Creative Playdate Episode 26: Cultivating Creative Communities with Andrea Pippins

Yes, I realize that there hasn't been a new episode in MONTHS! But here I am. In the episode, I speak more about the lapse in new episodes and announce a relaunch of the show on September 1st of this year. I want to bring you the best content I can create and right now I need a little time to make it great.

I also want to know if you prefer that Creative Playdate have it's own social media accounts or if keeping everything through my own personal, illustration accounts works for you. If you have an opinion on that or on anything else you'd like to see me do with the show, please get in touch any way you like!

On to the episode! Today's interview is with the wonderful illustrator and author, Andrea Pippins. She is passionate about empowering young girls and also about helping us all create our own communities for support and inspiration. She even wrote a book about it, called We Inspire Me.

Andrea recently moved to Stockholm, Sweden ahead of the birth of her son. We talk about what it was like to leave her family when she was about to have a child and how she has been able to find some support and community in a new country. We also talk about her hopes for her son's childhood both in Sweden and anywhere else they may live in the future.

Our conversation really reminded me how important it is to have people around you for support and creative inspiration. We ALL need a creative community around us.

Creative Playdate is syndicated at IllustrationAge.com and the theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram and you can see my illustration at www.michellekondrich.com.

If you haven't yet, please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Now go play!

Creative Playdate Episode 25: Four Starts with F for a Reason - Tom and Amanda Froese

Tom’s Portrait by Sharalee Prang

The last episode of 2018 features an interview with the lovely Tom and Amanda Froese. Tom is a commercial artist whose work can be seen in publications like The Walrus and Harvard Business Review. He also creates illustrations for children's books, beer labels and even ceramics. Amanda is a Design Director at Partners & Hawes and is able to work from home alongside Tom.

Tom and Amanda tell the story of how they met, worked in the same office awkwardly, and ultimately got together. We discuss working from home with young kids and why Tom decided to move his studio from an off-site location, back into his home.

I try to get some 4-year-old advice from Tom and Amanda but, as you can hear at the beginning of the episode, 4 is just plain hard.

Tom is also a top teacher at Skillshare and we talk about his new class, Odd Bodies: Illustrating Expressive, Stylized People. If you don't know anything about Skillshare, you will absolutely want to check it out and sign up for this class using the link above. I plan on taking it first thing next year - or maybe even over the holiday break.

Creative Playdate is syndicated at IllustrationAge.com and the theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

I am going to transition away from the show's individual social media accounts, because it's simply too time-consuming to manage both and I think I've mostly got duplicate followers. So please follow me on Twitter and Instagram and you can see my illustration at www.michellekondrich.com.

If you haven't yet, please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Now go play!

Creative Playdate Episode 24: Steve Folland and Being Freelance

After chatting with Steve Folland on his podcast Being Freelance last year, I knew I wanted to get him onto Creative Playdate. If anyone is mastering the art of freelancing while parenting, Steve is.

Steve started working freelance full-time when his children were young. We talk about Steve's work and how he managed to take off the entire month of August while his kids were on vacation from school and how sometimes saying no is the best thing for YOU, not just your business.

Steve also talks about when and why he started creating his weekly vlog and how it serves as a journal and sometimes as a very efficient form of therapy.

Photo by Jeremy Freedman

I also turn the tables on Steve by asking him for Two Truths and a Lie - something he does with his podcast guests. I think you'll be as shocked as I was!

Creative Playdate is syndicated at IllustrationAge.com and the theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

You can follow the show on Twitter and on Instagram and you can learn more about me and my work at michellekondrich.com.

If you haven't yet, please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Now go play!

Creative Playdate Episode 23: Selina Alko

In episode 23, I interview children's book author and illustrator, Selina Alko. We met briefly at ICON10 in Detroit where she was serving as the VP (thanks to Scott Bakal for the introduction) and I was happy to have the chance to chat with her in a more conversational setting.

Selina grew up in Canada and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She has two children who are in the middle of adolescence and we talk about what that looks like at home. We discuss the challenges and benefits of raising biracial children in New York and we also talk about whether or not being a mother slowed down her career.

Creative Playdate is syndicated at IllustrationAge.com and the theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

You can follow the show on Twitter and on Instagram and you can learn more about me and my work at michellekondrich.com.

If you haven't yet, please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Now go play!

Creative Playdate Episode 22: Interview with Debbie Millman

Debbie Millman, everyone! This episode of Creative Playdate is a bit different than all the other episodes so far because this one is NOT about parenting. Debbie Millman is many things, including a designer, brand consultant and founder and host of one of the world's longest running podcasts, Design Matters.

Debbie has worked with some of the most recognizable brands in the country and has interviewed over 400 guests about the creative arc of their lives. We talk about how she got to where she is now and what it was like to be a woman in a heavily male-dominated industry.

Listen to everything this wise woman says!

Creative Playdate is syndicated at Illustration Age.

The theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram. And don't forget to subscribe, rate and review the show on iTunes!

Creative Playdate Episode 21: Interview with Michael Byers

Episode 21 of Creative Playdate features an interview with Canadian illustrator and super nice guy, Michael Byers. His editorial illustration is whimsical and colorful and always includes a touch of humor - as is Michael, himself. We talk about whether or not we should be properly dressed to take our kids to school and Michael mentions a lot of great writing on creativity that is worth checking out.

Michael recently created all of the illustrations for an incredible activity book for kids called "SUPERPOWERS! A Great Big Collection of Awesome Activities, Quirky Questions, and Wonderful Ways to See Just How Super You Already Are." I only wish my daughter was old enough to read and write, because it seems like a fun thing for kids to do alone or with their parents or friends.

We also talked about daily drawing and drawing from reference in a way that has inspired me to do more daily drawing and drawing from life. It's easy to get stuck on your image reference but it's nice to let your personality show through in the way you draw things straight from your own mind.

Creative Playdate is syndicated at Illustration Age.

The theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram. And don't forget to subscribe, rate and review the show on iTunes!

Creative Playdate Episode 20: Interview with Francesca Tortora of Doing It For the Kids

You are going to LOVE this episode with Francesca Tortora of Doing It For the Kids (DIFTK)! She has created an incredible community of freelance parents and I only wish she could do some meetup events in the US. We learn about her journey to being a parent, freelance graphic designer and founder of DIFTK.

She speaks about how her work has changed since her son came along and how it's influenced the types of clients she works with. She's had limited childcare in the past and manages to stick (mostly) to a pretty strict schedule with her clients, which has led to more clients who are happy to be more flexible. I also learned a lot about freelance maternity leave in the UK. Whenever I speak to someone out of the country, their maternity leave situation will inevitably make me incredibly jealous.

Frankie talks about the guilt we all feel as freelance parents and how she manages to rein it in whenever possible. 

Be sure to check out the DIFTK blog as well as the Instagram feed and wonderful Facebook Group. And you can see Frankie's graphic design work on her own site. And remember, DIFTK is a collaborative project, so get in touch with Frankie if you think you've got something you'd like to write.

Creative Playdate is syndicated on Illustration Age and our theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

Thanks, as always, for listening and for sharing with a friend. Be sure to rate, review and SUBSCRIBE on iTunes!

Now go play!

Creative Playdate Episode 19: Interview with Regina Flath

I am back from ICON with a great new episode featuring book designer and art director Regina Flath! She gives a nice overview of how Penguin Random House chooses illustrators, what they are looking for and how often they use stock images, illustration or their own photoshoots for book covers. One of her latest, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White is among her favorite recent projects.

Regina is also mom to an adorable toddler. She takes us through an epic year of getting and being pregnant as well as dealing with a host of medical issues that came up for both her and her daughter along the way. Fortunately, everyone is healthy and thriving now. Regina also mentioned that sometimes parents are the best artists to work with because they are GREAT at time management and at keeping their art directors abreast of what's happening as it relates to the timeline of the project. Go parents!

If you haven't heard yet, Creative Playdate now has it's own social media presence. You can follow the show on Instagram @creative_playdate_podcast and on Twitter @PlaydatePodcast. I've also created a Facebook Group where we can talk all things parenting and illustration and design and everything else. In the future I will be putting out a call for questions when I am interviewing a new guest, so I hope you will participate and get in some questions I might not have thought about.

Thank you all for listening and thank you to Thomas James and Jason Ritz for the theme music. Illustration Age is our proud syndicate, so check them out as well.

And of course, subscribe to the show, rate the show, review the show and SHARE the show!

Creative Playdate Episode 18: Interview with Melinda Beck

Images © Melinda Beck

I am super happy I had the chance to interview Melinda Beck for the show. She's an incredible illustrator and graphic designer who showcases a wide range of styles. And you can certainly see the graphic design influence in her illustration. We talk about what it's like to be a freelance illustrator while raising two teenage girls and what childhood in New York City is like.

Melinda has some good advice about time management and living simply in order to make time for her kids, her work and herself. Advice we can probably all use. She will be dispensing lots of advice in her workshop at ICON10 so be sure to check and see if there are any spots open.

If you'll be at ICON10 please say hello! I'm thrilled to be going back for the second time and excited to explore Detroit.

Creative Playdate is syndicated at Illustration Age. Theme music was created by Thomas James and James Ritz.

You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram and you can see my illustration on my website.

And don't forget to subscribe!

Creative Playdate Episode 17: Interview with Dan Santat

I am very pleased to have children's book illustrator and author, Dan Santat on the show. We talk about his career and the effect that winning the Caldecott Medal has had on the way he approaches his work and his place in the children's book industry.

Dan has a pretty laid-back attitude about parenting and truly feels there is never a right time to have kids; you just have to do it and work it out as you go along. He's also no stranger to being a workaholic and he talks about how he was forced to relax.

Dan also has a new book out with author Minh Le called Drawn Together. You should definitely check this one out.

Thanks for everyone who listens to the show and who has shared it with a friend. Please rate, review, and subscribe if you haven't yet!

You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Creative Playdate's theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz and we are syndicated at IllustrationAge.com.

Creative Playdate Episode 16: Season Two! Interview with Merlin Strangeway

Creative Playdate is back!

Since the first season ended, my life turned upside down a bit - including a move to the DC area that we had 3.5 weeks to plan. 

I'm thrilled to be back with new episodes and I'm kicking off the season with medical illustrator, Merlin Strangeway. Her work is incredibly varied in both style and technique, which is necessitated, somewhat, by the field. The work Merlin does with clients is fascinating and I think you'll enjoy learning more about the world of medical illustration.

Merlin made the surprising decision to start her freelance illustration business just as she was first becoming a mother. We talk about that decision and how her career has grown alongside her 9 year old daughter. Merlin has an optimistic, yet realistic outlook on parenting alongside a career in illustration that we could all probably use, sometimes.

Thank you for being patient while I worked on season 2 and thank you for listening to the show! If you are enjoying it, please give the show 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and review it as well, if you are so inclined. And of course, subscribe!

You can find out more about myself and my work at michellekondrich.com and you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Oh, and if you'd like to hear me talk about me for a bit, you can listen to the Being Freelance podcast. It's a great show even if you don't want to hear me talk about me.

The theme music to the show was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz and the show is syndicated at IllustrationAge.com.

Creative Playdate Episode 15: Interview with Jessica Abel - Season Finale!

Photo by Lauréne DuCrocq

I can't believe I've done 15 episodes of Creative Playdate! This episode is the last one for Season One and I will be back with Season Two in a couple of months.

This week's episode features the incredibly talented Jessica Abel. Her list of accomplishments is far too long for these show notes but you may know her from her graphic novels, like La Perdida or Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars, her textbook Drawing Words & Writing Pictures (written with husband, Matt Madden) or she may even be your teacher. Somehow she's been able to do all of these things all while raising two children.

We talk about moving her family to Angoulême, France for four years and the adjustments they've had to make when their children started school in the U.S. Parenting is always unexpected in different ways and it has been no different for Jessica. For those of us who find it hard to maintain our creativity while our lives swirl around us, Jessica has a book for that, Growing Gills: How to find creative focus when you're drowning in your daily life.

I suppose I say this every episode (and I don't know how else to say it), but thank you so very much for listening and sharing the show. I love getting to have these conversations and I've already got a great lineup started for Season Two.

You can follow me on Twitter @MissIllustrator and Instagram @mkondrich and you can see my illustration at www.michellekondrich.com.

The show is syndicated on Illustration Age and our theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts! 

Creative Playdate Episode 14: Interview with Chris & Jennifer Sickels

The penultimate episode of Creative Playdate is an interview with Chris & Jennifer Sickels! You likely know Chris as Red Nose Studio. I was thrilled when Chris suggested his wife, Jennifer, join in the conversation. It's the first time I've had a partner one who is not also working as a creative. It's important that the people behind the scenes who support these crazy careers we've chosen get all the respect and gratitude that they deserve.

Chris and Jennifer have 4 children between the ages of 3 and 13, so we talked a lot about what it's like to have kids at various stages of development. We also talk about the financial aspects of raising 4 kids primarily on the income of a freelance illustrator and whether or not Chris wishes they could live in New York.

As I mention in the episode, I have made the decision to break the show up into seasons. There will be one more episode this season and I will let you know as season 2 approaches.

What would you like to hear about in season 2?

The show is created and hosted by me, Michelle Kondrich and our theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz. The show is syndicated at Illustration Age (where you can also find a bi-monthly business column by yours truly).

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe on iTunes. And leave a comment and rating!

Creative Playdate Episode 13: Interview with Santiago Uceda

The last episode of Creative Playdate for the year is a wonderful interview with illustrator, motion graphics artist, and designer Santiago Uceda. His work has so much character. He talks about how is illustration used to be very dark but that his family has helped to inject more hope into the work. You can read a great interview with Santiago and his partner, Jen Bell, in Family Circle about their blended family and lives.

Santiago is a Peruvian immigrant and he was very open about his experiences and feelings about the current political climate around immigration. If you want to know more about Santiago and his work, you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

As I mention at the beginning of the show, in addition to Creative Playdate being syndicated on Illustration Age, I am now going to be writing a bi-monthly column on the site. My first installment, "How I Built an Illustration Career Without Going to Art School" is up now and I should have a new one out next week.

Thank you to Thomas James and Jason Ritz for our theme music and thanks to all of you who have been listening and supporting the show!

You can find out more about myself and my work at www.michellekondrich.com and please be sure to subscribe to the show on iTunes!

I will be back with new episodes in January, so please enjoy the holiday season, stay safe, and Happy New Year!

Creative Playdate Episode 12: Interview with Jannie Ho

Episode 12 features an interview with children's illustrator Jannie Ho. Her work is everywhere - books, educational magazines, toys, games, stickers, even dinnerware! She is the mother of a six year old daughter and her debut author/illustrator picture book, Bear and Chicken, is out now!

Jannie's illustration is perfect for the children's market and it was great to hear how her work and her new book developed. She loves Richard Scarry books from her childhood and you can really see the influence, which I love. 

She also is a big proponent of day care for those of us with young children who do not have the luxury of family nearby. It can be an expensive necessity when working from home.

You can follow Jannie on Twitter and Instagram @chickengirldesign.

The show is syndicated on Illustration Age - with it's own dedicated page now - and our theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

If you want to know more about my illustration or about the show, visit my website or follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Listen and subscribe to the show on iTunes!

Creative Playdate Episode 11: Interview with Andi Butler - Part 1 and 2

Interview with Andi Butler Part 1

Interview with Andi Butler Part 2

This week I've got a special, two-part episode with illustrator and surface pattern designer Andi Butler. We had a lengthy conversation about both her experience in the surface pattern design industry as well as her experience raising two boys, one of whom is autistic. I've split the conversation into two parts - the first part covers more of her work life and the second goes into parenting much more.

Andi is incredibly knowledgeable about both of these worlds and she is also very happy to talk about them and to answer questions about them. She's been at it for decades, so enjoy the wealth of information and insight!

You can follow Andi on Twitter and Instagram @andibutler and she also has a Facebook Page.

Thank to you everyone who has been listening to the show and welcome to all my new listeners! Feel free to get in touch any time!

Our wonderful syndicate is Illustration Age and our theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz.

Please be sure to rate and review on iTunes if you like what you hear.

Creative Playdate Episode 10: Interview with Britt Wilson

Today's episode was a supper fun, casual conversation with illustrator, comic artist and hand letterer, Britt Wilson. We have children who are almost the same age and we are at similar stages in our lives and careers. We jump right into the conversation with little preamble, so if you like to commiserate with other toddler parents and listen to their crazy stories you will LOVE this episode!

Britt is super open and honest about her experience becoming a mother and the financial and emotional toll that it can take. Like most of us, she had some... maybe... unrealistic expectations of what working at home with an infant would be like. I'm starting to think that there's no such thing as a child who will hang out in a play pen alone for more than 2 minutes.

Britt's work is colorful and honest and fun and you should definitely check out her books like Britt Wilson's Greatest Book on Earth. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram @britterson. Her Instagram stories of her daughter are definitely worth the follow - and so are her plants. 

Thanks for listening and don't forget to share with a friend!

Illustration Age is our wonderful syndicate and the theme music was created by Thomas James and Jason Ritz (who have a new podcast, by the way).

Creative Playdate Episode 9: Interview with Jacqui Oakley and Jamie Lawson

For the first time EVER, I've got a couple on the show! Jacqui Oakley and Jamie Lawson are both freelance creatives (she's an illustrator, he's an illustrator and designer) with an energetic three-year-old. We talk about their childcare situation and dividing up time with their son when deadlines don't always coincide with day care.

© Jacqui Oakley

It was good fun to chat with them. They are beginning to collaborate on fine art/gallery work and it makes me wish my husband and I could collaborate in that way. It sounds like a great way to get back to the early parts of a relationship, before kids. And Jacqui weighs in on her experience taking a break from work after giving birth.

You can follow Jacqui on Twitter and Instagram @jacquioakley and you can follow Jamie on Twitter @poly_studio and Instagram @jamielawson. Oh, and Jacqui has some great videos of her speaking at Weapons of Mass Creation and Creative Mornings.

And if you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate and review on iTunes. It helps spread the word!

Creative Playdate Episode 8: Interview with Daniel Hertzberg

Episode 8 of Creative Playdate features an interview with illustrator Daniel Hertzberg. We have an interesting conversation in which Daniel is very open about his and his wife's experience with trying to get pregnant and with having twins who were very premature. They had a first year that, fortunately, many of us have no experience with. 

Daniel has a great attitude towards being a parent and it's one that I know I lose touch with at times. When you are in the thick of an especially difficult time with your children, it's easy to forget the joy and humor they can bring. 

You can follow Daniel on Twitter and Instagram @danielhertzberg. And you can follow me on Twitter @MissIllustrator and on Instagram @mkondrich.

Want to help the show grow? Please share with a friend and rate/review on iTunes. I've got some great ideas for turning this show into more of a community rather than just an audience, so keep listening and thank you for all the support.

Creative Playdate is syndicated at Illustration Age.

Creative Playdate Episode 7: Interview with Allison Cole

Episode 7 is an interview with illustrator and surface pattern designer Allison Cole. Her incredibly playful work has appeared on products for clients like Target and West Elm. In fact, when I met her in person after our interview, I discovered that the Camelbak water bottle that my daughter uses was sporting one of her designs! 

We had a fun conversation about what it's like to work in surface pattern design and licensing and we discovered that our lives are shockingly similar - our husbands even work at the same school. She talks about her crazy-long commute while teaching out of state and about dealing with a serious health problem during pregnancy.

Check out Allison's portfolio and also her Busy Family 2018 Planning Calendar - which I think many of us could probably get some use out of. You can follow her on Twitter @allison_cole and Instagram @allisoncoleillustration.

I'm also very happy to announce that Illustration Age is now syndicating the podcast! Hopefully that means more eyes and ears on the show. And you can help by rating on iTunes or sharing with a friend. Lots of you have been doing that already, so thank you!

In the future, I hope to give you all opportunities to send in questions for guests in advance. I'm not quite there yet, but I definitely want you to be a part of the show because it wouldn't be hear without you!