Creative Mind - with Bobby Brill

If you have ever walked through any retail store whether it be a Bed, Bath & Beyond, a Home Depot or even a supermarket, the more astute artist will recognize an abundance of graphic elements and illustrations on the packaging, cups, tools, wall art, coffee mugs, and more. The more cynical artist will say, “I could have done that!” Well, yes could have but you didn’t. And that is basically our fault. So much the freelance life of an artist and designer is chasing down work-for-hire, one-off freelance jobs. These are great but these are often buyouts and one-time payments. The thought of licensing your artwork, in the most layman of terms “renting it” to a company has never crossed our minds or been something we even thought was possible. This is where Shari Warren brings in her expertise. On this episode of Creative Mind, artist and art licensing expert Shari Warren walks us through the business and creative side of art licensing. Often touted, but not exactly wrong, as “making money while you sleep”, licensing is about selling your artwork to a client for a certain length of time, print run, product numbers or SKUs, and/or usages. Think of it as your drawing on a series of coffee mugs, coffee plates and coffee bean canisters. Without thinking too hard you can start to see that as an artist we are often leaving money on the table by not exploring the world with an eye toward trends and seasonal experiences. As an artist and illustrator living in Northern California, Shari has a life-long passion to create artwork that makes people smile. “I use a variety of media, both traditional and digital, to create my work and love to experiment with different artistic techniques. That said, all of my artwork begins with good old-fashioned pencil and paper,” she says. Her professional background is in the publishing and software industries working as an Illustrator, Graphic Designer and Art Director. Today, she devotes her career to staying up on current consumer trends and creating art collections for consumer products that I hope people will enjoy and buy. At the Academy of Art, she teaches “Illustration for Consumer Products and Licensing”, a business and portfolio development class, where students learn how to research the retail market, identify current trends to create original art collections for licensing to companies, create a professional portfolio website and marketing materials, and learn about art business basics. Topics covered include creating marketable art collections and product mock-ups for their portfolio to license to manufacturers and publishers who make consumer retail products and to create their own products. As well as evaluating their own illustration style and how it relates to specific product categories, customer demographics and how to "create art that sells". You can see more of Shari Warren work here - https://www.shariwarren.com

“I think one of the things about the creative professions in general is built into them inherently is problem solving. If you want to become, say a biologist, really what you're doing as a biologist is you're discovering things that already exist. As a creative you're inventing things that don't exist.” Creative director and entrepreneur Jonathan Deiss has had a very unique career. After being accepted to Ivy League schools to study architecture, eventually graduating with a Master’s Degree from UCLA, Jonathan headed down the path to deign buildings. However, it was what become known as Web 1.0/2.0 that attracted him more, to work in burgeoning world of websites and digital design. Jonathan realized, “Education isn't just about what you're learning. It's also about learning to learn.” Over the years Jonathan rose up the ranks of advertising agencies like Tribal DDB, Dailey & Associates, Trailer Park, TBWA Chiat Day, The Ant Farm, mOcean, Real Pie, Mojo, Publicis, Leo Burnett and Sapient. He has overseen accounts for Activision, Clearwire, Wells Fargo, Epson, ESPN, Warner Brothers, Disney, Kia, Mutual of Omaha, Disney, Paramount, Fox, and Sony to name a few. He’s done a lot of TV, film and video game marketing as well as traditional marketing. He then went “client side” and helmed creative for Beachbody globally and was responsible for all creative department business including, not only all design direction, but also department budgeting and administration, talent acquisition and retention, and product development. When talking about all of the projects he has worked on and projects he has overseen, Jonathan points out, “You have to learn the discipline of learning in order to succeed in life. One of the ways that I've succeeded is by having a hunger for figuring things out. And the only way you get hungry about figuring things out is if you train yourself over the course of your life from childhood, to have an interest in discovery to have curiosity, to be interested in new things, new ideas, new information.” That curiosity led to Jonathan creating two new ventures, two projects that could not be more different from each other. TheThrillStudio.com is the home 3D printed orcs, dragons and wizards. Micowilderness.com is the home to spiders that are as large as your hand. When we talked it was hard not to chuckle at the idea of spiders but Jonathan said something very wise, “Whether or not you're going to be a great professional in whatever industry you choose is going to be more based on your work ethic, your, your intelligence, your ability to problem solve and your attitude.” And he is right. So, enjoy this episode of Creative Mind. To contact Jonathan Deiss head over to his website - http://jonathandeiss.com For the latest in 3D printed collectibles – http://thethrillstudio.com For all the creepy crawlies – https://www.microwilderness.com

As an artist your career will last your lifetime, at least that should be the plan. And what you study in school may not always be what you do all the time. New opportunities come up, new technologies are developed, sometimes you find out that you are good at something you never even thought of. On this episode of Creative Mind, Bobby Brill talks with Aaron Guadamuz – he is a musician, stop motion artist, animator, curator and technologist if we can be so bold. In short Aaron is a working artist, and an artist working in the contemporary art scene as well. That hard to understand often frustrating world of art that few people like and even fewer “get” right now. Aaron Guadamuz is a Bay Area native, illustrator, animator, musician, photographer and handyman who lives and works in San Francisco, CA. He has worked closely with a number companies, organizations, and record labels including the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Trouper Films, Sega of America, Sony, Namco, Napster, Stones Throw, Sargent House and Insect Records. Always with an ear to the ground for the strange and obscure, he works with a variety of underground and mainstream artists and filmmakers.  He is one third of the art rock outfit Father Howl and a contributing writer and editor for Gowanus Film Society in Los Angeles.

Take a listen and get into the world of the client in our talk with Fred Knapp of Maximus Real Estate Partners as we talk about the development of the murals at Parkmerced, painted by the students of Academy of Art. Fred Knapp drives the strategy and execution for Maximus’ operations. He joined the company in 2019, and brings considerable restructuring, asset-management, and organizational improvement capabilities honed over a 30-year long career in real estate. Fred's strong customer service orientation is instrumental in the creation of an Active Service Culture across our portfolio. Prior to Maximus, Fred was the Executive Director of Related Hudson Yards. In this position, Fred was the operational leader responsible for managing 1,000 employees serving the new $20 billion New York City neighborhood. His responsibilities in this role included P&L financial management, organizational construct, security, general management, operations, and technology infrastructure. Fred also served as Interim President of Related Management Company, where he implemented restructuring and organizational improvements for the 2,000-person company overseeing 52,000 residential units and 10 MM SF of commercial space.

Go behind the scenes of the 10-year journey to create the graphic novel - White Faced Lies - as it went from the spark of an idea to the Sundance Writers Lab to now available on Kindle and Amazon. Book Synopsis - In China, local companies hire white (but not necessarily qualified) Americans to lend them credibility. Cons such as these, known as "face jobs", are instances in which Chinese companies hire foreigners to pose as professionals to lend credibility during meetings, press conferences, and other events where "face" is paramount. When veteran "face-jobber" Stanley hires a new assistant who thinks Stanley is his long-lost father, Stanley attempts to pull off the con of a lifetime by pretending to be his assistant's dad. A darkly humorous critique of the post-truth world that explores questions of race, systemic fraud, and personal greed, "White Faced Lies" is ultimately about how easily lies become truth. Check out the book here - mybook.to/WhiteFacedLies

Go behind the scenes of the 10-year journey to create the graphic novel - White Faced Lies - as it went from the spark of an idea to the Sundance Writers Lab to now available on Kindle and Amazon. Book Synopsis - In China, local companies hire white (but not necessarily qualified) Americans to lend them credibility. Cons such as these, known as "face jobs", are instances in which Chinese companies hire foreigners to pose as professionals to lend credibility during meetings, press conferences, and other events where "face" is paramount. When veteran "face-jobber" Stanley hires a new assistant who thinks Stanley is his long-lost father, Stanley attempts to pull off the con of a lifetime by pretending to be his assistant's dad. A darkly humorous critique of the post-truth world that explores questions of race, systemic fraud, and personal greed, "White Faced Lies" is ultimately about how easily lies become truth. Check out the book here - https://www.amazon.com/White-Faced-Lies-Eric-Flanagan-ebook/dp/B09N6W8HYQ

Violetta Gonzalez is based out of San Francisco, California, and fell in love with photography 6 years ago playing in the darkroom at the City College of San Francisco. She found that photography was the most efficient way to explore & share stories of all the diverse beauty she explores. With her BFA from the Academy of Art University, she uses photography as a tool to capture social-political issues that target the social norm all the while capturing its true beauty & essence of every subject matter. In expanding her portfolio & traveling to other cities that also experience similar social issues, she hopes to educate you through her lens while bringing you a new point of view. Her project, We All Need Safety, explores the world of cam models and sex workers from the inside and is fascinating look into modern sexuality in our technological age. You can view her work here - https://www.violetagphotography.com/

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN LEADER, INVENTOR, and EDUCATOR Perpetually inspired concept ideation, development, direction, education, and realization. Mark Garcia is helping to advance our world by sharing my experiences, perspective, and techniques of industrial design with aspiring creative problem solvers and future game-changers. Instructing junior and senior-level industrial design majors in a course that I have evolved to become more invention/entrepreneurial in its problem solving and design approach. Check out Mark's work here - https://www.rogue-id.com/ And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Forest Stearns is the Principal Artist at DRAWEVERYWHERE where he produces uniques artworks and leads collaborations connecting artists and institutions. He has a passion for founding Artist in Residence programs that connect art, science, and technology. Currently, he is the Creative Innovation Consultant and Artist in Residence co-founder at Google Quantum AI  in Santa Barbara Ca. Collaboration with artists is a huge part of Stearns’ creative adventure. As an art director, producer, facilitator, and public speaker. Always leaning in to bring other artists into unique situations to share creative permission in the common conversation. Stearns is an academically trained prolific illustrator, an arts educator, creative facilitator, and community builder. Also an engaged father and supportive partner. Earning a very technical Masters of Fine Art in Illustration in 2010 and a more conceptual BFA for Painting in 2005. This Academic achievement is matched by an empirical practice of daily art-making. An avid illustrator for over 20 years. Forest Stearns has been creating illuminated drawings and hand-lettered scripts on every surface available from art gallery walls to spaceships, there is nothing the artist won’t draw upon. His artistic portfolio radically spans media and substrate from endless sketchbooks of organic characters, laser-etched drawings covering hundreds of satellites that orbit the Earth, art on Quantum Computers, and giant murals on surfaces ranging from buildings, radomes, and rocket ships.

Top-rated speaker, best-selling author, and consultant Dr. Cindy is on a mission to empower people and companies to get what they want … through sales! Yep, “sales,” that icky word that makes people cringe. How did she learn to embrace that dreaded activity? After years of consulting companies and helping them grow their business, she had an epiphany: every job really is a sales job.  And every person is a salesperson. Throughout her career as a college professor, a salesperson, and a consultant, Dr. Cindy realized that people can get more of what they want in work AND in life by using the skills of sales professionals. She is in fact a doctor – although not the medical kind! – with her master’s in Communication and doctorate in Organizational Communication with an Emphasis in Organizational Leadership and Ethics. Today she focuses on bringing companies and people together to grow their businesses and get what they want in life and in work. Because, believe it or not: you were born with sales skills, and Dr. Cindy wants to help you embrace your inner salesperson to get what you want and deserve. And it’s not tough, she uses a simple five-step formula that’s easy to remember, easy to stick to, and easy to achieve. But it’s so revolutionary that once she redefines the concept of sales, the world will need a new word for it! Want to find out her secrets? Easy–she’s written a book about them! It’s called Every Job is a Sales Job: How to Use the Art of Selling to Win at Work, released in September 2019 by McGraw Hill Professional. You can find out more about Dr. Cindy here - https://drcindy.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

“A good picture book should be able to be read by anybody,” says Taylor Norman, editor at Chronicle Books in San Francisco and our guest on the podcast this week. As an editor it is Taylor’s job to find the right manuscript and shepherd it through the process from acquisition to print. No small feat as creating picture books is a multimillion-dollar industry creating memories that last a lifetime. Getting you book in front of a publisher like Taylor requires you as the author/illustrator to become immersed in the field. This is not a quick output, or one-off idea to try. The work you create can fill libraries and enter the world of “literature”. Talking to parents is the first step if you think you have a good idea. “I think as a parent, you want the right book for the right moment at all of your moments. And there's tons of melodrama in one day in a kid's life. And ideally, the picture books that get published address those types of moments in a kid's life,” Taylor says. As far as the books she is looking, “I'm interested in books that have a purpose because they're authentic and they tell a true story that a kid will respond to.”

Do you ever wonder who gets to be in charge of making the Pops and toys you love? Well, on this episode we tear open the vinyl to feast on the creative goo that is Funko Creative Director, Reis O'Brien. Fresh off his recent creation of the Grogu Ballon for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Reis walks us through his career from slaving away in the world of illustration to creating toys and vinyl pops that we all know and love. Along the way, Reis gives us some of the best advice on how to look at yourself as an artist, find the spark that you need to move forward with an idea, and be comfortable in your own designs. A great episode for everyone looking to find a bit of mentorship along the way. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Fluxco Design was founded in 2012 by Zachary Calev. As a professional sculptor with an Industrial Design degree in Transportation Design, Zach has carried forth his skills in surfacing and volume experimentation in the automotive world to furniture. Just as important is the ability to fluidly evolve an idea from a two-dimensional sketch to the third dimension of a usable product, is an attention to detail so that no screw, joinery, or tie go unnoticed. You can find more of Zach's work here - https://www.fluxcodesign.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

#CreativeMindPodcast #FineArtPhotography #Photography Subscribe to Creative Mind wherever you get your podcasts today so you never miss an episode!   Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...   Google Podcasts - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0...   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2z1VI3J...   Check out Creative Mind on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/creative_mind_podcast/ In this special episode, we walk through some of Shahzad Bhiwandiwala's favorite images and he explains how his career progressed and what he is working on now.  Shahzad Bhiwandiwala is a fine art fashion and portrait photographer from Mumbai currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. After a brief stint in the corporate world of Human Resources, he decided to make a career out of his passion for photography. He is an alumnus of the Eddie Adams Workshop Batch XXXIII, a first-place Advertising-Fashion awardee at the International Photography Awards, CA Award winner, a Phase One Certified Professional, and a professor in the photography department at San Jose State University.  You can view his beautiful work on his website https://www.shahzadb.com/portfolio

Zachary Calev is the founder of Fluxco Design. As a professional sculptor with an Industrial Design degree in Transportation Design, Zach has carried forth his skills in surfacing and volume experimentation in the automotive world to furniture. Just as important is the ability to fluidly evolve an idea from a two-dimensional sketch to the third dimension of a usable product, is an attention to detail so that no screw, joinery, or tie go unnoticed.  You can find more of Zach's work here - https://www.fluxcodesign.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Judy’s process incorporates painting, drawing, collage, and photograph transfers creating an unexpected spontaneous flow of energy and endless possibilities. “I use a torch to heat each layer and manipulate the wax. Unexpected things always happen when you are working with hot wax and fire.  I learned to let go of the critical inner voice when something goes in a different direction and just embrace it.” says Klich.   Judy captures beauty in her paintings by showing details and scenery often missed by our busy lifestyles.  Her work juxtaposes nature and geometry and displays the connection between the two.  It reflects her need for balance by contrasting elements and creating harmony at the same time.  There is excitement and joy along with a peaceful presence in her work. The beeswax adds a surreal quality of softness and translucency that complements the textural, organic elements.    Judy has a BS in Interior Design from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an MFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and is represented by Paul LeQuire and Company in Nashville, TN, River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN, Lark, and Key Gallery, Charlotte, NC and The Studio Gallery in Grayton Beach, FL.  She has also participated in multiple juried shows since 2009 including Harding Academy Art Show, Brentwood Academy, and Lipscomb Academy art shows. She paints and teaches encaustic and watercolor in her home studio.   You can view her stunning work here -  https://www.judyklichart.com/

KC Knoop proudly served in the United States Coast Guard for 20 years.  During those years, he spent most of my time away from home in the southern hemisphere fighting the drug wars that so often threatened our borders. During his years of service to the country, he developed a knack for photography that morphed into a professional career. Duane Michals, a great influence to KC, once stated, “Either you are defined by your medium or you must redefine it.”  Not long ago while seeking ways to do just that, KC discovered aerial photography.  It was in the sky that he was introduced to a whole new plane for art.  The geometric lines created by the earth all leading to a distant sunrise captivated me.  He found myself awake hours before the sunrise to reach locations he could photograph just as the sun breaks the horizon.  By the time he would return home after hours of photographing, he had already put in a full day as members of his family are just getting up to begin theirs. It is aerial photography that has not only redefined his medium, but has shaped him as an artist.   You can view his stunning images here - https://kcknoopdroneimagery.myportfolio.com/photography Also check out is stunning family and wedding photography here - https://www.kcknoopphotography.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Shahzad Bhiwandiwala is a fine art fashion and portrait photographer from Mumbai currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. After a brief stint in the corporate world of Human Resources, he decided to make a career out of his passion for photography. He is an alumnus of the Eddie Adams Workshop Batch XXXIII, a first place Advertising-Fashion awardee at the International Photography Awards, CA Award winner, a Phase One Certified Professional and a professor in the photography department at San Jose State University. You can view his beautiful work on his website https://www.shahzadb.com/portfolio Check out our portfolio review on YouTube - https://youtu.be/OyVFQiv2LQU And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Ephraim Colbert is a creative media producer focusing on arts and culture, civil rights and social action, education, health, poverty alleviation, and social services. Ephraim has turned his experience to developing original content and managing pre/production and post-production from beginning to end for video and audio platforms including producing for KPFA radio, podcasts for Capacity for Health, and other non-profits. His insights into finding clients, working in the non-profit space, and developing your creative voice to help others are just some of the topics we cover in this episode. You can find more of Ephraim Colbert’s work here - https://www.ephraimcolbert.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

In this bonus episode of Creative Mind, we dive in the world of making documentaries. Marjorie Sturm walk us through her film and process for dealing with sensitive subject matter. Executive producer Tod Mesirow explains the art of interviews. We also here from cinematographer Dave Drum about some first steps into getting into documentary films. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!