Step into his space and you’ll find paper maps lit from within, custom-built reading windows stacked with idea-fuel, and micro-sets waiting for a scene to unfold. It’s part workshop, part library, part film set - and entirely imagined, designed, and constructed by Jordan himself.
Based in New York by way of Texas, Jordan is a filmmaker, builder, storyteller, and quiet conjurer of the surreal. His work blends animation, practical effects, and real-world materials into narrative fairy tales with a handmade edge. Each little section of his studio serves a purpose - upstairs is a writing and sketching station, below that is the workshop where ideas become real, and on the ground level, lights roll, sets snap together, and stories come alive.
But this isn’t just about aesthetics. Jordan’s real craft is process. He’s an expert at catching fleeting ideas before they vanish - and turning them into something you can see, feel, or even staple together. Sometimes it starts with a walk, a random scroll, or a passing thought: What if someone’s job was to name colors? What would that desk look like? Curiosity leads the way, and Jordan follows.
"A lot of my ideas come from asking why - almost like a little kid does. And then figuring out how to make that why into something you can build."
We met up with Jordan to document his creative mind and environment. This visit became the very first feature in our SHKR Club Artist Highlight series - and it couldn’t have been a better beginning.
"if I had a legacy,” he told us, “it would be that there’s magic in small everyday things. And if you can show someone that magic, you make them a kid again. That’s a joy worth chasing."
Even in the middle of brand work or burnout, Jordan finds ways to stay lit - by building a shelf, doodling for 30 minutes in the morning, or letting friends into his space to recharge together. For more seasoned creators, it’s a reminder: small wins keep the spark alive.
In the video, you’ll find flying phones with moral compasses, handmade lighting rigs, editing cockpits disguised as airplanes, and a quiet philosophy that’s stuck with us: creativity doesn’t require much - just the impulse to build, and the courage to follow through.What sets Jordan apart isn’t just the work, but how he works. His creative style is built from reclaimed tools - growing up building decks in Texas, drawing in notebooks, learning animation in school, and fusing all of it into a visual language that feels completely his own. He lets the idea guide the medium, not the other way around. It’s a workflow rooted in play and structure - and one that reminds us why we started creating in the first place.
His advice? Start small. Use what you have. Rely on the skills already in your hands - they’ve been shaping your creative voice all along.
The way Jordan moves between disciplines, uses limitations as fuel, and keeps curiosity at the center - it’s more than a highlight. It’s a working blueprint for creative balance, one staple at a time.
Jordan, thanks for letting us step into your world.
You can follow Jordan’s creative adventures on his instagram @jordanstuddard
His link is: https://www.instagram.com/jordanstuddard/
