In today’s episode, I speak with Jessica Helfand. Jessica is the  founding editor of Design Observer and author of numerous books on visual and cultural criticism including her new book aptly called Self-Reliance. She is an artist, designer, writer and educator and has taught in Paris, Porto, London, Malta, the Netherlands, and across the United States. Jessica is the first-ever recipient of the Henry Wolf Residency at the American Academy in Rome and has been a Director’s Guest at Civitella Ranieri, a fellow at the Bogliasco Foundation, and an Artist in Residence at Caltech.

We dive into ways of illustrating what it means to be self-reliant by leaning on yourself for inspiration, finding ways to challenge your creativity and imagination, and how designing for emotion and keeping a daily practice can weave more meaning into your journey as a self-reliant designer.