12.01.23 // Creative Crush
Sr. Brand/Digital Designer Ben Harthun dives into his creative crush on Cinema4D and how it enables him to stay both curious and creative.
Talks
At our events each month, three people give short talks about a project they’ve done or are working on, their process of how they do their work, a lesson they have learned, or a creative crush - someone or something that inspires them.
12.01.23 // Creative Crush
12.01.23 // Project
Illustrator Caitlin Kuhwald talks about the LA Banner she created for the LA Times newsstand at the Original Farmer’s Market.
12.01.23 // Process
Designer & Illustrator Jess Miller gives insight into owning and operating her own creative business.
10.19.23 // Project
Storyboard artist Alex Quintas shares her ongoing comic series that explores mental health and uncertainty for artists in today’s world.
10.19.23 // Process
Editor Guy Handelman gives insight into how a best-selling picture book was adapted into an award-winning animated television series.
09.29.23 // Project
Creative Director Faraz Warsi tells us all about introducing 3D pens to the world.
09.29.23 // Lesson
Librarian Robin M. Katz shares what she learned making a short explainer video about archives.
09.29.23 // Process
Art Director/Brand & Graphic Designer Niralee Kamdar gives insight into the transformative journey of nurturing a brand from concept to reality.
08.31.23 // Lesson
Therapist Ariel Hirsch shares how she used The Artist’s Way to support her mental health.
08.31.23 // Process
Producer/composer Stratøs gives insight into producing his third studio album.
08.31.23 // Creative Crush
Illustrator Isaac Benavidez is really into figure drawing.
06.23.23 // Process
Artist Macarena Luzi shares how a cook became a painter.
06.23.23 // Lesson
Commercial photographer & filmmaker Alex Frankel shares what he’s learned about the value of the creative personal project in keeping your creative chops strong, digging yourself out of a rut, and finding new work.
04.27.23 // Lesson
Lawyer and author Tristan Blaine shares what creative freelancers and small business owners need to know about law and taxes.
04.27.23 // Project
Illustrator and graphic designer Monica Obaga shares the Flame Tree pattern, a part of the Nanga Textile project by The Nest Collective, Nairobi.
04.27.23 // Process
Designer and filmmaker Josh Shayne shares what he’s doing to be more visible to clients and audiences — even though it’s really hard for him.
03.09.23 // Process
Illustrator and risographer Natalie Center discusses the risograph printing process: it’s like if silkscreen and a Xerox printer had a baby.
03.09.23 // Project
Teaching Artist Kateri Lirio shares how to shape creative, neurodivergent minds through technology.
03.09.23 // Lesson
Color Designer Sam Kestin shares what they’ve learned about Color Theory.
02.16.23 // Creative Crush
Animation technical director Satish Goda is really into Blender Studio’s open short film Charge and shares how it has improved his work.
02.16.23 // Project
Illustrator Mo McMasters shares the development for their most ambitious project yet: designing their own tarot deck.
02.16.23 // Process
Writer/producer Mark Melara gives insight into how a TV pitch is sold.
06.09.22 // Project
Artist-designer Schessa Garbutt shares their projects collaborating with a robot (an Axidraw v3) to create patterns and art prints that look hand-drawn.
06.09.22 // Process
Illustrator Ellie Cota shares how her childhood shaped her intuitive cat drawings.
05.12.22 // Process
Producer Liz Maupin gives insight into creating a documentary that uncovers the dark truths surrounding a secretive, nameless cult that traumatized her.
05.12.22 // Lesson
Photographer and Creative Director Aldo Chacon shares how making things all the time allows you to become more aware of your unique creative voice.
04.07.22 // Process
Journalist and filmmaker Allison Norlian shares how starting a documentary production company is helping her to change the way the world views disability.
04.07.22 // Project
Climate Designer Margaret To shares the co-creation of Urban Farmers’ Almanac, and how this community project led to a film series she’s developing.
03.10.22 // Creative Crush
Director and Writer Tiffany Frances shares a few of the tools she loves to use in storytelling.
03.10.22 // Project
Author-musician Rich Kirkpatrick shares about his upcoming book about the creative process—MINDBLOWN: Unlock Your Creative Genius by Bridging Science and Magic.
03.10.22 // Lesson
Painter/Designer for Animation Susan Yung share’s what they’ve learned about being a lead in a creative position, and some life lessons that came with it.
01.13.22 // Lesson
Self-taught colorist Anastasia Shepherd teaches you how to be a self-taught film colorist REALLY FAST.
01.13.22 // Process
Architects Mariam Mojdehi and Meredith McDaniel of MAAM discuss the process of imagining and designing three distinct retail spaces in the burgeoning field of consumer cannabis
01.13.22 // Process
Architects Mariam Mojdehi and Meredith McDaniel of MAAM discuss the process of imagining and designing three distinct retail spaces in the burgeoning field of consumer cannabis
12.09.21 // Project
Photographer & Creative Director Suzanne Strong talks about bringing inclusive and diverse images into the contemporary stock photography space.
12.09.21 // Lesson
KidLit Illustrator & Author Lala Watkins shares what they’ve learned about becoming better creatively thru crying, good vibes, and hugging yourself a little extra to be who you always meant to continue becoming
12.09.21 // Process
Character designer and illustrator Mo McMasters gives insight into how risograph printing transformed their creative practice.
11.18.21 // Lesson
Architect Tracy Stone shares how she faced down an ethical dilemma and made peace with her response.
11.18.21 // Project
Character Designer Ricky De Los Angeles shares the journey of making his first self-published art book, “Dibujitos,” from concept to reality, and lessons learned along the way.
10.28.21 //
Screenwriter Mark Melara shares what he’s learned about pitching (and almost selling) an animated series.
10.28.21 // Process
Writer-actor-producer Chandra Thomas gives insight into working as a writer in a television writers’ room.
09.18.21 // Lesson
Creative director Greg Gunn shares what he’s learned about hitting your creative peak.
09.18.21 // Process
Designer Traci Larson shares how a dance company shakes things up with books in response to the pandemic.
07.22.21 // Project
Neon artist Kacie Lees presents a behind the scenes look at the making of ‘Neon Primer: A Handbook on Light Construction’
07.22.21 // Process
Rare book cataloger Gabe Angulo gives insight into how he describes collections for the Huntington Library.
05.13.21 // Project
Head of Entertainment Davide Bianca discusses how his team built a first-of-its-kind digital art museum in the age of COVID.
05.13.21 // Process
VP of Stories & Voices Deborah Pardes gives insight into how using your voice in social audio ups your brand mojo – personally and/or professionally.
04.15.21 // Project
Creative Mauro Gatti talks about The Happy Broadcast, a project dedicated to good news, positivity and boosting mental health.
04.15.21 // Process
Supervising Animator Ravi Kamble Govind shares his understanding and mindset as an animator to illustrate how he brings characters to life through motion and emotion.
04.15.21 // Lesson
Storyteller/Producer Beowulf Jones shares what he’s learned about navigating the creative process while living with mental illness and depression.
02.13.20 // Process
Founder of Refolda, Caroline Torén, talks about gender-blind design at home and in our communities, and how to apply a gender lens to operations to increase impact while advancing gender equality.
02.13.20 // Creative Crush
Writer Aliya Kamalova is really into procrastination.
02.13.20 // Lesson
Actor-Singer (and more) Rohini Chandra shares what she’s learned about becoming a “multi- hyphenate.”
01.16.20 // Process
Actress/storyteller/filmmaker Katie Featherston gives insight into letting go of labels and embracing the fullness of your creativity.
01.16.20 // Lesson
Filmmaker and artist D’arby Rose shares her mental heath breakdown to breakthrough and how the experience now helps her protect herself in all aspects of life.
01.16.20 // Project
Visual effects supervisor Ian Markiewicz discusses how the VFX team on the TV series Krypton brought iconic comic book villains to life.
12.12.19 // Project
Editor/author/journalist Rex Weiner discusses how writing about what you are seeing, hearing, and feeling today can change your tomorrow.
12.12.19 // Lesson
Film composer David Deutsch shares what he’s learned about being a freelancer, working with teams, and how to be the best possible creative you.
12.12.19 // Creative Crush
Filmmaker Josh Shayne is really into sharing the things you love with others and showcases his own weekly newsletter that spotlights funny people working in comedy.
11.14.19 // Creative Crush
Non-profit CEO/founder Chandra Anderson is really into merging activism and art to build awareness.
11.14.19 // Lesson
Co-founder Lyn Johnson shares what she’s learned about women in (and out) of the workforce – and how her digital marketplace company is championing the home-based business.
11.14.19 // Project
Product designer William Belk shares his new ultralight bag line and explores the idea that creative people have a massive competitive advantage in bringing new products to market.
10.17.19 // Lesson
Lawyer and author Tristan Blaine discusses what creatives (and everyone else) should know about the law.
10.17.19 // Project
Filmmaker Stephen Nolly discusses his current project CHILMARK, about a murder in the Deaf community.
09.19.19 // Lesson
Filmmaker West Liang discusses what he’s learned about drawing useful skills from unexpected paths.
09.19.19 // Project
Illustrator/Graphic Designer Laura Jay shares an illustrated map she created of the West Adams District.
09.19.19 // Process
Expert question-asker Tilly Hinton develops your power to understand complex terrains through the simplest questions.
08.22.19 // Process
Audience growth strategist Josh Spector shares how he used a blog post and $100 in Facebook ads to land multiple new clients in a week.
08.22.19 // Project
Designer/illustrator Lisa Sy talks about how she uses real-life to inspire her comic series Plurals and Noun.
08.22.19 // Creative Crush
Animation technical director Satish Goda shares some of the tools he loves to use to bring ideas to life.
07.18.19 // Project
Author / screenwriter Weiko Lin shares his publishing journey of his debut book Crazy Screenwriting Secrets: How to Capture a Global Audience.
07.18.19 // Lesson
Mathematics Professor Mitchell Pumar shares what he’s learned about math disposition, anxiety, and creativity over the course of his eight-year teaching career.
07.18.19 // Process
Writer and Director Héloïse Chung shares how being bad at ceramics made her better at writing.
06.13.19 // Process
Filmmaker Kate Krieger gives insight into how she developed a character that she later expanded into a pilot.
06.13.19 // Lesson
Motion designer Handel Eugene shares his experience with prioritizing the process vs the reward.
06.13.19 // Project
Amateur filmmaker Ani Pandit presents a case study on making an independent film (The Mad Ones) in Los Angeles in the 2010s.
05.16.19 // Process
Filmmaker Elaine Hamood Strutz explains her creative process of gettin’ scrappy with it.
05.16.19 // Lesson
Recovering academic and current camp director Reuben Posner shares how he’s come to understand the meaning of the word “good” and its relationship to success and failure.
05.16.19 // Project
Creative director David Braun shares a look into his kaleidoscopic, Steamboat Willie-inspired animated project, Psycho Psalms.
04.18.19 // Project
Interior Designer Kerry Vasquez shares a post modern collaboration with a client that was dubbed “Maximalist Minimalism.”
04.18.19 // Process
Photographer Michelle Groskopf discusses how to better know yourself through photography.
04.18.19 // Creative Crush
Graphic artist Josh Siegel shares 8 new art crushes in 8 minutes.
03.14.19 // Process
Artist Billy Kheel explains how he uses modern fabrication machines to create old fashioned craft projects.
03.14.19 // Lesson
Filmmaker Angie Comer discusses what she learned about herself and her approach while directing The R Word.
03.14.19 // Project
Illustrator Megan Roy shares her interactive, self-published children’s book Can You Do This?
02.21.19 // ProjectPhotographer Sasha Tivetsky talks about her project Grandma Luda and the importance of photographing family.
02.21.19 // ProcessArt Directors Aradhana & Camilo Bejarano explain the process of creating Luna, a short animated film based on a social media experiment.
02.21.19 // ProcessArt Directors Aradhana & Camilo Bejarano explain the process of creating Luna, a short animated film based on a social media experiment.
02.21.19 // LessonFreelance writer Brenda Gazzar shares how she is aligning her life – both personal and professional – with her inner truth.
01.17.19 // Creative CrushArchitect Damian Possidente is really into sustainable design in the urban context.
01.17.19 // ProjectFounders Stephanie Chan and Joseph Prichard share the story of founding their design studio, Kilter, and their latest rebrand for a social enterprise.
01.17.19 // ProjectFounders Stephanie Chan and Joseph Prichard share the story of founding their design studio, Kilter, and their latest rebrand for a social enterprise.
01.17.19 // ProcessNeon artist Kacie Lees demystifies the luminous tube.
12.13.18 // ProcessStoryteller/Producer Beowulf Jones discusses how he reduces self-doubt and faces fears in the creative process.
12.13.18 // LessonCreativity Launch Coach Paul Sanbar discusses the neuroscience of new habit formation and how rituals or routines can support your creative process and flow.
12.13.18 // ProjectArtist Whitney Bedford shares her portraits of landscapes and the sublime.
11.15.18 // ProjectDesigner and animation director Daniel Savage shares “how does it go?”, a new zine about playing music.
11.15.18 // Creative CrushAssociate creative director Lauren Kusmierczak is really into #GirlGaze and their incredible community of female creatives.
11.15.18 // LessonDesigner/animator Sara Liberatore discusses what she’s learned about using color theory to unite your social and creative identities.
09.20.18 // LessonIllustrator Mikey Burton shares what he’s learned about what it takes to stay motivated and relevant the further you go in your career.
09.20.18 // ProcessWriter/Performer Krysta Gonzales discusses the process of using the voice to develop a character.
09.20.18 // ProjectFilmmaker Colin Levy presents his NYT Op-Doc My Grandfather’s Memory Book, and the inspiration for making it.
08.23.18 // ProjectWriter Sanjay Nambiar shares his children’s books series The Super Amazing Princess Heroes & A Little Zen for Little Ones.
08.23.18 // ProcessArchitects Bo Sundius & Hisako Ichiki explain how they design for living small and showcase an accessory dwelling prototype for new California living.
08.23.18 // ProcessArchitects Bo Sundius & Hisako Ichiki explain how they design for living small and showcase an accessory dwelling prototype for new California living.
08.23.18 // LessonArtist Jillian Evelyn discusses what she’s learned about patience and the importance of listening to your art gut.
07.12.18 // ProcessContemporary visual artist and educator April Bey discusses her studio practice which involves world travel connecting her Bahamian upbringing and West African research.
07.12.18 // LessonCreative Mauro Gatti shares how important it is to develop your own creative voice and to talk about the things you love without getting too comfortable with your own work.
07.12.18 // ProjectIllustrator Audrey Lee walks through her process and creative drive for a selection of projects, including her work for Get it Girl Collective – a female centric collective.
06.14.18 // ProcessBrewmaster Stephen Kooshian gives insight into how Pacific Plate artfully crafts unique beers through a marriage of traditional and Latino ingredients.
06.14.18 // ProjectEntrepreneur Melissa Schulman shares her experience opening the first all vegan and organic frozen yogurt store in Los Angeles.
06.14.18 // LessonFinancial coach Roland Menchell shares what he’s learned about how creative folks can put their money to work for them.
05.17.18 // LessonCreative coach and spiritual director Brian Patacca shares what he’s learned about the illogic of finding your life purpose.
05.17.18 // ProjectComedian and filmmaker Kiran Deol shares her experience directing the film American Haze for the Sundance channel.
05.17.18 // ProcessWriter/director Stephen Nolly gives insight into premise and character and how to find the heart of your story.
03.20.18 // ProcessPhoto retoucher Erica Torres-Ness explains her take on “natural beauty retouching” and makes the case for bringing back some wrinkles.
03.20.18 // LessonNew Angeleno Arnab Mukherjee discusses what he learned while packing up and moving across the country.
03.20.18 // ProjectProducer Rebecca Stone shares the documentary series about women in the world of soccer she’s working on for 60 Second Docs.
02.27.18 // ProcessDocumentary producer Rebecca Breithaupt demystifies networking and gives insight into the importance of community in her industry.
02.27.18 // ProjectWriter / director Matthew Manson shares what he learned about faking it til you make it from his first big commercial project.
01.09.18 // ProcessProfessional creative person Josh Shayne gives insight into how meeting regularly with an accountability buddy has helped him make progress in work and in life.
01.09.18 // Creative CrushJoe Ferencz is really, really, embarrassingly, like a high school theater kid, into Hamilton.
01.09.18 // LessonPhotographer/comedy producer Katherine Leon shares what she’s learned about how self-doubt can fuel creativity.
12.05.17 // LessonScreenwriter Brett Scieszka shares the value of creative hobbies and side projects in enriching your work.
12.05.17 // ProcessWriter/director Sarovar Banka gives insight into how he learned that filmmaking is a vortex.
12.05.17 // ProjectWomen in Film manager of operations Maikiko James shares progress on the WIF Help Line which addresses sexual harassment and gender inequality in Hollywood.
11.14.17 // LessonWriter/director Molly Green shares what she’s learned about mastering Q&A sessions.
11.14.17 // ProcessDocumentary filmmaker Graham High gives insight into how he used available resources to create and inform an independent mini-doc web series on empathetic listening.
11.14.17 // Creative CrushActor / writer Lizzie Prestel is really into genuflection.
10.17.17 // ProcessBrewmaster Stephen Kooshian gives insight into how Pacific Plate artfully crafts unique beers through a marriage of traditional and Latino ingredients.
10.17.17 // LessonGroup facilitator Jason Lange discusses what he’s learned about the art of interpersonal connection
10.17.17 // ProjectQueen of pleasure Violet Lange shares her spirit animal art.
09.26.17 // Creative CrushLapsed scientist David Medovoy is really into this small metal elephant.
09.26.17 // ProjectFilmmaker James Darling shares “The Quantum Supremacy”, a documentary he is directing about the emerging field of Quantum Computing.
09.26.17 // LessonActor and former multi-hyphenate Gita Reddy discusses how context is everything, and how not to forget that in any context.
09.12.17 // ProcessPublicist Sabrina Dax gives insight into how she gets media attention for her clients.
09.12.17 // LessonArchivist Robin M. Katz discusses what she’s learned about protecting your time and how to say no.
09.12.17 // ProjectGraphic artist Josh Siegel shares “Serving Pride: The Queer History Dinner Party Handbook,” which he is art directing.
08.29.17 // Creative CrushPerformer/writer Krysta Gonzales is really into illustration and animation that celebrate natural hair.
08.29.17 // ProcessComposer Erik Desiderio gives insight into how he channels his creativity to compose music for a scene.
08.27.17 // LessonScreenwriter Shauna McGarry discusses what she’s learned about creative fulfillment vs. financial autonomy.