Jon Montenegro creating engaging experiences

Design, Art, Development, Artificial Intelligence, Data Visualization, Mobile, Folksonomy, Augmented Reality, Art Direction, Branding, Ethnography and more...

Honored to Be Nominated for the 2025 DesignPhiladelphia Award, Technology Innovator

Jon Montenegro nominated Technology Innovator - AI Design

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news — I’ve been officially nominated for the 2025 DesignPhiladelphia Award in the Technology Innovator category!

This recognition means a lot to me because it celebrates something I’m deeply passionate about: pushing the boundaries of design through AI, advanced digital tools, and innovative fabrication techniques. For me, technology isn’t just a tool — it’s a creative partner. It allows us to explore ideas we never thought possible, turn imagination into reality, and reimagine the way we design and experience the world around us.

Over the years, I’ve experimented with ways to merge design thinking and emerging technologies. From building interactive AI-driven experiences to exploring how generative tools can reshape the creative process, my goal has always been the same: to create work that is impactful, human-centered, and forward-thinking.

What makes this award special is that it’s not decided by a panel of judges — it’s decided by the design community itself. That means peers, collaborators, clients, and friends have the opportunity to vote and help recognize work that resonates with them.

If my work has inspired you, sparked an idea, or simply made you curious about the possibilities of technology in design, I’d be honored to have your vote.

Voting is open until Friday, September 5th.

Click here to vote

I’m grateful to the team at DesignPhiladelphia for this nomination and to everyone who has supported me, challenged me, and collaborated with me along the way. I’m looking forward to celebrating with the community at the Festival Kickoff Party + Awards Celebration on October 3rd in Philadelphia.

Here’s to continuing to explore, experiment, and innovate — and to the incredible community that makes it all possible.

— Jon Montenegro

#DesignPhiladelphia #TechnologyInnovator #AIinDesign #CreativeTechnology #DesignExcellence #Innovation

Emotion Detection AI in Juried Show

Emotion Detection & AI in Interactive Art

Featured at Contextual Juried Show: Exploring Emotion in AI

AI artist Jon Montenegro has been featured in Contextual, a juried exhibition that brings together boundary-pushing artists working at the intersection of technology, design, and human experience.

Jon showcased his groundbreaking piece Interwoven Expressions—an interactive art installation that uses AI and emotion detection to co-create dynamic, typographic visualizations based on audience moods in real-time. I also had the opportunity to share insights on the emerging field of affective computing in creative practice.

I talked about:

  • How computer-vision models interpret micro-expressions and emotional cues from facial gestures and speech.
  • The ethical implications of using AI to analyze human emotion in art and interactive experiences.
  • A live demo inviting audience members to participate with the AI and watch their emotions translated into generative art in real-time.

There was meaningful discussion around how AI can not only observe but collaborate with human emotion, blurring the lines between technology and empathy, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in interactive art.

I believe that technology can do more than compute, it can connect, interpret, and express, into something special and beautiful.



ArtPop Billboard Competition

jon montenegro artpop juried show winner

ArtPop juried show winner

One of my art pieces as been selected as one of the 12 winning works in the 5th annual ArtPop Billboard Competition presented by ArtPop Street Gallery, Adams Outdoor Advertising, Pocono Arts Council, ArtsQuest, and Kutztown University.

The winning artists, selected via a juried competition, will have their work displayed on Adams Outdoor Advertising billboards on major thoroughfares in the region from the week of Jan. 7 through the end of Dec. 2019.

Read More

Augemented Reality Business Card

augmented reality business card by jon montenegro

Augmented reality business card using ar.js, three.js and qr-codes.

The augmented reality business cards were created for Variousways. A user scans a qr-code on the business card with their iphone or android mobile device and then can see the augmented-reality object(s).

Three.js was used to create the 3-D object and lighting enviroment along with Ar.js for the augmented-reality. Sandbox experiments were initially created using the three.js editor

The augmented reality demo can be seen at: here

Exploring Typography – 2nd edition

Exploring Typography 2nd Edition Tova Rabinowitz Deer Jon Montenegro

One of my websites have been included in the typography textbook – Exploring Typography – 2nd edition by Tova Rabinowitz Deer.

Showcasing the latest in best practices across print and digital media, EXPLORING TYPOGRAPHY, 2e provides a well-researched, authoritative introduction to typography that explores the varied uses of type in visual communications.

Exploring Typography – 2nd edition

Interactive Artwork Happy Rain by Jon Montenegro Featured in Peer-Reviewed Journal Article

Jon Montenegro’s interactive digital artwork, Happy Rain (explore here), has been recognized in a peer-reviewed journal article published by QUT Faculty of Law and LexisNexis Butterworths.

Happy Rain is a dynamic piece that searches Twitter for real-time tweets expressing happiness, bringing them to life through vibrant colors and interactive elements. Montenegro’s mission to create art that resonates emotionally has now been acknowledged in an academic setting, marking a significant milestone in his creative journey.

The journal article explores the rapid growth of Web 2.0 technologies like Twitter and Facebook, highlighting their influence on legal practice and court operations. Montenegro’s work being part of this important conversation is a testament to his innovative blend of art, technology, and human emotion.

This recognition underscores Montenegro’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of digital creativity. As he continues to explore new artistic frontiers, future collaborations and innovations are eagerly anticipated.

Special thanks to everyone who has supported Jon Montenegro’s journey. Stay connected for more creative projects, and explore Happy Rain here.

The Web Designer’s Idea Book

The Web Designer's Idea Book, Jon Montenegro

One of my websites have been included in the Web Designer’s Idea Book, vol 4 by Patrick McNeil.

“Expert Patrick McNeil, author of the popular Web Designer’s Idea Book series, is back with all new examples of today’s best website design. Featuring more than 650 examples of the latest trends, this fourth volume of The Web Designer’s Idea Book is overflowing with visual inspiration.” View more at Web Designer’s Idea Book, vol 4 at Amazon

ANIMATE Exhibition @ AIGA Philadelphia

AIGA ANIMATE Art Show - jon montenegro

One of my interactive artwork pieces has been selected to be included in ANIMATE, a animated art show on exhibition now at AIGA Space Gallery in Philadelphia.
Coinciding with Philly Tech Week, SPACE is covered with QR codes for a new kind of gallery experience!

Join us tonight for the Opening Reception at SPACE from 6-9pm.

Opening Reception
First Friday | April 4, 6–9pm
Running through April 30

Google DevArt Project

Google DevArt Project - jon montenegro

I created an interactive social media art piece created with Google DART for the Google DevArt. Art made with code. Project.
The piece uses social media information from twitter to create art. The art piece is dynamically created from positive/happy feelings that have been tweeted from people between specific times. The piece explores social media as a medium, user interactivity, collaboration and displaying mood based information as an art form.

People and their emotional content become the medium for the art.

The result of the art piece is ever changing and may be a change in attitude on the part of the audience that results from the medium of social media itself.

Mobile Web – Designer’s Idea Book

Mobile Web Designers Idea Book Jon Montenegro

One of my works has been featured in Mobile Web Designers Idea Book, Volume 1

The 2014 book “The Mobile Web Designer’s Idea Book will look at trends, styles, themes and patterns in mobile web design. Much like the author’s other Idea Books, the core focus will be on providing inspiration and analyzing trends and patterns. Note that the primary focus will be on the mobile web, but the author will devote a full section to mobile applications. The end result will be a comprehensive inspiration tool focused on all aspects of mobile web design.”

Designing for Google Glass

Designing for Google Glass Jon Montenegro

With Google Glass coming out soon, I’m sure other developers and designers are curious about best practices. Google has suggested following the approved standard card design and templates. Below are some brief specs for Card regions.

Main Content
The main text content of the card is in Roboto Thin and is bounded by padding.

Glass dynamically resizes the font size based on the amount of content.

Full-bleed image
Images work best when full-bleed and do not require the 40px of padding that text requires.

Footer
The footer shows supplementary information about the card, such as the source of the card or a timestamp. Footer text is usually 26 pixels, Roboto Light, white (#ffffff) in color, and centered.

Status bar
The status bar has 3 states. Slider shows the current location in a set of cards. Progress or grace period shows progress or time to cancel an action. Candy cane animates in a loop while processing.

Left image or column
Left image or columns require modifications to padding and text content. See the left image and column templates for the complete grid.

Padding
Timeline cards have 40 pixels of padding on all sides for the text content. This allows most people to see your content clearly.

I have created a simple Photoshop template (for app development) which you can download below.
Download a Google Glass Photoshop Template

AVA Digital Awards

AVA Digital Awards - jon montenegro

Recently won an AVA Digital Award.

AVA Awards is an international competition that recognizes outstanding work by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design and production of media that is part of the evolution of digital communication. Work ranges from audio and video production- to developing websites that present interactive components such as video, animation, blogs, and podcasts- to interactive social media sites- to other forms of user-generated communication.”

The Web Designer’s Idea Book

The Web-Designers Idea Book - jon montenegro

Some of my work has been featured in The Web Designer’s Idea Book, Volume 3

The 2013 book “Helps designers keep up with the latest web design trends *Features more than 600 examples of successful website designs *From Patrick McNeil, creator of the popular web design blog designmeltdown.com Featuring more than 600 examples, this guide offers visual inspiration to web designers to help them see what others have done and how they can adapt those ideas to their own needs. This third volume in the popular Web Designer’s Idea Book series offers the latest in today’s themes, styles and trends in web design.”

AIGA Space Gallery in Philadelphia

twitter art - AIGAphilly - jon montenegro

happyrain – a live interactive twitter art piece has been selected to be displayed at AIGA Space Gallery in Philadelphia starting on First Friday, June 1st thru 30th, First Friday Reception: June 1st, 6-8:30 pm.

Featuring artists: Allan Espiritu, Colette Gaiter, Zofia Hausman, E. Sherman Hayman, Gaby Heit, Boots Levinson, Katie Dillon Low, David Macomber, Kari Marton-Rollins, Jon Montenegro, Paula Searing and Brian O’Neill, Jonathan Weary, Matt Zigler.

Read the New Release

“Message & Medium” at PhilaMOCA

twitter art - philaMOCA - jon montenegro

happyrain – interactive twitter art piece has been displayed at the “Message & Medium” at PhilaMOCA opening.

The show “Message & Medium” had its opening at PhilaMOCA on Thursday, March 1. Its name is taken from the famous assertion by Marshall McLuhan that “the medium is the message.” In this exhibit, assembled by artist and curator Gaby Heit, some 20 artists display work, which is in some way based in textual elements.

In contemporary society we are inundated with images from art to ads and everything in between. More often than not, especially within advertisements, text also plays a crucial role in directing our thought process. Language is often the most literal factor, displaying information, which would otherwise be lost through images or abstractions: dates, times, locations or names for instance. The art in “Message & Medium” plays off the ubiquity of text and language in popular culture.

Jon Montenegro’s “happyrain” is an interactive piece, which stems from the world of social media. A monitor refreshes every few minutes with live feeds from Twitter, turning the messages sideways so it appears that they are raining downward. The data received is specifically content that deals with Tweets expressing excitement or happiness. As the viewer examines the raining words, the happiness is vicariously delivered to the audience in an effort to spread joy or positivity. Curiously enough, the night of the opening coincided with Justin Bieber’s birthday, so many of the messages were barely legible birthday shout outs to the teen pop star.

Read the Gallery Opening Review

“The Day” – Mobile Art Timepiece

mobile art - jon montenegro
The project is an explorative minimal art piece for mobile devices. The art piece is an ever changing composition that also serves as a functional time piece. Depending on the time of the day the minimal composition and color change. Through time the user can learn the time just by quickly glancing at the colors and composition.

The original project was called “Red Day”, created circa 2003, using Adobe Flash/Flashlite for Series 60 devices and pocketPC devices.

Featured in Awwwards Book

awwwards-book-2011 - jon montenegro
I will have couple of websites featured in Awwwards Book 2011

“2011 is coming to an end and with it, we proudly present to you the new Awwwards book. Through its pages you will find the websites that mark nowadays’ trends in web design, the ones that represent today’s web standards (HTML5, CSS, jQuery…), and the finest web design studios and agencies of the year.”

The best 365 websites of 2011 around the world compiled in more than 190 pages of awesome web design goodness. A must-have book for any web-designer, developer or design lover.