Blissfully Aware

#23 Art As Activism

“It's my purpose to use my privilege to be a voice and a vehicle for other people. That's it. End of. It has nothing to do with me. If I'm serving that, then I'm on my path. So I'm happy to help anyone who can advance the cause.” —Leslie AskewThis is a story about the birth of an artist.It’s a story bucking the art establishment in favor of listening to your inner voice. Status quo says only certain types of media creators are artists. The status quo here in the United States feeds on the idea that resources are scarce.Swimming in this soup, creatives compete for the attention and dollar of gatekeepers. But what happens if we wake up and see alternatives? What happens when we build our systems and technique from a place of collaboration? When it comes to something as sacred and personal as art and creativity, how do we break from the establishment to nurture it?Leslie Askew did just that. She IS doing that, every day. It’s a life-long practice. This episode is about her unique creative process. It’s a window into her philosophy and how the art of storytelling has taken her from CNN to independent documentary film.Inside the EpisodeFind Leslie Askew at https://askewpictures.com/Our theme music is by Ben Tyree, and he tweets at https://twitter.com/BenTyreeFollow Blissfully Aware host Ioana Friedman at https://twitter.com/IoanaFriedmanI want to hear your feedback. Send it to info@thedaring.coBlissfully Aware is the first podcast series from The Daring. We help organizations of all shapes and sizes cultivate audience affinity through creative strategy, design, and storytelling. Looking for some creative help with your transformation? Visit https://www.thedaring.co

#22 Between Fiction and Documentary

“When I was a child, I wanted to be a detective so I could satisfy the enormous curiosity I carried for the world and people around me. Instead of becoming a detective, I began making use of the camera to investigate. I still carry this curiosity with me when I make work and this often results in noticing simple, small details, that may seem unimportant.” —Melissa SchriekDutch photographer Melissa Schriek talks in great detail about her journey from photojournalism to art photography. This is a story about a supremely talented photographer who faced a fork in the road at the start of her career. We dive into how documentary work shaped her vision, the tensions she felt as she was finding her voice, and how she's making art now, during the pandemic.Her body of work The City is a Choreography has earned her commissions with fashion labels and features in It's Nice That, Ignant, and The Daring Media among other publications.Inside the EpisodeFind Melissa Schriek at https://melissaschriek.cargo.site/Our theme music is by Ben Tyree, and he tweets at https://twitter.com/BenTyreeFollow Blissfully Aware host Ioana Friedman at https://twitter.com/IoanaFriedmanI want to hear your feedback. Send it to info@thedaring.coBlissfully Aware is the first podcast series from The Daring. We help organizations of all shapes and sizes cultivate audience affinity through creative strategy, design, and storytelling. Looking for some creative help with your transformation? Visit https://www.thedaring.co

#21 The Talent Whisperer

“I speak on behalf of someone else too. I have to make sure my talent is comfortable with everything I'm doing. I don't make decisions without their okay. Not everyone operates like that, but we do. We're a team together.” —Brianne Almeida On the show today, Co-Founder and CEO of Lalaland Brianne Almeida. Her agency represents a selection of the most established and emerging creative talent in the global fashion industry today.We take a look at the ins and outs of representing creative talent from an agent’s perspective. You’ll hear us talk about nurturing relationships, where things go right (or off-course) in producing shoots, and ways to think about hiring the right talent for the job at hand.Inside the Episode Find Brianne Almeida at http://lalaland-artists.com/Our theme music is by Ben Tyree, and he tweets at https://twitter.com/BenTyreeFollow Blissfully Aware host Ioana Friedman at https://twitter.com/IoanaFriedmanI want to hear your feedback. Send it to info@thedaring.coBlissfully Aware is the first podcast series from The Daring. We help organizations of all shapes and sizes cultivate audience affinity through creative strategy, design, and storytelling. Looking for some creative help with your transformation? Visit https://www.thedaring.co

#20 Pursuit Of Happiness

“There's only so many things you can do to get more gigs, but if you're building a business, then you're building a model of something.” —Justine Clay I am honored to have Justine on the show to talk about building a creative business. Her timely ideas are going to shape how creative entrepreneurs and freelancers position and market for years to come. We dive into the ins and outs of her coaching practice, as well as key principles in creating a business model. Justine’s a business coach, entrepreneur, writer, and speaker with a soaring ability to inspire and strategize.Inside the EpisodeFind Justine Clay at https://justineclay.com/Our theme music is by Ben Tyree, and he tweets at https://twitter.com/BenTyreeFollow Blissfully Aware host Ioana Friedman at https://twitter.com/IoanaFriedmanI want to hear your feedback. Send it to info@thedaring.coBlissfully Aware is the first podcast series from The Daring. We help organizations of all shapes and sizes cultivate audience affinity through creative strategy, design, and storytelling. Looking for some creative help with your transformation? Visit https://www.thedaring.co

#19 Art And Commerce

“If a brand comes to me and their inspiration is a lot of the work I've done, then I know what they're trying to convey. If they bring a bunch of stuff that's different than what I do, that's where I start to wonder why I'm here and what's the purpose. Am I just this technician? Because anyone can take a picture. Anyone can light something, but what makes you as a photographer and as a creative is your vision.” —Jonathon KambourisJonathon Kambouris and I recorded this talk shortly before the Coronavirus ramped up and changed everything. It’s striking listening to this conversation now because it's much about shaping up a creative business. Thinking about how these processes might apply today is a great exercise in retuning. Because this feels like a different world, in so many ways.There are many nuggets from Jonathon’s viewpoint that hold up because he gets to the heart of how art and commerce coalesce. You’ll hear him talk about finding his creative voice and how he brings it to the table when working with art directors and brand marketers. It’s eye-opening insight for creators and brand people alike. If you create visual media for commerce, this episode is for you.Jonathon is an award-winning commercial still-life photographer and videographer. You may have seen his glossy, saturated images in Wired, The New York Times, in campaigns for Nars, Bobbi Brown, Coach and so much more.Inside the EpisodeFind Jonathon Kambouris at https://jonathonkambouris.com/Our theme music is by Ben Tyree, and he tweets at https://twitter.com/BenTyreeFollow Blissfully Aware host Ioana Friedman at https://twitter.com/IoanaFriedmanI want to hear your feedback. Send it to info@thedaring.coBlissfully Aware is the first podcast series from The Daring. We help organizations of all shapes and sizes cultivate audience affinity through creative strategy, design, and storytelling. Looking for some creative help with your transformation? Visit https://www.thedaring.co