OpenSpace

Now using your OpenSpace member account, you can add OpenSpace amenities, such as a locker or a parking space in the garage, all with the click of a mouse. Log into your account and click the Amenities tab at the top right. Just another way we here at OpenSpace are working to serve you, our wonderful members, to make your workspace even more stress-free!

Do you love Lucy? Maybe you’re feeling the Love. Or do you prefer Northern Lights? Come out Tuesday (tomorrow!) night for our beer tasting with Charlottesville’s own Starr Hill Brewery. We will be sampling and learning about some of Starr Hill’s best brews with Master Brewer Mark Thompson from 5pm to 7pm.

Its not too late to RSVP (hello@getopenspace.com), and feel free to bring guests!

Come sample some of Starr Hill Brewery’s best with Master Brewer Mark Thompson next Tuesday, March 22nd from 5pm to 7pm right here at OpenSpace! It will be a great opportunity to mingle with other OpenSpace members and meet others in our community.

Don’t forget to RSVP at hello@getopenspace.com!

Get some insight into our newest OpenSpace team members – Erin Miller & Joseph Holm.

Erin says…

• in an ideal world, I would have a dog. But as it is, I just have a house plant named Bob the Bromeliad.
• my pet peeve is waiting at stop lights. (we say, um, who’s impatient?)
• I’m most likely to be excessively indecisive on the cereal aisle.
• I’m least likely to ever cheer for UNC or Virginia Tech. (we’re sure that one will get some response)

Joseph says…

• I recently went to Greece and proposed to Tahni on the island of Santorini. (we’re guessing she said yes)
• I LOVE Texas BBQ.
• my pet peeve is “LOL.” (we got a chuckle out of that)
• completely random trivia – I had never been outside of Texas for more than 2 weeks at a time before moving to Charlottesville.

Come say ‘Hi’ at the Hello Desk!

“A friendly meetup of hard-working people with just too much to do for the standard 9 to 5 lifestyle… Expect pizza, drinks and great tunes.”

The late night coworking group is back for this month’s meeting Tuesday, March 15th, 9pm to 2am at OpenSpace!

NOW, NO CHARGE for the entire evening & all the awesome people and atmosphere. Only 14 spots left – RSVP at www.CvilleNightowls.com

Stay in the St. Patrick’s Day mood! Join us Tuesday, March 22nd from 5pm to 7pm for a Beer Tasting featuring Starr Hill Brewery. We’ll be fraternizing with founder & Master Brewer Mark Thompson (seriously!) as he pours samples of some of Starr Hill’s best and expertly answers some of your most thought-provoking questions on the topic.

These people are tons of fun – just take a peek at their website – www.starrhill.com. Mark says “It’s no secret that our mission is The Gift of Great Beer….I’m a steward of the product that enhances this thing we call life.” Right on.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to hello@getopenspace.com.

Jonah Tobias,
Man-in-Charge
Studio 1Q

The Who

Ever wonder who develops cool motion graphics like those seen before TEDTalks, in documentaries, and prime-time TV shows? Ever been in awe of the brainpower it takes to create such vivid, enthralling animations?  Well, the brains behind such operations aren’t as distant as you probably think.  You might even be sitting beside one the next time you visit OpenSpace: our very own Jonah Tobias.

Jonah is an artist by training and a computer geek at heart.  He is the face behind Studio 1Q, a motion graphics and design company that has called OpenSpace home since August 2010.  1Q builds graphics to facilitate education through the visualization of information.  Simply put, Jonah is famous for transforming complex concepts into animated graphics that us simple-folk can understand.

Jonah’s coolness factor rises when you consider the large-scale projects he’s worked on, such as TEDTalks, PBS’s Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Adventures, and the documentary Super-size Me!

If you’ve ever been enthralled by a dynamic digital journey, then check out Jonah’s work in Ocean Adventures.  His globe animations were featured in 4 seasons of this hit prime-time PBS show… and were screened at the White House in 2006.  Bush was so impressed, in fact, that he promptly signed legislation to set aside the entire chain of North West Hawaiian islands as a protected maritime park.  No doubt it was Jonah’s globe animations that pushed him over the edge. Great work, Jonah!

At the moment, Jonah is working on a project with OpenSpace colleagues Chip Ransler and Ian Ayers. They are creating a website and viral video for a UVA professor who has revolutionary theories on entrepreneurship. This is right up our alley!

Jonah’s successes thus far prove that Studio 1Q is standing true to its ultimate mission.  As stated on the ‘About Us’ page of their website, Jonah and his team, “like most people…hope to change the world.”  Sound familiar?

The Why OpenSpace

After spending 10 years in New York perfecting his aptitude for motion graphics (or animated graphic design), Jonah and his family opted for a better quality of life in Charlottesville. He wanted to be able to just “hang out” with his kids.  As it turns out, his work also benefited from the change.  Studio 1Q continued to flourish away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.

Jonah’s search for a professional sphere in Charlottesville didn’t get off to a great start.  As he puts it, “I was looking for office space in town, and I found really depressing closets with no windows. Then, I took the tour at OpenSpace and thought Holy ^%$#, this is a no-brainer.”  We were just as excited when he found us.

Among other things, Jonah says a key perk of working here is how, “OpenSpace injected new energy into my work. I feel more professional, which helps me be more productive.”  We can’t argue with that…

nor with Jonah’s two other flattering statements:

“Killer internet is key for what I do, so that was a selling point for me. Also, the economy of sharing internet and snacks makes sense….

Plus, when I’m on skype, the people I’m talking with are so impressed with my amazing office! I look really successful.”

What You Might Not Know

Jonah loves BBQ. In fact, he’s been intending to get to the BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville. Road trip anyone?