Jay D. Krasnow found a love for the arts and film – and particularly independent film– at an early age, during his frequent visits to arts cinemas with his parents. As a teenager in Fairfield, Conn., Jay began his filmmaking work in the visual media center at Fairfield High School, the high school he attended. During that time, he made several short films, including “In the Haze” and “Heaven … Above?”

Jay’s high school projects earned him a seat at the New York University Film School. With a passion for national policymaking in his heart, Jay turned down NYU, and instead attended college and graduate school in the District of Columbia. In Washington, Jay graduated from American University and later Georgetown University and then began a career as a journalist and writer.

Years later a friend who viewed his high school and college films encouraged Jay to make films again suggesting that he could do something good with a movie camera. With that thought in mind, Jay picked up the camera again and corralled an army of volunteers to help him make a documentary on Artomatic, an arts event where he had shown his own art. Joined by an army of volunteers, Jay set out to tell the story of Artomatic. Journey to the Center of Artomatic is the product of this idea.