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PODCAST

This is How We Create

Martine Severin

The This is How We Create podcast digs deeper into the creative life of contemporary artists of color. Discover what feeds their creativity and how they found (or are finding) their artistic voice. Through these intimate and candid conversations, you will gain insights into the lives of creative professionals of color that are hard to find anywhere else.

arts visual arts

All Episodes

11:46

193. Welcome to Season Six: A New Look and a Bold...

This is How We Create ·

2026/01/14

Welcome back, friend. We are stepping into Season Six with a fresh energy that I have been dying to share with you. Over the last nine months, my team and I have been working quietly behind the scenes, from the vibrant streets of Medellín to the design studio, to reimagine how this show looks, sounds, and feels. In this episode, I am pulling back the curtain on the major changes we have made, from our stunning new visual identity to the strategic shifts in our programming. I also share why we are

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19:45

192. How to Do the Scary Things in Life - Martine...

This is How We Create ·

2025/12/18

Want to find out the secret to doing the scary things in life? Are you waiting for the right time or for a surge of confidence to finally send that pitch or apply for that residency. In this episode, we explore the psychological traps of "waiting to be ready" and share research-backed strategies to move from stagnant avoidance to meaningful action. If you have been keeping a scary dream on hold, this conversation might be the gentle push you need to start before you feel brave. Chapters 00:00 The

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13:56

191. Letting Go with Grace: When It's Time to Make...

This is How We Create ·

2025/12/11

In our ongoing series about the creative process of building a studio, we've covered when and how to hire a team. But what happens when a hire isn't the right fit? I'm pulling back the curtain on a lesson that cost me months of energy and a piece of my confidence as a leader. You'll often know by week three or four when a new hire isn't going to make it, and waiting six months to act isn't just costly, it's a failure of leadership. I share the difference between a coachable skill gap and a

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21:05

190. From Solo Hustle to Successful Delegation: The...

This is How We Create ·

2025/11/25

You've made the hire and the contract is signed. Yay. Now we can begin the real work. In this final installment of our mini-series on hiring your first assistant, I'm pulling back the curtain on the first crucial 90 days and the art of proper onboarding. I'll be sharing the systems and intentional frameworks, honed from years of building teams in my photography business and overseeing a 120-person team in a co-owned company, that help a new hire fully absorb your vision, not just your tasks. I'll

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15:18

189. The Creative's Guide to Screening Your First...

This is How We Create ·

2025/11/18

Hiring your first helper is exciting, but it can also be terrifying. After keeping the wrong person on my team for far too long, I realized I had been focusing on all the wrong things. Skills on a resume are table stakes, but you cannot teach someone to care about the details the way you do. In this episode (Part 2 of our hiring series), I am pulling back the curtain on the screening process that saved me from making that mistake again. I share the specific, behavioral questions I now ask to uncover

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14:14

188. Think you need to hire someone? Your exhaustion...

This is How We Create ·

2025/11/13

Some creatives hire when they're overwhelmed, not when they're ready to lead. Before you bring on that intern or assistant, you need clarity on what you're handing off, bandwidth to train them, and rock-solid values they can execute on. I'm pleased to share the hiring frameworks that rocked my world when it came to bringing on new team members. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The Four-Part Series on Hiring 01:06 The Mistake: Hiring When You Are Not Ready to Lead 02:08 Question 1: What Specific Work

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51:35

187. What an Afro Comb Can Teach You about Design -...

This is How We Create ·

2025/11/11

What does it take to change an entire industry? Thirty years ago, Jomo Tariku, then an industrial design student, noticed something profound missing in his university library: contemporary African furniture designers. This observation sparked a decades-long journey of persistence and vision. I sit down with Jomo to discuss his path from sketching designs in his garage while working other jobs to having his celebrated work featured in The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the film Black Panther: Wakanda

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08:04

186. The Quiet Persistence of Creativity - Martine...

This is How We Create ·

2025/11/06

I have been thinking a lot lately about the difference between the loud hustle culture of constant visibility and the profound power of simply refusing to give up, even when it feels like nothing is happening. Join me in this episode as I share unexpected lessons in persistence, inspired by Death Valley. Chapters 00:00 - The Unlikely Pairing: Death Valley and Dehydrated Shrimp 01:50 - The Persistence of Fairy Shrimp and Resurrection Moss 02:30 - Redefining Persistence: Why Dormancy is Not Failure

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44:18

185. The Courage to Trust the Process - Bria Gladney

This is How We Create ·

2025/11/04

Every so often, we come across an artist whose journey reminds us that creativity is a promise of transformation. What started as a project to design graduation caps (that then went viral) evolved into a story of artistic evolution, mental health healing, and finding purpose through creativity. In this episode, mixed media textile artist Bria Gladney reveals how the most meaningful art comes from the intersection of personal healing, community impact, and the courage to trust the process. Chapters

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07:50

184. How to Find Your Own Creative Mantra - Martine...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/30

I recently spent time hiking the Four Corners (you know, the area in the US where the states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico form corners). After pushing my body to its limits, I ended up on a massage table where an unexpected mantra changed my perspective. This mantra made me ask: if we have mantras for meditation and our bodies, why not for our creative practice? We, as creatives, spend so much time battling imposter syndrome and the endless feelings of "not enough". Why not use

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30:19

183. The Art of World-Building as an Author - Navi'...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/28

How does a creative professional build a portfolio of 18 books? My guest today, Navi' Robins, is a Chicago-born author and graphic designer who does just that. His creative perspective was shaped by a childhood spent living across five continents. In our conversation, Navi' shares the inspiration behind his new Black Lotus trilogy, a futuristic world where men have been eradicated, and how real-world political events sparked the idea. We dig into his process as a "freestyle writer", his secrets to

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12:59

182. How Creatives Really Make a Living - Martine...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/23

Have you wondered about the gap between the beautiful work on artists’ websites and the reality of making a living off of your creative work? Join three incredible artists: illustrator Andrea Pippins, illustrator Alex Cabal, and photographer Chris Charles, who share their "income pie." They reveal that making it is a result of royalties, commissions, speaking gigs, and consulting that supports their creative life. Chapters 00:00 - The Reality of Paying Rent as an Artist 02:15 - Understanding the

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33:41

181. Capturing Authentic Emotion in Photography -...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/21

Ever feel trapped shooting the same bright, clean images everyone expects? Photographer Sage East knows that struggle. After landing her first big Puma campaign with perfectly lit, commercial-ready shots, she realized something was missing - soul. In this episode, the photographer behind campaigns for Nike, Google, Netflix, and Dior reveals how she transformed her work from safe and sterile to moody and magnetic. Learn how she developed her mantra "I don't shoot what it looks like, I shoot what it

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12:46

180. More Slices, More Freedom: The Income Streams of...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/16

Turns out most successful creative careers are funded by multiple streams. If you've ever felt that cobbling it together means you haven't truly arrived, this episode is a reminder that you're building something sustainable, resilient, and entirely your own. Chapters 00:00 - The Secret Feeling of Being a Fraud 02:17 - The "Income Pie" Revelation 04:37 - Why Your Pie is a Source of Freedom, Not Failure 06:55 - How Bridge Work Sustains the Dream Work 09:09 - Homework: How to Draw Your Own Income

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47:37

179. Freelance Illustration: Opportunities and...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/14

Discover how Violeta Encarnación balances freelancing, illustration, and creative evolution. She reflects on her journey from growing up in Cuba to becoming a book illustrator, her experience at SVA, and her shift into tattooing. Violeta opens up about the realities of freelancing, managing carpal tunnel syndrome, and honing her distinctive color palette. She also shares how nature inspires her work, the significance of personal connections in art, and her upcoming projects. We talk with Violeta

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24:43

178. How to Dance with Fear in Your Creative Life -...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/10

What does it take to keep creating, even after dozens of false starts? In this deeply insightful encore episode, I’m sharing my conversation with the legendary author Edwidge Danticat. Edwidge shares how she found her own voice as a writer and offers a candid look into her artistic practice today. We talk about the "dance with fear", and the "20 notebooks of false starts" for her current novel, and the practical mindset it takes to push through creative blocks. This is a powerful and reassuring

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41:15

177. The Power of Community in a Creative Career -...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/07

Have you ever felt the pull to leave a secure, conventional career for a more exciting path of as an artist? In this encore episode, I’m revisiting my conversation with photographer Nolis Anderson, whose journey is a powerful lesson in following your creative intuition. Nolis shares the incredible story of how he pivoted from pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree to building a full-time photography career, not with a grand plan, but through organic growth and the power of community. This

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15:23

176. What To Do When Your Creativity Fades - Martine...

This is How We Create ·

2025/10/02

When was the last time your creative energy faded away like mist? One season you’re overflowing with ideas, and the next, you feel like you’re trying to draw water from a dry well. In this personal solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my own creative rhythms. Tune in to hear how to use your natural creative lulls to your advantage. This episode is a gentle reminder that your river of creativity is always flowing, even when it goes underground for a while. Chapters 00:00 - My Not-So-Secret

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42:48

175. The Making of an Artist: Passion, Persistence,...

This is How We Create ·

2025/09/30

Have you ever wondered how to turn a lifelong passion for art into a real, thriving career? In this episode, I'm delighted to sit down with Alex Craig, a self-taught artist, painter, and illustrator who embodies the spirit of creative determination. Alex shares her journey, from a childhood surrounded by artists to launching her first clothing line to eventually showcasing her work at prestigious events such as the Black Girl Art Show. This conversation explores perseverance and authenticity that

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11:37

174. Advice to Your Younger Self

This is How We Create ·

2025/09/25

Think back to your younger self. What advice would you give to that version of yourself? In today’s episode, I'm sharing a powerful compilation of advice from three artists who have learned to quiet their chatty minds to be their best selves. We'll hear from Murielle Banackissa, celebrated food photographer, stylist, and author of the cookbook Savoring. Nana Oduro, a visual artist. And from, Tiffany Brooks, a leading figure in the interior design world. This episode is an intimate collection of

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194 results

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