AS WE CREATE

Sam Angermann's background is rooted in graphic design, though we talk about how she navigated the highs and lows of past roles to better understand what she was looking for in her career. Always having a love for branding, Sam talks about the joy of her current role at Made by Nacho.

Nate Solberg's creative curiosity started at a very young age and he shares how a massive college project shaped his work ethic. He talks about some influential internships and his current role at North American Entertainment Group. We are also very grateful for Nate as he created the logo and brand of this very podcast.

Cassandra Hamer's love of design started very early in her childhood with her classmates being some of her first "clients". Currently, she is on the in house design team of Ace Hardware and talks about how she got there. She shares with us how the lack of design education in public schools contributed to her eagerness to learn and was the motivation to write ABC's of Design. 

Bob Vitale is one of the founding members of the design studio, SVP Partners. He shares how a supportive family allowed him to pursue graphic design and how that sparked the beginning of his career. We also discuss a charity organization near and dear to Bob's heart called Sticks for Soldiers, which provides support to wounded military veterans.  

For the past 10 years, designer Chuck Brooks has been at the award-winning design studio, Box 8 Creative in New Haven.  Chuck shares some insight into the creative team's process that has helped steer many successful brands such as Mecha Noodle Bar, Alvarium Brewing and Roasting, and Doro Restaurant Group.

Dan Taylor talks about his early days at RIT and then moving to New York City and interning at Pushpin Studios. He talks about how Taylor Design came to be and how he and his team stay focused in an ever-changing world.   

After graduating from the University of Bridgeport, Karl found himself working in commercial art sales to supplement his freelance work. Without knowing it at the time, this led him on the path to start Creative Placement. We talk about the current state of the creative world, his love of photography, and how Designer Journals came to be.  

Today we sit down with CADC Hall of Fame recipient, Richard Hollant. Richard's creativity started at a very young age growing up in Haiti and he shares the common theads that connect everything he does. He has influenced many communities and organizations with his agency Co:Lab and discusses the mindset behind Freecenter.

Today's conversation is with designer and the current CADC president, Carissa Decelles. Her love for design was heavily influenced by her time at Uconn studying with Edvin Yegir. Carissa is currently the art director and brand development lead at Miranda Creative and also involved in many advocacy efforts here in Connecticut.       

Chris Piascik "accidentally" became an illustrator after years as a graphic designer. His style and humor has allowed him to work with many brands including Coca-Cola, Nickelodean, and Google. Chris has a large following on YouTube and has hosted many classes on Skillshare. In this conversation we talk about how this all came to be.

Designer Bonnie Siegler is the founder of Eight and a Half design studio. She shares stories of working for MTV in the early years and getting hand written notes from Prince. Since going off on her own, she has worked with VH1, Air America Radio, and Saturday Night Live.  We also chat about two books she's published: Dear Client: This Book Will Teach You How to Get What You Want from Creative People and and The American Way. A great conversation!    

Jack Tom is a designer and illustrator with decades of experience. He grew up on the west coast but made his way to New York to meet Milton Glaser. He shares that story and how that led him to work under Chris Blum at Honig-Cooper & Harrington and later to develop his love for magazines working for McCall's. We get into an lot in this episode, enjoy!    

Emily Larned is a designer, educator, and publisher. Her path started in grassroots publishing and everything she does today is still influenced by those early years. We visited her studio in Bridgeport to talk about the way people connect today and empowering the next generation of designers.  As We Create is a production of the Connecticut Art Directors Club, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. This podcast is produced with listener support. If you like what you are hearing, please donate.

Carla Gonzalez is an Associate Creative Director at Mintz + Hoke in Avon, CT. How did her creative path begin? Perhaps wanting to be a designer or illustrator, but no…she was a math teacher. The is a wonderful conversation with someone that always thinks outside the box. She will make you smile! To find out more about Carla: Instagram Linkedin  

Catherine Casalino's love of photography and writing came together when she was exposed to the publishing world after college. We talk about her time at Simon & Schuster and Random House, and how that compares to running her own studio. She also walks us through some recent projects, including her contribution to the award winning film, American Fiction.

Daniel Sheridan is an illustrator and designer. Growing up in the hardcore and metal music scene, it was the visual aesthetic and grit that influenced the style Daniel is known for. We talk about staying motivated, raising a family, and how his love of motorcycles and design come together to produce Dice Magazine.

Magge Gagliardi and Steve Keefe are the principals behind Dead Rabbit Design Co. They share how each of their professional careers began and the collaboration that lead to them moving forward as a team. We talk about some of their clients in the craft beer industry and how technology has impacted creative integrity.

While perusing his next adventure after high school, Richard Sachs traveled abroad to work for Witcomb Cycles in London. Having earned the trust of the companies family, he helped bring the brand to America. As bicycle racing became more popular here in the states, Richard went out on his own and he shares the mindset behind Richard Sachs Cycles and the unique value of a craftsman.

Emily Russo's creative path began after taking one look at a commercial design portfolio in high school. After she finished art school, Emily shares what she learned working at a small boutique agency and how that influenced her own design studio. We also talk about her time at the US Tennis Association and her current role at Blue Buffalo.

Jeremy Staub has come a long way from his beginnings as a one person studio and we talk about his growth and how Box 8 Creative began focusing on hospitality. He also shares some experiences working with new clients, keeping his team inspired, and what went into the recent Box 8 rebrand.