This is How We Create

Nicole Crowder is a Furniture Designer + Upholsterer.  As a so-called army brat, Nicole lived around the world, an experience that fostered her appreciation for design and how design is represented around the world. 

Prior to finding upholstery, Nicole worked as photo editor an experience that taught her the skills of art direction and love of creating vignettes for her finished upholstery pieces so the customer can imagine the products in their home. 

During our talk, Nicole talks of how to find and maintain your artistic voice.  More importantly she gives great advice on how to maintain your voice and vision particularly when negotiating brand partnerships. Nicole also hints at her upcoming project in textile design, promising even more exciting creations to come.

Keep up with your host Martine Severin https://martineseverin.com/

Let's create a personal strategic plan! Do you ever think about what your life is like in 5 years? Or even in 3 years? Are you feeling lost in a sea of big dreams and grand plans for your future? Do you find yourself constantly jotting down ideas for new projects, but unsure of how to make them a reality?

What if you learned a system to create a personal strategic plan that helps you identify and create an action plan to achieve your dreams.

In this episode, I’m happy to share a workshop that I created for American Photographic Artist, the Chicago. This lighthearted exercise helps you think about how you can craft a strategic plan for the next five years.

During the 1.5-hour session, we'll explore ways to turn those big aspirations into actionable steps. Now is the time to turn those dreams into reality, together!

In this talk I discuss:

• The importance of creating a roadmap and embracing the journey
• We discuss SMART goals, and how to use them to advance your career
• I also share Tools and techniques for staying on the path you've created

Before we begin, let’s talk about what a goal actually is.  What is a goal? A goal is an end toward which you make strides.

A long-term goal that’s going to take you years to accomplish. In this context, the goal should be aligned with your personal values and long-term vision. It should contribute to your overall well-being and personal growth. A good goal should be specific and measurable, enabling you to track progress and assess success. It should have a clear deadline or timeframe, which adds a sense of urgency and helps you stay focused.

For example, 10x your income in 5 years.

Or apply to and graduate from a grad school program

Or perhaps it’s find a cure for cancer.  

When doing a strategic plan, your goal should be big enough that you can make strides towards it everyday or every week. If you find that your goal can be achieved in a few days or months, ask yourself if your goal is a short-term one or a long-term one.  Is your goal part of a larger theme of tasks/goals?  As you’ll see, in an example, someone talks about finding an agent. Perhaps finding an agent is part of a larger goal? 

Download Gaining Clarity Document:  https://mailchi.mp/018dcb3c354a/fw02eausih

Keep up with your host Martine Severin https://martineseverin.com/

Some people wait to be chosen, hired, or validated. But others don't wait. They make their own path with determination. They use different tools, like guerrilla marketing, to get noticed. Dr. Fahamu Pecou is one of those people. Today on the podcast, you'll hear his inspiring journey from dreams of working as an animator to becoming an award-winning artist.

Dr. Pecou studied painting, when he secured a job as a graphic designer, his artistic career changed course.  In our talk, Dr Pecou shares how his hip-hop influenced his work and how his work came to challenge societal views of Black identity and more specifically, Black masculinity.

Get to Know Dr Fahamu Pecou:

https://www.instagram.com/fahamupecou/

https://www.fahamupecouart.com/

Keep up with your host Martine Severin https://martineseverin.com/

I’m so excited to welcome famed member of the group Kassav Jocelyne Beroard, to the podcast today! We truly never know what the future holds for us. The same can be said for Jocelyne who grew up on the island of Martinique in the 1950s and 60s. Though she played piano as a child, Jocelyne never had a career in music in mind as she grew up. As you’ll hear, Jocelyne attempted a career in medicine and in fine-art before finding singing. Tuck in, to hear how Jocelyne navigated more than 30 years as a musician. Jocelyne talks about how she came to cultivate and love her voice as a musician. Most recently she wrote her memoir in French, Jocelyne Bernard, Loin de L’amer.

Get in touch with Jocelyne

https://www.instagram.com/jenbewa/

I’m happy to host Jasmine Guillory in the guest chair.  Jasmine started her career out as a lawyer, but fell into writing books after participating in a National Novel Writing Month Challenge. Since then she has written over 8 books.  Her most page turning and delightful book, Drunk On Love is widely available.  

During our time together, Jasmine and I talk about how she came to find her voice as a writer and we discuss her writing process.  Lastly, Jasmine talks about how she manages to maintains boundaries whether she’s collaborating with Amazon or with Hello Sunshine.  It was a treat to chat with one of my favorite contemporary authors. Please enjoy this conversation with Jasmine Guillory.  

Get in touch with Jasmine

Have you ever wondered how a movie gets made? Or better yet, where do the ideas from movies come from? And if you’re like me, a person who has her eyes set on making a short film, wouldn’t it be great if there were someone there to help you buff up your idea and make the end product simply spectacular?

Shannan E. Johnson, is a former creative executive at NBCU/The Syfy Channel. She left her full-time give to become a  storytelling expert who develops creatives and their ideas for the screen.

As a script consultant, teacher + therapist. She uses her innate understanding of story telling to make compelling TV and movies as well.

In today’s podcast, Shannan walks us through her wide-ranging career and shares what it’s like to work in Hollywood. Oh, and there are also the great tips, she shared on how to write and tell a story. I walked away from our conversation with a framework on how to approach fear and how to position my vision so that I can achieve my desirable outcomes!

As you listen to the interview the conversation will skip forward, this is because Shannan’s audio cut off at certain points.

Have you ever wondered what an artist’s week looks like? In this episode, photographer and This is How We Create Host walks her through a week in her work life.

How do your weeks go? Please share your favorite moment from this past week by sending us an email hello@martineseverin.com.

Keep up with your host Martine Severin https://martineseverin.com/

Welcome back to This is How We Create. My name is Martine Severin your host. I’m excited to welcome Lisa Hunt is artist and designer.

Lisa has had a wide-ranging career as a creative, from doing work as a graphic designer, to becoming a magazine editor credits her aunts and mom in sparking her interests in art and in creating.

In art school she sharpened her interests and while there took screen printing as an elective. Lisa says that during that time in her life, “I allowed myself to stumble and find what I was interested in.” Later that screen printing class would influence the work she would create as an artist waay down the line.

Boy, did I love hearing about Lisa’s life and about why she made the decisions she made to get to where she is today. I could have talked to her for ages. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I do!

In this episode of the This Is How We Create podcast we talk with interior designer, Gail M Davis.

Gail Davis Designs is renowned for crafting elegant interiors that feel soulful, livable, and personal. For 15 years, celebrated designer Gail M. Davis has applied her formal design training to homes across the country, transforming houses into her clients’ forever homes.

With a background in the fashion industry, Gail is passionate about using color and textiles throughout her projects. Though her spaces are steeped in classical decorating principles, she is passionate about crafting interiors that are comfortable, functional living spaces. Each client is different, and each space must consider the reality of their lives, not just serve as a beautiful room.

Gail studied at New York School of Interior Design and honed her craft interning at two of New York City’s most prestigious firms—Bunny Williams Inc. and David Kleinberg Design Associates. Her projects have been published in House Beautiful, Elle Decor, AD Pro, Domino, and more.

Get in touch with Gail:  https://www.gaildavisdesignsllc.com/portfolio

https://www.instagram.com/gaildavisdesigns/

Listen to Gail's podcast:  https://www.gaildavisdesignsllc.com/podcast

Keep up with your host Martine Severin https://martineseverin.com/

Today on the This is How We Create Podcast, international master photographer and Sony Artisan Scott Robert Lim joins us to talk about how he learned to spot and create a catalog of opportunities as an artist even when the unthinkable happens and income streams dry up.

Scott Robert Lim is a certified educator and has over 70 international awards to his name.

For the last decade, he has dedicated his career to developing world-class photographers and loves teaching photographers of all levels. As you’ll be able to tell, Scott has an energetic and charismatic speaking style and is an industry leader in photography education.

Scott shares how he’s managed to create a life and career on his terms. Furthermore, he shares the thinking processes he uses to create a runway to success!

Hey there. Welcome back to This is How We Create, I’m your host, Martine Severin, In this episode I not only talk with a delightful person but a talented one at that. Hailey Losselyong is a Chicago based multidisciplinary artist. Hailey when growing up didn’t always know that she would become an artist. She sewed as her grandmother did, and would make friendship bracelets to sell to her classmates.

She went to school thinking she would focus on business, but she turned to visual arts instead .

During out time together, Hailey shares her journey to becoming and artist, talks about her dreams for her and the directions she wants to take with her work in the future.

Just a heads up, there’ll be a long pause around midway through the episode. I’ve left that pause in the show on purpose. Stay with it!

Welcome back to This is How We Create! In this episode, our host, Martine Severin will walk us through how she aims to live a purposeful life through the creation of a strategic plan and quarterly reviews.  Martine will walk us through the ins-and-outs of creating a review so that you can reflect on your goals thus far in the year and forge a path forward to success.

My guest Susan J Chen is an award-winning photographer whose work bridges the commercial and fine art world.  She uses a conceptual approach to fashion, portraits, things, and motion.

Her work has been described as cinematic, moody and emotionally charged with color and dark humor.

Susan was chosen by Saatchi Art as one of top 100 women artists in the world.  Her work has been shown in NY, LA, SF, Minneapolis, Tokyo, Miami, and Cataluna, Spain.

Movies:

Hey friends, Martine Severin.  Welcome back to This is How We Create.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to live in your art—that place where you produce work that pushes you,  the place where you create work that thrills you and work that allows you to be the creative you want to be?

Today in the chair, we’re chatting with someone who proposes a different way of moving towards that goal.  Our guest, Dr Charmain Jackman is a therapist and founder of InnoPsych, an organization on a mission to change the face of therapy and to promote wellness & healing for people of color.

Through this episode, Dr Jackman challenges us on how to we can begin to or continue to steward our mental health to improve our overall well-being and the way in which we create.

Enjoy!

We have Chicago-based artist Myron Laban in the guest chair. As a self-described multi-hyphenate artist, Myron dabbles in painting, in creating music and in his full-time job as a pharmacist.

Myron has one of the best bios I’ve come across, which I’ll read to you just now:

Myron is:

A Young man
Goofy is understated
Pyramids and Sahara skinned
Finger pricks, syringes, and vials full of insulin
CTA rider, Art maker
Converse con strangers with a smile
Makes paint flow like canoes down rivers
Cheerios for breakfast, pushups for dinner
Pill Counting, neon green New Balance
Baby blue scrubs. [As a trained pharmacists he says}
Ask me about your drugs

Our conversation focuses on how to create a positive mindset and to use that mindset to do good work, to be a good person and to use art as a way of healing others.

Get to know Myron Laban

How do you keep yourself motivated with each project you’re taking on? What patterns or processes do you have to launch you into creating new work? How do you motivate yourself past by one, five, 10, 15 and even 20 false starts? How do you motivate yourself to get it done after those failed beginnings?

Today, one of my favorite writer, Edwidge Danticat joins on the show to talk about how she became a writer. As an aside as a young Haitian girl, reading Edwidge’s book inspired me to start thinking that I could be a creator.

Edwidge will share her artistic process-I know! I’m excited for you to listen as well!

Edwidge Danticat is the author of several books, including Breath, Eyes, Memory, The Farming of Bones, Claire of the Sea Light, as well as The Art of Death, and Brother, I'm Dying,  a National Books Critics Circle winner.

She is a two time winner of The Story Prize and a 2009 MacArthur Fellow,  and a 2020 winner of the Vilceck Prize.

Her most recent book, Everything Inside: Stories,  is a 2020 winner of the Bocas Fiction Prize, The Story Prize, and the National Books Critics Circle Fiction Prize. She is a Member of The American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Stay in touch with Edwidge Danticat: http://www.edwidgedanticatsociety.org/

Keep up with your host Martine Severin https://martineseverin.com/  

What convictions that you have? How do you want to live your life and how you want to—if you consider yourself a creator, craft your art. It’s a tender thing to have the courage of your conviction and to know when to be buck convention in order to give birth to something truly novel.

For me, I love rules. Mainly to learn the rules of whatever genre I’m studying so that I can break them and attempt something new. In today’s episode, Nastassja talks to us about her journey to becoming a fiber artist. She’ll share with us how her art helps her to understand Black girlhood in the US. Nastassja’s work will surprise and delight you. Mostly her approach to her work, may give you new perspectives in your own life.

Nastassja Swift is sculptural fiber artist redefining her use of portraiture through wool to create

work that speaks to spirituality, history and place in relation to the body.

Nastassja was recently invited to Penland School of Craft’s Winter Residency as a Distinguished Fellow.

She is the recipient of a 2022 -23 VMFA Fellowship, the 2021 Dr. Doris Derby Award, the Art Matters 2021 Artist2Artist Award, the Black Box Press Foundation 2021 Art as Activism Grant, and the 2020 Virginia Commission of the Arts Fellowship.

Her work has been acquired into the Grace Linton Battle Memorial Fund for the Arts Collection, as well as Quirk Hotel in Charlottesville.

Nastassja Swift is currently living and working in Virginia.

Get to know more about Nastassja:

Welcome back to  the This is How We Create podcast. I’m your host, Martine Severin.

A few months ago, I hosted a talk with Portland Maine Photographer, Sean Alonzo Harris where he shared his images from past exhibitions.

Today I’m sharing an episode of American Photographic’s Artists’ Series called Scope with you. While this conversation will be slightly different than our general This is How We Create shows, I hope you’ll learn about How you as an artist can create personal work and find a gallery or a space to exhibit this work.

During this conversation, Sean Alonzo Harris will talk about his journey as a photographer and will shed a light on his artistic practice.

View Sean Alonzo Harris's Scope interview: https://youtu.be/ARYtwpGObww

Check out Sean's Work: https://www.seanalonzoharris.com/

Visit Sean on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seanalonzoharris/

Today, our guest Farissa Knox, who is a Chicago-based author, producer and entrepreneur.

Farissa is Founder and CEO of RLM Media, an integrated marketing and communications advertising

agency, and WhatRUWearing (WRUW) Productions. As will become evident through our conversation, Farissa is a visionary creative executive, passionate storyteller and tastemaker. She shares the insider journey of creating her own agency, how she set up her business and the surprises she learned along the way!

Get to know Farissa Knox:

https://www.instagram.com/farissaknox/

RLM Media: https://rlm-media.net/

How you wondered how some people manage to craft a path towards their dreams and goals even when they haven’t a roadmap to get to where they want to go? They don’t quite know how things will go, but they take one step at at time towards their true North.

This episode details Nathalie Gordon’s story. Much like many of the artists we’ve featured on This is How We Create, Nathalie possesses the conviction of purpose.

My main take away from our conversation is how much Nathalie understands and trust herself. That trust allows her to be courageous in life, to follow  her gut, to create the work that is unique to her and even to move from one country to another.

I’ve admired Nathalie’s work for years and am honored to talk with her about what drives her work and her creativity.

Born and raised in London but now based in LA, Nathalie is known as photographer for her hyper realistic style. Her work is packed with high sheen and edge, yet she is able to maintain a realistic and believable representation of her subjects.

Her use of high flash and big gloss, keep you on the edge they keep you wanting more as her work incorporates human feelings and emotion in a photorealistic way.

Get to know Nathalie Gordon

On the podcast today, we’re chatting with photographer Thalia Gochez. When I first came across Thalia work, I gasped. She creates portraits of the womxn in her neighborhood in a tender yet commanding way.  She arrests your attention to convey her love and respect for her subjects.

A print of Thalia’s work hangs proudly in my home. Each time I pass this image of two young women sitting on a stoop, I settle more securely into myself. I see more beauty in the world.

During our conversation, we talk about how Thalia centers herself in order to create work. We cover what she demands when taking a commission in order to create her special brand of magic.  This episode is a masterclass in how to step into your power.

Book recommendation:  All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks

I’m excited to welcome architect and design tastemaker Obiora Nwazota to the show!

Obiara will talk to us about how his experience in design and architecture and understanding of Igbo culture aided him in writing a successful children’s book.  Through his writing and work, Obiora normalizes stories that celebrates Igbo culture and provides us with a different lens through which to view Black culture.

Obi moved to the US from Nigeria to study architecture.  Upon his graduation he went on to work at the most innovative design firms in Chicago.  From there, he would found his own firm, ONA formation, where he created several acclaimed projects influencing various scenes and cultures throughout Chicago before becoming the owner of the Orange Skin Showroom and Minotti-Chicago MonoBrand Showroom.

In 2020 Obi launched ỌKPARA HOUSE©, whose mission is to harness the power of good design, dialogue, and academic research as powerful agents to stimulate, reactivate, elevate, and reimagine Igbo culture. Through this, he reclaims and asserts Igbo culture's relevance to contemporary lifestyles within and beyond the Igbo community.

In April 2021, Okpara House Publishing released their first book, “Nkemdiche, Why We Do Not Grow Beards," an all-ages illustrated storybook.

During our conversation with Obi, we will discuss how he came to architecture and how growing up Igbo influences everything he does.

We talk about what culture means and what it means to be of African Descent in these modern times and how to think about imbuing rituals in our every day routines.

We close the discussion with the story of how he came to write his book, "Nkemdiche, Why We Do Not Grow Beards.”

Get to know Obiara Nwazota

https://www.okparahouse.com/shop

https://www.instagram.com/okparahouse/

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

I’m so happy to welcome Joy Dolo to the podcast today.

Joy Dolo is an Actor, Writer, Educator, and Podcast Host based in Minneapolis, Minnesota!

She is an avid comedienne and is the co-creator of Blackout Improv, the first all black Improv troupe in Minnesota.

Joy also Hosts for American Public Media Kids podcasts "Forever Ago" - a fun podcast that explores the history of objects. By the way, Forever Ago is back it’s hilarious so give it a listen if you have kiddos. And even give it a listen without kids. You’ll have fun!

During our time together Joy and I discuss her journey to improv and comedy as well as how vulnerability can be a conduit to creativity. She even shares an exercise you can use to ground yourself so that you can guarantee your success in what you achieve.

As you’ll be able to tell, Joy and I had a great time together. I hope you enjoy your conversation as well.
Listen to Forever Ago: https://www.brainson.org/collection/forever-ago-podcast 

Episode: 30

We’ll start Season 3 talking about a dirty word that starts with the letter F!

No, not that F, silly! We’re going to talk about that other F that has us cringing, second guessing ourselves and dealing with the consequences of our actions and inactions. We’re going to talk about Failure!

We've invited two past guests and one guest from Season 3 to talk with you about Failure.  Each person will share a memory of when things didn’t quite worked out as expected and in turn share what they learned from that episode of their life.

First up is Kristyn Ivey (Episode 23) who shares a financial failure with credit cards that would end up changing her relationship with money.

Priya Shah (Episode 26) shares what happens when a partnership fails and why it’s important to outline out shared values when entering into partnerships.

As a sneak peek into Season, 3, you’ll get to meet Farissa Knox from a coming episode. Farissa shares 3 failures she encountered while running her media company. One such fumble includes when to seek out financing necessary to keep her business afloat, another is on the power of persistence, and lastly she tackles perfection!

I hope you’ll enjoy the show. Send us a voice memo to martine@martineseverin.com to share your dances with “failure!” I’d love to feature you on the next Failure round up!

Here’s to welcoming more F bombs in your life.

Hello! Martine Severin here.

The best artists create work that seems simply effortless. As an illustrator and fine artist, Raymond Bonilla’s work captures beautiful fleeting moments.

During our time together Ray tells us how he came to fall in love with illustration and with fine art.   We spend some time talking about how you don’t have to born an artist. You can acquire the skills and later turn those skills into your own style. Lastly, we turn our attention to the art of process and how Raymond’s teachers have influenced and guided him along his journey!

Enjoy!

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI), take a listen to one of my favorite conversations with Chicago-based ceramicist, Danielle Chutinthranond of Monsoon Pottery.

Essentialism and minimalism are always on Danielle's mind when creating. To that end, she believes that the objects in our homes should be useful, durable, and beautiful. In service to these beliefs, all of her work is microwave, dishwasher, and even oven safe. Beautiful doesn’t have to be precious. Useful can still be romantic. Danielle specializes in ceramic dinnerware and housewares. She credits her inspiration to nature, classic Asian motifs, Chinatown, and—over everything else—restaurant and food culture.

She grew up in a Thai/Pacific rim restaurant in upstate New York and learned from a very young age that food is special, personal, and becomes even more meaningful when presented with care and attention to detail. Each piece Danielle makes is focused on enhancing the beauty and ritual of your table.

Well hello there, Welcome back to This is How We Create. In the guest chair, we are welcoming Priya Shah.

Priya Shah is a Chicago creative and entrepreneur, she has built a network of artists and collaborators dedicated to igniting social awareness and change through art and imagination.

During our time together, Priya shares her wide-ranging career about how she has come to create her organization, Simple Good.

This conversation with Priya picks up where our talk with Dr Charmaine Jackman left off—we focus on social-emotional learning, on negative self-talk and on what it means to focus on the simple good in life.

Ok, here’s more about Priya.

Priya Shah began volunteering in developing countries at a young age, which inspired her to fill the gap between business and the social sector. Shah's passion for art and travel has fueled her purpose to help better communities in Chicago and around the world. Through her experience, Shah has developed a unique perspective on humanity and believes it is her responsibility to engage communities in need.

Her purpose took shape when she founded The Simple Good, a non-profit with the mission to connect the meaning of good from around the world, empowering youth to become positive activists through art and discussion.

By uniting communities under a universal truth, Shah hopes to bridge understanding across all walks of life in order to bring down obstacles separating us in working towards improving the lives of our children and in turn, our future.

She is the co-author of the latest children’s book focused on representative literature called, ‘Sheroes of COVID-19’ and also the producer on the upcoming documentary, Project: Building Hope, documenting the journey of spreading art and resilience from Chicago to East Africa.

Get to know Priya Shah

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priyashah16/

Hey friends, Martine Severin.  Welcome back to This is How We Create.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to live in your art—that place where you produce work that pushes you,  the place where you create work that thrills you and work that allows you to be the creative you want to be?

Today in the chair, we’re chatting with someone who proposes a different way of moving towards that goal.  Our guest, Dr Charmain Jackman is a therapist and founder of InnoPsych, an organization on a mission to change the face of therapy and to promote wellness & healing for people of color.

Through this episode, Dr Jackman challenges us on how to we can begin to or continue to steward our mental health to improve our overall well-being and the way in which we create.

Enjoy!

Hi, It’s Martine Severin here. Welcome back.

We have social justice artist, Tonika Lewis Johnson on the show to talk about how you can use your art to spark compassion, good citizenship and to improve the lives of the people in your neighborhood.

The first part of our conversation focuses on Tonika’s early life and the second part focuses on how her twenties and her upbringing brought her to create Folded Map as a way to disrupt systemic racism and historic segregation in Chicago. I can’t wait for you to dig into to this episode and to get to know the Powerhouse that is Tonika!

Tonika Johnson is a photographer/social justice artist and life-long resident of Chicago’s South Side neighborhood of Englewood. She is also co-founder of two community-based organizations, Englewood Arts Collective and Resident Association of Greater Englewood, that mobilize people and resources for positive change. She turned the Folded Map project into a non-profit organization where she serves as Executive Director. She was named one of Field Foundation’s Leaders for a New Chicago and most recently, she was appointed as a member of the Cultural Advisory Council of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events by the Chicago City Council.

Stay Connected with Tonika Lewis Johnson

Welcome back to Season 2 of This is How We Create.

Today, we welcome Kristyn Ivey to the chair.

Kristyn Ivey, is Chicago’s first platinum-certified KonMari Consultant and founder of For the Love of Tidy.

She’s dedicated to teaching busy families, professionals, and creative entrepreneurs how to let go of “stuff” and attract a truly abundant life. Educated in both engineering and interior design, Kristyn applies her project management background and innate creativity to transform homes with order and style — all in harmony with the KonMari Method™.

Dedicated to Marie Kondo’s mission to inspire the world to choose joy, Kristyn helps clients declutter their way to becoming Graduates of Tidy and masters of life.

Stay Connected with Kristyn Ivey

We know that branding is a way to use symbols, colors, shapes, and words to create a deliberate association between a company’s or a product’s promise.

When creatives present their work we are expected to go beyond just presenting the work. We must also share what we stand for and use the personal to communicate our offerings to help us stand out in the crowd.

In my conversation with Darnell Scott a visual brand manager at Apostrophe Reps, we discuss the subtitles of how creatives can craft a visual brand to create an instant association with our work.

Darnell shares some key tips on how to present yourself and your work in such a way to help you stand out.

Darnell shares information on the best way to show your work online, the best programs to use to create your promos, and how to organize your archive.

Enjoy the show and I’ll check you later.

Get to know Darnell Scott better:

Apostrophe Reps: https://www.apostrophereps.com/

https://www.instagram.com/_darnellscott_/

Favorite place for camping:  Big Sur, Gallatin National Forest

When was the last time you had a conversation with someone who delighted you?

Where chatting with that person is like going on a walk in a new neighborhood where with every turn, you discover something new.

My conversation with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographer Essdras M Suarez, felt like such a walk.

Essdras shares stories of how he first stumbled on photography and the journey he went on to develop his eye and his skill as a visual storyteller.

During our conversation, Essdras takes us to Panama, to the jungles of Central America, to Florida, and the Middle East!

Essdras also goes on to share tips that any artist, whether you’re a fine artist, you work with mixed materials, there’s something in this episode for you.

Learn more about Essdras:

Today’s episode of This is How We Create features yours truly, Martine Séverin.

I am so pleased to share with you an interview in which Sony Artisan Tony Gale invited me to his podcast Sony Alpha Photographers Podcast.

Tony and I talk about my work as a photographer, to share what’s in my bag and the tools I use to create stories. During my talk with Tony, I’ll share more information about how my experience with the program. Tony also asks me some questions about dream assignments, so you’ll have to take a listen to know more!

Last year, I was welcomed to join the Sony family as a Sony Alpha Female. The Sony Alpha Female supports the growth of under-represented voices in photography, videography, and filmmaking, and provide a platform.

You will have 12 opportunities to win, with the final opportunity ending on February 15, 2021. Check out the link below for more information on the Sony Alpha Female program.

Today we're changing things up a bit. I've invited my best friend, sister and my PIC aka Partner In Crime, Jenny Severin to the This is How We Create Podcast.

Jenny and I are will chat about the art of travel and the art of escape.

Jennys has been traveling since the age o 8 and has been to over 40 countries to date. With friends, with family but mostly by herself.

I thought it would be cool to hear about her fave places and about unexpected corners of the world we can consider when we are no longer in the clutches of a pandemic.

Scotts Cheap Flights: https://scottscheapflights.com/

SkyScanner: https://www.skyscanner.com/

Girls Gone International: https://www.girlgoneinternational.com/

Tripit: https://www.tripit.com/

Stay connected with Martine Séverin:

Think about the things you do in life that make you happy. The things that keep you centered, such as journaling or writing.  Imagine creating a living out of those interests. Today, we welcome Alisha Sommer to the podcast.  Alisha is a photographer, marketer, and writer based out of Napa Valley.

She is known for her moody photography, her writing, and great knowledge of wine. During our conversation, Alisha shares her morning routine, how she developed her eye, and how to articulate your boundaries to your loved ones.  Enjoy!

Learn more about Alisha Sommer

Website https://www.alishasommer.com/

Blog https://www.sommersalt.com/

IG https://www.instagram.com/alisha_sommer/

Stay connected with Martine Séverin:

Hello! Martine Severin here.

The best artists create work that seems simply effortless. As an illustrator and fine artist, Raymond Bonilla’s work captures beautiful fleeting moments.

During our time together Ray tells us how he came to fall in love with illustration and with fine art.   We spend some time talking about how you don’t have to born an artist. You can acquire the skills and later turn those skills into your own style. Lastly, we turn our attention to the art of process and how Raymond’s teachers have influenced and guided him along his journey!

Enjoy!

For today’s episode, the tables have turned!  Amy V Cooper is interviewing me! Nope, I'm not talking with THAT Amy.

Amy V Cooper is a photography business consultant and coach, and founder of the artist representation agency, Trove Artist Management.

We  chatted in May 2020 while most of the US was still in quarantine.  Amy and I talk about some of the best advice I’ve ever been given. We revisit  my experience with the Sony Alpha Female Creator in Residence program.

And towards the end of our convo, I share with Amy my favorite images I’ve made over the years.

To see the actual images we mention, Amy posted my interview with her on her YouTube Channel and I’ve included that episode in the show notes for you.

Martine x Amy Conversation

https://youtu.be/AmsEpFM-nXY

Amy V Cooper's Commercial Masterclass https://www.udemy.com/course/commercial-photography-masterclass/

Amy V Cooper https://www.instagram.com/amyvcooper/

Stay connected with Martine Séverin:

We welcome, fine art painter, Rhonda K Brown, to the podcast today.   Rhonda retells her journey and shares what inspires her as an artist.  She reveals how she knows when an art piece is done, how to chooses her color pallette, and how she trained her eye.

If you love art and want to discover new artists, Rhonda offers a trove of information on the best artists of yesteryear and of today. 

Rhonda has also started a new venture with her son called Critique House, an organisation that helps BIPOC artists continue to thrive as they pursue their creative practice.  

Today on the podcast we welcome, Fares Micue, a Spanish self-taught fine art/conceptual photographer.

Fares started photography back in 2009 after she discovered the photography site Flickr.

At first, she treated her exploration of photography as a way to have nice pictures to share in her profile without putting much thought into the photography process.

Six 6 years later, she realized that photography was the perfect medium to share her thoughts, ideas, and perception of reality with others.

From that moment on, she took a different approach to the way she created her images. She put extra attention to all the key elements ——location, colors, props, feeling, story, and meaning, to create a final image that alignment with her original vision.

Micue shares, "As a self-portrait artist, I use the observation of my surroundings, human interactions, and my own feelings to create beautiful conceptual images. My work is full of symbolism, every element in my compositions has a purpose, from the colors to the props to the body language, and the combination of all these elements creates the final conceptual image."

Fares continues, "I am a highly positive person and this positivity often reflects on my work delivering images with a.  strong message on personal growth, reflection, self-worth, and overcoming obstacles. The key elements of my art are simple backgrounds, saturated colors and strong conceptual theme loaded with an aesthetic charm. I want my work to be viewed as a whole story condensed in one frame.”

Fares loves books by  Agatha Christie.

Learn more about Fares Micue

I’m Martine Severin and This is How We Create

Los Angeles and Nashville based photographer Diana King sits in the guest chair today.  We talk about how her career in film and how that experience eventually led her to photography.

We wrap up the show by chatting about her latest personal project, Almost Asian, Almost American—a project in which Asian American Women share their experiences about being Asian in America.

Stay in touch with Diana King

Welcome to our first solo episode! And in this episode, our host, Martine Séverin talks of how much she’s grown since the beginning of year and since launching the podcast.  

She shares a few tips and tools on how to gain clarity when wrestling with change and uncertainty. Plus, she shares lessons learned from our last 10 episodes 10!  Cue the confetti, y’all!

Keep up with our host Martine Severin

IG @martine.severin

Welcome back to to part 2 of our conversation with Danny Dunson. If you missed part 1, check out Episode 9.

Danny Dunson is an art historian, art advisor, curator and writer, Founder of the famed IG account LegacyBros and  most recently co-founder and editor-in-chief of ArtX. Dunson graduated from The University of Illinois at Chicago, earning a B.A. in art history from the School of Art & Art History.

He is a 2016 Fulbright Grant recipient and Gilman Scholarship fellow. His research as an art historian has been primarily focused on figurative representations within African and African Diasporic Art.  Dunson’s academic writing is situated within an interdisciplinary dialogue, engaging with intersections of critical and social theory, colonial and post colonial studies, gender and women's studies, and queer studies.

His writing has been published in exhibition catalogues, magazines and online journals. In June, 2017-18, Dunson presented, “In Memoriam: Portraits of the Middle Passage, in Situ,” a large scaled exhibition in the dungeons of Ghana’s Cape Coast Castle Museum, featuring art of the Ancestor Project, a visual art collective with Ghanaian artist, Kwame Akoto-Bamfo at the helm.

Dunson is currently conducting research that interrogates portraiture and figurative compositions aligned with space, place, memory, and the Middle Passage.

As editor-in-chief of ArtX, Dunson helps shine a light on a multitude of diverse voices in the world of art, especially those typically unheard.

Danny Dunson is an art historian, art advisor, curator and writer, Founder of the famed IG account LegacyBros and most recently co-founder and editor-in-chief of ArtX. Dunson graduated from The University of Illinois at Chicago, earning a B.A. in art history from the School of Art & Art History.

He is a 2016 Fulbright Grant recipient and Gilman Scholarship fellow. His research as an art historian has been primarily focused on figurative representations within African and African Diasporic Art.  Dunson’s academic writing is situated within an interdisciplinary dialogue, engaging with intersections of critical and social theory, colonial and post-colonial studies, gender and women's studies, and queer studies.

His writing has been published in exhibition catalogs, magazines and online journals. In June, 2017-18, Dunson presented, “In Memoriam: Portraits of the Middle Passage, in Situ,” a large-scaled exhibition in the dungeons of Ghana’s Cape Coast Castle Museum, featuring art of the Ancestor Project, a visual art collective with Ghanaian artist, Kwame Akoto-Bamfo at the helm.

Dunson is currently conducting research that interrogates portraiture and figurative compositions aligned with space, place, memory, and the Middle Passage.

As editor-in-chief of ArtX, Dunson helps shine a light on a multitude of diverse voices in the world of art, especially those typically unheard.

Francely Plaza is a freelance makeup artist born and raised in Chicago. An artist at heart, she made the decision over 15 years ago to make the human face her canvas. Since then, working with makeup has become her expertise, and beauty her passion. Francely worked at Sephora for over 9 years as a Senior Makeup Artist where she was in charge of Sephora’s makeup artist team development. In that role, she taught and certified new makeup artists at a Sephora stores.

If you ever get the pleasure of working with Francely she is grace under fire. She has a calming quality that reinforces her mastery and knowledge of all things makeup and beauty products.

Books: Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup

My guest Susan J Chen is an award-winning photographer whose work bridges the commercial and fine art world.  She uses a conceptual approach to fashion, portraits, things, and motion.

Her work has been described as cinematic, moody and emotionally charged with color and dark humor.

Susan was chosen by Saatchi Art as one of top 100 women artists in the world.  Her work has been shown in NY, LA, SF, Minneapolis, Tokyo, Miami, and Cataluna, Spain.

Movies:

Andreas Endregaard is a photographer, videographer, digital marketer brand owner, and Korean bbq enthusiast.

Andreas went to Michigan State University for Marketing, before moving to Chicago to start his professional career.

A lover of all things fashion and sneaker-related, he wouldn’t be the creator he is now if it wasn’t for the dream of running a successful clothing brand.

Over his life, he’s tried several creative endeavors (DJing, sewing custom hats, making beats, and hosting events).

These endeavors led him to create films and photography. This sense of creation and the camera gave him a sense of purpose he didn’t know he was looking for.

Eventually, Dre would leave his corporate job to pursue photography and film full-time.

Book recommendations: Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads Paperback – February 1, 2016

Today on the show we have Chicago based potter, Danielle Chutinthranond of Monsoon Pottery.

Essentialism and minimalism are always on her mind when creating. To that end, she believes that the objects in our homes should be useful, durable, and beautiful. In service to these beliefs, all of her work is microwave, dishwasher, and even oven safe. Beautiful doesn’t have to be precious. Useful can still be romantic. Danielle specializes in ceramic dinnerware and housewares. She credits her inspiration to nature, classic Asian motifs, Chinatown, and—over everything else—restaurant and food culture.

She grew up in a Thai/Pacific rim restaurant in upstate New York and learned from a very young age that food is special, personal, and becomes even more meaningful when presented with care and attention to detail. Each piece Danielle makes is focused on enhancing the beauty and ritual of your table.