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Take 5: Animated Umbrellas, Resting Stones, Colourscape + More

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Design

1. Nike + Adidas Shoe Boom Boxes by cutonce

Are you team checks or stripes? When it comes to these boom boxes, I can’t decide because they’re both equally so good! I came across @cutonceobjects a while back on Instagram and I think they make the coolest items! While I don’t believe I’m “hip” enough to own one of these, I can only imagine it would be such a conversation piece among my friends if it were to ever grace my entertainment space. (They also made an incredible Rolex wall clock that I’m in awe of!)

As cooler weather approaches, so does the rain, and I’ve been on the hunt to replace my very old umbrella. At the top of my list is Para Para’s animated umbrellas because they are so fun and playful! I especially love their new artist series with renowned illustrator Malika Favre and Erchen Chang, the Creative Director of the iconic BAO restaurants. The childlike act of spinning my umbrella in the rain has become a longstanding habit of mine, and these animating umbrellas give a new surprising element to it! I know if I saw these walking around the street, they’d definitely spark my curiosity and bring a smile to my face.

If I ever visit London, I’ll be planning my trip solely around the Colourscape Music Festival – and I’ll probably spend the whole day there. This immersive experience intertwines music with color and light, which is right up my alley of interest. What’s neat is each Colourscape has a different quality and function. As you navigate through the interconnected chambers, you’ll discover an entirely new perspective on the intensity and subtlety of color along with different musicians sprinkled throughout to make the experience even more magical. Unfortunately, this year’s event has already passed, but I’ll be keeping my eye out for the next one.

Material’s second drop for their ‘Object Collection’ are these versatile Resting Stones and they come in 3 beautiful sea glass colors! Designed to be displayed and to elevate your daily rituals, they’re perfect as a jewelry catch-all or to simply sit on your countertop as a decor piece. With the holiday season coming up, they’d make for a great gift since they are so many different uses for them. They come in sets of 2, so you can gift it by the set or split them up into two!

5. Lulu Pots x happihuman

Fun fact: I love entering giveaways on Instagram and I love winning them even more! It’s such a great way to discover new products while supporting the businesses hosting them. A few months ago, I won a collaboration giveaway by Lulu Pots and happihuman and I was so excited. I love that happihuman candles are made from high-quality, eco-friendly materials, and they use a wooden wick, which produces less smoke. Plus, it creates the most comforting, homey feeling when you hear its subtle crackling — it’s like sitting by a fireplace! For this collab, the candles were poured into Lulu Pots’ handmade ceramics, with each one featuring its own unique folds and curves. Since then, I’ve continued following Lulu Pots’ journey and I’ve loved seeing all of her creations. She’s developed her own signature in ceramics and it’s been really cool to see!

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As the Social Media Consultant, Maivy is always dreaming up new ideas to curate content. If she’s not glued to her phone, she’s probably at the dog park with her pup Koda, training at the gym, or trying the latest food/drink trends! See the BTS of her life over on Instagram.

Three Questions with Dr. Samantha Majhor

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Native

This story first appeared on Humanities Without Walls.

Dr. Samantha Majhor is an assistant professor of English in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. Majhor is of Yankton Dakota and Assiniboine descent, and in her role as faculty advisor for Marquette’s Indigeneity Lab, she works alongside undergraduate students in collaboration with Native and non-Native faculty on interdisciplinary research projects in the sciences and humanities, with a focus on Indigenous topics. During her Ph.D. program at the University of Minnesota, Majhor was part of the HWW Grand Research Challenge project team for “Indigenous Art and Activism Along the Mississippi River in Changing Climates.”

Describe your involvement with the Grand Research Challenge project “Indigenous Art and Activism Along the Mississippi River in Changing Climates.” How did this project impact your dissertation research?

My participation in the project began when I was a graduate student at the University of Minnesota and culminated with my participation as an assistant professor at Marquette University, so the project bridges an important and transitionary moment in my life as a scholar. During the first two years of the project, I was finishing my dissertation work on Native Materialisms in contemporary Native American literature. Meeting Indigenous artists and activists whose work focused on Native relationships to the Mississippi River and its tributaries further informed my thinking on the deep human and non-human relationships that our literary texts so often express. Many of the artists we consulted are responding to climate change threats to the environment by remembering long-held human and other-than-human relationships — those connections between agriculture, basketry, pottery, mound-building — and bringing those longstanding relationships into the contemporary moment in strategic ways. Their work illustrates what’s at stake in the disruption of these relationships, and they also point toward strategies of continuance through and beyond settler-colonialism and climate disaster.

Beyond the ways the project spoke to the subject matter of my research, I believe it was even more instrumental in helping me develop Native American and Indigenous Studies research methodologies by its collective and community-driven nature. This was a critical counterpoint to the dissertation experience, which tends to be solitary work. The collective of faculty and graduate students quickly expanded into a forum that included Native artists, activists and other scholars and knowledge-bearers along the river.

How has your role working with this GRC project impacted your career trajectory?

HWW GRC project team at Itasca. Image courtesy of Agleska Cohen-Rencountre.

Participating in the GRC project impacted my career trajectory in a number of ways, especially in my teaching and continued research. Coming into my position as an assistant professor in English at Marquette University, I continued working on the “Indigenous Art and Activism Along the Mississippi River in Changing Climates,” and I developed one of my first courses at Marquette based on the research we had done and the website, Indigenous Mississippi, that we were in the process of creating. I developed the course, “Water is Life: Indigenous Art and Activism in Changing Climates,” to share our project and its artists’ and activists’ work with undergraduate students. The course allows me both highlight visual and material artists alongside literary artists who are articulating on-going Indigenous relationships with water, place, and environment.

“Our research and our website has generated a continued conversation in the classroom, where my students benefit from the work of my colleagues on the project and an expanding number of Indigenous artists.”

Dr. Samantha Majhor

As we begin to look back on the extraordinary 2016 protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which was a galvanizing event for the our GRC project, it’s more important than ever that undergraduate students see the links between the long history of environmental depredation that has long been part and parcel of settler-colonialism and the current calls, in large part coming from their own generation, for attending to environmental justice.

The Indigeneity Lab traveled to Chicago in August 2022 to visit the new permanent exhibition at the Field Museum, “Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories.”

Not only has the project impacted the focus of my teaching, but it has greatly impacted the methodology of my current research projects. With the work and leadership of Dr. Jacqueline Schram (Ojibwe, Sankeeng Nation) and Dr. John Su and with grant funding from the Joerres Family Fund, I’ve been part of building Marquette’s Indigeneity Lab, a site for funding undergraduate research on Native American project topics. Largely undertaken during the summer months, the research work has expanded to include graduate researchers. We focus on building a community of scholars from underrepresented populations—who may be working on different projects—but come together as a collective. They support each other and share their work beyond the summer research. Like the GRC project, the Indigeneity Lab cultivates Native American and Indigenous research methodologies, whether we are working in library archives, developing digital maps and resources, or testing Milwaukee river waters for restoring wild rice.

The research and development of materials, coursework, and scholarship that came out of the GRC has substantially impacted my career. However, it is the relationships between our cohort that has proved most valuable to me over these first years as a junior scholar. In Summer 2022, I co-taught the Newberry Library’s NCAIS Summer Institute alongside Dr. Kelly Wisecup, who proposed and led our GRC project. Our graduate course for NCAIS was yet another iteration of our project, and Dr. Wisecup continues to be a significant mentor and colleague whose generosity shapes my scholarship. I could name countless ways in which the continued sense of camaraderie and scholarly community radiates from working with everyone involved in the GRC project.

2019 mapping workshop at Northwestern. Photo courtesy of Kelly Wisecup.

In January 2023, I once again teamed up with one of my mentors from the GRC project. Chris Pexa (Spirit Lake Dakota) and I were awarded a grant from the Mellon Foundation to support “Remapping the Očheti Šakowin Oyáte: Orature as Deep Mapping” project. Drawing on NAIS methodologies, we’ve envisioned the development of a digital storymap, an archive of stories connected to place, that is developed and held by Očheti Šakowin (Dakota, Nakota, Lakota) nations. We are partnering with community members from 16 tribal nations and beyond in order to build the archive, as well as with graduate and undergraduate researchers for a distinctly collaborative, Native-community-guided project. I remain connected to and indebted to my mentors and collaborators who worked on the GRC project and anticipate many more collaborations through the years.

Tell us about your work with the Indigeneity Lab at Marquette University. What projects are you involved in, both on-campus and in the community?

It has been most exciting to come to Marquette University and join a team in creating the Indigeneity Lab, the site of a growing number of undergraduate-led research projects on topics that center Native American history, culture and contemporary concerns. While our projects germinate on campus, each of our three main projects work in connection with the local Milwaukee Native community and Native Nations beyond the city. I have mentored undergraduate and graduate students’ work on the Native American Boarding Schools in Context project, a website that seeks to contextualize Marquette University’s archival holdings of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Mission records. Our site, soon to be updated with selected samplings from the archive, serves as an introduction to the types of documents one might find in the extensive BCIM archives. We also hope to give a primer on Native American Boarding School history and provide links and resources to the scholarship, investigations, and reports pertaining to over 100 years of forced assimilation and genocide through a boarding school education system.

I have also consulted and mentored undergraduate students work on our Wild Rice revitalization project, which is spearheaded by Marquette’s Dr. Michael Schlappi, professor of biological sciences. The Wild Rice project asks whether environmental cleanup efforts in Milwaukee rivers have created conditions clean enough to bring wild rice, an Indigenous plant and food species, back to the area. For many Native Nations who have connections to the western Great Lakes from time immemorial, wild rice is not just a staple food—but an important plant connected to story, ceremony and spiritual and intellectual life. The wild aquatic grass is a bellwether plant when it comes to healthy water systems and has been greatly impacted by both industry and, now, climate change. Marquette students have been testing wild rice varieties to see if they can grow and thrive in Milwaukee rivers at current conditions and learning about all the challenges and possibilities for restoring this important plant relative to waters in which it once thrived.

I am also so excited about the Indigenize Milwaukee mapping project, headed by Dr. Brian Rindfleisch in history at Marquette. Dr. Reinfleisch had long envisioned creating a digital map that highlighted Milwaukee as an Indigenous place, connecting sites of historical importance to Native Milwaukee’s contemporary sites of note. Recently, the project has expanded to include an app and walking tour.

Once again, the Indigeneity projects each develop out of Native American and Indigenous Studies research methods, they center collaboration, and they provide community-oriented materials. For me, the foundations of these collaborative research practices were first made manifest in my participation on the “Indigenous Art and Activism Along the Mississippi River in Changing Climates” project.

Capturing memories: Cripe Photography celebrates 50 years of business

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Zionsville is home to numerous businesses, and one business owner is carrying on his father’s legacy each day he walks into work.

Cripe Photography, located at 45 N. Main St., will celebrate 50 years of business this month. The business, owned by Bill Cripe, was started by his father, William Cripe Sr., in 1973.

The photography business will host an open house from 3 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 2 to celebrate the milestone of 50 years in the making. The studio will be open to the community as a way to get to know more residents and let people know what the studio is all about. Light refreshments and giveaways will also be provided.

The studio’s location formerly was Cripe’s father’s business, Bill’s Barbershop, and became the Cripe Photography studio residents know and love in the 1980s.

“In the beginning, my father was photographing weddings in the area, and he eventually turned it into a full-time business shooting seniors, families and children,” Cripe said.

Bill grew up in the field and has had a camera in his hand from a young age. His mother Ann (Birdie) worked at Zionsville Community High School for 35 years as an art teacher and did the yearbook

“I helped (my mom) cover stuff at the school and shot my first wedding professionally when I was 13 years old,” Cripe said. “I put myself through college by photographing events.”

Cripe graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Ball State University. He worked for Herff Jones before he took over his father’s business in 1990, working collaboratively with him for about two years before his father retired.

“Our family has lived in Zionsville for many generations,” Cripe said. “The community response to our business has been wonderful. Since my family has been doing this for a long time, we know a lot of families and people in the area and have had a wonderful business to grow into.”

At its start, Cripe Photography offered senior portraits, family photos and children shoots. About 15 years ago, the business transitioned out of traditional portrait shooting and now works only with schools in the area.

“Many changes in the industry led our business to change directions,” Cripe said. “We saw the chance to grow our business by working with schools, and once we got involved with nearby districts, we loved it.”

Cripe Photography works with many school districts, including Zionsville, Noblesville, Carmel, Westfield, Mill Creek and more, taking photos for yearbooks and sporting events.

“A lot of people remember us for what we used to offer years ago,” Cripe said. “They have no idea we transitioned to school photography to provide photos for schools.”

Stephanie Keehn, who works alongside Cripe at the studio, said the company loves servicing schools and building relationships with school districts in the surrounding areas.

“Whether it is Zionsville or any surrounding district, we enjoy getting to know the students and administration in the schools,” Keehn said. “When you are servicing schools for as many years as we have, you get to know the kids and recognize them outside of the school setting because you have been taking their picture for years.”

Cripe and Keehn said their goal for the future of Cripe Photography is to continue providing services that big companies cannot.

“We are a small company that is essentially competing with bigger companies,” Cripe said. “The biggest difference between us and them is the customer service we provide.”

Cripe said now that his two children are grown, most of his time is spent focusing on the business. He is also actively involved in a few local clubs and organizations.

“If anything, we just want people to know that we love what we do,” Keehn said. “We hope to continue to grow and get our name out there for other school districts to see.”

For more information about Cripe Photography, visit cripephoto.com

The Bill Cripe File

Name: Bill (William) Cripe

Residence: “My family has lived in Zionsville my whole life and my kids are the fifth generation to grow up in my house.”

Children: Carly Decker and Liam Cripe

Favorite thing to photograph: “I love shooting with elementary students because they are so darn cute and always excited for picture day.”

Life Motto: “Enjoy today.”

Favorite restaurants in Zionsville: “I try to frequent a lot of different businesses but some of my favorites are Cobblestone and Tipsy Mermaid.”

Fish Creek mural ebbs positive message

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Printmaking

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and the new mural being installed along the path that runs parallel to Fish Creek and under U.S. 40 ebbs a positive community message…

A Groundbreaking Monograph Delves Into Simone Leigh’s Enduring Commitment to Centering Black Women

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

“Cupboard IX” (2019), stoneware, raffia, and steel armature, 78 × 60 × 80 inches. Image courtesy of Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. All images © Simone Leigh, shared with permission

Simone Leigh’s first monograph opens with this quote from the artist: “In order to tell the truth, you need to invent what might be missing from the archive, to collapse time, to concern yourself with issues of scale, to formally move things around in a way that reveals something more true than fact.”

It’s a lofty and perceptive statement that perfectly illustrates Leigh’s oeuvre. Working across sculpture, installation, and video, the artist returns to the aesthetics of Africa and the African diaspora as she amends the art historical narrative by putting Black women and Black feminist thought at the center. Her works draw on craft traditions and legacies through her material choices, including the ceramic pots and raffia skirts that meld with her figurative works. These hybrid forms draw attention to labor and value, particularly as they relate to women’s disregarded contributions throughout history and around the globe.

Spanning two decades of work, the 372-page book accompanies Leigh’s first major museum survey, which closed at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston in September. The exhibition is in the midst of a nearly two-year tour and currently on its way to the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., where it will open in November and continue through March 2024, before finishing its run at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and California African American Museum between June 2024 and January 2025.

Comprising bronze, ceramic, and video works, the retrospective highlights the artist’s visual vocabulary of cowrie shells, rosettes, and indistinct facial features, along with pieces from her milestone achievement: In 2022, Leigh became the first Black woman to represent the U.S. at the Venice Biennale with Sovereignty, an exhibition encompassing sculptures exploring self-determination and the interior lives of Black women.

Within the monograph, writing from brilliant scholars like Saidiya Hartman and Christina Sharpe elucidates Leigh’s interests and aesthetics, alongside historical photos, glimpses of the artist’s studio, and full-spread images of works. An essential and groundbreaking survey, the volume is celebratory, lauding Leigh’s expansive practice and enduring desire to fill gaps in the archive.

Simone Leigh was published earlier this month by Delmonico Books and is available on Bookshop.

a sculpture with a round top and blue porcelain head with a wide raffia skirt

“No Face (House)” (2020), terracotta, porcelain, ink, epoxy, and raffia, 29.5 × 24 × 24 inches. Image courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article A Groundbreaking Monograph Delves Into Simone Leigh’s Enduring Commitment to Centering Black Women appeared first on Colossal.

Coturn CT-01 Is a Portable Turntable You Can Toss Into a Backpack

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Design

Bonn-based industrial designer Benjamin Großjohann loves vinyl records, and perhaps the realm of the mechanical even more so (he cites a love of BMX bikes as an overarching passion influencing his work). Together, these interests would feed a compulsion within the German designer to create a “beautiful product made of real metal” eventually resulting in an audio device “by collectors, for collectors” that’s so slim, you can literally toss it into a backpack: the Coturn CT-01 portable turntable.

The CT-01’s solid anodized aluminum body, integrated glass top, and sleek integrated tone arm tipped with an Audio-Technica Stylus AT 3600 needle, measuring a mere 12.5 x 5 x 1 inches when folded up into its travel form. Imagine a form factor similar to the largest iPad Pro, but a little chunkier and cut in half, and you’ve got something akin to the CT-01 in feel and heft.

Side eye level perspective of Coturn record player in black and white photo, with detailed shot of tone arm and needle.

Every Coturn record player is handcrafted in the specially equipped workshop in Bonn, with 3D-printed components and hand-assembled electronics coming together into a form factor that’s not pocketable, but also backpack-friendly in dimension.

The design’s niftiest feature is its retracting tone arm, a part that hides away flush along the rest of the turntable’s body. A simple press of the CT-01’s small indentation along its tone arm and the part springs back out with a graceful upward motion – ready to put needle onto record.

A glass touchscreen control display keeps the entire setup minimalist and modern, with a fully integrated preamp and USB-C rechargeable battery hidden within its oblong housing. The turntable operates up to 16 hours per charge, plenty for several listening session before requiring the USB-C recharge. Bluetooth aptX connectivity allows connectivity with wireless speakers; a headphone jack allows for more private listening sessions for one, while an RCA output makes analog speaker connections a possibility for those who prefer to keep it old school.

Großjohann says he relied upon the tried and true process of drawing sketches and building physical prototypes rather than solely relying upon 3D models to visualize, and then eventually realize, his CT-01 into existence.

“A turntable is one of the most complicated things you can build. Because everything comes together here: electronics, mechanics, and design – all these elements have to mesh,” says Großjohann. “Of course, I already have some ideas and experience, but actually I still lacked a degree in mechanical engineering.”

Slim portable COTURN X TA-KU edition in pink turntable with white vinyl album on play.

The Coturn CT-1 is available in a variety of colors, but the The COTURN X TA-KU edition in pink is the most rare, limited to 20 players worldwide and includes the Australian artist’s double LP SONGS TO COME HOME TO in white vinyl.

Designer Benjamin Großjohann holding his creation, the Coturn CT-1 turntable in front of small side table wearing green beanie cap and surrounded by house plants.

Industrial designer Benjamin Großjohann holding his creation, the Coturn CT-1 turntable.

The Coturn CT-01 turntable is available in blue, green, gray, black, and a very limited edition white edition, starting at $483 (available for pre-order domestically over at Turntable Lab).

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Celestial Photography Workshop: Capturing the Wonders Beyond Our Atmosphere

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Have you ever gazed up at the night sky and felt a profound sense of wonder? The universe above us is a canvas painted with stars, planets, and cosmic phenomena waiting to be explored. If you’ve ever wanted to capture the magic of the celestial realm through the lens of your camera, then join us for an enchanting journey into the art of celestial photography.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Cosmos
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s easy to forget the celestial ballet that unfolds above us each night. The Celestial Photography Workshop aims to rekindle your connection with the cosmos by providing you with the tools and techniques to capture its beauty like never before.

What to Expect
**1. Introduction to Celestial Photography: The workshop kicks off with a journey through the basics of celestial photography. Learn about the equipment needed, from entry-level cameras to advanced telescopic lenses, and how to choose the right gear for your stargazing adventures.

**2. Mastering Night Sky Composition: Discover the art of composing your shots against the backdrop of the night sky. From framing the moon to capturing the brilliance of distant stars, this session will guide you in creating visually stunning compositions.

**3. Long Exposure Techniques: Delve into the magic of long exposure photography. Uncover the secrets of capturing the trails of stars as they paint their journey across the canvas of the cosmos, creating mesmerizing images that tell the story of the night.

**4. Editing for Cosmic Brilliance: Learn the post-processing techniques that will elevate your celestial images to new heights. From enhancing star clusters to bringing out the subtle details of distant galaxies, discover how to make your photos truly shine.

Why Celestial Photography?
Capturing the wonders beyond our atmosphere isn’t just about taking pictures; it’s about forging a connection with the universe. Through the lens, we glimpse the beauty of distant planets, the ethereal glow of nebulas, and the dance of celestial bodies. Each photograph becomes a personal journey into the vastness of space.

Meet Your Guide
Our workshop is led by seasoned astrophotographers who have traversed the night skies with their cameras. Drawing on years of experience, they bring a wealth of knowledge to help you navigate the challenges of celestial photography and unleash your creative potential.

Join Us Under the Stars
Whether you’re a budding photographer or an experienced stargazer looking to refine your skills, the Celestial Photography Workshop invites you to join a community of like-minded individuals. Together, we’ll embark on a celestial odyssey, capturing the wonders that adorn our night sky.

Embrace the Cosmos
Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the magic of celestial photography. Pack your camera, set up your tripod, and get ready to capture the wonders that await beyond our atmosphere. Let’s turn our lenses to the stars and create images that tell the timeless story of the cosmos. See you under the celestial canopy!

43-foot Golden Spike sculpture makes a whistle stop at the Colorado Railroad Museum

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

Tuesday, a 43-foot-tall golden spike sculpture makes a whistle-stop in Golden, on its way to Brigham City, Utah where it will be installed at a new memorial park.

43-foot golden spike passing through Colorado Tuesday

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

A massive golden monument will pass through Colorado Tuesday.

Clever Podcast: 200 Episodes of Being Candid, Creative + Human

Oct 17, 2023 By Admin in Design

Every single thing that surrounds us and inhabits our environment has been designed by someone. Today, Clever – one of our favorite podcasts – is celebrating 200 episodes of sharing these creative visionaries who shape our world and culture. Sustaining a platform for so long deserves acknowledgement, so we spoke with host Amy Devers about how Clever came to be, how it’s changed, and what the future of the podcast might look like.

In 2016, after many run-ins with one another at design events, Design Milk founder Jaime Derringer and furniture designer and fabricator Devers collaborated to create Clever as an independent side project. It would be too simple to say that Clever is a podcast about design, because what it’s really doing is reminding listeners that these visionaries, problem-solvers, critical thinkers, rebels, and aesthetes are also human. The conversations are candid and revealing, pulling back the curtain to reveal those responsible for the things that help to shape our lives by adding meaning and connection to the world around us.

Amy Devers Photo: Jo Sittenfeld

“I had grown disenchanted with the narrative around design that a lot of lifestyle TV shows were putting forward,” said Devers. “It felt like a flattened, incomplete picture that was missing all the juicy stuff that made design truly fascinating and powerful. I was on a mission to create stories that offered a deeper perspective and served to help expand our collective understanding of design.”

In the past 200 episodes, Clever has grown and matured from the early days of having to rely on “gimmicky” conversation tricks to have guests reveal themselves beyond their latest project. As the podcast grew, the conversations naturally turned more real, deeper, and philosophical.

two light-skinned woman sit across a table from another

Amy Devers + Lisa Congdon

I asked Devers if she noticed a thread connecting the creative professionals featured, and she shared at least one pattern that’s emerged. “So many creative professionals had NO IDEA when they were younger that design as a career was an option. Of course the (super detrimental) stereotype of the “starving artist” was prevalent, but the possibility of becoming a sound designer, architect, or industrial designer just wasn’t available. Many of my guests stumbled into their callings by accidentally discovering a class in college or by way of an eccentric aunt or uncle. (Bless those aunts and uncles, they are doing important work!)” She added, “Imagine the world if all children grew up knowing that every single human-made thing is designed? And that there are many creative paths, careers, and fields of study that are available. I think a much broader set of opportunities should be revealed to them earlier on, and we’d have a lot more diversity in the design pipeline.”

two light-skinned woman sit across a table from another with microphones recording a podcast

Amy Devers + Paula Scher

In 2019, Derringer decided to step away from co-hosting Clever, giving way to a deeper one-on-one style of conversation. “I focused more on active listening and less on moving the conversation forward. I still prep questions in advance, but the interviews, more often than not, veer into uncharted territory and that is where I love to be,” Devers shared. “But I also want to stress that Jaime’s influence is still very much alive here at Clever. When it was time for her to leave Clever to explore different horizons, we both knew it, and the separation felt necessary, healthy, and promising for both of us. Plus, she’ll text me anytime she comes across a person she thinks would make for a great interview.”

a light-skinned woman with light hair and a light-skinned man with dark hair sit across a table from another with microphones recording a podcast

Amy Devers + Bryan Costello

After so many episodes, Devers is still as excited as ever abut Clever. “Creative people are infinitely fascinating. I fall a little bit in love with my guest [almost] every single time. Every time I dive into the research I get energized by the sheer ingenuity and grit of the person I’m about to speak to. And, I make a point of keeping the conversation trained on their personal story so it never devolves into just a sales pitch of their book or latest project. It’s a simple metric: I lose interest when someone is trying to sell me something, and I gain interest when someone is trying to tell me something. Sharing bravely, being vulnerable, self-reflective, and transparent about the challenges as well as the triumphs, detailing actual lived-experiences and honest perspectives is the magic formula and it’s intoxicating!”

light-skinned woman with light hair wearing a black and white striped shirt and black pants speaks onstage

TEDxRISD

Looking ahead at the next 200 episodes, Devers would love to do more live shows to create special experiences. “I imagine intimate gatherings in spectacular locations, (think architecturally and/or historically significant Airbnbs, under a full moon in the Catskills, in a pop-up art installation or museum gallery) where the conducive atmosphere and the warmth of the collective can be felt in the chemistry of the conversation. Anyone want to join me in something like that?”

While the host names Prince, Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse, Zaha Hadid, and Virgil Abloh as guests she would have loved to feature, Devers looks forward to the chance to hopefully interview Emory Douglas, Es Devlin, Roman Mars, Ira Glass, Neri Oxman, and Sonya Clark should the opportunities arise.

four light-skinned people standing onstage

Emerging Designers Showcase, LaunchPad

A recent favorite Clever episode is 199: Twenty Thousand Hertz’s Dallas Taylor on Sound, Silence, and Stories. The sound designer has a powerful story that’s very human behind his creative journey. Listen to this episode and 199 others at cleverpodcast.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.