Take a listen and get into the world of the client in our talk with Fred Knapp of Maximus Real Estate Partners as we talk about the development of the murals at Parkmerced, painted by the students of Academy of Art. Fred Knapp drives the strategy and execution for Maximus’ operations. He joined the company in 2019, and brings considerable restructuring, asset-management, and organizational improvement capabilities honed over a 30-year long career in real estate. Fred's strong customer service or...
Mar 02, 2022•33 min
Go behind the scenes of the 10-year journey to create the graphic novel - White Faced Lies - as it went from the spark of an idea to the Sundance Writers Lab to now available on Kindle and Amazon. Book Synopsis - In China, local companies hire white (but not necessarily qualified) Americans to lend them credibility. Cons such as these, known as "face jobs", are instances in which Chinese companies hire foreigners to pose as professionals to lend credibility during meetings, press conferences, an...
Feb 17, 2022•46 min
Go behind the scenes of the 10-year journey to create the graphic novel - White Faced Lies - as it went from the spark of an idea to the Sundance Writers Lab to now available on Kindle and Amazon. Book Synopsis - In China, local companies hire white (but not necessarily qualified) Americans to lend them credibility. Cons such as these, known as "face jobs", are instances in which Chinese companies hire foreigners to pose as professionals to lend credibility during meetings, press conferences, an...
Feb 16, 2022•52 min
Violetta Gonzalez is based out of San Francisco, California, and fell in love with photography 6 years ago playing in the darkroom at the City College of San Francisco. She found that photography was the most efficient way to explore & share stories of all the diverse beauty she explores. With her BFA from the Academy of Art University, she uses photography as a tool to capture social-political issues that target the social norm all the while capturing its true beauty & essence of every ...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 4 min
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN LEADER, INVENTOR, and EDUCATOR Perpetually inspired concept ideation, development, direction, education, and realization. Mark Garcia is helping to advance our world by sharing my experiences, perspective, and techniques of industrial design with aspiring creative problem solvers and future game-changers. Instructing junior and senior-level industrial design majors in a course that I have evolved to become more invention/entrepreneurial in its problem solving and design approac...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Forest Stearns is the Principal Artist at DRAWEVERYWHERE where he produces uniques artworks and leads collaborations connecting artists and institutions. He has a passion for founding Artist in Residence programs that connect art, science, and technology. Currently, he is the Creative Innovation Consultant and Artist in Residence co-founder at Google Quantum AI in Santa Barbara Ca. Collaboration with artists is a huge part of Stearns’ creative adventure. As an art director, producer, facilitator...
Jan 26, 2022•1 hr 23 min
Top-rated speaker, best-selling author, and consultant Dr. Cindy is on a mission to empower people and companies to get what they want … through sales! Yep, “sales,” that icky word that makes people cringe. How did she learn to embrace that dreaded activity? After years of consulting companies and helping them grow their business, she had an epiphany: every job really is a sales job. And every person is a salesperson. Throughout her career as a college professor, a salesperson, and a consultant,...
Jan 19, 2022•49 min
“A good picture book should be able to be read by anybody,” says Taylor Norman , editor at Chronicle Books in San Francisco and our guest on the podcast this week. As an editor it is Taylor’s job to find the right manuscript and shepherd it through the process from acquisition to print. No small feat as creating picture books is a multimillion-dollar industry creating memories that last a lifetime. Getting you book in front of a publisher like Taylor requires you as the author/illustrator to bec...
Dec 29, 2021•1 hr 33 min
Do you ever wonder who gets to be in charge of making the Pops and toys you love? Well, on this episode we tear open the vinyl to feast on the creative goo that is Funko Creative Director, Reis O'Brien. Fresh off his recent creation of the Grogu Ballon for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Reis walks us through his career from slaving away in the world of illustration to creating toys and vinyl pops that we all know and love. Along the way, Reis gives us some of the best advice on how to look ...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 11 min
Fluxco Design was founded in 2012 by Zachary Calev. As a professional sculptor with an Industrial Design degree in Transportation Design, Zach has carried forth his skills in surfacing and volume experimentation in the automotive world to furniture. Just as important is the ability to fluidly evolve an idea from a two-dimensional sketch to the third dimension of a usable product, is an attention to detail so that no screw, joinery, or tie go unnoticed. You can find more of Zach's work here - htt...
Dec 15, 2021•58 min
#CreativeMindPodcast #FineArtPhotography #Photography Subscribe to Creative Mind wherever you get your podcasts today so you never miss an episode! Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Google Podcasts - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2z1VI3J... Check out Creative Mind on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/creative_mind_podcast/ In this special episode, we walk through some of Shahzad Bhiwandiwala's favorite images and he e...
Dec 10, 2021•21 min
Zachary Calev is the founder of Fluxco Design. As a professional sculptor with an Industrial Design degree in Transportation Design, Zach has carried forth his skills in surfacing and volume experimentation in the automotive world to furniture. Just as important is the ability to fluidly evolve an idea from a two-dimensional sketch to the third dimension of a usable product, is an attention to detail so that no screw, joinery, or tie go unnoticed. You can find more of Zach's work here - https://...
Dec 08, 2021•50 min
Judy’s process incorporates painting, drawing, collage, and photograph transfers creating an unexpected spontaneous flow of energy and endless possibilities. “I use a torch to heat each layer and manipulate the wax. Unexpected things always happen when you are working with hot wax and fire. I learned to let go of the critical inner voice when something goes in a different direction and just embrace it.” says Klich. Judy captures beauty in her paintings by showing details and scenery often missed...
Dec 01, 2021•35 min
KC Knoop proudly served in the United States Coast Guard for 20 years. During those years, he spent most of my time away from home in the southern hemisphere fighting the drug wars that so often threatened our borders. During his years of service to the country, he developed a knack for photography that morphed into a professional career. Duane Michals, a great influence to KC, once stated, “Either you are defined by your medium or you must redefine it.” Not long ago while seeking ways to do jus...
Nov 10, 2021•34 min
Shahzad Bhiwandiwala is a fine art fashion and portrait photographer from Mumbai currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. After a brief stint in the corporate world of Human Resources, he decided to make a career out of his passion for photography. He is an alumnus of the Eddie Adams Workshop Batch XXXIII, a first place Advertising-Fashion awardee at the International Photography Awards, CA Award winner, a Phase One Certified Professional and a professor in the photograp...
Nov 03, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Ephraim Colbert is a creative media producer focusing on arts and culture, civil rights and social action, education, health, poverty alleviation, and social services. Ephraim has turned his experience to developing original content and managing pre/production and post-production from beginning to end for video and audio platforms including producing for KPFA radio, podcasts for Capacity for Health, and other non-profits. His insights into finding clients, working in the non-profit space, and de...
Oct 27, 2021•58 min
In this bonus episode of Creative Mind, we dive in the world of making documentaries. Marjorie Sturm walk us through her film and process for dealing with sensitive subject matter. Executive producer Tod Mesirow explains the art of interviews. We also here from cinematographer Dave Drum about some first steps into getting into documentary films. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog , Instagram , and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!...
Oct 13, 2021•31 min
In this bonus episode of Creative Mind, we jump into the world of writing, directing and producing for low budget films. We speak with prolific writer-director Doug Campbell about getting a film made in 2 weeks. We also hear from Academy Award nominee Chris Moore on producing films that are well below the Hollywood multi-million dollar budgets. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog , Instagram , and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!...
Oct 06, 2021•31 min
Antonio Borja is a 2004 BFA graduate from the School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University. After graduation, Borja went to work utilizing his vast range of skills to launch a professional freelance career, and work for General Motors as a creative designer. He later returned to his alma mater to teach Design Drawing, Transportation Design, and Digital 3D modeling courses. At the Academy, Mr. Borja led the creation of an interdisciplinary collaborative program that gives students han...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Richelle is a dedicated artist based in Denver, Colorado. Having grown up a high-level reader, acute interests in science/nature, and an avid fan of books, movies, and games alike- Being a nerd comes naturally and lead to her fun pen name; NerdBird. It was a simple decision to pursue a professional art degree to become even more immersed in the development of new and beloved universes. She graduated proudly in Spring 2021 from the Academy of Art University with her desired Bachelors of Fine Art ...
Sep 22, 2021•59 min
“Creative is an interesting profession because it's a little bit like singing in the shower. Everybody thinks they can sing because they have a voice in the same way that everybody thinks that they're a chef because they have a mouth and everybody thinks they're a graphic designer because they have eyes,” says creative director and former podcast guest Jonathan Deiss . He goes on to point out about the idea of being a creative is hard for some to grasp. “The truth is it's a profession where the ...
Sep 21, 2021•22 min
Do you ever wonder who gets to be in charge of making the Pops and toys you love? Well, on this episode we tear open the vinyl to feast on the creative goo that is Funko Creative Director, Reis O'Brien. Covered in tattoos, with a deep love for death metal, and cutesy folk art, Reis walks us through his career from slaving away in the world of illustration to creating toys and vinyl pops that we all know and love. Along the way, Reis gives us some of the best advice on how to look at yourself as ...
Sep 01, 2021•1 hr 12 min
From the artist - My current series is an exploration of the challenges people can experience with mental health and how the world continues to operate around individuals despite their struggle. Like many, I have experienced my own relationship with depression and anxiety throughout my lifetime. Yet, we often fail to recognize it culturally. The figures I paint have their heads wreathed in fire and are placed in scenes where their obvious condition goes unnoticed. I began this series depicting m...
Aug 19, 2021•45 min
Caroline Baca-Vecchio, a Latina visual artist from Fresno, received her Bachelors in Art from Fresno State University. She is currently pursuing an MFA degree in Painting and Drawing from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Her creative process involves the exploration of the part of us that finds happiness and contentment in the simple things in life, the joy and wonder of just being here, flying a kite, or viewing a polished river stone. Caroline has worked to guide the next genera...
Aug 04, 2021•54 min
Sign up for the free webinar and StudioX tour with the link below. This is open to anyone interested in the VFX industry, you don't need to be a student! https://bit.ly/InsideStudioX_CreativeMind StudioX At the School of Animation & Visual Effects, you will have unique opportunities to interact and collaborate with professionals in the animation industry. For example, there’s “StudioX”—a student-run, faculty-mentored experience that emulates a real-world animation and VFX production environm...
Jul 14, 2021•57 min
Jamie Caliri is a director whose recent animated films have garnered an Emmy and three Annie awards, among others. Caliri’s short works include the sweeping end titles for Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events , the theatrically released spots for KCRW Los Angeles, and animated spots for United Airlines. Jumping between animation to live action, Jamie took on music videos in the late ’90s including Marcy Playground’s “Sex and Candy” and Morphine’s “Early to Bed”, which earned a Grammy ...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Emmy-winning producer and director, John “Harv” Harvatine IV is a visual storyteller who combines his love of photography with his passion for stop-motion. After starting his career as an animator, Harv quickly learned the ropes from the stop-motion studios he worked at and formed his own production company. Starting in 2003 with Make Out City Studios, Harv created content for the NFL, G4TV and Interscope Records. In 2008, he co-founded Buddy System Studios with Eric Towner, where they created g...
Jun 30, 2021•56 min
Mike Shafia is co-producer of the Oscar-winning film “Two Distant Strangers.” For over 10 years Mike has managed content production with an innate ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously, deliver on time, and relentlessly uphold creative vision. Highly organized, proactive, self-motivated, and adaptable - Mike can ‘see around the corner’ and identify communication, logistical, and scheduling challenges. Mike Shafia is also the producer for Cinedyne Films. Cinedyne Films is a full-servic...
Jun 23, 2021•57 min
Creating a character for a video game can seem like the pinnacle of design, but in games like Ghosts of Tsushima and Assasin's Creed, the world you inhabit, the environment makes the game. Imagine playing GTA and it is just some "Any City, USA", and you will see the importance of good environment design in video games. What does it take to really understand and succeed in environment design? On this episode we talk with artist and game designers Lourde Canavati, Maddie Christian, and Kuko Cai, a...
Jun 16, 2021•49 min
Angie Annett started out on an internship for the San Francisco Giants that lead to creating all graphic design and animation project content for the scoreboard, web, and television. Which lead to creating innovative, original graphic takeovers for up to 30 different special events at AT&T Park, including Pixar, Star Wars, and Metallica Day. Not a bad start for an animation graduate who wanted to create her own theme park. Now Angie is creating a deep, virtual esports experience for Blizzard...
Jun 09, 2021•46 min
