, but there's real benefit in working with your hands and figuring out every aspect of what you're doing. That way, when you move on, you're built for it and your dream isn't riding on somebody else's energy."
"Closed mouths don't get fed. So go hard, tell people what you're doing, and be proud of it."
What would you tell someone building in Detroit with no network and no cosign?
"I'll tell you what I tell anybody. Figure out what you want to do and start building. Build loud. Talk to people. Find community spaces you can go to. If there are meetings, clubs, or networking events, just go to them. But for the most part, just grind. Perfect your craft, and keep your mind on collaborating, because collaboration is a great way to weave yourself into the fabric of the Detroit scene, whatever scene that is for you. Work hard, work loud, network, get outside, and tell people what you do. A lot of people made it that way. You just can't be lazy. Closed mouths don't get fed."
If you could pass down one principle that's kept you standing, what is it?
"Don't quit. That's the easy one. Don't quit, and stand on what you do. You really have to put all your passion and energy into it. Don't take no for an answer. Adjust what you can and stay flexible, but never break and never give up. You know where you're going. The destination stays the same, even if the route changes. Be adaptable, but stay focused on what you need to do. Don't stop, and always improve, because you can always improve and you can always learn. At the end of the day, you're always a student."
