The Creative Condition podcast

In a capitalist society, knowing how to do the right thing is tough. Katie Klencheski showed signs from an early age - through her drawing and ideas - that she cared about something bigger than herself. Via a winding road, she founded what became Smakk Studios - a New York-based agency supporting brands that want to make a positive impact.We get into the confusing world of ethics from a consumer, creative, and business standpoint, discussing work in packaging, branding, design, and more, and the nature of conversations had around sustainability with clients.How much room is there for us as individuals and agencies to ethically challenge our clients?Get our thoughts and feedback over @bentallon or @bentallonpod on social media, or hello@bentallon.com via email.The show is supported by the founding sponsor, Illustration X. See their global range of illustrators and animators at www.illustrationx.comhttps://smakkstudios.com/https://www.instagram.com/smakk_studios/https://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comMusic for the show by: https://www.instagram.com/dirtyfreud/

Jeffrey Madoff described branding as a story well told. The founder and CEO of New York's Madoff Productions joins me to delve into effective, strong branding, and the creativity that has to drive it.Jeffrey discusses the importance of projecting with confidence, and why building relationships with clients is everything.Madoff Productions have worked with the likes of Victoria's Secret and Ralph Lauren for many years and Jeffrey lets us in on the inner workings.The podcast is supported by Illustration X. Https://illustrationx.com for their global range of illustrators and animators.https://madoffproductions.com/https://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

Column 5 in the ongoing series of articles written by The Creative Condition host, and illustrator Ben Tallon.Exploring the nature and behaviour of creativity, the latest looks at vulnerability and it's potential value in sending the right message to potential clients.You can read any of the previous columns at https://designweek.co.ukThe Creative Condition is sponsored by Illustration X. You can see their global roster of artists, illustrators and animators at https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

What happens when the creative discipline we've trained for cannot express what we need to say? London-based artist Adelaide Damoah takes us on a journey from racist bullying in a London primary school, through ill health and a dramatic career switch from pharmaceutical to art, all the way to Ghana where she fell in love with the exploration of her heritage through performance art and narrative.Why is it important to feel, and find out what is right for our creativity at any given time, when it is all too easy to stick with what we've always done, staying in our comfort zone?Adelaide's story is a superb showcase of the great things that can happen when we stay true to our heart and listen to the soul.The Creative Condition is supported by Illustration X. Head to https://illustrationx.com to see their incredible global range of illustrators and animators.Photograph by Carla Van De Puttellar https://www.instagram.com/carlavandeputtelaar/?hl=enhttps://adelaidedamoahart.com/https://instagram.com/adelaidedamoahhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.com

OFFF Festival founder Héctor Ayuso joins me ahead of the 22nd year of the giant Barcelona creative industry festival he created.Héctor talks candidly about childhood trauma, years of therapy, and a life spent facing fear to grow.We cover the role of socialising in the creative process, getting inspired, and what it felt like to return to the festival after the COVID-19 pandemic.OFFF runs from 22nd - 25th March and tickets are still available. Head to https://www.offf.barcelona/ now to find out more.The show is supported by Illustration X. You can see their global range of illustrators and animators at https://illustrationx.com now.

Many of us spend long hours, working passionately to make work we believe in. So why is getting the work seen not prioritised in the same way?Design Week editor gives us an insight into his new course, 'Designers and Creatives: How to Talk to the Press', and shares some golden tips for maximising exposure for our creative work.Enrol on the course now: https://www.talkingtopress.com/The show is supported by https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://designweek.co.uk

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, many people tapped into some part of themselves they'd stopped listening to. As our lives got faster and more intensely paced than ever before, in the work hard, must achieve, and progress culture, we forgot to listen to our younger selves.Why did we want to create in the first place? What was it that made us feel the magic and wonder of being alive in those purer years of play and exploration? Why did we choose to go to art or design school? And when did we last stop to check we were still on the right course, and not just making money, or chasing someone else's definition of success?Peleg Top is a coach and mentor for accomplished creatives at a crossroads. We discuss his own story, and how his own emptiness as a designer left him in what he calls a 'spiritual crisis' before beginning to reconnect to his purpose. Digging into the observations and lessons he has learned, and now shares, we lay out some of the most common traps and remedies for others at their own personal creative crossroads.The show is kindly supported by Illustration X. See their global range of illustrators and animators, and learn about their work supporting the creative industry at https://illustrationx.com now.Get your in to feedback @bentallon, @bentallonpod or hello@bentallon.comLearn more about Peleg's mentorship work at: https://www.pelegtop.com/Find him on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pelegtop/https://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

The 4th in the series of articles written for Design Week, brought to you in audio format by The Creative Condition, supported by Illustration X.People are still, understandably struggling to return to the pre-COVID levels of social activity. How important are positive relationships to the creative process? Here are some thoughts.Read in full, along with other pieces at https://designweek.co.ukhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://illustrationx.com

Artist and fashion designer Sam D'Cruze is the founder of 'Child Of,' a project supporting the children of addicts through creativity, conversation and artistic expression.Sam candidly discusses the experience of managing her father's alcohol dependency, and the role it played in her creative and personal development. We get into the topic of using artistic expression to work through and cope with the insurmountable monsters in our lives.The show is supported by Illustration X. Check out their global range of illustration and animation portfolios now at https://illustrationx.comhttps://www.samdcruze.com/child-of#:~:text=child%20of%20launched%20at%20the,through%20art%2C%20mentorship%20and%20workshops.https://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

James Brown's Loaded Magazine was at the heart of the UK's cultural explosion in the mid-1990s. Despite the misperception that it was no more than soft porn, the magazine was built on fun, chaos, creativity and the desire to capture the voice of young men at a time when nobody was representing them.James learned his trade by making his fanzine 'Attack On Bzag' and was NME's features editor by the time he was 22. His story is among the greatest examples of using initiative, passion and play to overcome economic and cultural hurdles and make something unique, that had soul. He opens up about the ideas, attitude and methods behind it, and provides golden advice for those looking to thrive on their terms in troubled times.He would go on to edit GQ and Hotdog before creating Leeds, Leeds, Leeds Magazine through passion for his boyhood club, Leeds United and new time on his hand thanks to sobriety.James' excellent new memoir, 'Animal House' is incredibly motivating, and is out now: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/animal-house-9781787477902/9781787477940?gclid=Cj0KCQiAiJSeBhCCARIsAHnAzT-KAlLo3Pc0hiFXUEHH123ME-kkO-nXaRrVyqgRFEXmQsLlsYNBzrwaAoWjEALw_wcBhttps://twitter.com/jamesjamesbrownSHOW SPONSOR! Https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://twitter.com/TheMekons (Jon Langford, Attack on Bzag cover artist)Happy Mondays: https://twitter.com/Happy_Mondays?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthorhttps://www.instagram.com/alanmcgee93/?hl=en (Alan McGee)