James W. Johnson is MAKE Santa Fe’s executive director and Mindshare Labs’ CEO. He’s also an avid creator. James earned his B.F.A. in Theater and Art at the University of Idaho.
To date, James has designed or built over 150 different theatrical sets. His work has been on stage at Santa Fe Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, College of Charleston, University of New Mexico, University of Florida, Gainesville, Lincoln Center, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Flat Rock Playhouse, NC Stage Company, and many others nationwide.
His career in the theater slowly evolved into becoming a non-profit administrator. Over the past decade, James has helped theaters, non-profits, and higher education institutes make their mark on the web by creating online systems that benefit their missions. He’s led fundraising, marketing, and business development teams and is a self-taught developer specializing in programming languages related to web design and microcontrollers (PHP, C++, Python, Javascript).
James maintains artistic inspiration through photography, metalwork, sculpture, and as a scenic designer. He’s passionate about leading MAKE Santa Fe and loves sharing his knowledge.
Current Roles
Executive Director, MAKE Santa Fe
Owner/CEO, Mindshare Labs, Inc
Freelance Set Designer
Award Winning Fine Art Photographer
Past Roles
Board of Directors, Santa Fe Playhouse
Flat Rock Playhouse, Asst. Scene Designer
NDI New Mexico, Marketing & Communications
Education
University of Idaho, BFA Theater
University of Idaho, BA Art
What’s the difference between art and craft?
Craft is creating beautiful, usable objects. Art comments on the shared human experience, expressing what words cannot.
