The Friendly Unknown

The Friendly Unknown

By Allison FiliceBusinessArtsVisual ArtsCareersDesign
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The Friendly Unknown episodes

  • 15 - Awaken with Slimy Oddity

    In this episode, I chat with the enlightened duo behind Slimy Oddity, Cherie and Tim. Slimy Oddity is an art collective brought together to spread love and light into the world. Their work focuses on sharing insights from timeless wisdom found in spirituality, philosophy and the human experience. They have a friendly and playful style that makes these deeper topics fun and approachable.

    We dive into the theme of awakening in this episode. Awakening to your life, the magic in the world, your gifts and your purpose, and even to the awareness of a world beyond our senses. 

    Awakening is an overarching theme for Slimy Oddity, and we dive deep into it. Cherie and Tim also generously share their own personal awakening journeys. 

    This dynamic duo are also incredible musicians. Their band Kekko is releasing their debut single titled “Within You” mid March on Spirit Goth Records. Stay tuned to the end of the episode where we’ll be playing it for you. I love this song and I’m so excited to share it with you guys.

    To find out more about Slimy Oddity, you can follow them on instagram here, or online at slimyoddity.com.

    1 hr 15 min
  • 14 - Take the Leap with Wade & Leta

    In this episode, I chat with Brooklyn based creative studio and dynamic duo, Wade and Leta. Wade and Leta do it all, they’re graphic designers, art directors, photographers, public speakers, they do event design, branding, sculpture, book design, type design, retail design, film, and more. If there’s something they haven’t done, they want to try that too. 

    They’re a duo who personifies today’s topic of “Taking the Leap”. They’re constantly pushing themselves into new directions and mediums. They love a good challenge, they see constraints as opportunities, and they thrive on intensity. This drive has led them to create work for a truly impressive roster of clients that include Gucci, The New York Times, Herman Miller, IBM, Instagram, Facebook, Adobe, Airbnb, Target, and the list goes on. 

    We discuss the lessons they’ve learned on their journey so far, how they’re able to continually “take the leap” into new directions and opportunities, how keeping an open mind and fresh perspective is key, how important it is to ask for help and learn from others, their pursuit to continually “level up”, what their dream project is, and much more.

    This conversation was really inspiring to me. Wade and Leta are always striving to create their best work and it’s hard not to be in awe of them. These two have such wonderful energy and a refreshing perspective on life and career. I hope you’re just as inspired by this one as I am.

    To find out more about Wade and Leta, you can follow them on instagram @wadeandleta, @wadejeffree, @letasobierajski or online at wadeandleta.com.

    1 hr 10 min
  • 13 - The Journey with Andy J. Pizza
    In this episode, I chat with the amazing Andy J. Pizza. You probably already know Andy from his incredible podcast Creative Pep Talk. It’s one of my all-time-favorite podcasts and was a big part of what kept me going on my journey to become an illustrator, and what’s kept me motivated in tough times since.
    Honestly, I don’t think I’d be making this podcast if it weren’t for Andy. He’s been a huge inspiration to me!
    If you aren’t already listening to Creative Pep Talk, then definitely head over after this episode and give it a listen. I know you’re going to love it.
    Andy’s an illustrator, a public speaker, a podcaster, and so much more. He’s the co-founder of co-loop, which is an artist agency, he’s an educator and has classes available right now on skillshare.com. He’s hilarious and wise beyond his years, and he’s here to generously share his wisdom with you all.
    Andy and I have a lot in common, so I was really excited to talk shop with him. And he did not disappoint. We dive into subjects like finding your style, finding yourself and your message, we talk about the hero’s journey, personality types, spirituality, how important it is to be your unique self, how important exploration is to feeling fulfilled in your creative journey, how your perceived weaknesses are actually strengths, and much, much more.
    I need to have Andy back on the show again soon, because there was so much more I wanted to talk about. I’m really grateful I was able to speak with him, and I’m so grateful you’re here listening. I’m excited to share this one with you guys.
    1 hr 28 min
  • 12 - Unfolding with Lauren Martin
    In this episode, I chat with New York based illustrator and musician, Lauren Martin. Lauren’s sunny, smiley, vibrant illustrations and animations are full of the kind of optimism and encouragement we all need right now.
    Lauren’s journey to full-time illustration is a recent one, having just set out on that path earlier this year. In that short amount of time, she’s already carved out her unique style and quite a following and client list to go with it.
    She talks about how having to pause touring with Frankie Cosmos, the band she plays keyboard and guitar with, has allowed her to take this shot at illustration. And how the timing of it all was kismet.
    She also discusses how going to therapy, working on her personal development and going through a spiritual awakening opened up everything for her. I too, went through a similar path, and it was great to find such a kindred spirit to discuss these topics with. So I’m really excited to share this one with you all.
    1 hr 21 min
  • 11 - Time with Jim Stoten
    In this episode, I chat with illustrator and human being extraordinaire, Jim Stoten. Jim’s work is a kaleidoscopic adventure, full of vivid color, imagination and playfulness, all while maintaining a beautiful depth to it.
    Jim and I explore the topic of time in this episode. How Jim spends his time, How he perceives time, what advice he would give his past self, and what advice his future self would give him today. I feel like I caught Jim at just the right time for this conversation, he’s just celebrated his fortieth birthday and is both looking ahead to the next decade and reflecting on the past one as well.
    This one’s less about the business of being a creative professional and more about all the other important aspects; an artist's state of mind, hopes and dreams, perceptions of self, struggles and inspirations. I’m really grateful to Jim for being so open with his thoughts and feelings in this one.
    Jim always carries a sketchbook with him and he habitually draws his way through the world. To take a peek inside these famed sketchbooks, He actually has a new book available now that’s filled with pages from them called Skotchbook, as well as a magnificent new zine called “The Mind wanders, the Eye follows”, both out now with Unseen Sketchbooks.
    Jim’s also a talented musician. He has a new album out now called “Lights” with dirty melody records. In true Jim fashion, it’s amazing. Definitely give it a listen. And while you’re at it, check out his new music video for the single “over the mountain”.
    1 hr 45 min
  • 10 - Recalibrating Life with Seb Agresti
    In this episode, I chat with the amazing Dutch illustrator and designer Seb Agresti. Seb just returned from a transformative experience at an artist residency in Japan. As you’ll hear in the episode, he decided to embark on that journey as a way to step away from his client work and focus on creating personal work again. The residency and what he learned in the process allowed him to recalibrate his life and gain new perspectives on his career after years of intense client work.
    Seb and I discuss what’s inspiring him right now, what he learned from his time in Japan, finding balance and setting boundaries with client work, burnout, book recommendations, what the future holds for him, and much more.
    Seb is quite thoughtful and introspective and it was a pleasure to be able to speak with him at this unique time in his life. He was sort of in between worlds when we spoke, and I’m thankful he was so candid about his experience. I think many of us can relate to the feeling of needing a change of pace or wanting to reconnect with ourselves. I’m excited to see how he embarks on this next chapter of his journey.
    58 min
  • 09 - Gratitude with Chrissie Abbott
    In this episode, I’m chatting with illustrator, designer, art director and all around amazing human being, Chrissie Abbott. Chrissie is one of my favorite creatives and a huge inspiration to me, so I was super excited to be able to speak with her and peer into her world a little bit.
    We talk about Chrissie’s creative journey to where she is now, our mutual love for personal growth and New Age inspiration, how making personal work helps evolve her client work, how she struggled with money when she was starting out as a freelancer (which is a struggle most of us can relate to I’m sure), how she recently created posters for likes of Courtney Barnett and Tame Impala, and much more.
    We also dive into the topic of gratitude, a concept Chrissie was introduced to at an early age by her mom, and a tool she has used throughout her journey to keep things in perspective. I’ve personally been struggling with gratitude recently, so it was really nice to hear Chrissie’s thoughts on this topic. It’s a challenging time for all of us in one way or another, so I’m hoping this episode will leave you feeling a bit better about things.
    59 min
  • 08 - Share Your Message with Lindsay Arakawa
    Today I’m chatting with Tokyo based creative, Lindsay Arakawa. Lindsay possesses that magical combination of creativity and strategic thinking. She’s part freelance social media strategist and part creator of dreamy images that combine hand drawn messages and illustrations over her film photographs.
    We discuss the serendipitous way she came to find her creative style, how she uses social media to experiment and help push her work forward, how she recently took the leap to move from New York City where she oversaw Instagram strategy and creative at Refinery29, to Tokyo where she’s embarked on a freelance career. Lindsay also generously shares how she finds clients, how she built confidence in herself and her work, and the challenges that have come along with moving to Japan.
    Lindsay has a really wonderful energy about her and I left this conversation feeling revitalized. I was inspired by the playful lens she views her creativity through. She doesn’t overthink things, and she creates work that’s a kind of snapshot of who she is in that moment. Coming from a chronic overthinker, it was refreshing to hear her process! I’m excited to share this one with you and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
    1 hr 14 min
  • 07 - A Light in the Dark with Brooke Barttelbort
    In this episode, I chat with neon artist, designer, and my good friend, Brooke Barttelbort. Brooke bends glass into all kinds of amazing shapes, and uses her pieces to help inspire others. She’s also a super talented graphic designer and glass blower.
    Brooke has been through a lot in recent years. At the age of thirty she went through treatment for breast cancer, ultimately having to have a double mastectomy. Following that, her mom had a major stroke. Brooke decided to move from San Francisco to LA to be closer to her family, and in that transition, she reconnected with her love of neon, and ultimately herself in the process. She now uses neon as a way to work through her grief and help heal herself as well as others. As she puts it best, she’s creating light in the darkness.
    Her story is truly one of strength and inspiration. The amount of work it takes to learn neon is immense, and what she can do with her craft is truly inspiring. Both in her abilities and her message. A message the world really needs to receive right now.
    1 hr
  • 06 - Create a Career with Beci Orpin
    In this episode, I chat with Melbourne-based creative Beci Orpin. Beci’s one of my favorite creatives, her work is so positive and always makes me smile. Everything she touches turns to cute, it seems. Her creativity takes many forms, some of which are illustration, design, children’s books, murals, branding, crafts, clothing, painting, puzzles, packaging and more.
    Beci was such a joy to talk to, so generous and humble for someone who has such an incredible career spanning 24 years! In our chat we look back on her career, where it started, where it is today, and what she’s learned about herself along the way. She offers great advice and inspiration for how to build and navigate a creative career. And stay tuned to the end of the episode where she answers a couple questions I received from listeners.
    1 hr 12 min

About The Friendly Unknown

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Demystifying the creative journey through conversations with creative professionals about their paths to becoming who they are today.