The Creative Boom Podcast
Creative Boom
Real talk for creatives – without the corporate fluff.
Every week, host Katy Cowan sits down with designers, illustrators, animators, entrepreneurs and creative thinkers for the kind of honest, warm, slightly unpredictable conversations that remind you why you got into this in the first place.
We go to the real places – confidence, burnout, reinvention, money, failure, imposter syndrome – and we don't dress them up. But we also laugh a lot. And occasionally reference the '90s more than is strictly necessary.
Each guest brings their own story. What connects them is a willingness to be genuinely open about the creative life – the brilliant parts and the brutal ones.
The Creative Boom Podcast has been part of Creative Boom, the independent magazine for the creative community, since 2009. New episodes every week.
Every week, host Katy Cowan sits down with designers, illustrators, animators, entrepreneurs and creative thinkers for the kind of honest, warm, slightly unpredictable conversations that remind you why you got into this in the first place.
We go to the real places – confidence, burnout, reinvention, money, failure, imposter syndrome – and we don't dress them up. But we also laugh a lot. And occasionally reference the '90s more than is strictly necessary.
Each guest brings their own story. What connects them is a willingness to be genuinely open about the creative life – the brilliant parts and the brutal ones.
The Creative Boom Podcast has been part of Creative Boom, the independent magazine for the creative community, since 2009. New episodes every week.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 4, 2021 • 1h 6min
Why confidence only comes from embracing the real you, with Dani Molyneux
Dani Molyneux is a typographic artist and designer based in Manchester. She's also the founder of design studio, Dotto, which turns four this year. Here, we chat about the challenges we face as women and about finding our voice. We talk of change in the creative industries, about overcoming fears and building confidence in the face of adversity. We also hear of Dani's childhood and how she came to become a graphic designer and artist, even though she thought her destiny was in fashion.
Mar 28, 2021 • 58min
The adventure of moving a design studio to Lisbon, with Cat How
Cat How is a creative director and co-founder of How&How, a creative agency based in Lisbon and London. Here, we talk about Cat's adventurous spirit and how she's always followed her gut. We discover how she found herself in the field of graphic design. We talk about how what’s going in the world can impact us and why there are always silver linings to look for during difficult times. There's a lot of insight into growing an agency, too.
Mar 22, 2021 • 1h 7min
How to stay grounded as a creative, with Abiola Ogunbiyi
Abiola Ogunbiyi is an actress, musician, writer and filmmaker based in London who also works as a career strategy and creative practice coach for professional artists and designers worldwide. Here, we talk about staying grounded in the face of rejection and success. We share tips on coping with the demands of a creative career. And discover more about the world of acting and how it's shaped her mind and her own development.
Mar 15, 2021 • 1h 5min
A love of teaching and home garage exhibitions, with Erik Brandt
Erik Brandt is an acclaimed graphic designer and educator who's been active since the mid-90s. He began his career as a cartoonist in Japan where he discovered a love of food, teaching and graphic design. Here, we chat about those days and how he ended up as a professor in Minnesota as well as launching his own studio, Typografika, with work exhibited internationally. A warm and comforting chat that also delves into music, art, and the joy of travel.
Mar 8, 2021 • 1h 9min
Why your health depends on following your dreams, with Murugiah
This week's guest is Murugiah, the award-winning artist and designer who creates surreal and colourful artworks for Apple, Disney and Marvel. Born and raised in the UK with Sri Lankan heritage, Murugiah trained as an architect in London before choosing his current path. In this episode, we chat about the power of discovering who you truly are, and why it’s so important to ignore other people's expectations and stop comparing ourselves to others to follow our dreams.
Mar 1, 2021 • 1h 1min
What it’s really like to direct your own films, with Izzy Burton
Izzy Burton is an award-winning director, illustrator, author and lead artist at Netflix Animation. Based in Brighton, she directs short films, draws for television and film, and illustrates and writes for books. In this episode, we talk about how Izzy went from graduation to working at lead studios to freelancing, publishing books and then joining one of the largest broadcasters in the world and directing her own films – all in the space of six years. An inspiring story told by one of the most exciting storytellers of today.
Feb 22, 2021 • 51min
The magic of discovering your 'why’, with Ashwin Chacko
Ashwin Chacko is an illustrator, designer and hand-letterer based in Dublin who loves to bring the world together through his positive art. Born in India, Ashwin's joyful and colourful work features strong characters mixed with typography and pattern – each piece telling a story of love, kindness, and acceptance. Recent clients include Facebook, Adobe and Puma. This is a warm and relaxed chat with a gentle, kind soul who puts purpose at the heart of everything he does.
Feb 15, 2021 • 1h 12min
Finding joy in belonging and embracing the ‘now’, with Morag Myerscough
Award-winning designer and artist Morag Myerscough's work is instantly recognisable, positive and colourful – rooted in the idea of joy and belonging. In this episode, we chat more about this notion of belonging, especially now Morag is selling her Hoxton home. We also delve into how she's coped with recent events, and we get the inside scoop on her own lockdown projects – from sorting through decades of "stuff" to painting her entire home in her signature bold colours and patterns.
Feb 8, 2021 • 1h 10min
What it takes to become a successful artist, with Amrit Singh
Amrit Singh, aka Mr A Singh, is an award-winning artist based in Birmingham and the creative director and founder of creative agency, Rebel Creatives. Here, we look at how social media has propelled him to fame and fortune, despite the odd challenge. We learn how he's adapted and grown, turning his creative passions into a thriving business. We also look at why it's so important we work on ourselves before we consider helping others. And why being positive and kind will reap rewards in the long run.
Feb 1, 2021 • 1h 5min
The magic of designing film props for Wes Anderson, with Annie Atkins
Annie Atkins is the much-loved graphic props designer who has the dream job we all want and is most famous for her work on Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs. Here, we talk about Annie's journey so far, about death warrants, her love of typography and the curiosity of Jeff Goldblum. We discover what it was like to work with Wes Anderson and Steven Spielberg – and why it's perfectly ok to sometimes make mistakes.
