Richard Taylor is the founder of Brandon, a creative consultancy focused on helping clients scale and grow.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?


Playing Padel tennis is where I could spend most of my days without a care in the world. In my early childhood I played tennis every day and often night whilst living in Kuwait, Saudi and the United Arab Emirates. When I came back to the UK, I carried on playing regularly and coached kids in my late teens.

I’ve just reached my first half century in life and am now hooked on Padel tennis, which is getting increasingly popular over in the UK. When on the court I can just be in the moment and not have to think (worry) about anything else outside of those four glass walls. The court and the cinema are the two places where I live in the now.
 
What is the first memory you have of being creative?


I fell in love with the creative world when I picked up a ‘Carrera’ typographic badge that fell off the back of a Porsche 911. It is a beautifully scripted font that hasn’t changed much over the years.

I remember sticking that black Carrera badge on my bedroom wall as a kid, alongside a Lamborghini Countach and Porsche 959 poster. I’m a sucker for typography and the beauty and artistry that surrounds sports cars. That combination has stuck with me and led me to explore the beauty and power of design in business, the form and function that surrounds our every being.

What is your biggest regret?


I don’t tend to regret that many things as I am a great believer in serendipity and a dose of hard graft to take you places. But, if I could look back, my biggest regret was not setting up Brandon with my wife Abi sooner. 

I realized quite early on from previous jobs that I didn’t want to play the corporate game. My skills are much more suited to being my own leader and working with amazing people that are more akin to the entrepreneurial spirit that imbues everything I do. It is fair to say that I think people need to find their own way in life and that is often zigging whilst others zag.
 
How have you gotten over heartbreak?


I’m from a working-class family in Yorkshire, albeit one that spent most of its life in and around the Middle East – with my father being seconded out to the region as a Civil & Structural Engineer.

With that I’ve had a pretty thick skin, and most things just bounce off me and I move onto the next. I’ve recently been diagnosed as having ADHD and have always felt a little bit like I live on outskirts of the world. So, I’ve never really felt that much heartbreak, I’ve always focused on the next thing and just worked hard to get there.

Too often I see people dwell in their own self-pity. We live one life, it’s important to crack on and grasp each and every opportunity that comes your way.  
 
What makes you cry?

I’ve just asked my wife this one and she laughed, the short answer back was “nothing”. Who said love is dead?

The last time I cried was 16 years ago when we were living in Dubai and I heard that my grandfather had passed away back in England. I was close to my grandfather, who was a real working gentleman in life, he taught me about laughter, humility, manners and just taking each day as it comes. That loss hit hard, and was made even harder by the distance.
 

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?


Now herein lies the problem and in part why my ADHD prognosis makes so much sense. I celebrate wins of any kind for a nanosecond and then move onto the next thing.

My team at Brandon say it’s in part what makes me what I’ve become which, reflecting back on the ADHD diagnosis, makes me that little bit different to the mainstay of people I come across. 

My working life has mainly been focused on winning business, but once the bell has been rung and whilst the champagne is being popped, I’m stood in the room thinking ‘what’s next’ whilst everyone else is in the moment relishing the win. I wish I could! That relentless pursuit and the thrill of the chase are what get me out of bed in the morning and I guess are a big part of my DNA.
 
Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?


I have enough problem believing in life without having to think about the afterlife. As an atheist, I have little belief in the afterlife and little time to exert my energy in even thinking about it.

I’d dearly love there to be some form of happy ending beyond this world, but it is what it is. Not much I can do to change the day after I take my last breath on this planet. Live every day like it’s your last, one day it will be!
 
What do you hate most about yourself?


My short attention span can cause me to have a short fuse when people don’t bring clarity and speed to my table. I just don’t have time to waste talking around subjects.

I’m very straight forward to the point and can’t be doing with dilly-dallying. My team often ask me how I can just ‘tell it like it is’ to client partners – straightforward and without the fluff. I had to force myself to put on an act in past roles, but never again. 

Tell it like it is with radical candor and respect. People pay me for my expertise and views, they can then either take it or leave it – but it is who I am, and I wouldn’t change that for the world. 
 
What do you love most about yourself?


I tried to always be kind in my life, which is why I no doubt beat myself up about the ‘short fuse’ from the last question. I recall my grandfather always used to say “How-do!?” in his strong Sheffield accent to anyone he walked past on the street, it was his small gesture of love and it’s always with me in every daily encounter.

The late actor and comedic icon Robin Williams’ quote “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always” has always stuck with me. Just be kind to the human in front of you as everyone is battling something in life.

No truer words have been spoken and it led to ‘humankind’ being a value we have embedded into Brandon and how we deal with everyone that crosses the threshold.
 
What is your absolute favorite meal?


There is a restaurant in London’s Soho called Bone Daddies that does some of the best Ramen in the UK, I can often be found there in my own thoughts chomping into Korean Fried Wings, Pig Bones and a Tokyo Cock Cock. 

My favorite dessert was from a visit my family had to Miami too many years ago to remember (but probably pre-Miami Vice) it was a coconut fried ice cream. That reminds me, I must go back and dig that place out!

Ginny McReynolds is a 72-year-old lesbian, writer and longtime community college English, journalism and communications teacher. Retired now, she writes about how women are reinventing themselves and finding new meaning and purpose in retirement. Read her blog at: www.finallytimeforthis.com

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

It’s been said many times before, but I love having written. I actually really enjoy writing when I have an idea and it’s working, but during the slogging portion of writing, I often feel tortured. I feel so happy when something I’m writing comes together as I imagined it might and then readers will comment that they see themselves in what I’ve written. That means more than anything. I also love spending time with my partner, when she is working on her creative pursuits and I am engaged in mine.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I was in 7th grade in 1963, when President Kennedy was assassinated. At the time, it was such a profound event—the dramatic murder of this man who seemed to my 12-year-old self to be the best president we’d ever had (he was actually only the second president in my life). I was so shaken and disturbed by the event that I wrote a poem about it. I had never written anything like that before, and I’m sure it was more prose than poetry since I am not a poet at all. But the words just poured out of me. I showed it to my aunt, who liked it so much she sent it in to the local newspaper, which was publishing people’s responses and comments following the assassination. The paper finally published a book of many of them, including mine, and the book eventually made its way to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. The experience certainly didn’t change my life, but it planted a seed in me that has remained. It is always writing that I turn to when I want to understand what I feel and what’s happening in my life.

What is your biggest regret?

My biggest regret is that it took me so long to feel brave. For much of my life I valued not making waves or drawing attention to myself over exploration, vulnerability, and simply standing proudly in the world as I am. That lack of courage kept me from applying for certain jobs, living in new places, taking myself more seriously as a writer, and just enjoying who I was all of those years. I’m so much more confident now, and I have to remind myself that it’s not too late to believe this fully in myself.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

In some ways, I think we don’t really get over heartbreak. For me, after days or weeks or months of feeling sorry for myself, or wallowing in loneliness, I realize that I just end up moving forward. But the sadness, the loss, and the what-ifs remain as part of who I am. I have been fortunate to have much more joy than heartbreak, but those very hard times helped me uncover other sides of me and to bring those out into the light.

What makes you cry?

I’ve never been a big crier, and Prozac has made me even less of one, so I know that when I do cry it is such a real feeling. These days, it is almost always something sentimental that makes me cry—an old song, reading my mother’s words in a journal I found of hers after she died, a movie that ends with a twist, something great happening to someone I love dearly.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

In its fullest form, maybe a good 36 hours. After that, I start picking it apart, determining I could have done better. Or, I wait for the other shoe to drop, to learn that what I thought I accomplished wasn’t that great after all. I’m working on being in the moment much more than when I was younger and reminding myself that everything is a kind of accomplishment—that it’s me being alive in the world and thriving. And for that, I’m trying to remember to pat myself on the back.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I definitely believe there is something after this. Sometimes I think it’s just a whole new life experience—in a different place at a different time. Other times I think it doesn’t look anything like this and that we will have no sense of anything except being where we are. I don’t believe it’s good or bad, though, any more than this life is.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I hate it that I have spent a huge amount of time in my life trying to prevent something bad from happening. I grew up in an emotionally tenuous family and it made me watchful from an early age. Even with lots of therapy, it took me years to understand that I couldn’t control things outside myself, that focusing on what might happen is fruitless, and that I will actually be fine no matter what occurs. I still go there with some regularity, but I don’t travel nearly as far down that road as I used to. I practice equanimity now whenever I possibly can.

What do you love most about yourself?

I love that I feel hopeful. I haven’t always. In fact, it almost seems that I have felt the most hope when I gave up looking for it. But I truly believe that things will work out for us all and that means we will survive whatever happens. This seems like a crazy time in the world to hold on to hope, but on a personal level, I believe we are good and that we will find connection when we need it. We really aren’t alone.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

My absolute favorite meal is one prepared by me and my partner and any set of our close friends. I used to hate “potlucks” because they were such a lesbian cliché, but now I love a meal constructed by several of us, with attention to the way the foods connect to the occasion and to each of us. It’s such a symbol of how we have all grown together over the years.

John Geletka is a founder of Geletka+, an independent agency based in Chicago. He makes content, experiences, films, poems, books, designs, stories, products and that thing that hasn’t even been a thing yet.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Trying and learning new things is what I enjoy most in the world. New processes, new techniques and new tools are always a good rush for me. More than that, it helps me thrive in an ever-evolving creative landscape. 

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

When I was in grade school, I loved to make up my own cartoon characters. By 5th grade I’d designed an entire set of new villains that spawned out of my favorite video game, Mega Man. I can remember starting with the bubbly eyes and working my way down, out and around into tons of different characters. I’d write about their powers, build out attributes and pit them against each other. 

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

No, and I’m very thankful for that. Heartbreak, as painful as it is helps define who you are. It builds character and gives you the superpower to move forward in different and new directions. There was once a time in my life, in my late twenties, where everything I had was taken from me. I had little over a thousand dollars to my name after working for 10 years. Being at that financial and personal bottom, taught me what it was like and how to move away from it. I never fear taking risks, because I know how to bounce back. 

What is your biggest regret?

I have a constant regret and it’s this. I never express how grateful I am to the people around me. I’ve had so much help and support along the years from an amazing network of friends who always have my back. 

What makes you cry?

So, I try to laugh about it. Cover it all up with lies. ‘Cause boys don’t cry. 


How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It lasts a long time for me, and really never goes away…. but the reason I take pride changes over time with perspective. What that means is, I used to look back and be proud if my design was published in a magazine, or put on a sign, or something else. Now I look back at the people I worked with to make it happen, the tools we used, the time we put in, the debates we had had and the way we delivered the work. That matters more to me these days. 

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

An afterlife would be quite boring to me. The same baggage, the same memories, the same mistakes. Plus, after so much time there, would I still be learning and evolving? Or would I just get tired. I expect the afterlife to be the same as the beforelife, but I’d be open to coming back as another form with a new perspective.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I compartmentalize things, bury things and never look back. This is a strength for sure in moving forward in the world, but it can also be a real weakness because I have buried, forgotten and moved well away from people for what most would consider minor infractions.

What do you love most about yourself?

I love that at 40 I’m still learning, still evolving and still caring about the world around me.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Shrimp Fantastic. It was an old Bennigan’s special I used to get in school as a kid. It was basically shrimp tempura serviced on a skewer shaped like a crown. There was nothing better and I felt like the king of the world when I ate it.

Luis Uribe is a multi-award-winning Mexican designer based in Cologne, Germany, with over a decade of experience in digital and interactive design. Currently, he is the Design Director at borabora studios – the real-time creative studio, specializing in art, games and immersive brand experiences for retail, events and permanent installations.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

What do I truly cherish most in life? Apart from warm showers, cozying up with my cats on the couch, and eating massive amounts of spicy food, I have to say, I really like it when I’m in front of the computer screen. 

This is where I feel most comfortable, exploring new ways to visualize and graphic design, from crafting intricate interfaces to experimenting with digital installations. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been visually driven, and continue to keep learning and finding things.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

This takes me back to my early school days when I first laid eyes on Microsoft Paint. Oh, the wonders of those pixelated masterpieces! Despite my initial attempts which resulted in some less-than-stellar artworks, I was completely hooked.

Next came the revolutionary Microsoft 95 WOW and with it a whole new world of graphics. I vividly remember the mesmerizing animated wallpapers/screensavers and especially the one with tubes of ever-changing colors. It was like watching art come to life and I couldn’t figure out how it worked.

And the games! DOOM, Age of Empires, Prince of Persia… I was convinced those graphics were crafted in Paint! This misconception fueled my determination, and soon enough, I found something like Photoshop_ver3.12636_craked_trojan.zip.exe (Yes, you are right, questionable downloads!).

But, it was Adobe Flash that really changed things for me. The versatility of that tool was unmatched — from vector files to animations to websites, you name it. The good old days!

What is your biggest regret?

Ah, regrets…Well, I’m a firm believer in looking forward rather than dwelling on past missteps. Each decision, even the ones that didn’t quite pan out as planned, has ultimately shaped the path that led me to where I am today.

If I were to give my younger self some advice, I’d say, “Hey LU, when you’re stuck between A and B, go for option C.”

Thinking outside the box has worked well for me. Maybe, it’s a dash of luck.


How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Ah, thinking back to that first heartbreak, huh? Man, being a teenager and dealing with all that drama… I remember. So, when things went south with my first girlfriend, I’ll be honest, it hit me hard. I’d crawl into bed, blast some seriously emo music, and let myself wallow in it all. Classic move, right? Like many other creative types, I’d bury myself in work to distract myself.

But you know what really got me through? It was having my buddies around, just reminding me that life goes on. Having friends makes it all a little more bearable, you know? And let’s not forget the power of emo music (not real EMO, I’m a METAL guy but there is a lot of sad metal too). It’s like… finding solace in the sadness, you feel me?

What makes you cry?

Nothing gets me riled up like seeing people being jerks to animals. I mean, seriously, animals don’t have a mean bone in their bodies, and yet here we are, humans being all mean and nasty. 
I’m a pretty chill guy, but there’s definitely a part of me that’s very misanthropic. Yeah animals being hurt and the Grave of The Fireflies movie – that one’s a real soul destroyer.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

When it comes to feeling proud of my accomplishments, I’ve been humble. I mean, sure, it’s awesome to achieve something great and celebrate success for a moment. But for me, that feeling tends to fade pretty quickly. I’m usually onto the next project or challenge before I even have time to fully appreciate what I’ve accomplished. It’s how I’m wired, I guess. I mean there is always a next step and something bigger.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

That’s some deep stuff right there. I’ve always had this feeling that it’s nothing like what religion or movies have led us to believe. If I were to imagine an afterlife, I’d picture it kinda like this life, you know? Except without all the worries and pains that come with it. It’s a place where everyone can kick back and live forever, no strings attached.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about ancestry. Who were my ancestors, what were their stories, where did they come from? Being Mexican makes these things important. So, in this hypothetical afterlife, I like to think that all those ancestors are waiting for me, waiting to be discovered.

What do you hate most about yourself?

When I think about the things I’m not too fond of about myself, there’s a whole laundry list that comes to mind. Sometimes, I wish I were a bit smarter or maybe a little less lazy. And don’t get me started on how easily distracted I can be. Plus, being vertically challenged has its moments.

But, if there’s one thing that really gets under my skin, it’s this feeling of not being brave enough. I wish I could be more outgoing and fearless in facing life head-on. It’s just all these insecurities. I’m certain we all have some.

And after thinking about it, it doesn’t bother me that much.


What do you love most about yourself?

One thing I’ve really grown to love about myself is how I’ve learned to be kind and protective of me.

It might sound strange, but there are times when I catch myself having these little chats in my head, almost in the third person – giving myself a friendly reminder to stay on track and be good to myself.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Honestly, when it comes to food, I’m all about variety. I love spicy food. Everything with strong flavors. But, if I had to pick favorites it would need to be Mexican Mole.

Mole is all flavors and colors together. Everything that makes memories of home cozy is in it. It can have a hundred ingredients and they all match perfectly. Sometimes it tastes like warm chocolate and others like the spiciest salsa. Mole is just perfect. In fact Mole, even though sauce is the main ingredient and it’s normally served with rice or protein – in my region, it’s very common to find cooked Mole with Platanos Machos. It sounds weird but oh my.

Craig Dobie, with an extensive background in branding, has co-founded Applied Design, led high profile projects like the National September 11 Memorial & Museum identity, received a Gold Cannes Lion, and taught at Parsons School of Design.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Making things with my hands. There’s a real sense of accomplishment when you make something by hand. One winter I was obsessed with making neckties. I loved the process of taking apart different ties to figure out how they are made, creating my own template, and sewing variations using different methods and fabrics. I learned a lot in the process, improving my skill and refining the design each time. The first tie took me about 12 hours to complete while the last took less than an hour from start to finish. I have so many that I haven’t bought a tie since.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

My earliest creative memory is helping my grandfather paint landscapes when I was around five years old. Painting was a quiet world that he built for himself as a retired policeman in Scotland. He would invite me into his world to paint details like the leaves of the trees in the foreground of his scenes. To this day, I can still remember how wonderful it felt being part of something so important to him. At a young age he taught me that drawing and painting is about really looking at something and then expressing what you find interesting about it.

What is your biggest regret?

It isn’t really a regret, but I do wonder what kind of person I would be if I hadn’t moved to New York from Scotland twenty five years ago. I still feel a very strong connection to Scotland and go back regularly but what would life be like if I had not left? I miss many things about Scotland, but especially the creativity and brutal honesty of the Scottish sense of humour. Making fun of each other, as a show of affection, is something the Scots excel at.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

It is such a cliche but time really is the only effective remedy. I find running around a park and hiking in the woods help as a distraction while the real healer, time, does its work.

What makes you cry?

I don’t cry, I’m Scottish! Just kidding, I’m a baller.
The movie Tony Takitani by Jun Ichikawa, based on the short story of the same name by Haruki Murakami gets me every time. As well as being a deeply moving story of emotional solitude, it has a wonderful and haunting soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

I’ve learned to keep adding on to the feeling of accomplishment with the next win, rather than let it fade each time. I’ve also learned to take joy in not knowing where the creative process will lead. Trusting that it will lead somewhere interesting, because it very reliably does.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

No. I don’t believe there is anything else after this. I think that our experience doesn’t continue on after we die but our influence can. Just as my grandfather’s creative way of seeing the world lives on in me.

What do you hate most about yourself?

Nothing. While there is a seemingly unending number of things that I am not good at and mistakes that I make. They are simply things that I didn’t do very well. I truly believe that it is important to forgive yourself as easily as you forgive others. It takes some practice, but luckily I screw up often enough to get all the practice I need.

What do you love most about yourself?

While I am good at not hating myself, I’ve still got some way to go on learning to love myself. Perhaps that ties back to being a Scot and our disdain for anything even slightly resembling bragging.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Ordering yakitori and a cold beer sitting at the counter of a busy neighborhood restaurant on a hot summer night while watching the chef grilling over the flaming hot charcoal.

Mike Caguin is Chief Creative Officer of Periscope, a Minneapolis-based creative agency that sees beyond the expected to build brands and impact communities in inventive ways.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Napping. I also really like helping people.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

Before I can remember, my parents would take us to art museums. I loved going and never got bored like my older siblings would. I’d point to every painting and say, “Pretty picture.”

What is your biggest regret?

Earlier in my career as a creative leader, I’d sometimes try to be someone I’m not. Of course, that never turns out well. And when I say it doesn’t turn out well, what I mean is that it can be a total and complete disaster. Years ago I went to a pitch wearing a suit and tie because the company was conservative and dressed in formal attire, so I wanted to mimic them. I couldn’t have been less comfortable. Needless to say, we didn’t win the pitch and I never repeated that mistake again.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Does anyone ever really get over heartbreak? Or do we just find a way to move forward?

What makes you cry?

I don’t cry much but it’s coming a little easier these days as I allow myself to go there. Recently I’ve found myself shedding tears ranging from grief to suffering to laughter, but I’m most surprised when I well up over a story about the human struggle and perseverance against all odds.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It depends. If it’s winning a new business pitch or an industry award, the joy lasts for about 10 minutes. If I happen to help someone succeed in creating awesome work or advance in their career, it lasts for years. Last July I completed my third Ironman triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run). The feeling of pride I got from training, competing in and finishing a race like that, I’ll take with me to the grave.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

For some reason, I believe in reincarnation. I sure as heck hope that I can come back as a well-cared for dog in my next life. Or a three-toed sloth. Those creatures have it all figured out.

What do you hate most about yourself?

Impostor syndrome 24/7/365 times infinity plus one million.

What do you love most about yourself?

My superpower is making a person or a team feel great about themselves. I love giving compliments — it gives me energy to celebrate others.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

A burger, fries and a beer or two. You know, the healthy stuff.

Jen Grosso is the Director of Architecture at Alloy, a group of architects and developers committed to making Brooklyn beautiful, equitable, & sustainable.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Having a Saturday morning cup of coffee with my girlfriend Massi. That cup of coffee is best when refilled and becomes half the day. We read, write and tinker around on “projects” that go mostly nowhere. That side table she wants to build? Model it, give up. That semi-coherent RHONY take I had? Outline, get distracted, maybe come back to it later. Undirected caffeinated weekend ambition is perfect fuel for the deepest cut research projects of absolutely no consequence.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

A summer afternoon of making mud pies at my grandparent’s country house as a kid. I had collected my grandmother’s CorningWare, a pink plastic strainer, and some silverware out by the lake. I filtered layers of pebbles through lake water, mixed mud with grass, and packed it upon the dish. I scavenged leaves off the nearby tree, tore dandelions from the lawn, and petunias my Grandmother’s planted half-barrel. I raided my grandfather’s tool shed for old bits to go in one, while Barbie’s heels adorned another. When a mud pie was complete – I’d present it to my mother, chuck it into the lake, and then start again. It was a feral kid joy in the process of assembly.

What is your biggest regret?

I regret not taking on more risk earlier in my life. Professional, financial, creative.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I think only by witnessing change in who I am. Every bunch of years I look back at my younger self like “who was that?!” and in this way can look back at past relationships I’ve had and feel them differently because I feel so different from my past selves.

What makes you cry?

Usually thinking too long about the people I miss, or might miss in the future.

But, here’s a list of other things that also made me cry this month:

• At least 2 strangers running the NYC Marathon cheered on by family.
• A Bake-off contestant being sent home.
• Ada getting married in the Gilded Age (Uncompelling character. Rushed plot point. Why the tears?)
• A Zyrtec commercial.
• An IG reel of an elderly doggo. I was on the subway to work. It was maybe 7:30am.
• Andrea Gibson’s announcement on “We Can Do Hard Things” (bad)
• Andrea Gibson’s second announcement on “We Can Do Hard Things” (better)

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Buildings can take time, but the cool part is there’s few moments along the way I think
“Hey, we made that! This exists in NY now!”

1. Standing on the first constructed floor right at the level the ground used to be.
2. Getting to the tippy top and seeing a view of NY that never existed before.
3. Driving along the BQE just living my life, and seeing a project in the distance.

The accomplished moments are fleeting, and almost always worn off well before final completion, and seeing old projects feels a bit like seeing a high school friend you haven’t stayed in touch with. Do I make eye-contact? Does it remember me?

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

No, but returning to infinite everything/nothingness sounds pretty interesting.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I really care what people think of me. I hate how much time I spend thinking about what others might think about what I do and say.

What do you love most about yourself?

I have access to a hundred gears. I can lose myself in an idea, and turn around and get shit done. I can build consensus in a team, and I can speak out. I love learning and like to think I’m always changing.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

My father’s spaghetti and meatballs.

Veronica Padilla is VP Head of Design at Periscope/Favorite Child, a Minneapolis-based design agency that helps brands realize their fullest potential through the power of design.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Pilates! I’m addicted. It makes me feel great inside and out—gym, church, therapy, and a gift. If everyone practiced, the world would be happier, healthier, less achy, and less cranky. I’m becoming certified as my way of service to help pay it forward.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I was notorious for my mini-mess explosions of “creativity” around the house. Like drawing, coloring, and deconstructing things to see if I could put them back together. Always with a new idea mid-journey, creating yet another explosion. My mom soon taught me to sew, crochet, and embroider. After finishing my coloring books, she would have me trace the pages onto fabric and embroider them. If I wasn’t doing that, I was crocheting, reverse engineering, and sewing doll clothes. Hours flew by, and I found my flow making things very young.

What is your biggest regret?

My dad only had one brother, Tio Benjamin. As a kid, he was the best, always cracking jokes and making me laugh. But as I got older, our family grew apart, and we didn’t talk much. I was living out of state in my early 20s when he was diagnosed with cancer. My dad urged me to call him. I never got around to it because I felt awkward and didn’t know what to say. When he died, I felt awful. I regret not reaching out, and it pains me to this day. The lesson for me: Never miss out on a chance to show someone support.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

My first real heartbreak took me years to recover; it was a very dark time, and I probably still have some trauma there. Committed to never wallowing and going to that place again. Whenever things get heavy in the heart, I look for answers instead. What am I feeling? What is the takeaway? What did I bring to this? What can I be grateful for? And I read as much as possible to better understand and empathize with the other side. I find solace in books on self-development, relationships, psychology, and Buddhist teachings.

What makes you cry?

Jeeze, what doesn’t make me cry? I tear up when I see other people crying, if I laugh too hard, sad pet videos, funny pet videos, music that reminds me of past times, etc. I live in Northern California, which has so many spectacular natural wonders; when I’m still enough to really take in that beauty, I’ll find myself in tears. Sometimes, I even start to well up during a deep meditation from feeling grateful for all the supportive people in my life, the big things, the little things, and all the twists and turns I’ve survived.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It depends on the thing. The more challenging the task or the more I procrastinate, the longer the pride and joy I feel after I finish. But it’s short-lived and usually fleeting.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I have Catholic roots, but now I align more with Buddhist teachings…we never really die, and our consciousness continues in different forms. After seeing the film Fantastic Fungi, who knows? We might just become mushrooms. I half joke (*not joking) about wanting to be buried in a mushroom suit.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I hate being shy and introverted, especially in bigger groups. I become an observer as more people enter a room, virtually or in real life. I do better in small numbers. That’s when I can be my most authentic self. I wish that wasn’t the case. I’m working on it.

What do you love most about yourself?

I’m easygoing and have a healthy sense of humor. I’m not saying I’m funny but an easy laugh. As a result, it helps people let their guard down and feel at ease, which I love.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Sushi all day, every day. With so many dietary restrictions, it’s my favorite easy-compliant meal. I miss living by H-Mart. Is it lunchtime yet?

Diana Varma works as a design educator by day and a podcaster by night; getting creative with creatives about all things creative. She is a curious human who dabbles in a variety of printing technologies, most recently LEGO letterpress. Diana lives with her family near Toronto, Canada and can be found on Instagram @talkpaperscissors.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Teaching, wholeheartedly. I love working within creative constraints when developing unique course experiences, building valuable assessments that have never been tried, connecting in classroom spaces, learning alongside students and glorious ‘aha!’ moments. One of my favourite places to be brave is in the classroom. I’ve tried everything from writing with your foot to summarizing whole courses through poetry. I am serious about the power of play.

This is likely an overshare, but thanks to the magic of epidurals, I managed to have a conversation about education while in labour with my daughter. Come to think of it, she sort of interrupted it with her arrival.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

Choosing crayons over playing with most other toys. My Mom loved Barbie dolls when she was little so she made sure I had an extensive collection of my own. Most days I’d choose crayons and paper over everything else; a truth that continues to this day. Pass the crayons, please!

What is your biggest regret?

I don’t know if this is a regret so much as what I’m continuing to work on all the time, which is staying present. There are moments that I look back on in photos and in videos of when my kids were really little and, intellectually, I know that it happened because I have record of it. However, because I was experiencing it at a literal arms-length with a barrier between myself and the experience (my phone), it feels far more disembodied and performative than embodied and connective sometimes. And whether I want to admit it or not, the feeling at the root of this is regret.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

After the initial shock of heartbreak has subsided, I try to recognize that there’s a lesson to be learned and to seek out some sort of meaning. I also feel it’s necessary to believe – to unequivocally trust – that there are brighter days ahead.

There’s an incredible visual by Tim Urban’s @waitbutwhy that feels so hopeful. Imagine a blank page with a vertical line drawn down the center; everything left of center represents the past, the center line represents the present and everything right of center represents the future. Now imagine a horizontal line drawn from the left side of the page representing the chronology of your singular path through life so far. I’m guilty of imagining that this same singular straight line will continue past center into my future, but what really exists to the right are an infinite number of life paths open to us; a network of lines extending in an expansive web with one decision leading to a whole range of other opportunities and possibilities.

When heartbreak has happened in my life, I’ve found that zooming out to see big picture — understanding that the path that got us here doesn’t have to be the same path dictating the future — is a liberating practice. There’s choice, there’s possibility and there’s a way through that exists even if not always visible.

What makes you cry?

So many things. Weddings, gratitude, conversations with friends that feel really connected, therapy, Humans of New York, thinking about my Dad, videos of dogs being loving loyal companions humans don’t deserve, answering these questions.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

This is an interesting question because I want to believe that it lasts a long time, but I think that’s becoming less and less true for me. The increasing speed of life leaves little room to sit in joy and contentment before moving on to the next thing. I’m a firm believer that quantity enables quality in creative work and I also think it’s a double-edged sword. Quantity often means speed which leaves less time for feeling before moving onto the next thing. Quantity also means that the creative stakes are lower, spread out over a greater number of outputs, which feels like a more playful and abundant place from which to create. I think it’s all connected back to the ability to stay in the present moment, which is a time expander irrespective of actual time available.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I grew up with very few traditional religious practices but I imagine that our souls freely exist beyond the limited constraints of our physical bodies and in ways that our limited human understanding can’t comprehend. My Dad passed away 27 days before my second daughter was born and I like to think that they spent that time together; one going and one coming, both neither here nor there. In her first year of life, there were so many little things that reminded me of my Dad (like her love of music and the way she could be lulled to sleep by having her head scratched). These are the little things giving me hope that there’s more to life (and death) than the limitations of living in human bodies with human brains can understand.

What do you hate most about yourself?

The contradictory tendency to be vulnerable and communicate effectively in professional settings, while finding it incredibly difficult to show vulnerability or communicate the hard stuff in personal settings.

What do you love most about yourself?

My curiosity and capacity to remain open-minded in my thoughts, ideas, decisions and ways of seeing the world. This includes my ability to find contentment in multiplicity; holding two opposing thoughts or beliefs at the same time without feeling compelled to seek one binary truth. I also appreciate my ability to ‘yes, and’ situations, which allows me to work with many different types of people successfully. It’s a huge privilege to work with students and colleagues from so many diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, through which I’m able to expand my singular understanding of the world in our interactions.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Shrimp tacos: sweet & spicy, smooth & crunchy, creamy & fresh. As I articulate my love for this meal it all makes sense: it typifies the magic of multiplicity.

Pum Lefebure is co-founder and chief creative officer of Design Army, a DC-based creative firm known for its wildly imaginative works for Hong Kong Ballet, Netflix, Saucony, The Ritz Carlton, Pepsico, and more.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Travel! It’s how I get my creative inspiration from the cultures and language to food, music, and enticing scents. Be it Bangkok’s spicy street food, Provence’s seductive lavender fields or the Mediterranean’s salty air—I LOVE the unique smells. Design is so sensory, and travel lets you really absorb it all, where your every neuron is activated with newness and excitement. I just want to walk the Earth the rest of my life. You can’t be a designer or creative without seeing the world—it’s essential.


What is the first memory you have of being creative?

My favorite “toy” growing up was a set of 36 colored pencils. From at least five years old, I would just draw for hours—playing and dreaming up my own world. My mom was super encouraging with art classes, as my creativity expanded to dance and theater (I was funny—and always cast as Cinderella’s stepmom or some nemesis). I went to a crazy conservative Catholic school in Bangkok, so art was my form of self-expression. By high school’s end, my 36 pencils grew to over 200, which I’d obsessively arrange by hues and shades. My love for color and creativity today is totally a result of my childhood.



What is your biggest regret?

I wish I’d spent more time with my daughter, Sophie, as she was growing up. I was running my own company, which meant being away a lot on photoshoots and client meetings. It’s a balance for every woman—career and family. I did my best to blend them, but it was never enough. I missed many family dinners. If I could go back, I would have worked less.


How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I use experiences, like the tragedy of 9/11, to help put life in perspective—especially when I have a bad day. I don’t know how you get over heartbreak, but I try to use to make me a better mom, boss, and human—and not to take anything for granted. 


What makes you cry?

When I see an elderly person shuffling and struggling along the street by themselves. It makes me sad that they’re alone without any help—and people rushing by so fast without giving them a hand. It’s so inconsiderate. I always help wherever I am. 


How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

About one week…if it’s creative award like our recent Emmy for CityCenterDC’s “Celebrating YOU” campaign. I love toasting to our team’s hard work, using it as encouragement to keep pushing the creative limits and fuel our spirit for the next project. 

But for the accomplishment of how my husband Jake and I built Design Army from our small kitchen to a world class creative company—I’m endlessly proud of that. A lifetime. And seeing my daughter Sophie become such a strong, independent person, thriving on her own in college—that’s my forever pride and joy.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I’m either going to be reincarnated or land above the clouds…I grew up in Buddhist Bangkok and went to Catholic school, so it gets a little confusing. If I have a choice, I’d like to be reincarnated as a majestic, magical tree. A strong, always growing, protective life force that changes every season, blooming beautiful flowers, where butterflies and birds fly, and a whole garden thrives.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I don’t know how to turn off work. I think about it ALL the time. That’s been my life since I started Design Army 20 years. Thankfully, design is my passion—I’m a “Designian” so work isn’t really work for me. But I’ve been trying to break the habit (and flip my mental focus) by exercising more and with fun hobbies like artistic floral arranging.



What do you love most about yourself?

I’m relentless. When I have an idea, I set a goal and become laser focused to make it happen. Whatever it takes. I love challenging what’s possible and pushing creativity to unimaginable heights. I always tell my team, the best project you’ve ever created is on your desk right now. To be great at your craft, you’ve got to sweat every detail.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Any meal with my family. It’s the most satisfying—in every way

Rosie Garschina is a multi-disciplinary executive creative director at Trollbäck+Company with a 15-year tenure working in brand experience. She has helped brands such as Amazon, Apple, Spotify and Paramount develop smart and visually compelling solutions that create clarity and distinction.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

I love what I do and believe deeply in the power of design to move people. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a clients emotional desire to connect with a piece of work. Creating that desire is what motivates me every day.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I remember at an early age having a very specific vision for how I wanted to dress. Thankfully my mother indulged me.

What is your biggest regret?

Not investing in experiences that create lasting memory. I regret not seeing U2 at The Sphere. I regret not climbing Machu Picchu. I will probably regret not taking my children to Disneyland.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Time and a dramatic shift in perspective. I recommend skydiving and getting a PADI license.

What makes you cry?

Live performances that showcase meticulous dedication. Balanchine’s Nutcracker at the NYC Ballet. The elite runners at the NYC marathon. Radiohead at Liberty State Park.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It never ends.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

To me the afterlife looks like a Darren Aronofsky film I have yet to see.

What do you hate most about yourself?

My resilience. I sacrifice a lot to make sure the work stands out and is memorable.

What do you love most about yourself?

My resilience. I care deeply about showing up for our clients, the team and the customers we serve.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

A slice of Joe’s Pizza. From the Carmine St location.

Tré Seals is the founder of the diversity-driven font foundry known as Vocal Type and an independent design practice under his name.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

I’m a two-time brain tumor survivor. And there’s a very good chance that every answer I give will stem from these experiences. For example, the thing I like doing most in the world is the thing that got me through those experiences. I enjoy making.

Whether I’m designing a typeface, logo, or book, or writing a poem, song, story, or [graffiti] tag, or even making ideas for new creative ventures, I can’t not make something. By the time I graduated high school, I had already dabbled in designing jewelry, tattoos, comic strips, clothing, and typeface design. I find the most joy in projects that require the most varied avenues of creativity.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

While this isn’t my first memory, it is my clearest. On the last day of second grade, we were allowed to do whatever we wanted: go on the playground, play basketball, soccer, whatever. I wanted to paint. So I found this book of old paintings, and I came across Claude Monet’s Bridge Over A Pond of Water Lillies. And with this dollar store watercolor set I found on the shelves, I decided to copy it. Naturally, it turned out very differently from Monet’s, but I was proud of it. When my teacher, Ms. Hunter, saw it, she went to my parents’ car after school and said, “You need to put him in art classes immediately.” That was the first time my parents took my love for making seriously.

What is your biggest regret?

I regret not being myself growing up. I sometimes wonder what I would be like if I didn’t force myself to fit into spaces that, in hindsight, I never really wanted to be in. Pretending to know things I didn’t, to care about things that weren’t important, and the list goes on. I spent so much time fitting in that I had no clue who I was by the time I graduated college. So, my biggest regret is that I wasn’t true to myself sooner.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I believe that everything happens for a reason. So, if my heart is broken, it means I’m being prepared for something greater. So, while my heart may break, I know it is not for long.

What makes you cry?

Loss. The loss of family. The thought of dying before 80. The idea of losing my sight. Memories of lost material possessions.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

In terms of work, it’s not long, unfortunately. By the time I’m supposed to feel that pride and joy, I’m already knee-deep in two other projects I’m also supposed to be proud of. I don’t have time to be proud or reflect as much as I’d like.

However, as of last summer, I’ve learned that my joy can be found in much more minor things, usually nature-related. Whether that’s cloud watching or rock hunting, I find the most joy in taking the time for myself, possibly because it’s the hardest thing to do.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I believe in an afterlife, but I must find out what it looks like. However, if I had a choice in what my afterlife looked like, I’d like to stay where I am. I am on the land established by my great-great-grandparents back in 1908, with fall weather and leaves as brightly colored as they were when I was a kid.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I don’t hate anything about myself. Don’t get me wrong, I am my biggest project, and there’s a lot I’d like to work on, but I don’t hate anything about myself. If I had to point out something, I’d like the confidence I have in my work and my talent to also apply to other aspects of myself. But that’s about it.

What do you love most about yourself?

I’ve loved my passion for art and design for a long time. Whether that’s type design, poetry, fashion, or jewelry, it doesn’t matter. If I could make it, I was passionate about it. And I don’t use the word “passion” lightly. It’s one of the few things I took away from my middle school Latin classes. “Passion” doesn’t just mean you really like or love something. It means you’re willing to suffer for it. And with all, I went through as a kid and the fact that art and design got me through every low point in my life, I never realized that I was suffering for my work. But as I got older, I realized I was passionate about life because I’ve lived with this fear that I would die with creativity left in me. With works left to make and words left unsaid. So now, I love my passion for living.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

My absolute favorite meal is my mom’s gumbo. This may sound over the top, but it’s a spiritual thing. My mom is from Louisiana, and that’s where just about all of my family is. She always tells this story of how when she married my dad and moved to Maryland, she had never cooked in 36 years. And when she got here, the first thing she made was gumbo. She called every aunt in Louisiana to find out how they make theirs. While those aunts are all gone now, I feel all of them when I taste that gumbo. I feel at home.

Archie Bell, II is a freelance creative executive who is passionate about helping others unlock their growth potential through idea, story and craft. This may (or may not) include art directing his kids’ shenanigans.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Browsing in shops or boutiques. It’s one of the few activities where inspiration, personalization and being alone with my thoughts align perfectly. Swimming in a pool or driving around the city with my son in the backseat are close seconds.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I don’t remember the exact beats of the story, nor the specifics of conversations that might’ve taken place. But I do remember what I did and how I felt.

I remember being five or six years old sitting with my aunt on the edge of my grandparent’s bed as we colored in a book; bringing stark, silhouetted bunny rabbits to life with each stroke of our crayons. And I distinctly remember coloring one rabbit blue.

According to my aunt, my mother (who was her older sister) came in and questioned my color choice; asking why I had not made the rabbit white, brown or black. My aunt, a life-long elementary school teacher (now retired), immediately replied that I had done a great job of being creative and using my imagination. And that it was okay for me to have made that decision.

Again, I don’t recall that exchange. However, the lasting imprint of my aunt’s sentiment in that moment stays with me and is arguably the anchor to my vast and rippled creative journey. The ‘blue rabbit’ is my first memory of being creative. It’s also the first memory I have of a loved one reinforcing my intuitive belief in creativity’s ability to push expectations––an act that perfectly reflects Maya Angelou’s quote about people never forgetting how you make them feel.

Interestingly enough, my aunt and I still talk about that blue rabbit.

What is your biggest regret?

My mother traveled internationally quite often when I was a teenager. She’d invite me along. I’d decline. After a while, she stopped asking. From that time to the time of her passing in 2017, we vacationed together no more than twice. My biggest regret is not accepting her invites and temporarily living that jet set-type of life with her.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I try to be very intentional about making space for myself when the pain of heartbreak creeps in. That usually starts with sitting in silence and listening to my body.

What makes you cry?

A perfectly scored moment in film or video when someone I genuinely relate to in the story triumphs over seemingly impossible odds.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Ha. Not long (as any respectable, self-proclaimed perfectionist would agree). Perhaps a day. Maybe two if it’s a weekend.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

This is a tricky one. But it’s been on my mind a lot lately. Currently my position is as follows:

Yes, I believe in an afterlife. But in a way that centers human existence as energy. And, per the first law of thermodynamics, the way in which that contained energy has the ability to change form. I also believe two additional factors are in play: 1. those changed forms can exist across space and time, and 2. the transference or conversion of that energy is, in some way, informed by the frequency and/or temperature of one’s existence upon taking their dying breath.

What does this look like? Well, perhaps it’s less of what it looks like and more of what it feels like. And those feelings or sensations could very well be infinite.

Perhaps it materializes as a replica of the human form I exited. Or maybe it shows up in something humans are unable to comprehend, taking up space in a fourth dimension. Or is the dispersed energy magnetically drawn to things I focused my human energy on within this lifetime, and it then manifests as sound particles, wind, or another life force?

I’m not exactly sure. And I may actually be scientifically inaccurate with some of the thinking. But when it’s all said and done, I simply hope the best parts of ‘me’ get passed along to my kids; making their experiences a significant part of my afterlife…and me knowing this because I can feel (and see) it in their smile.

What do you hate most about yourself?

My tendency to agonize over every small detail.

What do you love most about yourself?

How thoughtful I am.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Greek salad. Dinner rolls. Crawfish etouffee (proper roux). Sweet potato pie and coffee.

Shayla Hunter is a senior strategist at BX Design Group, an agency at IPG Health. She is also the creator of The 100 Black Queens Project featuring illustrated portraits and the stories of self-identifying Black women and girls.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

I have three things:
Spending time with those I love.
Creating art of some kind (illustrations, photography, dance, a flower garden).
Morning cuddles with my sweet dog Gracie.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

When I was 7yrs old I participated in a drawing contest that was held by one of the local banks. The theme was “America, the Melting Pot” and I believe we could create anything that we felt fit the description. I created a scene using color pencils and crayons of the Statue of Liberty and people holding hands and standing around her. The coolest part of it all was that I won 2nd place in the contest. My artwork was framed and hung in the bank for several weeks. My mom made sure we went to take my photograph standing next to the piece marked with the ribbon.

What is your biggest regret?

I try to live life without regrets. However, there are a few things I said ‘yes’ to that should have been a ‘no’—but with all life decisions we learn and grow.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Taking time and healing. For me that means resetting and going back to my own baseline. Focusing on the things and people that make me happy and my heart sing.

What makes you cry?

Watching people being overcome with joy. I love watching videos of a child being surprised by a parent that’s been away serving in the military overseas. There is always a moment of disbelief and then full on joy. This also includes videos of people accomplishing a huge feat, like completing something physically challenging or regaining strength after illness.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It lasts about 3-5 days. I’ll find myself reliving the moments which is nice because it helps to remind me of what’s possible.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I think the afterlife is filled with everything beyond I could ever imagine. There’s no worries or burdens. It’s filled with 100x the amount of love that’s here on earth because hate doesn’t exist there.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I’m a people-pleaser! I didn’t realize this until a few years ago. I think too much about what others want or expect from me. It’s not helpful and it becomes exhausting. Knowing and working on this is half the battle. I have to remind myself that it’s totally OK to put myself first.

What do you love most about yourself?

That I allow myself to be free with my creativity, trying out new things without overthinking too much about the final result.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Any Thai dishes with noodles.

Reggie Tidwell is a designer, photographer, educator, and mentor. He is a fierce advocate for creativity and a steward of the design community through service.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?
It is a gift to create and it brings me immense joy. I create with my family, with my friends, in solitude, and of course, for clients. I believe for me being creative is a necessity that will accompany me for all my days.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?
I recall rushing through my assignments in kindergarten so that I could draw animals and superheroes.

What is your biggest regret?
I regret getting too caught up in the hustle of commercial work that I spent too many long stretches of time not creating for me. I now have a perpetual feeling of needing to catch up.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?
One practice that I always follow is that of appreciating who I am and all the choices and experiences that shaped me. Heartbreaks are a part of that equation.

What makes you cry?
When I think of not being able to accomplish all my goals in this lifetime it reminds me of my mortality and that saddens me to tears. If I could buy time…

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?
I tend to prolong accomplishments by sharing them with others. It helps people get to know me, and what drives me, and keeps the pride and joy alive.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?
I believe that anything is possible after this life, but do not subscribe to any one possibility. Re-incarnation…sure, just ceasing to exist…sure! I just know I’m not looking forward to finding out anytime soon.

What do you hate most about yourself?
I hate my overcritical nature towards my work.

What do you love most about yourself?
I love my authenticity and generosity!

What is your absolute favorite meal?
I am a sucker for a grilled salmon taco with a chipotle aioli.

Mina Alikhani is an artist, painter, woman and citizen of earth here to reflect the times through the filters of her mind and eyes.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Nothing hits harder for me than creating artwork that speaks for the oppressed…Nothing gives me more purpose and satisfaction than speaking up for those whose voices are silenced. Nothing fills my heart like seeking justice for those who suffer at the hands of injustice. I like doing it so much I devoted my whole life to it…it’s not just about “making art” or “being an artist” for me, it’s the subject matter and impact that gives me a reason to keep going. I also love…loving and being in love. What beautiful drug that is am I right?

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

1st grade: I would tune out the teacher’s voice and sketch figures and faces from characters drawn from my vivid imagination and story books. My mother and father divorced when I was 4 and as a result, I was raised with my mother during the school year in northern CA and father in LA during the summer months. My father had a secret opioid/heroin/drinking problem so he would be asleep all day and would leave me to my books, dolls and TV all day every day for months at a time…and in that isolation, abuse and silence. I began to dream of characters that would come to my rescue or be my friends. Creating art became my sense of safety. The figures I drew we’re my friends, my caretakers, the mother and father I wished I had.

My mother was a single working mother doing the best she could to provide for me so sometimes she’d have to stash me in the storage closet of whatever clothing store she was working in at the time and again, it was in those moments of isolation that I leaned heavily into my mind’s eye. It sounds grim, but it was the hand I was dealt in this life and so in the fertile soil of darkness and stillness, my imagination grew into something bigger that that.

What is your biggest regret?

All the times I wasn’t brave or strong enough to trust myself and my intuition in life, in love, in business and especially in my creative endeavors. There was a time I looked outward for validation, or for external resources to qualify the importance of my work. These days, I look within—all the answers are there—they’ve always been there.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Tears, painting, praying, talking my friends’ ears off, silence, meditation, sunrise yoga, going on benders, floating in the ocean, walking through the woods, psychedelics in the desert, rebound sex in new cities, owning my shit, forgiving myself and above all, letting time do its thing.

What makes you cry?

Knowing that there are innocent people and animals all around the world being brutally tortured every day. Stories, movies, songs that tell the story of broken hearts or love lost. When I think of the times I’ve been unfair and hurt people who loved me.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Maybe a day?

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

Yes, I believe there is an afterlife. What does it look like to me? I dunno, I’m still trying understand the human experience so…

What do you hate most about yourself?

Nothing. I’m working on being nicer to myself these days.

What do you love most about yourself?

My passionate heart and my resilient mind.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

That meal you have post sex after smoking a joint with the one you love, yeah, that’s the one.

Max Amato is a designer, art director, artist, illustrator, and children’s book author based out of New York City. He is currently working as an independent design director and is open for project inquiries. Previously he worked full time with the amazing people at Character, Doubleday & Cartwright and Sidlee, and has freelanced with a variety of other studios and agencies.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Playing basketball. For me it’s an absolutely beautiful sport and it involves so much creativity that it can feel like an art form at times. I love showing up to the park, playing with complete strangers, and turning them into friends. I love playing by myself as a kind of meditation. You can forget about all the mundane, complicated things in your life and just focus purely on the all important task of putting a rubber ball through a metal circle.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I had a super creative up-bringing, major thanks to my parents for that. It’s actually hard to pick out a single memory because we didn’t watch much TV when I was a kid, had no cable, no video games, we were always just making things. One memory that does stick out is that my mom had the idea for us to create a home-made mini golf course in our backyard, and I remember what it felt like to make it together, and then experience playing with something that came out of our imaginations, rather than something we bought.

What is your biggest regret?

Not prioritizing learning to cook. I’m such a busy person that I often find myself going long stretches of time where it feels like the only way I can meet all my deadlines is through quick takeout or super basic cooking, and it’s been like that for years. Doesn’t help that my kitchen is tiny and has no counter space! Excuses, I know. Home cooking is such an important life skill that can have a major emotional impact on us from a young age, and I feel pretty behind in terms of my abilities. Luckily, as far as regrets go, this is one that I have the power to change. 


How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Embracing independence is the first step that’s worked for me. Saying, ok fine, I’m on my own right now, so let me lean into that, let me go to concerts by myself, let me draw in the park, let me take myself out to dinner. When I’ve turned heartbreak into an opportunity to get to know myself more and enjoy the process, that has helped me get out of mental states where I feel like I need to be with a person to be happy.

What makes you cry?

Live music. Seeing music live is such a cool way to experience art and is a major reason why I love living in NYC. I’ve been to countless shows here, and sometimes it can feel spiritual. You are having your own personal dialogue with the performer, you are also having a collective experience with everyone else in the crowd. The fact that there are mistakes, spontaneity, moments that can only be experienced once. The fact that people can be brave enough to share such personal art with complete strangers. It just gets to me sometimes. I have gotten especially emotional watching the artist Dijon perform. That guy’s raw feelings come through more clearly in his abstract, experimental, textured music than anyone else I have ever listened to.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

I hate to say it, but it dissipates real quick. I am not really ever satisfied, and anything I ever accomplish always feels like a step on the path to the next thing I want to do, it never feels like THE thing I wanted to do. I’m actively working on trying to take a moment to recognize if I accomplish something. It’s fun to celebrate the work of friends and family, I wonder why it can feel hard to have the same pride for my own work.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I’m not a religious person at all, and so I don’t believe in traditional forms of afterlife in that sense. I don’t believe in heaven or hell. I don’t believe in reincarnation. That being said, I have a really hard time believing that when we die, that is just…it. I don’t know what the afterlife looks like, but I do feel like our energy has to go somewhere. I guess I’ll find out at some point.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I hate being an overthinker. It’s exhausting. I’m not the best at making quick decisions, I turn them over and over in my head, looking at every angle, making sure I’m always making the perfect choice. At times it can be a good quality, but a lot of the time, it makes me feel anxious and overloaded with self-imposed pressure.

What do you love most about yourself?

That I don’t judge people. I like to think that I make the people around me feel comfortable and at home and like they are in a safe space to be themselves. As much as I love New York City and am so lucky to be surrounded by some of the most talented people in the world, it can be an incredibly cynical place to be, where it feels like everyone is always sizing each other up and trying to out-cool each other. I try and push against that a little bit.



What is your absolute favorite meal?

Peruvian chicken with yucca fries from El Pollo Rico in Wheaton, Maryland. If you know, you know.

Joanne Chan is the CEO of Turner Duckworth. She has been with the agency for over 26 years, seeing it through its many life stages and maintaining its relevance as one of the world’s most influential design agencies.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Spending time with my family, whether it’s traveling abroad with my husband and daughter, having Sunday dinner at my parents’ house, or hanging out with my sister. It’s also the small moments that I cherish – deep meaningful chats with my two best girlfriends, taking walks with my husband, hugging our daughter, having a laugh with my sister about something no one else would find funny, and petting any of our four cats.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

My mother is a talented Chinese watercolor painter and a retired piano teacher. I learned to paint as soon as I could hold a brush, although I never mastered it and I started playing piano at age 4.

What is your biggest regret?

I don’t have regrets. I make mistakes, I own them, I apologize, learn from them, and move on. If I’m not happy with a decision or my state of mind, I explore why and then pivot. A missed opportunity can also be seen as an opportunity to do something else that could be even better. 

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

By crying and leaning on the people I love. I believe it’s totally okay to be sad – sometimes it’s the only option. When that happens in my life, I look elsewhere for reasons to be happy, and I’m very fortunate to have always found happiness again. 

What makes you cry?

Crying, for me, is not the same as sadness. It’s an expression of empathy, feelings, and human connection. I cry very easily over little things: Watching my favorite episodes of The West Wing for the 10th time, or an emotional ad, and always, without exception, at the end of any live theater. What makes me really cry is knowing that people I love are in pain, either physically or emotionally, and reading the news. I also cry when I’m happy!

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

With my work, I often need to move on quickly to something else, so I don’t spend much time on my own accomplishments. I love celebrating the success of our teams at Turner Duckworth. I express gratitude, pride, and joy in their achievements more than my own. The pride and joy I feel toward my closest colleagues are everlasting. 

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I’m not deeply religious, but I have my own personal mix of faith, spirituality, and belief in some kind of divinity.  Science has proven that energy cannot be created or destroyed  – only converted into another form. With that in mind, I’d like to think that there is an afterlife, whether we become stardust again or we are reincarnated into some other living form. No one truly knows, but it’s nice to imagine the possibilities. I would love to come back as a cat.

What do you hate most about yourself?

This is a great, provocative question! I think hate is a very strong emotion and a loaded word that I use only to describe loaded situations and the people who perpetuate violence, harm, and suffering of innocent people and animals. I don’t believe hate is productive, and more importantly, it never leads to kindness or love, so why expend any energy hating anything, least of all oneself?

There are several aspects of myself that I continue to work on, to be a better human, a more present and supportive family member and friend, and a more courageous and effective leader.

What do you love most about yourself?

My capacity to love deeply, unconditionally, and somewhat overwhelmingly. 

What is your absolute favorite meal?

I have so many, sorry, I can’t choose one. Anything my mother cooks, my sister’s Thanksgiving dinner, my husband’s pasta bolognese, and really fresh sushi. The most unforgettable and delightful restaurant experiences so far have been at Tickets in Barcelona and the Kaiseki Japanese breakfast at Hoshinoya Tokyo. And I love French fries to a dangerous degree.

Franziska Barczyk is a visual artist and illustrator based out of Toronto. She is inspired by dance, chance, relationships, social philosophy and works in mixed media such as acrylic, collage, video, and digital.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Painting, thinking, creating theories about life’s choices. Being self-reflective, chance/ serendipity, having goals. Music, working out, dancing, connecting with people. Learning and expanding my skills and intellect to become a better person. Spending time with my family, my partner and friends. The time to connect with people who are close to me. Painting in my studio.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

Drawing on the living room walls with my twin sister when we were about 4 years old.

What is your biggest regret?

Not taking myself seriously as an artist sooner, having self-defeating thoughts that held me back, having the realization that I’m responsible for my choices. How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I created boundaries for myself which gave me the courage to start a new life. Heart break is a bit like time travel, I can access it whenever I want to be reminded of it. The biggest challenge was to learn to let things go. It’s all a matter of time and perspective change.

What makes you cry?

Songs that remind me of people who have passed or are not in my life anymore. The loss of love.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

A few hours, I don’t let it get to me for too long because I know its a passing moment. I move on quickly and have a next goal in mind. There is always the next accomplishment.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I believe in energy and we go back to everything. Musicians release notes, a vibration perhaps where energy is released by a soul. By playing the note the soul is freed. I’d like to be a music note.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I can be speculative over situations and sometimes read into things too much

What do you love most about yourself?

I’m forgiving, and seek justice. I like helping people and I’m very reliable. I care deeply about the people close to me.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Pasta Pomodoro, a very simple linguine with a fresh tomato sauce lots of basil, garlic and a red wine. Followed by dark chocolate.

Jenny Jiang is a New Zealand-born CGI designer and motion artist based in NYC. Her artwork involves crafting visual worlds that explores aspects of surrealism, joy and storytelling in the form of beautiful dreamscapes. You can find her work on Instagram @jennymjiang.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

The thing I absolutely love most is getting a Shroom burger, fries and a Cookies and Cream shake from Shake Shack on a Friday night, bringing it home, and watching a movie on my bed.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

The first memory I have of being creative is imagining that the entire floor of my childhood living room was completely made from volcanic lava, and laying out air mattresses all over the floor so I can hop from mattress to mattress to couch in order to avoid touching the scorching hot lava.

What is your biggest regret?

My biggest regret over time would be to not tell people how much I’ve loved them until they’re gone.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

To be honest, I have no idea how I’ve gotten over heartbreak. I suspect it’s a combination of time, writing my thoughts and feelings down, then making artwork from what I’ve written in order to process my thoughts, crying, talking to friends, and if that doesn’t work, talking to a spiritual psychic that I’ve found online (I would describe this as my unhinged phase) and then eventually making peace internally because I would realize that everything I have is exactly what I’ve wanted and I am where I need to be.

What makes you cry?

A touching movie, not onions, my loved ones passing away.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

On average, two days. I think I’ve fallen prey to the whole comparison thing, especially on social media, where sometimes I would feel like I’ve accomplished something, and that joy wears off because I realize that it’s not much compared to other people, and there’s still a long way to go. It’s something that I want to work on and get better at feeling proud of myself even if it’s a small accomplishment but brings me joy and happiness.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

To be honest, I have not thought about what my life would look like after thirty-five years old, much less what it would look like in an afterlife.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I think I’m quite embarrassing sometimes. Also, I don’t stand up for myself as much as I would like to, nor do I feel comfortable to be my “authentic self” in the way that I can freely share my thoughts and opinions with others because of the fear of judgment and rejection. I also hate my clicky bones and how my back aches all the time now that I’ve graduated!

What do you love most about yourself?

I love my creativity, and I really like that I’m able to enjoy spending time with myself, doing things that I like such as exploring different places in New York, or watching a Broadway show by myself, which is something that I learned to do this year.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Shake Shack!


Kurt Kretten is Global Chief Creative Officer at Marks. A creative leader and curious soul with over 20 years of experience in everything from brand design to product development, advertising and film, Kurt is a multi-disciplined designer in a mad pursuit of experiences that connect people, culture, brands, and technology in meaningful ways.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Well, I think of myself as an old school creative, so naturally there’s about forty things that I love to do!

I tend to bounce from thing to thing, which makes me really happy, but also makes it really hard for me to get anything done… more often than not these forty things are left unfinished.

But having free-form conversations with really amazing and collaborative creative people while we interrogate a brief is one of the things that keeps me going. That’s where ideas are at their rawest state, not weighed down by the process. I love listening to all the whirring brains in the room and adding to the energy and, while those ‘same room’ moments seem to be getting fewer and fewer, they’re the most impactful for me as a creative.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

It was one of my middle school assignments. Instead of writing a book report on Frankenstein, I made a comic book.

I wrote a story, illustrated it and colored it. I thought it was epic and so original, I spent every waking moment of my week doing it. The teacher loved it too, but said it wasn’t the assignment so made me redo it as a book report!

I guess that was my first taste of client feedback that I didn’t follow the brief. Haha.

What is your biggest regret?

Failing to do my own thing and be an artist. I’ve had plenty of ideas, but never the bravery to just commit to them and do it – I’ve always had an excuse or reason not to.

I’ve got to the age where I can mentor young creatives and friends, but it’s amazing how I often don’t listen to the things I say myself. I think that lack of bravery is absolutely my biggest regret, it controls everything you do and every choice after that.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Do you ever get over heartbreak? I think that is the beauty of being human. You carry with you all the failures in your life and those propel you forward. They allow you to grow and evolve and be a better person, friend, collaborator and creative.

We all have things that define who we are that only we know, and I actually really cherish those things. They are painful but so useful.

What makes you cry?

Seeing my daughters struggle, fail, and grow up in a world that tells them they are not of value. I’ll never be able to understand their pain first-hand, but to see them go through this world the way they have to makes me sad. My instincts tell me to protect and isolate them, but I know they need the space to grow and make mistakes on their own.

I recently moved my daughter to the West Coast, after being on the East Coast her whole life, to start her first job out of college. Saying goodbye was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I think it was first time I ever cried in front of her.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Not long enough – but maybe that’s a good thing. As a creative in business you really are only as good as your last piece of work. I’ve never thought of a legacy when I look back because it doesn’t seem to matter. Nobody cares. Really, nobody cares.

I don’t really like the idea of the celebrity designer or creative, many of us are trapped in the industry bubble and fail to zoom out. I really feel the most joy when I see young creatives contribute to a project that has a real impact. But then you need to move on to the next.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I do, but not in the traditional sense. I don’t believe my spirit goes somewhere else, but I do believe that my choices and connections will live on in others after I’m gone. I hope whatever I’ve built remains and betters the lives of those I leave behind.

It makes what I do with my time more important and guides the choices I make.

What do you hate most about yourself?

My lack of self-confidence, bravery, and my abundance of imposter syndrome.

I tell my daughters all the time to be brave, to focus on the main task instead of looking ahead or behind. But I still make every excuse to not put myself out there and create my own path as an artist.

What do you love most about yourself?

Patience and perspective. It took me a really long time to get to this point, but now I’m here as a creative with the experiences that I have, I can see that the best and biggest ideas come when you allow the creative process to play out in all of its messy glory.

The same applies for being a parent of three daughters. Be there to support, provide guidance and insert the necessary insight, but I find the outcome is so much more impactful when you let people find their own way.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Well, I grew up in an immigrant Italian family and my mother’s Sunday sauce gives me all the feels… But me and my family have become obsessed with really good dumplings and dim sum. My daughters’ favorite thing to do is go to Pinch in Soho and order a bunch of dumplings, laugh, eat, and talk about their worlds.

Lauren Hartstone is an Emmy-nominated creative director and graphic designer. As Partner and ECD at creative agency Sibling Rivalry, Lauren guides team growth and development and leads creative across a range of sectors and brands including Apple, HBO, Google, B&H, and Audible.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Traveling with my family. Hands down. There is absolutely nothing that makes me happier than watching my two girls experience new places, food, culture, and art. But with that, I am a creative person through and through. I love ideating, designing, writing, and collaborating with my team. And my family knows this deeply. One inspires the other, so it’s a bit of a symbiotic relationship.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

When I was around nine or ten I used to go with my mom to her office and use the Mac Paint program to make drawings – mostly line drawings of my friends’ houses. The program was basically a white square with like five tools, but I loved it. Throughout middle school and high school I found every opportunity to be in the art room.

What is your biggest regret?

There are friends in my life that I have lost. And not in any tragic way, but just by falling out, growing apart, letting distance get in the way, not being honest with my feelings, and not listening closely enough to their feelings. I hold on to these friends in my heart and wish I could go back in time. With some I have, but with others it’s too complicated.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I think it depends on your definition of heartbreak. For me, there is nothing more heartbreaking than watching someone close to you hurt, and feeling powerless to help. I’ve seen friends and family through depression and addiction, and I watch my daughters struggle with confidence in a world where physical appearance and social media are paramount.

These moments of heartbreak don’t go away, but I breathe through them, have dinner with my friends, go for a run, and force myself to learn and grow from these experiences.

What makes you cry?


All of the above.
 And really any Tom Hanks movie.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

My children are my pride and joy — they are the best thing I’ve done and that feeling is with me every morning when I wake up and every evening when I go to sleep. It’s the one amazing feeling that never goes away.

When it comes to work, I am a sucker for the roller coaster. Highs, lows, wins, losses. The truth is that the moments that we typically define as accomplishments — a project going perfectly and living in the world exactly as you intended… or winning a pitch… or winning an award… — they are so few and far between. As cliche as it sounds, the journey and the process is what brings me joy and fulfillment.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?


I don’t believe in heaven or hell, and in general I don’t dwell on what happens after death. I believe in making the most of this life right now, and actively living, loving, forgiving, and embracing all the moments. I am a huge advocate for healthy living — I exercise every single day for both physical and mental health to allow me to enjoy all of the things.

What do you hate most about yourself?

Patience is a very important quality that unfortunately does not come naturally to me, and I have to work hard to keep it top of mind.

What do you love most about yourself?

I am very passionate and driven, particularly in my career but I think it translates to all aspects of my life.
I am thankful to my father for showing me how important it is to do what you love and love what you do.

What is your absolute favorite meal?


Cacio e pepe in Italy!
 Oysters and Sancerre in Cape Cod!

Lane Smith has illustrated around fifty children’s books over the last 30+ years. He worked hard on every single one. He believes some turned out okay.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

In no particular order:

• Drawing and painting alone in my studio, sometimes with music, sometimes in complete silence.
• Doing anything with my wife Molly. Even going to the DMV.
• Spending quality time with our dog Jojo and cat Lulu. I mean, really concentrating on wriggling a string for Lulu or waiting patiently, for as long as it takes, while Jojo smells a rock.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I can never remember a time when I didn’t draw. But a turning point came when I was around seven years old. My uncle Orlin was visiting. He looked at my doodles then held them up for my parents and said, “He’s really good.” My parents sort of nodded back but it hit me then that maybe drawing could be something other than a silly diversion for myself.

What is your biggest regret?

I’m not going to talk about that here. That would become another regret.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

My heart broke when my mom died. Everyone says, it mends with time. It doesn’t.

What makes you cry?

Mostly happy things. Molly and I will be watching a movie where a hundred soldiers have been slaughtered and death and destruction is raining down on everyone. Meh. Then a soldier’s long-lost dog arrives at the door. Molly looks at me with a double-take: “Are you crying?”

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

I am happiest when writing and illustrating a book, everything is rosy, the future is all promise. Then the book pubs and regardless of the critical or commercial outcome, good or bad, I go into a kind of depression. I immediately move on to the next project. Only years later will I revisit the book. That’s when I become very proud and glad that I made it.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

My answer is a sidebar to the last answer. No, I do not believe in an afterlife. What I do believe in is the art we all create. It will live after we are gone. Even if all of my books are out of print there will be at least one copy in a dusty box somewhere that a kid might one day stumble upon to have a laugh over or be touched by.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I tend to obsess. I will get up in the middle of the night to scribble a note or to tweak a drawing. Also, I think I have a bit of OCD because I am always drawing my lines ruler-straight or making the circle of an eyeball or sun or moon perfectly round. I have to remind myself to stop that. Later I go back into the art to erase the perfectly round moon and redraw it as a spontaneous lopsided thing. It always looks better.

What do you love most about yourself?

I wouldn’t say I love this about myself, actually, it’s annoying: I am very optimistic about pretty much everything. I did a book called Stickler Loves the World about a joyous optimist. That’s basically me. The other day I was walking my ninety-year-old mother-in-law. Her right arm was holding onto mine as her left tapped the ground with a cane. I pointed out to her how puffy the clouds were, how blue the sky was. “What a perfect day!” I said. A flock of birds flew overhead. “Look at that! Wow!” I said, and again I couldn’t help announcing that the day was perfect. Without looking up she said, “If you say that one more time I am going to hit you with this cane.”

What is your absolute favorite meal?

I am a terrible cook. My wife is an amazing cook and I am happiest when, instead of going out, she says, “I think I will cook tonight.” All of her meals are my favorites.

That aside, nothing beats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to take you back to when you were a kid. Some days I’ll make one (with Jif, always Jif) and childhood memories of munching on a PB&J and doodling on a sketchpad flood over me.

(I should sigh heavily now and describe this feeling out loud. But I don’t want to get hit by a cane.)

Cecilia Serafini was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With a background in art history, she moved to the UK in 2013 to pursue her design post-graduate studies. She worked as a designer in the arts & culture until 2020, when she joined Mother Design. Today she is one of their design directors creating work that’s not only visually striking but makes future generations proud.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Kissing my baby’s chin dimple (it’s unreal), perfume shopping and having lunch with my grandparents back in Buenos Aires. It usually involves champagne, and always involves stories of their childhoods which I can never get enough of.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I don’t know if it’s the first one as I don’t have many memories of my childhood (I know it was a lovely one though!), but I vividly remember my first encounters with Photoshop. We had a computer quite early on at home since my father worked in telecommunications (such a 90s word—does it still exist?!), and somehow I got my hands on a trial version of Photoshop. Wow.

What is your biggest regret?

I can’t really think of one. Not to be all cool about it, but I am more of a “whatever happened had to happen” kind of person. Would I get a tattoo of The Smiths on my side ribs if I had the choice today? Probably not, but I definitely don’t regret doing it.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Time.

What makes you cry?

Most things. I cry a lot. I cry when I’m sad, when I’m happy, when others are sad and/or happy. I cry when I see people succeeding in something they clearly put a lot of effort in.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Luckily a lot. I think it’s because the work I get to do is long-lasting. We put a lot of time and effort into creating meaningful brand identities, we send them out to the world and then we get to see how they come to life in lots of different ways. It’s very fulfilling to see when a client uses what we made for them with pride and excitement.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I’m too anxious to think about these things—anything that is so grand and out of my control freaks me out. Sometimes I lay awake wondering how the Earth doesn’t fall? Into the abyss?! So no thoughts on this one.

What do you hate most about yourself?

Not being honest enough and vocal enough about my thoughts and opinions. It’s getting better with age, and definitely much better since I became a mother, but I still struggle. It’s taken me way too long to understand how important it is to one’s self esteem to take up space and feel seen.

What do you love most about yourself?

I think sometimes I can be funny and I like that. I also think I’m a good mother to my son and my cat.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Empanadas. Argentinian empanadas more specifically. Every culture has its version of an empanada (a thing wrapped in dough)—dumplings, cornish pasties, etc. I like all of them, but our version of the empanada is on a different level if you ask me.

Thomas Dambo is one the world’s leading recycled material artists. In the last he decade built over 125 giant trolls made out of recycled wood in 17 countries all over the world.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?
I think it’s what I do. I’ve been so fortunate and have worked so hard on it. I’ve managed to take all the things I like to do the most and then put them together in one project, building my trolls. I build giant, recycled sculptures and hide them in nature around the world. I make them with local volunteers and then write stories about them. I like to hunt for recycled wood. I like meeting with the local culture and volunteers and building these monumental things together. As a musician and a songwriter for many years, I like to write small stories. I also like the struggle of the process, the joy of the finished product, and the happiness the trolls bring to people who set out into nature to find them. All of these things are what I’ve cooked together into my projects. And now, I can do them with my wife and children.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?
From an early age, I would build huts and treetop houses and think of caves like many children. But I would do it on a big scale. I would always go around the neighborhood on a little white BMX bike and in a little denim jacket; I was like a bad boy. Then, I’d drive around the neighborhood and look for materials that I could use to build. That’s where I learned to create and where I learned to take ideas from my mind and then give them life in a physical form. I remember making my own Monopoly game with my brother. I took a stick, sewed the different pieces, the hotels, and the houses, drawing them with a stick, then dying them, and taking a big cardboard box and drawing up all the streets from our neighborhood and the local park. That became like Monopoly. I still have it because my brother gave it to me on my 40th birthday in an old chocolate box. All the pieces and cards from all the different streets are there.

What is your biggest regret?
My biggest regret is when I was a musician. I had a ten-year career as a musician in Denmark, where five of my friends and I made a band with an American-style positive vibe—hip-hop, like De La Soul or Fugees. We were good, and we got a lot of fans. I made all the iconography, music videos, T-shirts, and stickers. Graffiti was big in those days, and we would paint the album cover with graffiti and shoot a music video in front of it. I felt creative and super positive.

Although we traveled and played all the biggest music festivals, we did not have a radio hit. We got impatient with our trajectory, so we decided to make a fake gimmick band like the first band’s evil brother. That one was a mockumentary of a band; you don’t know if it’s real or fake, but we tapped into the gangsta rap popularity. The fake band took off and became really big. We achieved a high level of fame, in the end, playing for 15,000 people, but it wasn’t me, it was a character. What gave me my success as a musician, I had to kill. And one of my friends told me you should never pursue a dream you don’t wish is fulfilled.

If I had been patient and put all that energy from the satirical rap group into the original band, the first band would eventually have succeeded. Maybe now, 20 years later, we’d be doing a reunion tour. That’s my biggest regret, not staying true to that. I hope I would have learned the same lessons. Maybe I wouldn’t be making trolls; perhaps I’d be making glass dinosaurs or something else instead. But I think that the education, drive, and all that would have been the same.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?
I’m not a person who’s super good at it. I need to have a companion in my life. I need somebody to talk to, and I need a good friend. I’ve never been good at sitting with heartbreak. I dive into another project. Instead of feeling sad and down, I channel the energy into creating something new to get something positive from the situation.

What makes you cry?
What most often makes me tear up is something that makes me happy. Just yesterday, I told my friend this story about when I went to Mexico for a commissioned project. The person in charge of the project asked me, “How many sculptures have you made at the location where you made the most?” I told him, and he said, “I want more.” He asked me how big my biggest sculpture was. I told him, and he said, “I want mine to be bigger than that.” And then he said, “I want all mine cast in a fine metal.” In this situation, everything seemed impossible, but the challenge was invigorating. I find myself tearing up a little bit due to excitement. But then my Danishness humbles me, and I feel ashamed of tearing up because I shouldn’t be so heavy, and I try to hide it; everything is going so well for me.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?
Not a long time. It lasts until my heart rate has come down, and I’ve had the time to sit down, shower, eat healthy food, and spend some time with my family. Then, I feel I should do something. I’m like, “Why haven’t I achieved anything today?” I have to achieve all the time. Typically, when we’re on vacation, I hike to the top of the mountain, write a poem, or take photos of my kids and make it into something. I’m damaged in the way I need to achieve all the time.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?
I’m not a religious person. I live too much in the present to contemplate what happens in the future. My thoughts about death are that I don’t want to be a burden to the world. I don’t want to be a part of this industry of conserving people in big energy-consuming storage facilities. I don’t want to be buried in a box covered with glossy paint that my children paid a big bill for. I want to be recycled into the circle of life and be fertilizer and energy for the soil and the world in the future. That’s my present thought about it. Many people change their minds as they age. I have yet to learn about the future, but that’s how I feel about it right now.

What do you love most about yourself?
At my age, there are many qualities that I didn’t like about myself when I was younger, but I have made them into positives. For example, I had ADHD as a child, and it made me not able to focus. I would jump from thing to thing. But also it gave me a lot of energy. I think now I’m super happy that I experienced everything I did. I’ve been a performer and a graphic designer, produced music videos and social media, and created many things. I feel super fortunate that I tried all those things. I’ve now learned to channel all that energy into a high output of projects. In some ways, ADHD became my superpower. I’ve learned how to wield it.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I’m bad at planning. I’ve always struggled with it. I hate writing things down in long lists. But it’s taught me to control chaos. I did a project in Mexico City that I called a future forest. I built a huge forest of plastic with 1000 volunteers, featuring animals and flowers, and a pond made of respirator tubes from the hospital. It was this gigantic, crazy, uncontrollable project. A control freak would never be able to do a project like that because there are too many unknowns in a project like that. The planning could take many years and cause many headaches. Once you arrived, everything would change anyway.
I think, “Let’s just go tomorrow and start doing it.” I’m not afraid of it because I’m good at controlling the chaos. That makes me not scared of trying things I haven’t done before. I thrive in chaos—an extremely good quality to have. You have very little control when working with recycled materials, making planning impossible. I am happy for not being afraid of the chaos. If you have no plan, you can never fail.

What is your absolute favorite meal?
My favorite meal is lasagna. It’s always been lasagna. I’ve been rapping about lasagna for years. Liking lasagna has become a part of my artist persona. I am an efficient person, and with lasagna, everything is together in one meal. Cut a corner of lasagna and get all the food groups in one piece.

Twenty-two years ago, after time as a biochemist and research director, Fiona McNae founded Space Doctors, a cultural and creative consultancy. She lives with her partner Richard – and Bob the Border Collie – in West Sussex, and now focuses on developing regenerative approaches to life, community, and work.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Setting out on a new journey. It is that new pencil case moment, a new term, a new blank notebook – all to be shaped, to be created. The pure potential, sensing newness, learning, building something never built before. Ooh that energy! It is at the heart of why I love working in our agency as much today as I did 22 years ago – every project has a new potential to be shaped, to learn, to create. It’s all about the beginning!

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

Being obsessed with building a cardboard home for a tiny orange-haired troll in the 70s, complete with a chest freezer and full-on polyester wardrobe. That troll had it going on!

What is your biggest regret?

Not staying in touch with my inner self in my working life. Letting my intuition be silenced. There were times when I knew the answer but did not trust myself, and did something more expected, more in-line. Since then, all the golden moments have been moments when I tuned in and paid attention to my intuition.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

By standing strong facing the storm. Feeling it all, letting it all in, shouting into the wind at the beach (also, running a half marathon in Marrakech, and probably way too much gin). Not sure you ever really get over heartbreak though… it’s a bit like getting over love, I’m not sure you can, I’m not sure you’d really want to.

What makes you cry?

Among many, many things (ask my family), silent gestures; the Western Isles of Scotland; a glorious debrief once written by Malex Salamanques; the final moments of the play Jerusalem; love, acceptance & loss but mostly acceptance; just thinking about David Bowie; a brutal steel ‘hook’ installation in the Tate Modern which broke me; the Golden Temple in Kyoto – a portal to the next world; and oh…. small porcelain pots (that’s a story for another time).

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Deep joy and pride, the kind that you can always access in your heart when you need to, comes from parts of my life I have invested many years in – my wonderful children, the garden, the privilege of developing and working with the brilliant Space Doctors team. This joy and pride will last as long as I do.


Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I lost my parents quite young and when I had my children, their parenting language – their idioms, songs, sayings – just reappeared from when I was a child. I heard myself speaking their words, words I had not heard for 15 years. Also, I see my dad’s (and his sister’s) strong, working hands when I look at my own. Dancing helps me sense my mum and how she moved. I know my Dad when I hear the cork of a malt whisky bottle. And with moments in need of paternal inspiration, I can listen hard and sense what they would say, what they would do. They live on, passing through me to my children. They are golden energy that flows, shaping an ever-changing narrative. I think that is afterlife.

What do you hate most about yourself?

Ooh ‘hate’ – that is a set of knuckle tattoos! I don’t hate very much about myself; at least now I have
 gotten over failing to live up to other peoples’ expectations (and that took 5 decades or so!). 
 I don’t like myself if I have misunderstood or over-reacted negatively to something, got cross or overly
 vocal or provocative, without getting my facts straight. I don’t like that unfiltered energy, it’s a bit much
 and can be hurtful. That’s not good. I’m sorry, if it was you. But I don’t hate myself for it, I just try and
 avoid it.

What do you love most about yourself?

I love my strength, my resilience and compassion. I love being comfortable in crying randomly when the feeling takes me – letting myself express the full bandwidth of emotion. I love being just about 6ft tall. I’m loving the commitment I feel to unlearning much of what got me here and embracing some very new ways of thinking, which is important for regeneration. I want to always feel ready to unlearn and relearn.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Pasta aglio e olio made by my partner, at home, on an unremarkable day. Sweet content!

Peter is a co-founder of Big Day, a branding and campaign agency in San Diego, California. Peter used to write television shows but made the move to advertising because he wanted fewer egos, less politics and better snacks. One out of three ain’t bad.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Being lazy. There’s nothing better than eliminating all expectations of achievement and just lazing on my couch or taking a mid-afternoon nap. A well-earned laze is peak living.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

My book reports in elementary school tended to involve costume changes and extras.

What is your biggest regret?

At a Duty-Free in Heathrow about 20 years ago, I had a 10 kg Toblerone in my hands! I convinced myself that it was impractical and too expensive. That was the last time I ever let logic get in the way of chocolate.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I don’t think I’ll ever get over Macho Grande.

What makes you cry?

Television series finales. It doesn’t even have to be a show I was a huge fan of. Those little cutaway interviews they run during the final credits always get me. It’s closing the door on something that will never exist again.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Probably about three hours chopped up in 10-minute increments over two-and-a-half weeks.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

Whoa. I don’t really think about it much. But I suppose I’d like to believe that the Far Side has it mostly right.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I always buy pants that get tighter and tighter over time.

What do you love most about yourself?

I understand the importance of making big bets.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

If pizza isn’t everyone’s favorite meal, then we’re all doomed.

Emma Eriksson is Head of Creative at Forsman & Bodenfors, based in Brooklyn, New York.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

I like to be in motion, both physically and mentally. It doesn’t have to be drastic — traveling or just walking, learning new things and seeing new people. Staying inside a whole day by myself makes me go nuts and I really thrive being around funny people. I also love making things around me beautiful. I’m a sucker for beauty, and finding it helps me feel good.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

As a child, I set up shows on Saturday nights where I directed my younger siblings in various roles. I made the set design, the costumes, the choreography and was the show’s leading lady. My singing was horrible, and I feel sorry for my parents sitting through this. I remember them saying, at least you can’t blame her for not being creative and understanding that was a good thing.

What is your biggest regret?

Throughout my life, I have turned down some opportunities for the wrong reasons. I was too scared of what people might think of me or that I would fail. This fear was completely unnecessary since I now realize that people mostly worry about themselves and don’t even care. It’s a story I share with many, and I wish everyone to do whatever they want without worry. My upbringing in the north of Sweden informed that mindset of Jante, yes there’s even a word for it.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I’m incredibly proud, so I kept myself busier than ever and focused on new objects of desire. I also have some incredible women in my life who are excellent listeners.

What makes you cry?

I think about a song that translates to “Sometimes I cry just because time goes by” by Marit Bergman. I relate so much, getting older but feeling young inside, my children growing up, reminding me of myself and how friendship changes over time. I cry to music, movies, TV shows, books and protest marches. It makes me happier to cry, to let it all out.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Not long at all. I instantly start thinking about the next thing and feel more joy when I make new plans. It’s easier for me to admit that I’m proud of others than myself, but I guess sometimes it’s the same, like if I’m proud of my team or my children, I’m also part of it in some way.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I want to believe in an afterlife and decided it makes life more fun. I don’t have to know what it would be like — let it be a surprise.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I’m annoyingly horrible at being on time. Unfortunately, it has always been a struggle. I’m so immersed in the moment or my own head that I lose track of time, and then I’m late again. I’m genuinely sorry about this and hate that it’s so hard for me to change.

What do you love most about yourself?

That I don’t give up, I’m not a quitter. And that I somehow manage to get out of terrible messes and land on my feet.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

It’s such a treat to be fed by other people, so almost everything homemade is my favorite meal. My husband makes a lovely risotto with a lemon mackerel that I always look forward to. Nearly everything at Italian restaurants is also my favorite meal.

Alexis Cuadrado is a senior music producer at Made Music Studio and has spent over three decades composing, producing, and teaching music around the world.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

There is not one single thing, that is not who I am. I love my music, spending time with my family, chess, exercise, and my dog. If one of those things is missing, I do not feel complete.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I have very early memories where creativity played a role. I recall being in my crib, probably around two years old, and we had a toy record player called the “disc eater” attached to the crib that would play records, and you could swap them out for other songs. I also have a distinct memory of being in preschool and drawing a sun.

What is your biggest regret?

When I was younger, I was, at times, too self-conscious and cared too much about what others thought. I regret spending so much energy and thoughts on what other people did when I could only control my own thoughts and actions.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Time is the only way to get over heartbreak. Time and resignation that the heartbreak happened and to try and move on.

What makes you cry?

I am definitely a crier. Everything from Pixar movies, especially the beginning of Up and the end of Toy Story 3, to, of course, crying over death and losing loved ones. I also cry tears of joy when thinking about my twins.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It’s quite brief! I try to stay in the moment, but I ultimately have an artistic and child-like desire to always look to what’s next creatively. That’s one of the reasons why my work at Made Music Studio is such a good fit for me. It is very fast-paced, and you need to juggle a lot of client accounts and responsibilities. I like to think of it as a sushi conveyor belt — always looking ahead to what might be coming up next. It allows me to be both a producer and a composer. I’m able to use my past experience as a musician and also guide the production process, similar to my time as a professor at the New School.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I do believe in the afterlife but not necessarily in a spiritual way. I believe the people we have loved and lost are alive in our memories. I lost both of my parents two years ago and only three months apart from each other. To me, they are still very much alive in my mind and my dreams.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I don’t hate myself in any way. I work hard to correct or change the things that I may not like but I do not hate myself.

What do you love most about yourself?

I love that I am always trying to be better. I understand that perfection doesn’t exist, but I strive to always improve and be better and overall be a good person.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

I am a person with eclectic taste, especially when it comes to food. Being from Barcelona, I, of course, love and cook traditional Spanish cuisine, but here in Brooklyn, I can try something new every day. I love being surprised by food and the experience of trying new foods — whether a burrito with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in it or a special molecular gastronomy meal.

Sarah Ratinetz loves working with new and heritage brands needing a fresh creative vision. Being on set is her happy place, but you’ll also find her joyfully working on a design challenge behind a giant monitor. As an award-winning creative director at the global collective Forsman and Bodenfors, based in New York City, Sarah leads with a craft-driven approach to solving complex business problems for startups to Fortune 500s. She gains constant inspiration from New York’s ever-changing creative landscape.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Collaborating and developing ideas with other creatives. When everything clicks the camaraderie and the alchemical effect is like nothing else.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I began drawing at a really young age. I was extremely shy growing up, and drawing always felt like an activity where I could quietly express myself.

I wanted to be a children’s book illustrator and author. My first “book” was a hardcover notebook with strawberries on the cover. My writing style was very Junie B. Jones, but my illustration style was inspired by the Amelia’s Notebook series.

If anyone remembers the Amelia’s Notebook series, the illustrations were personal and intricate little studies of Amelia’s life. I worshiped how effortless they were.

What is your biggest regret?

I’m grateful to say I have no big regrets. I’m a total overthinker and not afraid to ask for advice. I try to be as deliberate with my choices as possible. I also believe that there’s power in the idea of the right choice for right now. You made the choice you did with all of the information you had.

However, I do regret not seeing Sufjan Stevens play in New York City in 2005. I bought a single ticket my sophomore year of high school but had to give it away when I realized the show fell the night before a test. I think about missing that show more than I should, almost 20 years later.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I have the most incredible support system who is always there to catch me. I’ve also learned over the years that if something is meant to be, it will be. If I keep putting one foot in front of the other, what’s meant for me will eventually arrive.

What makes you cry?

Thinking about my mom and how much I miss her. She passed away a few years ago.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Like many creatives I am quite hard on myself, so it’s typically on to the next one. I do believe it’s important to celebrate the wins, no matter how big or small. This could come in the form of a text to my family or a Teams message to a colleague with one too many exclamation points and emojis.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

The idea of an afterlife is a comforting one. I like to imagine all of the people I love who have passed spending time together, maybe on a beach somewhere. And there’s orange sherbert.

What do you hate most about yourself?
How sensitive I can be! It has always felt like a roadblock. It’s always felt like I experience my feelings extra hard. Things have always stuck to me more, and contained more meaning than they should.

On the flipside, I’ve always known it’s one of my superpowers. It’s afforded me amazing relationships with my family, friends, and colleagues. It’s allowed me to understand people on a deeper level. It’s made me better at the things that are important to me.

What do you love most about yourself?
My ability to laugh and find inspiration in the smallest things.

What is your absolute favorite meal?
Pizza made by my husband in his portable pizza oven. Even if there’s a giant hole in the middle of the dough and one side is a little burnt, it’s still the best pizza I’ve ever had.

Eilish Bouchier blends the practical and magical to help creative entrepreneurs create life + work they love, led by nature-centred design®. Eilish has worked globally at the intersection of creativity and commerce, communication and consciousness in business and branding with multinationals, locals and individuals for 30+ years.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Exploring, discovering, learning, ideating, creating, shaping and making. I love work that uses my hands, head, and heart

I’m super curious, so I love to explore far and dive deep to discover hidden gems and connect seemingly random dots to create something completely new that my clients and I could never have imagined before we began. 

There’s nothing more magical than co-creating with others to reveal and realise their magic to themselves and work with them to realise their most audacious vision.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

What a beautiful question. My mother talks about being amazed at my ability to do jigsaws long before I should have been able. Baking with my mum, refusing to wear certain clothes, making butterfly paintings by folding paper, writing poetry, learning to knit, playing with my brothers Meccano set, solving maths problems and building things, making daisy chains. Everything was and still is fascinating. 

What is your biggest regret?

Ooh! I feel sad that certain relationships didn’t work and that I spent a long time wishing I was somewhere else and that I lost my confidence for a while. However, I believe in zero waste and in cycles of creation. And that every experience makes us who we are and leads us to our future selves.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Slowly when younger. I used to fall in love with potential, but it’s a dangerous illusion. Lots of walking, writing, talking, ruminating. I bounce back faster as I’ve gotten older. I’ve got better tools: movement, meditating, time in the ocean, being less attached to the outcome, and a daily practice of consciously choosing joy.

What makes you cry?

It’s spontaneous and unpredictable, but I’m most often being moved in the presence of beauty. I’m a deep feeler, Scorpio moon and big Piscean energy: flowers, nature, people, performance, art, films, architecture. The Alcazar in Seville, the dome in St Peters, the Taj Mahal. Being in deep connection with others. Seeing others suffer. 

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

The things we are expected to be excited about accomplishing – like buying a house, car, work: not long at all but the impact of seeing someone or something blossom beyond what they imagined breaks my heart open in the most fluttery wondrous way. When I have created something that makes others happy or when I help others see themselves in a more expansive way, it fills me with delight

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

Much to say on this a few bite-sized reflections. I’m more of a “this adventure we call life” girl. I’m magical and practical and traverse the seen and unseen as a way of life. As a yogi with an almost daily practice of accessing the meditative mind/imagination—the SA TA NA MA, (infinity, life, death, rebirth)—I believe the veil is thin between these dimensions. I’m with the Osho story of the warrior who came to ask the guru about heaven and hell. He got pissed off and drew his sword to kill the guru. When the guru smiled, he realised his anger was his hell. He replaced his sword peacefully and his heaven was restored. 

I grew up in the Catholic tradition of guilt and penance. And if my mother thought I lied she’d suggest there was a black mark on my tongue. As a kid you’d try to find it. Guilty as charged! 

I recall being in a beautiful church at about the age of seven and thinking this is so glorious, but why all the rules? I think it was in that moment I decided I would find my own way. With each shift in identity we access another afterlife.

I had an experience on a retreat in Brazil where I woke up and thought I had passed over. I have no idea if it lasted a minute or an hour. It was initially scary, then playful, then heart opening. It changed my relationship with death and with life. 

What do you hate most about yourself?

My impatience, my wanting it to be done. When I feel misunderstood or dismissed I feel vulnerable. My unfinished projects. Feeling so deeply. Passion and enthusiasm that can be misunderstood and overwhelm others. Not being on top of everything all the time. That’s a hiding to nowhere eh!

What do you love most about yourself?

My creative brain, playful nature. My patience and tenacity. My ability delight in the smallest details. Being able to see beauty everywhere and in everyone. My ability to laugh at myself, abundance of energy, my love and compassion. Faith in the beauty of the world. Joy and elation. Insatiable curiosity and love of learning. Creating something that hadn’t existed before. Ability to be in flow. And my sense of humour.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Cooking and sharing food and stories with friends and family: a big table, balmy night starry sky, likely Italian food, seafood, lots of different salads, a good red, and maybe finished with a little sweet something. And dancing. When invited to dinner I always offer to make dessert because I am often late (friends have learned to never ask me to bring starters) and if dessert is good, the dinner is soon forgotten.

Rachel Gogel is a Parisian creative director, graphic designer, and educator based in San Francisco. She runs her own small consultancy as an independent creative culture officer and has led major brand initiatives at GQ, The New York Times, Meta, Godfrey Dadich, Departures, Airbnb, and Dropbox.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Honestly, it’s hard for me to identify the thing. But here’s what I know makes me genuinely happy: Hanging out with my favorite people (my family, friends, and wife), getting loafed by my cat early in the morning, going to the movies, taking pictures of beautiful trees and cool doors, writing handwritten holiday cards every year, museum hopping in every city I visit, crossing the finish line of a half marathon race, discovering a new song that instantly makes me visualize dancing to it, sitting next to my partner while she’s reading, being in the classroom with my students, seeing those I care about succeed, browsing the art section of bookstores, designing thriving teams and their respective cultures, supporting women-led causes, and being an advocate for other queer creatives in whatever way I can.

Oh, and taking long baths.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

When I was about seven years old, I had the privilege of going to a sleepaway summer camp in Freedom, Maine (yes, a real town). My parents heard about it through my cousins who lived in the United States and apparently loved being campers there. This special place celebrated all artistic disciplines. I remember experimenting with everything from ceramic wheel throwing to stained glass to wood burning. I try to prioritize learning new skills when I can, and I believe that this experience, which lasted until my early teens, ingrained in me the more playful side of design (and all creative pursuits) that we all hope to never lose sight of.

Making art was a daily ritual for me, whether at camp or back home in France; my mom still has most of what I made over the years tucked away somewhere. While I realize most small kids ‘make art,’ it was different for me; it quickly became an extracurricular activity, and later on, a craft that I sought to refine. In high school, I became drawn to collage and décollage, which probably originated from being an active member of the yearbook committee (when the Photoshop icon was a feather) and fangirling over Jacques Villeglé’s work. It was around that time that I started to really learn about art — and its complex history — and pushed myself more. For example, I never saw myself as someone who could draw well, but when I was sixteen, I got obsessed with drawing portraits inspired by National Geographic travel photography (specifically Steve McCurry). Looking back, I wouldn’t have imagined that body of work making up most of my college admissions portfolio…but here we are.

I guess I believe that “being creative” implies taking risks.

What is your biggest regret?

I can’t even remember the last time I used the word “regret” in a sentence. I know I’m human and have made (and will continue to make) mistakes, but I try not to dwell too much on the past and prefer to look forward. I believe that life is filled with learning and reflection opportunities.

That said, if I had to pick one: It would probably be not acknowledging and accepting my own bisexuality earlier in life, or not getting more serious about pursuing basketball when I first got to college (I played competitively in middle school and high school and was my team’s starting point guard).

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I actually think about this more often than maybe most. All in all, I believe that real heartbreak never really leaves you. In fact, it becomes part of you, forever emblazoned on your memory. For example, music and smells will trigger intense recollections from years past for me.

In my experience, time doesn’t heal all wounds. Ultimately, it’s been on me to find ways to achieve healing and transformation during the time that passes after experiencing a wound or trauma. It can be a really vulnerable process. For one, I’m a big hugger (physical touch is one of my love languages). I’ve also tried talking about what happened openly, asking for help in moments of need (even if sometimes you don’t really know what to ask for), calling a friend or family member, being immersed in nature, hanging out quietly with my wife and cat, seeking distractions, and just simply admitting that I’m not okay and need space.

At the age of 36, I’ve been heartbroken many times already. I’m not just talking about romantic relationship breakups, which have no doubt left their mark on me — and probably felt like the end of the world at the time.

I lost my grandparents at a young age, an aunt tragically, and my mother-in-law way too soon, and then there are my family’s close friends and childhood pets. Beyond grief caused by death, like most, I’ve mourned past relationships, endured toxic friendships, been betrayed and rejected, lamented the loss of a job that was eliminated before I could even join, fallen for the wrong people, experienced professional disappointment, navigated a hard time when I came out to my family, and still struggle with chronic health issues (as I miss ‘the old me.’)

In the back of my mind, I’ve always known that there are worse kinds of heartbreak though.

In recent years, I’ve watched my wife not only take care of her mom while on hospice care caused by late-stage ovarian cancer, but also navigate life after processing her mom’s death. I’m just glad I met her when I did but will also be sad that my parents never had the chance to meet her. And this year, I lost two friends closer to my age quite suddenly. Those events have really affected me and I’m trying to honor them both in ways that I think they’d appreciate.

I think I’m just increasingly and acutely aware of the time we have with those we love and I have many out of body moments where I tell myself to engage deeply with the present. I know I’m incredibly lucky that I have yet to lose my wife or anyone from my nuclear family, and for that I am grateful because I can’t imagine how my heart will take it.

Life will attempt to break you down sometimes; nothing and no one can completely protect you from this reality. So I just make sure to fill my time with people and things that make me happy as often as humanly possible.

What makes you cry?

Serious answers:

• Scrolling through screenshots of text messages with my deceased mother-in-law
• Losing someone close to me too soon
• Hearing great news after someone you love gets out of surgery
• My own fear of dying (rarely, but it has happened)
• Thinking about the fate of this planet, especially when I spend time with my niece and nephew
• Feeling hopeless on how to address real injustice in this world
• Watching that MILCK video from the 2017 Women’s March
• When I found out my childhood dog died
• Hormones. Enough said.
• When my chronic pain is really bad non-stop for multiple days in a row and I’m tired of fighting it

Slightly less serious answers:

• Watching most movies (especially romantic comedies from the ‘90s and early 2000s)
• When Marissa Cooper died in the hit drama “The OC”
• Observing two older people in love
• Seeing a senior animal struggle
• Discovering cute Instagram videos (usually involving pets and their owners)
• Listening to songs that are associated to very vivid memories
• Watching two people get married; I always cry when they walk down the aisle, no matter how well I know them personally
• When I eat really really spicy foods
• When Obama was elected
• When Trump was elected

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It depends if it’s a shared experience or a solitary one. Sometimes it’s easier for me to feel pride and joy for longer when others are there to reminisce and/or discuss the initiative with.

That being said, ever since starting my own independent practice in October 2020, I tend to truly sit with my accomplishments and am able to find ways to make that joy last longer. I wonder if it’s because I’m my own advocate and PR person, constantly looking for ways to highlight these milestones and try to talk about them either in person or through all digital extensions of my brand. Sometimes I even find myself realizing things after the fact about a choice that I made. Since I’m more intentional about how I spend my time as a consultant, I do think it forces me to appreciate these life moments in new ways so that they’re not as fleeting. Weekly reflection about my wins is something I strive for.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I really hope that my spirit, consciousness, or energy lives on after I’m gone. I think we all wish to never be forgotten, to leave a legacy, or to be remembered by at least one person.

Maybe instead of my soul going to a ‘higher spiritual plane,’ it can stay on Earth and graciously haunt the people I care about the most. While I’m alive, I want to make a positive impact that can hopefully last (and influence others) posthumously.

What do you hate most about yourself?

“Hate” is such a strong word. I don’t think I hate anything about myself… Especially now as an adult. I have a lot of self-love and compassion.

There were definitely certain parts of myself as a younger kid or teenager that I was more self-conscious about, namely, the fact that I have a lazy eye in my right eye. It used to bother me more because I’d be talking to someone and they would think I was talking to someone behind them and they’d turn their head. Eventually, I just got used to it.

What do you love most about yourself?

My drive and strong sense of self.

And after experiencing a series of health issues since 2020 (not COVID-related), I love how resilient my mind and body have become. We tend to take them for granted if nothing ‘bad’ happens to us; only when something serious happens do we realize how fragile they are. Despite moments of despair, I have advocated for myself through the healthcare system and chose to stay hopeful. And I’m pleased to share that while the healing journey has been non-linear, progress has been made.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

I know this isn’t a “meal” per se, but I am addicted to chai and sometimes only have that for breakfast. Does that count?

But also, I’m a big fan of sour candy and anything that’s really spicy.

Bob Fitzgerald is a creative director for Boathouse, a full-service integrated marketing and communications agency in Boston, where he “humbly cuts through the bullshit.”

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Although it might sound a little expected, what I have found I enjoy most in the world is being a father. I have 4 sons and currently their ages range from 15-24. They are big and strong, hilarious  and all around cool guys. What I guess I like the most is being a part of them becoming men in their own right.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

When I was in first grade I wrote a poem which I always remember as the first time I brought something from within me into being in the world. The poem was called ‘Blue’ and the first line was like – Blue is a color and a feeling too.

What is your biggest regret?

In early 2008 I found myself freelancing. At the time I felt I had honed my skills as a copywriter and creative director very sharply. Also I felt I had a good handle on how “the right kind of creative agency” should be established, structured and run. And so I started my own agency, which while successful in more than a few ways ultimately collapsed under the force of the economic implosion in late 2008.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Self righteous indignation. Often when circumstances have turned against me I have used those facts to drive myself to overcome those same circumstances. In The Last Dance there is an almost comical storyline that they come back to repeatedly – Micheal Jordon explaining how he took something personally. In a much less athletic, no where near as successful, and decidedly more uncool way, I find myself using that way of flipping the script in my life.

What makes you cry?

Extreme and utter frustration with both the fundamental inequities at the heart of modern society and the inexplicable cruelty of all of us to one another.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

The pride of an accomplishment lingers with me exponentially longer than the joy. I am not sure exactly what that says about me.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I am not sure what I believe would be technically described as an afterlife. But I believe that at there is a part of every living being that is not of this world. I spent a good part of my teenage years in the company of Benedictine monks and I think that is where I picked up the idea that living beings are spiritual entities traveling in earthen vessels. And I think when a living being dies the spirit within is released.

What do you hate most about yourself?

In his novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce wrote, “History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awaken.” As I have grown older, I have come to understand the patriarchal, racially inequitable and in so many ways unjust society that is mine. This is the historical nightmare I find myself in. And I very much dislike it.

What do you love most about yourself?

My sense of humor and the irreverence it has afforded me.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Steak frites with peppercorn sauce, very buttery corn on the cob, Greek salad on the side and very cold Rainier cherries for dessert.

Lauren Maffeo (she/her) is a service designer and Vice President of the American Institute of Graphic Arts’ Washington, DC, chapter. She teaches Interaction Design at The George Washington University, and her first book, Designing Data Governance from the Ground Up, is being adapted into a LinkedIn Learning course.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

I love exploring new places with people I care about. I’ve done a lot of solo travel throughout places from Australia to Switzerland, and even when traveling with friends, I often find myself on my own at some point. But over the pandemic, it hit me that my best travel memories are shared with others. I was determined to travel again when it was safe, and to be someone who says yes to sharing travel with loved ones whenever I can.

I just spent a week on a platonic getaway to Southern Italy with my best friend. It was truly a magical trip, and few things in life spark joy like that.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I always say that I’m a writer at heart, and I recall learning to write by reading a copy of The Nutcracker while rewriting the words in marker on my own sheets of paper. I think I was four or five. It’s debatable how creative this was since I was copying words that were already written! But this was my way of learning how words are formed through writing, and over time, those words became my own.

What is your biggest regret?

I didn’t try hard enough in high school. That’s an intentionally broad statement: I didn’t put enough effort into any area of my life, from sports and clubs to specific classes. If I was inherently good at something, I coasted on that talent: If not, I didn’t want to waste my breath.

That was the wrong attitude, and I really wish I had more discipline. I especially wish I had found a sport that I liked and stuck with it. I’ve always been athletic and tried lots of sports as a kid, but I didn’t stick with any long enough to excel. I’ve embraced sports/exercise in adulthood and wish I had that backbone of teamwork as a kid.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Time, therapy, and medicine. The combination of all three is crucial for me, but it has been a slow burn. One mantra that my therapist taught me was to say, “I can survive and thrive when people reject me.” Something about repeating that like she asked me to clicked, and it really helps.

What makes you cry?

People pouring their hearts out to others because they feel safe. I last cried nine days ago at my friend’s wedding. Her now-husband read vows both to her and to her son from a past relationship.

He said something like, “Tommy, I thought I knew what achievement was and how to feel alive. But that was before I lay with you at night to read bedtime stories…” That’s when his voice cracked, and my own tears flowed. His ability to be so vulnerable in such a public forum really moved me.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Not as long as I’d like it to. I am proud of my achievements; I am also someone who’s always looking for the next thing. Not much can remove me from that mindset, which is a big reason why I love to travel. When I’m exploring a new place, it’s the rare time when I’m more focused on the world in front of me than my internal hamster wheel.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I do believe in an afterlife. I’m not sure what it looks like (is anyone?), but when I was in Capri with my best friend recently, I said to myself that if Heaven is real, it must look like this. Birds flying through calm, pink skies, an ocean in front of us and mountains beside us, wine and pasta flowing as you laugh with loved ones…. does it get better than that?

What do you hate most about yourself?

I get defensive easily. When I feel threatened, my innate reaction is to crawl into a metaphorical shell. If I don’t pull away, I feel like I risk saying or doing something I’ll regret. It comes from this inherent feeling that I need to protect myself because no one else can do it for me, and it gets activated in contexts (like work or romance) where a more mature reaction would be better. I’m working on this, but it’s so innate sometimes that taming the beast is really tough.

What do you love most about yourself?

I love that I am someone who is thoughtful about which words I use, and how I can pour into others’ cups by comforting them with words. Nothing makes me happier than someone I love telling me how I’ve helped them through a hard time, because if I can’t do that, nothing else matters much.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Fettuccine carbonara. I promise I’m not trying to make Italy my whole personality: This is and always has been my favorite meal of all time. If it has cheese, cream, and carbs, I’m in.

After twenty years in NYC design agency life, Brandi Parker (she/they) is now an independent sustainable packaging and brand consultant with her company Parker Brands. She and her wife, Megann, are parents to their baby girl, Ellea Berlin, and live back home in Arkansas.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Giving myself space and patience— doing what I want to.

And, right now, that means spending most of my spare time with my wife and my baby girl (now a toddler), hanging out, being silly and snuggly. And, I’ve been able to do this because I started my own business as an independent sustainable packaging and brand consultant, so I have more control over my day-to-day life.

I have always identified as a generalist; as an artist, a musician, a creative (and recently, a sustainability subject matter expert). Often this meant not knowing what to do next or how to prioritize my time. Since having a baby, my priorities have never been clearer.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I remember my mother took my little brother and me to the library every week when we were kids. She loved reading and would get a stack of books every trip. We could pick out any books we wanted. Mama loved mysteries when she was a kid, but I figured out that rather than Nancy Drew, I loved reading ‘How to Draw’ books. I practiced constantly with pencils, crayons and paint. I’d ask my parents to draw things for me, so I could watch them. I guess I assumed once you got older, everyone knew how to draw. The books helped me more than my folks did— plus, I could do it on my own. I always thrived on independent learning and just alone-time in general.

What is your biggest regret?

At various points in my life, I’ve identified big regrets— like staying with that one person for too many years, or not taking that big, scary opportunity because I was too afraid. But, as time goes on, any feelings of those regrets seem to fade and it is hard to think of one now. Mistakes: yes, but regrets… maybe not?

To me, regret means if you could go back and do it all over, you’d do it differently. And, so far, having the privilege of hindsight, and seeing the progression of life based on decisions and actions I’ve made, I couldn’t imagine changing a thing.

An art teacher I had in elementary school purposefully removed all the erasers from all the pencils in his classroom. He always said, “there are no mistakes.” To him, an errant mark on the paper was an opportunity.

I guess I understand now really what that means.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

I don’t know that I have.

I think when someone or something means so much to you that you experience heartbreak, there’s no such thing as getting over it. I think what must happen is allowing space and patience for yourself to work through it, process your feelings (and really feel them), and figure out a way to continue, adding that heartbreak to your journey pack.

Thinking about it now, I suppose, like mistakes, heartbreaks are opportunities.

What makes you cry?

Thinking about heartbreaks.

My first real heartbreak was the passing of my maternal grandmother. She was the matriarch. She was kindness and generosity. I hadn’t considered the idea that she would die; that I’d live a life without her. I was shocked when she died. My mother was in her mid-forties when she lost her mother. She’s spent time since mourning her passing.

Now, in my mid-forties, I’m losing my mother— or, rather, have lost her. Her body is still alive, but she left years ago. On one hand, Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease for layers and layers of reasons for all of us… but on the other— it’s the most humane— in that the person with the disease has no idea they’re sick. They forever live in a reality that looks nothing like the one the rest of us have agreed on. It’s the only disease I can think of where everyone else in one’s life experiences it as or more intensely than the person that has it does. This heartbreak eclipses all others.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

It depends on the magnitude of the thing accomplished, but generally accomplishments go in my journey pack with everything else. In other words, to some degree, I feel them the rest of my life. Past accomplishments become fuel for the next ones.

Allowing myself to hold onto, or continue to feel pride and joy also helps me remember and helps me see possibilities. I can sometimes see patterns in the past, giving me confidence for setting out for the future.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I grew up in the bible belt (and have since returned). Growing up here had a huge impact on shaping my views. As I’ve wrestled with this question throughout my life, I keep coming back to the same kind of answers.

I stopped going to church when I was around 14. I just could not get past the Christian ideas of living and afterlife that were forced on me. None of it made sense, and it was at that age when I felt certain I just did not believe those ideas— like, Hell: how could God create someone or something, just to doom it to eternity?

Around the time my maternal grandmother passed, I wrestled a lot with Christian Heaven. I hoped she was reuniting with people from her past, but I was in such despair, I just could not see past an eternal darkness; a light switched off.

Once I got through the despair, though, I started to form more ideas. (If I’d loved reading more, I guess I could have found similar thoughts in books by philosophers). But my thought-process was original to me— what if part of the afterlife was simply the impression you left on the living? Did people celebrate you? Or, did they wish you good riddance, forgetting you even existed soon thereafter? Did memories of you live on and get passed down? Did people have smiles on their faces when they said your name? Did the way you lived life influence five people or 5,000?

In this way, I could start to see how a ‘soul’ could work; how an entity could be in many places at once; how I could imagine one kind of eternity. And, in my life since, I can understand that we are all connected, sharing the same energy, and how our actions ripple through space and time.

The question I think about now is, “is there an afterlife or is dying just living differently in space and time?”

What do you hate most about yourself?

I recoil at the word, “hate.” But, it is an accurate way to describe the feelings I have about specific aspects of me.

I hate my female physicality. It has always been a source of physical and emotional pain and burden, and medical problems. I’ve never wanted to be a man, I just don’t want to be a woman. I used to dream about a reality where I was neither and got to live without gender. It’s awesome to see gender fluidity become more discussed and represented. Twelve-year-old me is super psyched!

I hate my self-hate. I punish myself endlessly. I hold myself to the highest standards and beat myself into oblivion if and when I don’t meet those. I’m getting better with this negative self-talk, but it remains. Like most, I’m a lifelong work-in-progress.

What do you love most about yourself?

I love my resilience and tenacity.

I just keep going, despite myself. And, I’ve wanted to give up so often. I get annoyed with what feels like serial obsessions, then I remember that it’s a blessing to have this drive.

People told me an art degree was a waste of time, so I proved them wrong (and myself right) by working in various art and art-adjacent positions over my entire career. I just had my first solo gallery show, too!

People told me that I’d never do much with my music, but I toured with a band, have recorded tens of albums, and have even made an entire video game soundtrack.

People warned me about not being prepared to move to NYC; how it would spit me out— so I moved there anyway, without a plan. During my seventeen years, I thrived and achieved, and then moved back home, on my own accord, not because it spit me out. Onto the next big adventure.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

My favorite meal is fresh fried fish. My dad would catch bass or bream, or crappie (pronounced crop-py). He’d filet them as soon as he got home and we’d have a fish fry. My dad has been an avid fisherman my whole life. Arkansas might be a land-locked state, but there are so many lush lakes and rivers around.

On a homemade gas burner, he’d set the huge pot, pour in the peanut oil, fry the hushpuppies or hot water cornbread, the fish filets and double-fry the fresh-cut french fries. My mom would fix the coleslaw and baked beans on the side.

It was a celebration of the day’s effort as much as it was a delicious and fun meal. We’d have the extended family over. Happy memories. It’s a meal I hope to have again someday, as I haven’t had it in many years because of mom’s illness. It won’t be the same, but I hope to make it a continuing family tradition.

Ghazaleh Rastgar (she/her) is multidisciplinary artist from Shiraz, Iran, now based in Toronto, Canada. She draws inspiration from nature, the human body, sensuality, and invites viewers to examine the profound depths of love, sexuality, and identity through her illustrations, paintings, murals and short animations.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Dancing! Nothing like letting music take over your body!

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I remember using my aunt’s crayons at 3 or 4 years old and drawing with her or my grandfather.

What is your biggest regret?

Spending too much time not believing in myself!

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Traveling, talking to friends, dancing, painting, journaling, and nature walks.

What makes you cry?

Thinking of the state of the world specially in my birth country, Iran and remembering I may never be able to go back there again.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

The amount of time would be proportionate to the impact of the thing accomplished; anywhere from a week to years I suppose.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I believe that energy can only be transformed so yes, there has to be an afterlife but not necessarily in the biblical sense. Maybe you become a star, or maybe a frog!

What do you hate most about yourself?

Being an over thinker! Takes me out of the present moment because it’s a calculator that doesn’t know when to quit!

What do you love most about yourself?

My can-do attitude and ability to see the glass half full.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Any Persian rice and stew dish!

It took Marc English a lifetime to realize he was an artist who happened to spend a career in graphic design and academia. When not on the road, he splits time between New England and Texas. 

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Laughing with Robin.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

When I was in kindergarten, there was a local Boston TV show I’d watch with a character named “Captain Bob,” who would present an art lesson, and ask kids to draw along with him. One day he drew a pirate, and I followed along. For some reason I brought it to school. I have no recollection of who’s idea it was to bring it to school. My mother’s? Mine? Regardless, I did, and the teacher ended up calling my mom and asking her “How dare you do a drawing and send your child to school with it, and have him say he did it?!” That’s the story mom told me, as I’d forgotten all of that. Sadly, the drawing is long gone, but I do recall seeing the drawing again sometime after she told me that story, and it was laughably terrible. Certainly not done by an adult.

Decades later, I was in my 30s, coincidentally working for a Boston TV station. One day I was told that “Captain Bob” was in the building. I scrambled and found him. Told him he was my earliest inspiration, and it seemed he’d heard that one before. But I was in earnest, and was happy to meet him as an adult, who’s career was in the arts. By then Captain Bob — Robert Cottle, then in his 70s — was best known for having invented the Prophetron Zoltar Fortune Teller machine, (which even used his voice, and you may have seen it in the Tom Hanks film Big). 

What is your biggest regret?

Marrying the wrong person.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

“But I have words / That would be howled out in the desert air, / Where hearing should not latch them.” So sayeth Ross to Macduff, in the Scottish Play. I paid no heed to Emerson, who eschewed travel, saying one takes their troubles with them, wherever they go, and sought to bury some things in the Sahara. I did bury some things in those orange sands, but Emerson was correct,  and some things cannot be buried or forgotten. 

Still, travel has worked, to some degree. If one travels correctly, they are engaged in the minute-by-minute, the day-by-day, and and discovering the new or seeing the familiar in a new light, and one anticipates the future, not looking backward. 

Self-focused actions and reflection don’t mend the tears rendered when one has been set up in hope. The recipe is to stew in one’s juices until ready to work. The stewing could be weeks, or seasons. Getting to the work or play at hand, either one’s own, or in service to others, however defined, focuses the mind away from the break, and the mending, though often spotty and roughhewn, can begin. The clouds get lifted finding light in unexpected places. 

In the 14th century the Italian historian Dominici de Gravina wrote “Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris,” essentially “misery loves company.” And again, from MacBeth: “Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak / Whispers the o’erfraught heart and bids it break.” I’ve never found that talking about heartbreak has served me well, at all. It’s felt indulgent, and a burden to my friends. So write it down, if you must. Write it in the sands and snow and let them blow away, write it on a beach and let it wash away. 

What makes you cry? 

What doesn’t? I can still recall looking at a painting by Gauguin, at the Guggenheim— I have zero recollection of which one— and it brought me to tears. Was it the painting or a memory it provoked? Again, I can’t recall. I can recall the times I have laughed so hard, I’ve cried, always with my best friends. Or after the long-reserved grief of the loss of a parent; of the countless times my missing daughter has come to mind, provoked by a seemingly unconnected word or image,  the weather or a sound.. 

Recently cried during a big-screen showing of Casablanca, a film I’ve seen countless times (and countless times on the big screen). Seems my eyes are watering for half the film (as are Else’s): the courage, the decency, the kindness, the fearlessness showing up throughout the film. When Rick gives a nod, and the house band starts to back up Victor Laslow, as he sings La Marseillaise, in the face of Nazi loudmouths.. 

Five minutes ago, when I was writing a letter to a former student and intern of mine, in Okinawa, and fearing the cancer she’s had for the last decade has finally claimed her, and hoping my note will end up with her family. 

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Some last a lifetime. I can recall art I labored over when I was 13 that still brings me joy. The same goes for having snowshoed solo over the Continental Divide during a white-out, it’s memory deeply etched, though barely another soul knows of that experience, having been alone at the time, and rarely sharing that story. Recalling climbing up the eastern side of a temple at Chichen Itza, in the dead of night, more than three decades ago still brings back that adrenaline to some degree. I have work I have produced, of which I am still proud, knowing I invested deeply, was paid poorly, yet it was the results that mattered most — and I found that work affected people. I take pride in stopping to help strangers fix a flat, south of Comanche,Texas, as the sun set on a cold and lonely Thanksgiving day, knowing that by stopping I would lose an hour, making my long motorcycle ride back home darker and colder. I never even received a words of thanks. Still, I’m glad I was the stranger that stopped and helped. I guess that’s some kind of pride, just doing the right thing, and moving on.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

No afterlife. No spirits floating around, no reincarnation. Nothing but memories. 

Only recently did I discover the notion that most people are forgotten within three or four generations of their death. Having done my share of genealogy, I’ve learned that to be true, but for the few who are genuinely interested in their own family history. Which means we’re remembered by what legacy we leave behind. . 

Known rulers left pyramids and cathedrals, unknown people left the moai of Easter Island, the plinths of Stonehenge, the innumerable petroglyphs carved in stone around the world over millennia. Innumerable artifacts testify to their makers, their names lost to those same millennia, even though a fingerprint may reveal itself on a pottery shard. Writers of all sorts have found ways to extend their ideas and beliefs well after life. Yet for the majority of people, the only afterlife they will have will fade when their names are no longer spoken, memory of them lost to all. 

Institutional memory is even worse. Most people know who George Washington was, but cannot name the second, third, or fourth president of the United States.  Institutions which I helped establish, labored over that they last long, or dedicated myself to serve have already forgotten me. That’s the way of the world. No one knows the name of that first person on Easter Island who said, “Hey! I’ve got a great idea . . . !”

And that’s okay.

I’m guessing my memory may linger for a generation or two, my impact relatively small. 

And that’s okay. Have to make the most of THIS life. Many years ago there was a quote in an article about me I had wrongly attributed to Frank Sinatra. The real author was Mae West: “You only life once. But if you live like I do, once is all you need.”

And that’s okay. 

What do you hate most about yourself?

My snaggle-toothed teeth.

What do you love most about yourself?

The ability to say “yes” to most situations or experiences, whether it be helping a stranger with a simple kindness, or exploring an unknown path in an unknown world. They all begin with YES. Has that worked against me? Of course, in both personal and business situations. But more often than not, it’s allowed me a wealth of experiences which have somehow added up finding myself answering a list of questions here. It all starts with YES.

What is your absolute favorite meal?  

So many memorable ones, including family, friends, favorite foods. But my favorite meal was probably one of my most Spartan. It was Eid, the first day after Ramadan, and every place in the town of Tinghir, Morroco was closed: it was HOLIDAY and they were celebrating, wearing their finest clothes, and EATING, after a month of fasting during daylight hours.

There was no one but myself and a stranger —  an Italian  guy — remaining at the bare-bones hotel at which I’d stayed, for three dollars a night. The locals had the day off, had locked us in. Was told by the manager the Italian had the key to leave the hotel, as the front door was chained and padlocked. That’s how I met Mario, who spoke no English. I speak no Italian. 

We spent the next several days together, but that was after our first meal together. 

We’d hiked up through the village, through the oasis gardens, towards the high cliffs of a deep gorge, known the world over for rock climbing. Buses full of Chinese tourists awaited us when we got there. 

We broke our fast, finally stopped to eat, along our hike. Sitting under palm trees, the small, deep channels of cold water running nearby, from my satchel I pulled out the two hard-boiled eggs I’d lifted from the hotel counter before we left. I also had my canteen, half a loaf of an all but stale baguette, and two apples. Mario had no food. He had cigarettes and smoked like a chimney.

We sat under a blue sky, on that cold January day, and told stories — neither understanding the other’s language — and each ate an egg, apple, stale bread, water. When we got to the apple, Mario started to tell me a recipe he longed for — Brasata al Barolo — roasted beef with red wine. Then, to finish the meal, Mario described an apple pie he longed for. Roast beef and apple pie. He didn’t realize he was describing a typical American meal.

My favorite meal: swapping stories with a stranger, barely understanding each other, laughing, a meager repast, and dreaming of other foods, in a strange land, and feeling at home.

Favorite food? Fried chicken, biscuits with honey, red beans and rice, iced tea, a slice of coconut cream pie.

Nicole Sleeth is a painter whose work explores the female gaze, power, and lived experience. She brings a classical understanding of the human form to her representations of the nude female figure.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

Painting. When I get into a good painting flow, it just feels like the absolute best thing in the world.

More generally, I like to make things.  Whether it’s painting, knitting, cooking, gardening, or building things, I like to work with my hands and see tangible results.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

My parents were very big on crafting as an activity when I was growing up.  Creating clothespin dolls, boxes out of popsicle sticks, clothes for my stuffed animals, and polymer clay figures are some of my earliest creative memories.  I’m grateful that they taught me to make my own fun, rather than relying on prepackaged games and toys.

What is your biggest regret?

The times I have hurt loved ones by being so single-minded and self-focused that I was blind to their needs.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Allow a certain amount of time for grieving, and then keep busy, exercise, and live with integrity.

What makes you cry?

Almost any dog video. Even if it’s a happy one! I just love dogs and think they are so pure.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

The pride and joy of accomplishment is fleeting because I tend to find more fulfillment in the action of doing the work. I think of “accomplishment” as the byproduct of a good process, rather than something to strive for in and of itself. Each painting is a study.

Sometimes I have to remind myself of what I’ve accomplished, because I forget, and feel like I’m just spinning my tires. 

An uninterrupted, focused day at the studio spent painting, unfettered by anything else (dog puking, dentist appointments, parcel deliveries), gives me an immense sense of accomplishment.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

No, I do not believe in an afterlife. I think this awareness (and fear) of my own mortality, and that of those close to me, affects how I work. It’s not a dress rehearsal— this is all we’ve got.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I don’t use the word “hate” lightly, and don’t hate anything about myself. Not to say that I don’t have qualities that I dislike, or areas I could improve upon, but I don’t feel so strongly negative about them that I would call it hate. I do wish I wasn’t so conflict-avoidant. Conflict can be healthy, and can happen when standing up for oneself and others. It just makes me so anxious. Usually the anxiety is worse than the conflict itself.

What do you love most about yourself?

My work ethic and internal sense of motivation. I’m never bored! I also try to be fair-minded and non-judgmental towards others; it’s a mindset I really believe in.

What is your absolute favorite meal?

When my partner and I were first dating in 2009, we were hungry in the middle of the night, but I didn’t have much food in my apartment, so I sliced up a raw tomato and we ate it with salt and pepper in bed. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better tomato.

Diana Dobin is the CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer at her family’s 45-year-old company Valley Forge Fabrics, the largest supplier of custom textile products for luxury hotels.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

I am happiest when I am providing joy for others by creating with my mind and executing with my hands. I am a maker at heart and a hospitalitarian in my soul. I look for any free moment to create something special from the ordinary. Something simple like a cup of coffee can be served in a pretty glass mug with the perfect sprinkle of cinnamon and create a moment for somebody. I always am thinking of how others will experience things, and I want to elevate that for them. I love providing spaces and moments of comfort and connection for my family and friends. I am a homebody and love sharing my peaceful home with others. Our guestroom has a kettle and tea fixings, and I really love filling small containers with snacks and adding them to a pretty tray before guests arrive. I always think about what they like and what they might enjoy without having to ask. 

At work, I really enjoy product development— rethinking the scale or textures of textile designs and defining the color details and coordination for collections with the design team. I geek out at all interior projects so I always look forward to designing spaces that impact the happiness of others. Our HQ in South Florida is a LEED Certified sustainable building, and I treasured the architecture and design process when we built it. I happily obsessed over every paint color, each surface, the lighting, the furniture and the artwork. I envisioned spaces that made people feel safe, inspired, and motivated— and now I really love sharing these beautiful spaces with others. 

Just last month, our Senior Marketing Leader and I personally designed every detail of our recent trade show booth in Las Vegas celebrating the life and works of Florence Broadhurst, the Australian artist who reinvented herself as a vaudevillian singer, dancer, and musician as well as a businesswoman, charity worker, fashion designer, and teacher. We created a space where our clients, partners, and friends could interact and have fun by experiencing a pillow room, a throwback fashion design studio circa 1930, and an evolving collaborative room that was really a community art project. 

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

I was very entrepreneurial as a child. I grew up in a working family, and we lived month to month, paycheck to paycheck for most of my childhood. I was too young to get a job, so I was always trying to start a business so that I had spending money. One of the least successful of my ventures, but most fun, was when I drew pictures of my neighbors’ homes and sold them to them as keepsakes. This was the first time I created something with my mind, my heart, and my hands. The pictures were good, but the business model didn’t work because I was not fast— and the amount of time to create each “masterpiece” was too long. That Halloween, I dressed up as a “starving artist,” as I was so impacted by the experience. Today I celebrate and support artists of all kinds and love to experience and connect with both artwork and the people behind the works.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Does anyone ever truly get over heartbreak? I do not. I get through it and I can move on— but when I sit quietly and am truthful and deeply thoughtful, I feel the deepest pain. I am passionate and very emotionally motivated, and the blessing with this is that I rejoice and absorb the happiness of those around me. The challenging part of my deep, empathetic soul is that I am both physically and emotionally effected, especially by the struggles of others. My process for moving through past heartbreak is to face it and really feel it. This can put me into shutdown and having the need to physically isolate and sleep it off or away— before surrounding myself with the love of people who I know always have my back and will be a part of my life forever.

What makes you cry?

I don’t cry a lot— but when I do it’s because I am experiencing either deep frustration or the greatest harmony. For me, frustration is when conflict is so high that there appears to be no way forward.  Witnessing conflict like this makes me cry. When I experience harmony— which I define as the clearest love, support and pure celebration of connection between people— I cry. I have also cried when I am personally recognized and really seen for who I am and my intentions.  

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

Pride and joy of accomplishment lasts forever inside me. I can tap into that feeling anytime I want to— or need to. I am blessed to have this capability and it makes me resilient, energetic, and always optimistic.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I do believe in an afterlife and while I cannot imagine what it looks like— I know that it will feel peaceful and surrounded by love.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I am not disciplined, and this is an area I recognize that I need to work on. I let my heart lead me and would be better served at home, at work, and in my health to have more discipline. 

What do you love most about yourself?

I love that I create community and deeply desire to authentically build others up and make them feel more powerful, respected, and supported. 

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Anything prepared at home, over time, and by multiple hands. There is nothing like a meal created together and shared together.

Jeff Fisher is the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives and speaks about identity design in conferences, schools, and books. He is the Portland Rose Festival clown Toots Caboose.

What is the thing you like doing most in the world?

After a design career of over 40 years, gardening is what I like doing most. Following the purchase of our home just over 25 years ago, I began to garden. However, in recent years— ten years into my diagnosis with CRPS [Complex Regional Pain Disorder] and through the COVID pandemic— gardening has become my passion and best therapy.

With my husband Ed Cunningham, we have created what others refer to as the Fishingham Garden. Our little Portland city lot of 50’ x 100’ has presented us the challenge of creating and maintaining something together. The Fishingham Garden has taken on a life of its own with garden magazine exposure, being featured on television programs, being written about in blogs, and having its own social media presence.

What is the first memory you have of being creative?

In second grade, I was diligently working on a painting of a bouquet of flowers when a paintbrush full of paint came flying from across the room and landed directly on my tempera image. Instead of being angry at the responsible classmate, I incorporated the new blob of paint into my interpretation of the still life. My teacher went on and on about my ability as an artist to adapt to any situation. The painting was entered into a citywide student exhibit and earned honors. With everyone saying I was an artist, I believed I was one. About that time, I told my father that I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. His immediate response was, “You will never be able to make a living as an artist.”

What is your biggest regret?

I didn’t come bursting out of the closet until I was 28 years old. I struggled with being gay for over a decade before that time, largely due to how an older family member was treated by relatives. I didn’t want to deal with the same rejection, isolation, and derision. My own decision and path resulted in incredible hurt to some other individuals. That is my biggest regret. At the same time, I do realize that I would not have the life I have today if my life’s direction had been altered at all by changes in my past experiences and decisions.

How have you gotten over heartbreak?

Any heartbreaks I’ve expended have been quickly remedied by the fact I’m surrounded by incredible friends. I’ve never been allowed to wallow in self-pity. I also have never seriously minded being alone after a major breakup. In fact, the last time I was single, I was really enjoying the solo life. That was in 1990, when I met Ed. We were introduced by someone we had both dated. At that moment, I turned to another friend and said, “This is really going to fuck up my life.” Ed and I have been together for 33 years.

What makes you cry?

Freshly cut onions and the loss of incredibly close friends.

How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?

The length of pride and joy in an accomplishment tends to be different with the scale of the activity being remembered. In 1967, my entire family hike the 366-mile Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail. I was 11 years old. I still have immense pride in that accomplishment. The books I’ve written still bring a great deal of personal satisfaction. The garden Ed and I have created together is a source of constant pride and joy.

Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?

I have no reason to not believe in an afterlife and, with numerous “visitations” by deceased friends and family members over the years, I haven’t given much thought to what that might look like, but those visiting have always said that they are happy, well, and in a good place.

In our own house are the resident spirits of an old man, a little girl, and a cat. Most often, they have been seen by young children visiting our home. Several adults have also experienced the often invisible visitors. In recent months, I have finally seen the cat that many others have seen in the past. Ed and I have seen and sensed a number of spirits, who can be playful or annoying. We’ve been told that when we would prefer to not be bothered, we should simply say so out loud or yell “stop!” An intuitionist we once visited told us that many spirits do pass through our home— it is as if we have a big “welcome” sign over it.

What do you hate most about yourself?

Procrastination. I have it down to an art form.

What do you love most about yourself?

I feel— and I am often told— that my best quality is my positive attitude. Over the past 15 years, I have dealt with a number of chronic health issues. Feeling as I often do, it would be very easy to isolate myself and to be constantly bitchy. However, such an attitude is of no value to anyone, A life of negativity certainly is of no value to me as the individual battling health issues on a daily basis. Yes, it is frustrating that my tremors, unsteadiness, and sometimes exhaustion do what they do. But why would anyone I know want anything to do with me being nasty and irritable all the time?

What is your absolute favorite meal?

Wild-caught Pacific king salmon, steamed fresh Oregon asparagus, and garlic smashed potatoes served with J.K. Carriere Glass WV White Pinot Noir. German chocolate cake for dessert.