Slave-Jhon_sm

$lave Skateboards has a new “Reality TV” board series coming out featuring graphics by Jehonathan Poellnitz aka J-Hon. We had a chance to catch up with J-Hon and asked a few questions, here’s what he had to say.

 

Interview:

NYSB: What’s your full name and how did you get the nickname J-Hon?
J-Hon: Jehonathan Poellnitz friends I grew up skating with started calling me J-Hon for short it pretty much just stuck with me from there.

NYSB: Where did you grow up?
J-Hon: Born & raised in Vista, California, same town as Danny Way, Matt Hensley and Mario Rubalcaba. straight legends right there.

NYSB: Definitely some legends right there, have you ever met any of them?
J-Hon: Oh yeah Hensley was actually at my sisters wedding, we would always shoot the shit when doing Brixton shoots. Mario, I know him from when he and I worked at Blackbox, I hit him up every time his band is playing in New York, I’m always on a good one when I talk to Danny Way so I guess i met him haha.

J-Hon_photo-Blair_sm

J-Hon portrait by Blair

NYSB: How long you’ve been living in NYC?
J-Hon: I’ve been living in New York for 11 months.

NYSB: What’s your take on NYC after living here for almost a year?
J-Hon: As far as I can see it, New York can give two shits if i’m here and two shits if I’m gone, its important to keep your head up and stay humble.

NYSB: How long have you been working with $lave?
J-Hon: Pretty much since the beginning… so I’m going to say about 7 years.

NYSB: How did the Reality TV photo board series come about?
J-Hon: Ben Horton the artist and owner of $lave asked me if I wanted to do a signature photo board series.  I came up with the concept of having tv photos mixed with street portraits of people I’ve shot over the  years, portraying a balance between superficial perspective and reality perspective in today’s society.

NYSB: Do you have a favorite deck in the series?
J-Hon: That’s tough they all compose a different meaning to life, I like all of them for that reason.

NYSB: Anyone inspiring your work currently?
J-Hon:  Its always been society’s strength and weaknesses, from the homeless to the rich to those who are barely getting by in life. That’s what inspires me.

NYSB: Has living in NYC affected your work in any way?
J-Hon: New York is a huge ass playground its easy to get lost in it, I have to remind myself to stay focus everyday. While you sleep people are working.

NYSB: Thanks for spending some time with us, any final thoughts or shout outs?
J-Hon: I’m just really thankful to be given this opportunity. I would like to thank Ben Horton and everyone on $lave its a family vibe, Danny Supa,titty boy, NYC for being the city that it is. Oh and all those chicken heads out there bakaaaahhhh!!!

Additional Links:

J-Hon Slap Interview
J-Hon’s Proof Sheet on TWS