In this episode, I sit down with Jade Liessa Wheldon, a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey has taken her from designing props for films to producing documentaries and directing animations. Now based in North London and in her mid-thirties, Jade brings a wealth of experience and insight to our conversation.

We talk about her time in Africa filming a documentary and working with an NGO called Maison de la gare, an experience that left a lasting mark on her. Jade also shares her personal journey with Long Covid, opening up about how it has shaped both her perspective on life and the direction of her creative work.

At this link you can find more information about Maison de la gare and their work in Senegal.

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In this episode I chat with Amy, a Creative Director at Scriberia.

Amy is 36 and she recently moved from London to Wales with her partner and their 3 year old son.

We talked about how she tries to split things equally at home and with the baby and how even with the best intentions, it’s easy to feel torn between wanting to keep your career going and not wanting to miss out on those early years with your kid.

Amy also shared the pros and cons of living in a big city like London as a new parent and how that led to their decision of moving.

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In this episode I talk to Anna, a graphic designer living in Brighton. Anna is 32 and lives with her partner and their cat Luna.

In our chat, we talked about how the children’s conversation came up for her, and what she's most nervous about. We also got into the ups and downs of the creative process, and how building that resilience to try, fail, and keep creating might actually be a strength when it comes to parenting.

Anna Barton is a Senior Designer specialised in branding, campaigns, print and web.

She's all about coming up with good creative ideas that do something good in the world.

She's currently working at Studio Texture part time, and spend the rest of my time working freelance.

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In this episode I chat with Margaux, creative director and co-founder of Moth, an amazing animation studio based in London. Margaux is 39 and she lives with her partner, their baby Oran and their cat Pantera.

As we talked, I could really relate to her story: She opened up about the mixed feelings around having kids, especially when life is already full between close friendships, travel, hobbies, and a deep passion for her work. Like many of us, she was focused on building something meaningful, and having kids wasn’t really on the radar.

After our conversation, Margaux got in touch to share a few extra thoughts, which I’ve included in the final edit.

Marie-Margaux is a Greek/Italian creative director and co-founder of Moth Studio, an animation studio based in London known for its perceptive and emotive storytelling with a strong emphasis on character and design as communication.

Born and raised in Athens, she developed her love for Animation at age 3 through her dad and came to England to study Animation at Kingston and the RCA, where Moth was formed. 

She lives in Forest Hill, South London with her family and cat and when not in the studio she enjoys teaching and doing talks in universities and festivals worldwide. She is currently working on her first Illustrated Children’s book.

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In this episode, I speak with Matt, a 41-year-old filmmaker based in Brighton.

He shares how the idea of having children never really crossed his mind until he turned 40. Now, in a new relationship, the topic has started to surface more frequently.

We talk about the uncertainty that can come with such a life-changing decision, and explore how parenthood might reshape his world — both professionally and personally.

Our conversation also touches on the rise of AI: its impact on creative industries, and how thinking about the future of technology intertwines with the question of raising children in an increasingly unpredictable world.

Matt Harmer is an award-winning Director and D.P. specialising in documentary and branded content. He has worked with clients such as National Geographic, WaterBear Network, CNN, and the BBC.

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Nell’episodio di oggi parlo con Silvia Clo, regista e autrice freelance di 30 anni che abita a Milano con il suo compagno Sam e il loro gatto Gagarin.

Silvia ha una passione e un’energia travolgenti quando parla del suo lavoro, che per lei è anche uno strumento per amplificare temi politici e sociali.

Attraverso il cinema, la fotografia e la scrittura ha esplorato le rappresentazioni della comunità queer, le dinamiche di discriminazione e il tema della maternita’.

Silvia Clo crede nel potere dell'immaginazione. Regista, autrice e artista, i suoi lavori decostruiscono stereotipi e indagano le rappresentazioni della comunità queer, con uno sguardo intimo e politico. Attraverso cinema, scrittura e arte visiva, crea narrazioni che sfidano i confini e aprono nuovi spazi di possibilità.

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In questo episodio ho avuto il piacere di chiacchierare con Ilenia, creative director di Illo e co-fondatrice, insieme a suo marito Luca, di Illo e Algo. Ilenia e Luca vivono a Torino con i loro due bambini, Milo di 5 anni e Lena di 2.

Abbiamo parlato di esperienze personali, come il percorso di fecondazione assistita e l'adozione internazionale, ma anche di come riescano a conciliare la gestione di due bambini piccoli con la creazione e la direzione di due studi, uno di design e l’altro di data visualization.

Ilenia Notarangelo e' creative director e fondatrice di Illo, uno studio di design con un focus su motion design, illustrazione e art direction.

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In this episode, I sit down with Phoebe, an amazing illustrator, animation director, and co-founder of Arc Studio. At 34, she lives in Southeast London with her partner and their baby. Phoebe’s journey is particularly fascinating, as she navigated years of uncertainty before ultimately deciding to become a parent. She opens up about the factors that influenced her decision and how, during her struggle with postnatal depression, she turned to creativity and drawing as a way to cope and regain her sense of self.

Phoebe Halstead is a freelance animation director, animator, and illustrator specializing in concept-driven 2D animation. She graduated in Illustration and Animation from Kingston University in 2012. Phoebe is the co-director of ARC Studio, alongside her collaborator Angie Phillips, and is a founding member of the First Hand reportage illustration collective.

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In questo episodio parlo con Cristina Portolano, una fumettista freelance che lavora a Bologna. Cristina ha 38 anni e vive insieme al compagno e alla loro bambina di due anni.

L’anno scorso, Cristina ha deciso di raccogliere le esperienze genitoriali di alcuni artisti in un'autoproduzione dal titolo Genitore, Artista, altro.

Durante la chiacchierata, affrontiamo temi importanti come la scelta di diventare madre come esperienza di vita, il lavoro su progetti personali e il superamento dei pregiudizi che ancora esistono riguardo al fatto di essere sia madre che artista.

Cristina Portolano, originaria di Napoli, si trasferisce a Bologna nel 2005 per studiare all'Accademia di Belle Arti, con una parentesi Erasmus a Parigi. Fumettista e docente, dal 2016 ha pubblicato il suo primo libro e collabora con Internazionale Kids, mentre insegna illustrazione e anatomia artistica allo IAAD di Bologna.

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