This is How We Create

If you're constantly told that time is a predator and a scarce resource to conquer, you may need a perspective shift.

The Sea Glass Principle may just alleviate the pressure that leaves you trapped in a cycle of measuring your life against an impossible moving target. Tune in to hear how this principle and a new book may just change the way you look at your work and your worth.

00:00 The Urgency of Time and Productivity

03:00 The Gap and the Gain: A New Perspective on Time

05:56 Transformative Power of Time: The Sea Glass Principle

08:48 Measuring Growth: From Gap to Gain

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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Most creators would have folded under the pressure of the "beige box" industry, yet Sierra doubled down on a signature style that fuses modern curvature with the vibrant, ancestral pulse of Black culture. This episode uncovers the friction of being a risk-taker in a world that fears color and how she transitioned from the technical rigors of building construction to painting emotional landscapes within four walls. If you have ever felt pressured to dilute your aesthetic or lowball your worth to fit in, Sierra's journey is the blueprint for setting boundaries that protect your sanity and your specialized "sauce."

01:02 Early memories of drawing faces and the transition from fine art to interiors

02:04 The unexpected educational shift from architecture to building construction technology

03:35 Landing the first client through social media and early industry exposure

05:28 How the cultural landscape of Richmond shaped an African-modern aesthetic

08:02 The philosophy of the "New Black Look" and the symbolism of Birds of Paradise

10:25 Confronting the "Beige Box" and the challenge of being a professional risk-taker

11:32 The Virginia Beach high-rise: Lessons in pricing and self-worth

14:49 Cultural authenticity and the balance of minimalist-maximalist design

16:38 Hard boundaries: Revision limits and preventing client-led design sabotage

18:57 Advice for finding your "special sauce" through research and mood boards

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniekinteriors/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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If you've wanted to start a newsletter, let's get into it! We break down the technical barriers of platforms like Substack and Kit, while stripping away the myth that you need to be perfect to start. Stop letting your wisdom gather dust and discover how trusting your own voice creates the body of work you were always meant to lead.

00:00 Opening the private vault of creative insights

01:45 Breaking the cycle of fear in a Vancouver bookstore

03:15 Understanding why you hesitate to share your voice

04:30 Choosing the right platform from Substack to Kit

06:35 How to build a subscriber list with integrity

07:50 Offering deep value instead of a sales pitch

09:15 Committing to the first ten issues

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsiHeart Podcast: http://bit.ly/4lRHms3

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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What does it actually feel like to build the career you always wanted — and then realize the hard part isn't over?

Photographer Mei Tao has spent decades behind the lens for Apple, J.Crew, and major publications. But in this conversation, she gets honest about what commercial success doesn't tell you: that the work stays hard, that achievement keeps moving the goalpost, and that the most meaningful art she's ever made has nothing to do with her biggest clients.

We talk about growing up as an immigrant in Brooklyn, finding herself in candy store magazine racks, and the moment she realized her father's private recordings were her most precious inheritance. And we get into the question every working creative eventually has to answer — how do you feel like yourself in your work?

00:00 - Defining the Radical Art of Care

03:44 - Cultural Shock and the Move to New York

05:52 - Magazines as a Gateway to Fashion

08:05 - Navigating Parsons and the Practicality of Art

09:14 - Technical Mastery and the Business of Artistry

12:39 - Success as a Series of Failures

15:44 - Redefining Professional Achievement

18:15 - The Cost of Code-Switching

21:00 - Documenting Family and Artistic Influences

24:45 - Processing Grief and History Through the Lens

27:28 - Financial Freedom and Fine Art Discipline

29:19 - Diving into Motion and Radical Storytelling

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taomeitao/

Website: https://meitaophotographer.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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There's a particular kind of dread that comes with sending someone to your website — you hit send on your portfolio link and immediately think: wait, is that still up? Did I ever update that bio? In this episode, we get into why your website might be the one thing standing between you and the clients you actually want, and the specific work of making it do what it's supposed to do: make the right people feel something, and then reach out. We cover what makes a compelling bio, the psychology behind why visitors stay or leave, and why hiding your personal projects is quietly costing you your biggest opportunities.

00:13 The invisible artist at the gallery.

02:34 Losing a job over an outdated portfolio.

04:52 Crafting your digital handshake and bio.

07:16 The secret power of personal projects.

09:42 Podcast reviews and the Creative Matters newsletter.

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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If you have ever stared at a blank page and wondered whether you are actually a writer or just someone who wishes they were one, circle 'round.

Dr. Eve L. Ewing (sociologist, poet, and Marvel Comics writer) offers an honest look at what a serious creative practice actually requires. Learn how she builds a community that sharpens her work, and hear exactly how she develops a new project from the first spark to the finished page. You'll leave this conversation with less mystery about what's been standing between you and the writer you want to become.

00:00 Introduction to Eve L. Ewing and her latest work, Original Sins

02:16 Growing up in Chicago: Artistic accessibility and public investment

05:24 Values and the necessity of chosen family

08:14 Multi-generational service: The Black church and mutual aid

10:21 The origin story: From fan fiction to being "seen" as a writer

15:14 The "Capital W" Writer: Nourishing craft and moving toward the light

17:32 Community and mimesis: Learning through the work of peers

21:21 Wrangle the idea: How poetry, prose, and comics demand different approaches

23:46 Stress-testing the argument: The anatomy of persuasive prose

26:11 Churning out the joints: The liberating structure of comic book writing

29:13 Pop culture overthinking and final reflections

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eve.ewing

Website: https://eveewing.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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Have you ever felt that once the masterpiece is finished, the rest of the journey should belong to someone else? Many of us wait in the shadows of the "found artist" myth, hoping the right gallery or agent will simply stumble upon our genius. But what happens when the knocking never starts?

Today, we dive into the systems that turn cold outreach into warm relationship-building and explore why your story is the most valuable product you will ever sell. If you are ready to stop apologizing for your ambition and start owning your space in the industry, this conversation is your roadmap.

00:13 The Artist's Role Beyond Creation

01:50 Dismantling the Myth of the Found Artist

02:38 Becoming Your Own Champion

04:00 Marketing Monday: Outreach as Relationship Care

05:01 Lessons in Networking and Relationship Marketing

06:50 The Reality of Representation and Agents

08:40 Selling the Sizzle: Tips for Product-Based Creatives

09:40 Owning Your Values and Your Sales Script

10:50 Three Actionable Steps for Your Creative Week

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

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In this episode, I sit down with Lex Marie, an artist whose work confronts the uncomfortable truth that Black children in America are often denied the luxury of innocence. She transforms the everyday remnants of her son's childhood into confrontation disguised as portraiture, and the materials she chooses will stop you in your tracks. We talk about building a career on your own terms, staying multidisciplinary, and what it really means to refuse the boxes the art world tries to put you in.

00:19 Introduction to Lex Marie

03:26 Realizing a Different Viewpoint Through Motherhood

05:11 The Decision to Pursue an MFA

06:23 Using Her Son as Muse and Material

08:00 Choosing Which Clothing Gets Immortality

10:31 Balancing Inspiration with Intimate Boundaries

12:12 Processing Big Feelings into Artwork

14:08 Knowing When a Piece is Finished

15:15 Cultivating Relationships in the Art World

16:47 The Lifelong Journey of an Art Practice

18:51 The Intentional Choice Behind the Name Lex Marie

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelexmarie

Website: https://www.lexmarie.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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Have you ever had a to-do list as long as your arm but couldn't bring yourself to do the tasks on that list? What about your dreams to accomplish this or that? How many of them have you ignored?

Whether you call it procrastination, a lack of discipline, or simple laziness, the truth behind our creative paralysis often hides in plain sight. In this episode, we explore the high cost of big dreams and why the very visions meant to inspire us might be the ones locking us in place. If you have ever felt like a deer caught in the headlights of your own ambition, this conversation offers a gentle way to thaw the ice and reclaim your momentum.

00:00 Introduction: The Deer and the Moment of Freeze 01:11 The Common Experience of Freezing in Goal Setting 02:10 Why Big Goals Cause Overwhelm and Paralysis 03:08 Misconceptions About Paralysis and Overwhelm 04:24 Reframing Goals: Focus on Inputs, Not Outcomes 05:20 The Power of 45-Minute Focus Sessions 06:18 Trusting Small Actions to Lead to Big Results 07:15 Practical Tips to Overcome Freezing and Start Small 08:09 Moving Forward Despite Fear and Uncertainty

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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Have you ever wondered what it takes to build a creative empire from the ground up? In this episode, I sit down with the remarkable Tiffany Brooks, an interior designer whose journey is as inspiring as her stunning creations. From a bet that launched her career to designing for icons such as LeBron James, Tiffany's story is a powerful lesson in trusting your creative instincts.

Join us as we explore how she cultivated her signature style, navigated the pressures of building a design company, and redefined success on her terms. This conversation is a candid look into the life of a design powerhouse, offering invaluable insights for anyone daring to build their own creative legacy.

00:00 Introduction to Tiffany Brooks and Transformative Design

02:09 Engineering a Creative Brain and Childhood Influences

04:35 The Big C versus Little C Creativity

06:36 Property Management as a Design Superpower

08:11 The Model Home and the Bet That Launched a Career

11:10 The Design Star Journey and Trusting the Timing

13:05 Taught by Experience and Finding an Artistic Voice

14:56 Trends and the Evolution of Style

16:47 Redefining Success through Choices and Peace

19:04 Managing Elective Stress and Client Expectations

21:04 The Walkthrough and Shuffling the Design Puzzle

23:26 Current Projects and the Season of Rejuvenation

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanybrooksinteriors/?hl=en

Tiffany's Website: https://www.tiffanybrooksinteriors.com/

Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives