Jesse Thomas

Jesse Thomas sees things differently. As the founder and creative lead of JESS3, an agency specializing in social media data visualization, Jesse illuminates the world’s information with brightly colored and easy to understand graphics. JESS3’s recent project, The Conversation Prism, illustrates a holistic view of the social media universe, categorized and organized by how people use each network. With NASA as one of their major clients, JESS3 has helped astronauts check-in to Foursquare and tweet from space. Get inspired by Jesse’s unusual view of the universe in his 10 ANSWERS below.

1. How would you describe your work in three words?
Data-driven visual storytelling.

2. Who is your creative role model?
Stamen, out of San Francisco has been a huge force in my creative life. Their data visualization work is really ahead of its time.

3. If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it?
Play basketball with Michael Jordan (the young Jordan while he was playing for the Bulls).

4. What place in the world most inspires you and why?
ASIA!

5. If you could do a different job for a day what would it be and why?
I would love to have a food related business. Perhaps a gourmet Bacon food cart? Or a product like an upscale Foodie replacement for Lunchables.

6. What is your favorite homemade gift to give?
Collections of photos made into books on blurb.com

7. What is your favorite object in your home?
My collection of art from my travels around the world.

8. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
At Kuma’s Corner in Chicago, on the menu they have this quote and I have been using it ever since. “Travel more, and stop spending money you don’t have to buy stuff you don’t need, to impress people that don’t care.”

9. What websites do you use for inspiration?
I save all my inspiration on delicious and often find good stuff there. Delicious.com/jessesaves. Ffffound is also great for visual inspiration.

10. When do you consider a piece of your work complete?
When the next thing seems more interesting. You know when a work is complete, it is a feeling you get. A feeling of pride and balance.