Meet Jonathan Penvose

We recently connected with Jonathan Penvose and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonathan, so excited to have you with us today, particularly to get your insight on a topic that comes up constantly in the community – overcoming creativity blocks. Any thoughts you can share with us?

Creative blocks often happen to me at the end of a project when I need to start something new. Switching between tasks leaves leftover thoughts that make it harder to focus and think creatively. Especially when inventing or making experimental connections between workflows.

To deal with this is to seek out great work. Over the years I have kept thousands of references and I often look at work from others I admire. Creators like Adam Savage remind me that the process of making can be energizing and motivating. This helps me get back into the flow and move past the block.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a creative technologist and inventor focused on building tools and applications that support artistic production. I collaborate with amazing companies and artists to design custom software solutions that automate, proceduralize, or invent workflows and applications. Many of these projects involve integrating AI-Agents. Currently, I am working on architectural visualization tools, AI-driven dialogue systems for video games, and UI/UX applications for audio/visual interactive experiences and virtual production. Additionally, I collaborate with event planners, stores, and businesses to create life-sized interactive installations for rent. Each project is custom-designed to fit the specific needs, spaces, and experiences we aim to share.

This journey began during my post graduated studies in SCI-Arc’s EDGE program where I was introduced to coding and various early AI workflows. From this experience I gained the insight to use AI-Agents arranged in procedural networks which reflected the way architectural designers use parametric workflows to automate repetitive manual and design thinking tasks. Except that these modules have replaced the components, classes, geometric primitives, simple operations, and scripts for generative text-to-action based systems of AI-Agents. Best described as generative primitives arranged procedurally. AI-Agents and their arrangements has been the most exciting and have provided the most expansive insight that has made its way into every project I have undertaken since graduating.

One recently completed project, Planet Garden, was a collaboration with the video game studio Lifeforms.io and its co-founders Damjan Jovanovic and Lidija Kljakovic, alongside team partners Eva Besmerti and Ben Elmer. Together, we designed an AI-Agents dialogue system named GAIA, which serves as the central character and core intelligence of the game. GAIA manages Earth’s systems, imagining a future of abundant resources and planetary harmony. It helps humanity transition to a Type II civilization while balancing ecosystems and deploying technologies like solar satellite swarms and asteroid mining. This project allowed us to explore AI as a force for good, creating a narrative of hope and renewal instead of destruction.

Projects like Planet Garden fascinate me because they build on game mechanics and design principles to push the boundaries of interaction. By rethinking and expanding mechanics that are often buried or abstracted, we created new systems of engagement. For example, we upgraded the game’s dialogue system, breaking free from traditional NPC interactions limited by decision trees and predictable logic. Our approach allows users to explore interactions far beyond these limitations, creating a richer and more dynamic experience.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The single most important skill acquired throughout my journey as a creative technologist is code literacy. This does not mean that I became a master coder or someone who is solely focused on software-based solutions. Instead, I have recognized that there are principles associated with the code that directly applies to designers and their software of choice. Nearly every software has some additional form of access that can be tapped into with enough code literacy. By understanding many diverse workflows, it becomes apparent that code underlies all of these processes and can be used to create systems for design. This systems level thinking allows one to see the edges of the programs in which we spend the majority of our time designing. With this insight, it is possible to question certain functionalities that can then be exploited, uncovered, revised, and arranged for better effect.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Absolutely, all the time. In fact my practice and endeavors could not have worked without the additional contribution of partners and collaborators. My purpose is to design the systems that support artistic production. In order to do that it requires artists, designers, musicians, choreographers, architects, DJ/VJs, video game designers, and those involved in production. Typically the people I have the best interactions with are those who have design workflows they would like to instrumentalize in different ways and by using different formats. Additionally, those with no artistic background that have an idea for an experience they want their venue, event, or shop to provide. I have worked with many talented people and the job requires collaboration. Always looking for collaborators or those who have visions that are compatible with my own so that we can create together. I am pretty accessible and the best way to get ahold of me is through Instagram. If I see messages, I respond.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

SEED_OKIE5_Obsessions.png – Credits: Gaurav Dua & OKIE5
GAIA_ImageAgents.png – Credits: Lifeforms.io Damjan Jovanovic and Lidija Kljakovic
Planet Garden Dialogue System_NOTCOVER.png – Credits: Lifeforms.io Damjan Jovanovic and Lidija Kljakovic
IMG_20240914_165921452.png – Credits: Lifeforms.io Damjan Jovanovic and Lidija Kljakovic
IMG_20231221_160415103.jpg – Credits: ScissorFilms BTS
IMG_20230820_153713373_HDR.jpg – Credits: Qian Gu
Group 633179.png – Credits: Lifeforms.io Damjan Jovanovic and Lidija Kljakovic

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,

Leadership Development
Mastering Communication: Stories & Lessons

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.”

Leadership Development
How did you find your purpose?

Core to our mission is helping our audience and community reach their full potential and