Windowsill Chats

It's time for Creative Current Events! Margo and friend Abby Campbell are diving into the creative realm and catching up on the latest articles and happenings and giving you the footnotes so you don't have to! They discuss the joys of creating art on walls vs traditional canvas, the importance of pushing creative boundaries, Canva's report on creativity and AI, Apple's new AI partnership, a controversial olympic ad, Anthropolgie's new adaptive clothing line, and more.

Have a topic or article you want to hear about in a creative current events episode? Send us a DM on Instagram!

Mentioned: Lori Siebert's Windowsill Workshop

https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/lorisiebert2024?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yourtantaustudio.com%2Fa%2F2147917190%2FQzSoxhML

Garance Dore (Instagram Post)

https://www.instagram.com/p/C328nZyN5kc/?hl=en&img_index=1

Kit Kemp Design (Instagram Post)

https://www.instagram.com/kitkempdesignthread/?hl=en

Kelly O'Neal/Design Legacy Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/design_legacy

The Canva Report on Creativity in the Workplace

https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/hbr-creativity-report/?li_fat_id=94056869-ea57-4646-ba01-e9b51f8ba7ce

The News so far on "Apple Intelligence" https://www.theneurondaily.com/p/apple-intelligence-finally?utm_source=www.theneurondaily.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=apple-s-ai-tease

Google Olympics ad sparks new ire over generative AI

https://www.axios.com/2024/07/31/google-olympics-ad-ai-gemini-ire?_hsmi=318224684

Swiss army knife maker to produce range without a blade

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/07/swiss-army-knife-maker-to-produce-version-without-a-blade

Anthropologie Adaptive Clothing Collection

https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/anthropologie-adaptive-clothing-collection/

https://www.anthropologie.com/stories-adaptive-fashion-for-everyone

Connect with Abby:

https://www.abbyjcampbell.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ajcampkc/

https://www.pinterest.com/ajcampbell/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by Ana Bianchi, an artist, designer, illustrator, children's book author, and color enthusiast. Ana shares her journey from her early beginnings in art to her diverse range of creative projects. Originally from Mexico and having spent many years in New York, Ana now resides in the Bay Area, where she uses her garden as a natural color lab for her photography and color project, Color/Flora. Ana's work spans branding, illustrated graphic design, the PaperGirl Collection, surface design, and ceramics, with color as the unifying element throughout. She has exhibited her art globally, including in Mexico, Italy, the Netherlands, India, Greece, and New York City. Margo and Ana discuss:

• Understanding Trends: design versus fashion and the average lifespan of a trend

• Audience: Who follows trends, and who pays attention to them?

• The Origin of Trends: how trends are initiated, spotting them early, and identifying emerging trends

• Engaging with Trends: when to engage, maintaining individuality, and is it possible to ignore trends as creative business owners?

• Color Trends: Pantone, industry specific color trends, color of the year

• Era-based color cycles and navigating trends you don't care for

• Navigating trends you dislike

• Impact on artistry: Do color trends hinder artistic individuality?

• Timeless colors, desired trends, and finding inspiration

Connect with Ana:

https://www.instagram.com/analovescolor/

https://www.analovescolor.com/

Connect with Margo:

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.windowsillchats.com

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by award nominated content creator with over a decade of experience in social media marketing and Canva design, Georgia Williams. She is also the host of "Content Tea with G," her popular global podcast, where she delivers a unique blend of creativity, social media content and northern charm, inspiring listeners worldwide to embrace their own authenticity, and stand out through content creation. She also performs regularly as a professional singer and has been featured in The Mirror, The Daily Mail, the BBC and others. As a singer, she has entertained crowds of up to 7,000 people. With her unique blend of marketing knowledge and stage performance, Georgia is on a mission to help business owners create social media content with more joy and show up exactly as they are, both online and off.

Margo and Georgia discuss:

• her creative journey and decade-long experience in social media marketing

• How her upbringing in a creative environment shaped her career

• What it means and looks like to be a Canva ambassador

• Her time on The Voice UK and being mentored by Tom Jones

• The highs and lows of public perception and what it has taught her in business (and showing up online)

• Leveraging personal interests for content creation

• Authenticity and mental health

• Thoughts on AI and creativity

• Motherhood and how it's influenced her professional aspirations and creative pursuits

Connect with Georgia:

https://www.instagram.com/rayofsocial/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiawilliamsrayofsocial/

https://www.facebook.com/rayofsocial

https://www.tiktok.com/@rayofsocial

https://www.threads.net/@rayofsocial

https://open.spotify.com/show/2Gza4gxFeCElcNS0UDsLP3

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/content-tea-with-g-content-tips-and-ideas/id1727143437

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by middle-aged Minnesotan, Author, creative, and Tax Preparer Steve Hoffman. Steve who has always been in love with France, both the country and the idea of it as a place where he can be a better version of himself moved together with his family to the small village of Autignac in southern France, where he quickly realized life there was far from his romanticized expectations. Through cooking what the local grocer suggested and learning winemaking from a neighbor, he discovered the true beauty of a culture deeply connected with its landscape. Steve is a Minnesota tax preparer and award-winning food writer, with his work published in Food & Wine, The Washington Post, and The Minneapolis Star Tribune. His memoir, A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France, will be published in July 2024. He shares one acre on Turtle Lake, in Shoreview, Minnesota, with his wife, Mary Jo, their elderly puggle, 80,000 honeybees, and a pair of sandhill cranes

Margo and Steve discuss:

• Steve's creative journey and the inspiration that found him

• The transformative aspects of his family's extended stay in the Languedoc Region of Southern France

• Impact of working in the vines and a village winery on perspective towards wine and winemaking

• Changes in travel philosophy after the experience in France

• The challenges and rewards of parenting both abroad and at home

• How he inspires and encourages his kids in their creativity

• Sneak peek of upcoming appearance on The Splendid Table on July 18

• Where to find Steve's work, follow his journey, and purchase his new memoir

Connect with Steve:

www.sjrhoffman.com

https://www.instagram.com/sjrhoffman/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Catching up on all things creative current events and highlighting some fun and interesting articles, Margo is joined by friend and current event co-host Abby Campbell. This week they are discussing the growth challenges Cara has been facing and how we can give grace, Etsy's updated stance on AI, Sticker Mule's political controversy, how a baseball hit made a beer company millions, and finding inspiration outside of our own online algorithm.

Have a topic or article you want to hear about in a creative current events episode? Send us a DM on Instagram!

Mentioned in this episode:

Cara Facing New Challenges

https://www.fastcompany.com/91157162/the-cara-app-went-viral-now-it-faces-new-challenges

Etsy's stand on AI from their Handbook

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1275449912004

More on Etsy & New Naming Categories

https://www.fastcompany.com/91153074/etsy-is-using-humans-to-stand-out-in-an-ai-obsessed-world

Etsy's Ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUFvwHBZOgo

A Dramatic Reading of a Small Business Customer Service Email

Leigh Standley of Curly Girl Cards

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9nJezDON6E/

Ariadne Kritonos on Instagram!

Thanks for the thoughtful discussion, Ariadne.

https://www.instagram.com/ariadnekritonos/

Coopers Light - Coors Light's OUT Campaign

Unintentionally started by Angels Player Shohei Otani

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5GQvqfqRSU

Connect with Abby:

https://www.abbyjcampbell.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ajcampkc/

https://www.pinterest.com/ajcampbell/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by Arianne Foulks. Arianne is the founder of Aeolidia, a Shopify development agency that's been working with creative shop owners since 2004. Her team blends strategy and design to create super-effective Shopify sites, email marketing, and branding. She is also a popular educator and small business enthusiast. As a champion for creative brands, she has a 17+ year reputation for thoughtful redesigns that help businesses level up. She loves having a problem to solve, and has focused throughout her career on building online homes for fascinating people. She is also a mom of two teenagers, enjoys walking, and always has a pile of books by her bed.

Margo and Arianne discuss:

• Arianne's creative history of crafting beaded jewelry and zines in her childhood to transforming the online presence of creative e-commerce businesses

• How she cultivated her niche in the e-commerce industry

• The challenges of selling unique products in a market flooded with mass-produced items

• The power of storytelling in e-commerce.

• Core values and how they guide Aeolidia

• the significance of having a minimum viable product

• continuous evolution of brand voice

• How and why her team switched to a four day work week

• how to avoid scope creep and set good expectations when working with clients

• Using the Entrepreneurial Operating System to run a business

Connect with Arianne:

https://aeolidia.com/

https://www.instagram.com/aeolidia/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariannefoulks/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by friend and former guest, Michael Schultz. Michael is the co-owner and creative eye of Cursive New York, which operates 2 stores in New York City. Cursive is a tightly focused concept with the simple mission of cultivating joy. Michael, along with his husband, Douglas Duncan, have established Cursive as a strong and forward voice in the industry where they offer gift, stationery, home and lifestyle products and is constantly evolving. Cursive operated in New York City's iconic Grand Central Terminal for 11 years and within ABC Carpet & Home for 15 years, until the Covid-19 pandemic upended those long runs. Making lemonade out of lemons, Schultz and Duncan doubled down on New York and opened 2 shops in New York's West Village neighborhood, 4 blocks apart. One shop is true to the original Cursive vision, while Cursive Home is the brand's extension into home goods.

Margo and Michael discuss:

• Going all in on yourself, trusting your gut and having confidence in your creativity

• The thin line between inspiration and imitation within the digital landscape

• The risks of looking too closely at others' work and what it can lead to

• The importance of developing a unique point of view

• The patience and vulnerability required to pave your own path in the creative industry

• Maintaining confidence in one's original work even if it isn't immediately recognized

• Strategies that artists and designers can use to cultivate their own original ideas

• Setting yourself apart as a leader and visionary by thinking two steps ahead

Connect with Michael:

www.instagram.com/cursivenewyork

www.instagram.com/curisvenyhome

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Join Margo and Abby Campbell for another creative current events catch-up! They discuss boosting self-confidence by ditching "imposter syndrome," explore innovative product design, and highlight the winners of Penguin Books' 2024 Cover Design Contest. They also delve into the latest trends in the art world and share personal anecdotes on overcoming creative blocks. Tune in for insightful discussions and actionable tips to fuel your creative journey.

Mentioned:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DefendingAIArt/comments/1da6ctq/cara_was_doomed_to_fail_from_the_beginning/ https://www.creativeboom.com/tips/how-to-be-more-confident-as-a-creative/

https://www.creativeboom.com/news/penguin-reveals-the-winners-of-its-2024-cover-design-award/

https://www.bandanaofthemonth.club/

https://hudsonvalleyseed.com/pages/call-for-art

https://sowtrueseed.com/pages/art-call

https://www.westcoastseeds.com/pages/artist-packet-contest

Have a topic or article you want to hear about in a creative current events episode? Send us a DM on Instagram!

Connect with Abby:

https://www.abbyjcampbell.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ajcampkc/

https://www.pinterest.com/ajcampbell/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by one man band, Dan Checkers otherwise known as Dan & Drum. Releasing his debut album in 2017 with no label, connections, or many friends for that matter, he was surprised to see it get millions of streams in the first year, thanks to creators like Jenna Marbles featuring the music. Since then, he's been consistently releasing music, earning 10s of millions of streams across platforms, while touring across the US. Since COVID, he's been selling personalized songs to fans that are then publicly released later- which he finds to be his most artistically fulfilling venture to date!

Margo and Dan discuss:

• His path into music and niching into personalized music

• The power of networking and connections in the music industry

• How he transformed challenges brought on by the pandemic into an opportunity

• His process of songwriting

• His belief in the personal being universal

• Personal struggles with depression and how a gift from his mom became a crucial outlet

• How social media algorithms can be leveraged to build an audience

• Potential benefits and limitations of signing with a music label

Connect with Dan:

https://www.dananddrum.com/personalizedsongs

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ZajCRAa7VEcTytwxzr20a

https://www.instagram.com/dananddrum/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

In part 2 of 2, Margo is joined by calligrapher and author, Brittany DeSantis. Brittany is most well known for her focus on mindfulness and the sensory experience of writing and creating: the sound of the pen on the paper, the way the ink flows on the page, the concentration it takes to form each stroke and how to find a "flow" by doing something just beyond your comfort zone. Journaling has become Brittany's main focus. She pairs art and writing to show others a barrier-free way of expressing themselves and feels the outcome is always less important than the act of creating itself.

Margo and Brittany discuss:

• Her path from rediscovering her love for art in a watercolor calligraphy class to founding Peak Paper Co

• Transitioning from an advertising job to full-time artistry

• How creating simple forms helped her in combating creative block

• Art as a tool for navigating grief

• Strategies that Brittany has found to be effective in balancing multiple roles and responsibilities like motherhood and entrepreneurship

• The value of reaching out for mutually beneficial relationships

• The importance of creating a supportive space for creativity

• Finding inspiration from neuroaesthetics and the science-backed benefits of art-making

• How she overcame imposter syndrome by focusing on teaching beginners

• Her groundbreaking grief journal proposal and what it's led to

• What it's been like to partner with a renowned brand like Montblanc

• The therapeutic benefits of art and journaling

• An upcoming retreat in Portugal that promises to be a haven for creative minds

• And so much more

Connect with Brittany:

www.peakpaperco.com

www.peakpaperco.com/my-book

https://www.amazon.com/Forget-You-Not-Keepsake-Navigating/dp/1958803375

www.instagram.com/peakpaperco

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill