Jason Horning remembers being artistic since his childhood. His early love for art later persuaded his college and career choices. Since graduating from Anderson University, Horning has opened his own business and taken on various professional positions.
Horning, originally from Ohio, chose to attend Anderson University because some friends from his church had attended. He quickly fell in love with the art department, graduating with a degree in Bible and Religion alongside General Art Studies in 2003.
Horning currently works for MJ Aircraft Interiors in Anderson as a fabricator. He describes his role as “similar to rehabbing a house, and fixing up damages on small planes.” He enjoys the position because he likes doing work with his hands.
Outside of his full-time position, Horning has his own woodworking business called And Wood Works. As a woodworker, he handcrafts things such as bowls and earrings and sells them at Collective Roots in Anderson as well as local farmer's markets. The business is a big time commitment as it can take up to 7 hours to make one item, and he’s been getting back into the business lately after recovering from an injury.
His art background and openness to pick up new skills allowed woodworking to come naturally to him. Horning’s earliest memory of woodworking comes from his grandpa’s woodshop when he was growing up. He later found himself doing work around the house and even made some of the furniture his family continues to use. In the future, Horning hopes to expand his business and potentially make it his full-time career. Despite his talent, he says that, “many businesses like this are successful because they are also influencers, and I don’t think I am interested in that.”
During his time with AU’s art department, Horning said his biggest takeaway was that, “I learned about the creative process, that things that take a long time and require a lot thought to result in the best work.” Outside of his major, some of his favorite AU memories came from working for CAB. He recalls the annual Halloween dance they used to host and other outings or events that took place off-campus.
In his free time, Horning can be found spending time with his family. He shared that he likes to play games and watch movies with his two daughters and participate in weekly pickleball matches with his wife. To view more of his work, you can follow him on Instagram at @andwoodworks.
Elleana Ortiz is a senior from Holt, Michigan, majoring in public relations and dance. Elleana is an associate with Fifth Street Communications®, a student-run public relations agency at Anderson University.