Ep. 135: Wickedly Smart & Clever: 2020's Best Moments
2020 has been a rollercoaster, but we’re thankful that in such a turbulent year we were still able to have so many inspiring voices on the show. As we approach the end of the year, we wanted to share some of our favorite moments, covering themes of self-discovery, believing in and staying true to one’s creative self; the importance of building a design community with true diversity; and remembering that design and creativity are key to solving a problem, no matter how complex or pervasive.
Featured Episodes:
Ep. 129: Creative Strategist Maurice Cherry
Creative strategist, graphic designer, and podcaster Maurice Cherry was born in Selma, Alabama where it quickly became apparent he was going to take the world by storm. Immensely talented on all fronts, Maurice has dedicated his career to recognizing and celebrating the power of Black design and creativity online. These days, Maurice is perhaps most well-known for his award-winning podcast Revision Path, which showcases Black designers, and as of 2019 is the FIRST podcast to be acquired by the Smithsonian.
Photography by Li Su
Ep. 126: Sustainability Thought Leader Joel Towers
Architect & Professor of Sustainable Design Joel Towers grew up in the suburbs with steady access to New York City. His father taught him to build and repair things, which helped carve his problem-solving neural pathways from a young age. Aware of the tension between humans and nature, a pivotal trip to Alaska set him on a dedicated path to striving for alignment and harmony. An educator at Parsons, he’s outspoken and optimistic about a future that is circular, decolonized, decarbonized, just, and feminist.
Ep. 121: People-Centered Designer Marquise Stillwell
Architect & Professor of Sustainable Design Joel Towers grew up in the suburbs with steady access to New York City. His father taught him to build and repair things, which helped carve his problem-solving neural pathways from a young age. Aware of the tension between humans and nature, a pivotal trip to Alaska set him on a dedicated path to striving for alignment and harmony. An educator at Parsons, he’s outspoken and optimistic about a future that is circular, decolonized, decarbonized, just, and feminist.
Photo by Guarionex Rodriguez, Jr.
Courtesy of Deem Journal
Ep. 119: Lettering Artist Lauren Hom
Lettering artist Lauren Hom was a super shy and studious child. Her crafty mother would make snacks with her initials cut out of cheese slices. In her teenage years, her first love led to slipping grades and the realization that her creativity, not science, would be her path to college. She sold her parents on going to art school with the promise of learning the advertising business. After a brief stint at an ad agency, she started freelancing with her art, and now has made an art out of freelancing.
Part of Lauren’s Flower Crowns project.
Ep. 109: Furniture & Interior Designer Claudia Washington
Furniture and interior designer Claudia Washington grew up in El Salvador during the civil war. It was not safe for her to play outside so she spent her days clipping pictures from architecture magazines and redesigning her bedroom. In college, she predicted whom she would marry from seeing a work of his art. Now, Claudia and Harry Washington are designing work for international clients and championing design in El Salvador through a design biennale, education, artisan collaborations and economic growth.
Ep. 105: Design Impresario Murray Moss
Design impresario Murray Moss grew up in a house his father engineered with a drinking fountain in the dining room. At 5, he redecorated his farmhouse bedroom with a Chinese motif. In college, after accidentally burning down his apartment with a fondue pot, he found his love of theatre. The ‘90s were all about MOSS, his Soho New York boutique that lit up the global high-design scene and paved the way for a new era of design as art. Cut to today: he’s a pedagogue, a retail consultant and as fabulous as ever.
Photo: Rainer Hosch
Ep. 104: Graphic Designer & Artist Paula Scher
Graphic designer Paula Scher grew up drawing pictures to escape a turbulent home life. Later, rebelling against suburban existence, she ventured to art school and became a hippie, and then art directed album covers in NYC. She’s been a partner at Pentagram since ‘91. In her ~50 years in the business she has blazed trails, upended boys’ clubs, committed “typographical blasphemy,” given form to the zeitgeist, and earned herself a reputation as one of the world’s most influential graphic designers.
Clever is produced by 2VDE Media. Thanks to Rich Stroffolino for editing this episode.
Music in this episode courtesy of El Ten Eleven—hear more on Bandcamp.
Shoutout to Jenny Rask for designing the Clever logo.
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