Creative Playdate artwork

Creative Playdate

28 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 21 ratings

Are you pursuing a creative career while also raising children? Creative Playdate is dedicated to bringing you stories from people navigating the world of parenthood while maintaining their own creative business. The show is produced by Michelle Kondrich with theme music from Thomas James. Learn more about the show at www.michellekondrich.com/creativeplaydate.

Arts Kids & Family parenting playdate business creative freelance illustration
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Episodes

Cultivating Creative Communities with Andrea Pippins

January 29, 2019 08:30 - 46 minutes - 43.6 MB

Yes, I realize that there hasn't been a new episode in MONTHS! But here I am. In the episode, I speak more about the lapse in new episodes and announce a relaunch of the show on September 1st of this year. I want to bring you the best content I can create and right now I need a little time to make it great. I also want to know if you prefer that Creative Playdate have it's own social media accounts or if keeping everything through my own personal, illustration accounts works for you. If y...

Four Starts with F for a Reason: Tom and Amanda Froese

December 20, 2018 16:41 - 47 minutes - 44.7 MB

Tom's Portrait by Sharalee Prang The last episode of 2018 features an interview with the lovely Tom and Amanda Froese. Tom is a commercial artist whose work can be seen in publications like The Walrus and Harvard Business Review. He also creates illustrations for children's books, beer labels and even ceramics. Amanda is a Design Director at Partners & Hawes and is able to work from home alongside Tom. Tom and Amanda tell the story of how they met, worked in the same office awkwardly, an...

Episode 24: Steve Folland and Being Freelance

November 13, 2018 17:26 - 1 hour - 59 MB

After chatting with Steve Folland on his podcast Being Freelance last year, I knew I wanted to get him onto Creative Playdate. If anyone is mastering the art of freelancing while parenting, Steve is. Steve started working freelance full-time when his children were young. We talk about Steve's work and how he managed to take off the entire month of August while his kids were on vacation from school and how sometimes saying no is the best thing for YOU, not just your business. Steve also t...

Episode 23: Selina Alko

October 24, 2018 13:33 - 46 minutes - 43.4 MB

In episode 23, I interview children's book author and illustrator, Selina Alko. We met briefly at ICON10 in Detroit where she was serving as the VP (thanks to Scott Bakal for the introduction) and I was happy to have the chance to chat with her in a more conversational setting. Selina grew up in Canada and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She has two children who are in the middle of adolescence and we talk about what that looks like at home. We discuss the challenges and benefits of raising biracia...

Episode 22: Interview with Debbie Millman

October 03, 2018 16:40 - 41 minutes - 38.8 MB

Debbie Millman, everyone! This episode of Creative Playdate is a bit different than all the other episodes so far because this one is NOT about parenting. Debbie Millman is many things, including a designer, brand consultant and founder and host of one of the world's longest running podcasts, Design Matters. Debbie has worked with some of the most recognizable brands in the country and has interviewed over 400 guests about the creative arc of their lives. We talk about how she got to where...

Episode 21: Interview with Michael Byers

September 17, 2018 16:00 - 58 minutes - 54.1 MB

Episode 21 of Creative Playdate features an interview with Canadian illustrator and super nice guy, Michael Byers. His editorial illustration is whimsical and colorful and always includes a touch of humor - as is Michael, himself. We talk about whether or not we should be properly dressed to take our kids to school and Michael mentions a lot of great writing on creativity that is worth checking out. Michael recently created all of the illustrations for an incredible activity book for kids ...

Interview with Francesca Tortora

August 07, 2018 14:41 - 51 minutes - 48.4 MB

You are going to LOVE this episode with Francesca Tortora of Doing It For the Kids (DIFTK)! She has created an incredible community of freelance parents and I only wish she could do some meetup events in the US. We learn about her journey to being a parent, freelance graphic designer and founder of DIFTK. She speaks about how her work has changed since her son came along and how it's influenced the types of clients she works with. She's had limited childcare in the past and manages to stic...

Episode 19: Interview with Regina Flath

July 19, 2018 14:57 - 1 hour - 62.7 MB

I am back from ICON with a great new episode featuring book designer and art director Regina Flath! She gives a nice overview of how Penguin Random House chooses illustrators, what they are looking for and how often they use stock images, illustration or their own photoshoots for book covers. One of her latest, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White is among her favorite recent projects. Regina is also mom to an adorable toddler. She takes us through an epic year of ge...

Episode 18: Interview with Melinda Beck

June 26, 2018 12:00 - 46 minutes - 43.2 MB

    I am super happy I had the chance to interview Melinda Beck for the show. She's an incredible illustrator and graphic designer who showcases a wide range of styles. And you can certainly see the graphic design influence in her illustration. We talk about what it's like to be a freelance illustrator while raising two teenage girls and what childhood in New York City is like. Melinda has some good advice about time management and living simply in order to make time for her kids, her w...

Episode 17: Interview with Dan Santat

June 05, 2018 16:47 - 56 minutes - 52.5 MB

I am very pleased to have children's book illustrator and author, Dan Santat on the show. We talk about his career and the effect that winning the Caldecott Medal has had on the way he approaches his work and his place in the children's book industry. Dan has a pretty laid-back attitude about parenting and truly feels there is never a right time to have kids; you just have to do it and work it out as you go along. He's also no stranger to being a workaholic and he talks about how he was fo...

Episode 16: Interview with Merlin Strangeway

May 13, 2018 07:30 - 52 minutes - 48.7 MB

Creative Playdate is back! Since the first season ended, my life turned upside down a bit - including a move to the DC area that we had 3.5 weeks to plan.  I'm thrilled to be back with new episodes and I'm kicking off the season with medical illustrator, Merlin Strangeway. Her work is incredibly varied in both style and technique, which is necessitated, somewhat, by the field. The work Merlin does with clients is fascinating and I think you'll enjoy learning more about the world of medi...

Episode 15: Interview with Jessica Abel

February 01, 2018 08:30 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MB

Photo by Lauréne DuCrocq I can't believe I've done 15 episodes of Creative Playdate! This episode is the last one for Season One and I will be back with Season Two in a couple of months. This week's episode features the incredibly talented Jessica Abel. Her list of accomplishments is far too long for these show notes but you may know her from her graphic novels, like La Perdida or Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars, her textbook Drawing Words & Writing Pictures (written with husband, Matt ...

Episode 14: Interview with Chris & Jennifer Sickels

January 18, 2018 08:30 - 1 hour - 56 MB

The penultimate episode of Creative Playdate is an interview with Chris & Jennifer Sickels! You likely know Chris as Red Nose Studio. I was thrilled when Chris suggested his wife, Jennifer, join in the conversation. It's the first time I've had a partner one who is not also working as a creative. It's important that the people behind the scenes who support these crazy careers we've chosen get all the respect and gratitude that they deserve. Chris and Jennifer have 4 children between the ag...

Episode 13: Interview with Santiago Uceda

December 15, 2017 14:40 - 55 minutes - 51 MB

The last episode of Creative Playdate for the year is a wonderful interview with illustrator, motion graphics artist, and designer Santiago Uceda. His work has so much character. He talks about how is illustration used to be very dark but that his family has helped to inject more hope into the work. You can read a great interview with Santiago and his partner, Jen Bell, in Family Circle about their blended family and lives. Santiago is a Peruvian immigrant and he was very open about his ex...

Episode 12: Interview with Jannie Ho

November 30, 2017 08:00 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MB

Episode 12 features an interview with children's illustrator Jannie Ho. Her work is everywhere - books, educational magazines, toys, games, stickers, even dinnerware! She is the mother of a six year old daughter and her debut author/illustrator picture book, Bear and Chicken, is out now! Jannie's illustration is perfect for the children's market and it was great to hear how her work and her new book developed. She loves Richard Scarry books from her childhood and you can really see the inf...

Episode 11: Interview with Andi Butler - Part 2

November 16, 2017 15:36 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MB

This week I've got a special, two-part episode with illustrator and surface pattern designer Andi Butler. We had a lengthy conversation about both her experience in the surface pattern design industry as well as her experience raising two boys, one of whom is autistic. I've split the conversation into two parts - the first part covers more of her work life and the second goes into parenting much more. Andi is incredibly knowledgeable about both of these worlds and she is also very happy to...

Episode 11: Interview with Andi Butler - Part 1

November 16, 2017 15:28 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MB

This week I've got a special, two-part episode with illustrator and surface pattern designer Andi Butler. We had a lengthy conversation about both her experience in the surface pattern design industry as well as her experience raising two boys, one of whom is autistic. I've split the conversation into two parts - the first part covers more of her work life and the second goes into parenting much more. Andi is incredibly knowledgeable about both of these worlds and she is also very happy to...

Episode 10: Interview with Britt Wilson

November 03, 2017 14:20 - 1 hour - 107 MB

  Today's episode was a supper fun, casual conversation with illustrator, comic artist and hand letterer, Britt Wilson. We have children who are almost the same age and we are at similar stages in our lives and careers. We jump right into the conversation with little preamble, so if you like to commiserate with other toddler parents and listen to their crazy stories you will LOVE this episode! Britt is super open and honest about her experience becoming a mother and the financial and emo...

Episode 9: Interview with Jacqui Oakley and Jamie Lawson

October 19, 2017 07:00 - 1 hour - 62.4 MB

For the first time EVER, I've got a couple on the show! Jacqui Oakley and Jamie Lawson are both freelance creatives (she's an illustrator, he's an illustrator and designer) with an energetic three-year-old. We talk about their childcare situation and dividing up time with their son when deadlines don't always coincide with day care. © Jacqui Oakley It was good fun to chat with them. They are beginning to collaborate on fine art/gallery work and it makes me wish my husband and I could col...

Episode 8: Interview with Daniel Hertzberg

October 05, 2017 07:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MB

Episode 8 of Creative Playdate features an interview with illustrator Daniel Hertzberg. We have an interesting conversation in which Daniel is very open about his and his wife's experience with trying to get pregnant and with having twins who were very premature. They had a first year that, fortunately, many of us have no experience with.  Daniel has a great attitude towards being a parent and it's one that I know I lose touch with at times. When you are in the thick of an especially diffi...

Episode 7: Interview with Allison Cole

September 21, 2017 13:14 - 51 minutes - 47 MB

Episode 7 is an interview with illustrator and surface pattern designer Allison Cole. Her incredibly playful work has appeared on products for clients like Target and West Elm. In fact, when I met her in person after our interview, I discovered that the Camelbak water bottle that my daughter uses was sporting one of her designs!  We had a fun conversation about what it's like to work in surface pattern design and licensing and we discovered that our lives are shockingly similar - our husba...

Episode 6: Interview with Kyle T. Webster

September 07, 2017 07:00 - 58 minutes - 53.8 MB

Today I am pleased to bring you Episode 6 of Creative Playdate with the incredible Kyle T. Webster! As I mention in the episode, you should really go to his site and watch his "Meet Kyle" video. He's come up with a great way to show his personality and interests to the world. Kyle is an award-winning illustrator, author and illustrator of the children's book Please Say Please!, and creator of an impressive line of Photoshop brushes that mimic hundreds of traditional materials, and then ...

Episode 5: Interview with Maria Fabrizio

August 24, 2017 07:00 - 45 minutes - 51.7 MB

What better timing for an episode to feature the creator of Wordless News than now? Chaos is everywhere and illustrator Maria Fabrizio tackles as much of it as she can by creating illustrations without captions or descriptions in response to items she finds in the news. In Episode 5 we talk about that process and how it has changed now that she is a mother. She is also a natural early-riser so we talk about the adjustments she has made to her work schedule to accommodate the new early-riser...

Episode 4: Interview with Renee Kurilla

August 10, 2017 07:00 - 39 minutes - 45.1 MB

Today's episode of Creative Playdate is an interview with children's book and graphic novel illustrator Renee Kurilla. She has illustrated a new children's book, The Pickwicks' Picnic by Carol Brendler, that will be released on September 5th of this year. Renee's daughter is still under a year old so we chat about the initial transition to parenthood and how to find ways to keep sketching. She's also got me drooling over the Wacom Mobile Studio Pro. You can find Renee's work at www.reneeku...

Episode 3: Interview with Keith Negley

July 27, 2017 07:00 - 48 minutes - 55.9 MB

Episode 3 of Creative Playdate features on interview with editorial illustrator Keith Negley. In addition to his editorial work, he is the author of two lovely children's books: Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too) and My Dad Used to Be So Cool. We talk a lot about how he found himself writing children's books and his experience writing a book like Tough Guys Have Feelings Too, which is very male-centric. It was great to hear his perspective as a father and Keith shares a bit of good news. You ca...

Episode 2: Interview with Jaime Zollars

July 12, 2017 22:58 - 57 minutes - 67.3 MB

© Jaime Zollars In Episode 2 of Creative Playdate I have a wonderfully candid conversation with artist and illustrator Jaime Zollars. She is the author of Il-List-ration: Improvisational Lists and Drawing Assists to Spark Creativity and she is the mother of two. Her website is www.jaimezollars.com. Our conversation touches on a lot of very important aspects of being a parent while being an illustrator like the consistent financial pressure of daycare and time management between her and ...

Episode 1: Interview with Lucy Knisley

July 08, 2017 18:11 - 47 minutes - 54.7 MB

©Lucy Knisley Creative Playdate is here!  I've been sitting on this and hinting about it and talking about it and now it is live in the world. Thank you to everyone who has supported the show so far and thank you for listening. If you enjoy it, please be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. The show is also being syndicated at Workbook.com/blog. Episode 1 is an interview with the incredibly talented Lucy Knisley. She is a New York Times Bestselling author, not to mention a ...

Introducing Creative Playdate

June 28, 2017 14:43

I have been hinting at this for a while now, but I am happy to announce a release date for my new podcast: Creative Playdate. On July 17th, Creative Playdate will be released into the wild and I hope you all will listen and share. The show focuses on what it's like to be a parent while also pursuing a creative career and all the unique challenges that come along with it. I have a great batch of interviews lined up and will be releasing two episodes on launch day (sorry, you'll have to wait ...

Guests

Debbie Millman
1 Episode

Twitter Mentions

@missillustrator 10 Episodes
@playdatepodcast 5 Episodes
@andibutler 2 Episodes
@kyletwebster 1 Episode
@danielhertzberg 1 Episode
@reneekurilla 1 Episode
@jacquioakley 1 Episode
@poly_studio 1 Episode
@britterson 1 Episode
@allison_cole 1 Episode
@santiagouceda 1 Episode
@jannieho 1 Episode