The moon does not try to reflect itself.
The water does not try to hold it.

一 · The Summit

JP Bothma

Creative technologist. Thoughtful software for work that matters — interactive worlds, legible data, sustainable systems.

descend

二 · The Path

Where creativity meets impact.

I am a South African creative technologist living in Leiden — working where interactive experiences, data visualisation, and sustainability-minded engineering meet.

I am less interested in building the newest thing than the right thing. Creativity is a tool; craft is a discipline; impact is the point.

Lately that means AI agents and orchestrated workflows that quietly take care of the repetitive — so people keep the parts that need a human: the judgement, the care, the creative leap.

It’s not about the best technology. It’s about the most thoughtful use of it.

三 · The Lanterns

Small gifts, hung along the path.

Things I build and hand to small communities — free to use, take, and wander off with. A lit lantern is alive in the world.

nezen.io

One zen story each morning, by email or WhatsApp. A quiet corner of the internet for slowing down.

visit →

Motorcycle Tour Framework

A free, self-guided touring kit — the first roadbook: Leiden to the Alps, every pass, bed, and euro accounted for.

in the making

What The Duck

A physics-driven 3D browser game. Ducks, levels, and a healthy amount of mayhem.

visit →

Cyberspace Central

A scroll-driven, neon-soaked 3D web experience — interdimensional stories told through WebGL.

visit →

四 · The Pond

What I’m up to.

  1. Aug 2026

    Repainting this site as an ink scroll — the one you are standing in right now.

  2. Aug 2026

    Building a free motorcycle-touring framework: book, download the route, go.

  3. Jul 2026

    Shipping AI agents at Interfood that quietly automate the repetitive parts of sustainability work.

Older notes drift into the mist.

五 · The Tea House

Come in, let’s talk work.

By day I lead sustainability technology at Interfood. Around that, I take a small number of engagements — project work, retainers, and long partnerships.

  • Interactive Experiences & 3D

    from €130/hr

    Real-time 3D, WebGL, and immersive interfaces — felt before they are understood.

  • Data Visualisation & Dashboards

    from €120/hr

    Complex data made legible, useful, and quietly beautiful.

  • AI Agents & Workflow Automation

    from €140/hr

    Orchestrated agents that take the repetitive, leaving people the meaningful.

  • Sustainability Engineering

    from €120/hr

    Digital product passports, lifecycle data, measured impact. Built to last.

  • Fractional CTO

    from €130/hr

    Part-time technical leadership with honest counsel and a steady hand.

Also poured on request: OT/ICS security assessments for energy and industrial clients.

六 · The Gate

Pass through. Say hello.

A project, a partnership, or a thoughtful question — my inbox is genuinely open. No newsletters, no CRM. Just a quiet, real conversation.

A wanderer asked: “Where does the path go after the gate?”
The master said: “It goes where you do.”
· begin again ·