This is How We Create

Brent Lewis is a Photo Editor based out of New York City, co-founder of Diversify.Photo. He hails from the greatest city in the world Chicago, South Side to be exact.

Brent is a photo editor at The New York Times working on the Express Desk, assigning visual coverage of breaking and viral news across the globe.

Brent was a Photo Editor at The Washington Post. Formerly, he was the Senior Photo Editor of ESPN’s The Undefeated, where he drove the visual language of the website that is based around the intersection of sports, race, and culture.

Before turning his life over to photo editing, he was a staff photojournalist with stints at The Denver Post, The Rockford Register Star, and the Chillicothe Gazette.

“Until lions find their storytellers stories about hunting will always glorify the hunters.”

-African proverb

Get to know Brent Lewis

http://www.blewisphoto.com/

https://diversify.photo/

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

This is How We Create has been edited by the lovely Casandra Voltolina

Well hello there, Welcome back to This is How We Create. In the guest chair, we are welcoming Priya Shah.

Priya Shah is a Chicago creative and entrepreneur, she has built a network of artists and collaborators dedicated to igniting social awareness and change through art and imagination.

During our time together, Priya shares her wide-ranging career about how she has come to create her organization, Simple Good.

This conversation with Priya picks up where our talk with Dr Charmaine Jackman left off—we focus on social-emotional learning, on negative self-talk and on what it means to focus on the simple good in life.

Ok, here’s more about Priya.

Priya Shah began volunteering in developing countries at a young age, which inspired her to fill the gap between business and the social sector. Shah's passion for art and travel has fueled her purpose to help better communities in Chicago and around the world. Through her experience, Shah has developed a unique perspective on humanity and believes it is her responsibility to engage communities in need.

Her purpose took shape when she founded The Simple Good, a non-profit with the mission to connect the meaning of good from around the world, empowering youth to become positive activists through art and discussion.

By uniting communities under a universal truth, Shah hopes to bridge understanding across all walks of life in order to bring down obstacles separating us in working towards improving the lives of our children and in turn, our future.

She is the co-author of the latest children’s book focused on representative literature called, ‘Sheroes of COVID-19’ and also the producer on the upcoming documentary, Project: Building Hope, documenting the journey of spreading art and resilience from Chicago to East Africa.

Get to know Priya Shah

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priyashah16/

http://www.iampriyashah.com/

http://www.thesimplegood.org/

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

This is How We Create has been edited by the lovely Casandra Voltolina

Hey friends, Martine Severin.  Welcome back to This is How We Create.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to live in your art—that place where you produce work that pushes you,  the place where you create work that thrills you and work that allows you to be the creative you want to be?

Today in the chair, we’re chatting with someone who proposes a different way of moving towards that goal.  Our guest, Dr Charmain Jackman is a therapist and founder of InnoPsych, an organization on a mission to change the face of therapy and to promote wellness & healing for people of color.

Through this episode, Dr Jackman challenges us on how to we can begin to or continue to steward our mental health to improve our overall well-being and the way in which we create.

Enjoy!

Charmain F. Jackman, Ph.D., is a Harvard-trained, licensed psychologist with over 23 years in the mental health field. Dr. Jackman is the founder + CEO of InnoPsych, Inc., an organization on a mission to change the face of therapy and to promote wellness & healing for people of color. InnoPsych, Inc., is an award-winning organization focused on increasing access to therapy through its online therapist of color directory and thought-provoking emotional wellness programming. 

As a change-maker, Dr. Jackman is passionate about the intersection of psychology, mental health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion and has created social impact initiatives that support community members and mental health professionals. She has used her expertise to shape how organizations respond to and support their employees during the COVID-19 and racial violence crises. Dr. Jackman is the recipient of the City of Boston’s 2021 Innovator of the Year Award. 

In 2020, Dr. Jackman was the recipient of the American Psychological Association’s 2020 PLC Diversity Award, and was named one of the 50 Most Influential Business People of Color by the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Jackman LOVES talking about mental health and is a national spokesperson for mental health and emotional wellness. She has also been featured in both print and TV media outlets locally and nationally.

Learn more about Dr Jackman: www.InnoPsych.com | www.DrCharmainJackman.com.

Follow: @InnoPsych | @AskDrCharmain

Check out our episode on: How to gain clarity when you’re feeling uncertain: https://anchor.fm/martine-severin/episodes/Solo-Episode-How-to-gain-clarity-when-youre-feeling-uncertain-ei4bcn

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

This is How We Create has been edited by the lovely Casandra Voltolina

Hi, It’s Martine Severin here. Welcome back.

We have social justice artist, Tonika Lewis Johnson on the show to talk about how you can use your art to spark compassion, good citizenship and to improve the lives of the people in your neighborhood.

The first part of our conversation focuses on Tonika’s early life and the second part focuses on how her twenties and her upbringing brought her to create Folded Map as a way to disrupt systemic racism and historic segregation in Chicago. I can’t wait for you to dig into to this episode and to get to know the Powerhouse that is Tonika!

Tonika Johnson is a photographer/social justice artist and life-long resident of Chicago’s South Side neighborhood of Englewood. She is also co-founder of two community-based organizations, Englewood Arts Collective and Resident Association of Greater Englewood, that mobilize people and resources for positive change. She turned the Folded Map project into a non-profit organization where she serves as Executive Director. She was named one of Field Foundation’s Leaders for a New Chicago and most recently, she was appointed as a member of the Cultural Advisory Council of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events by the Chicago City Council.

Stay Connected with Tonika Lewis Johnson

https://www.foldedmapproject.com/interactive-maps

IG: https://www.instagram.com/tonikaj/

Personal Site: https://www.tonijphotography.com/

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

Welcome back to Season 2 of This is How We Create.

Today, we welcome Kristyn Ivey to the chair.

Kristyn Ivey, is Chicago’s first platinum-certified KonMari Consultant and founder of For the Love of Tidy.

She’s dedicated to teaching busy families, professionals, and creative entrepreneurs how to let go of “stuff” and attract a truly abundant life. Educated in both engineering and interior design, Kristyn applies her project management background and innate creativity to transform homes with order and style — all in harmony with the KonMari Method™.

Dedicated to Marie Kondo’s mission to inspire the world to choose joy, Kristyn helps clients declutter their way to becoming Graduates of Tidy and masters of life.

Stay Connected with Kristyn Ivey

https://fortheloveoftidy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveoftidy/?hl=en

The Spark Joy Podcast https://www.sparkjoypodcast.com/

Kristyn's TED Talk: Confronting Your Online Order History is the New Self-Care: https://youtu.be/SbgT9Q8_xzs

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

When was the last time someone delighted you? And when was the last time you practiced the art of hostmanship.  For me, this happened twice in the last few weeks when I interviewed Tamy Tiongson,  hospitality and restaurant expert who uses cooking and baking as a way to express her creativity.

During this episode, Tamy shares her journey from culinary school to working in the hospitality industry and restaurants. For years she baked as a stress release.  When the pandemic hit, she refocused her energy to open her bakeshop, Tamarella’s Kitchen.

Tamy delighted me a second time by sending a basket of goodies from Tamarella’s Kitchen while I was editing this episode!  Let us mark this as the first time that I’ve had to rewrite an intro!

Enjoy my time with Tamy! And Don’t forget to check out Tamarella’s Kitchen.

Get to know Tamy Tiongson Tosca better

https://www.instagram.com/terribletamy/

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

We know that branding is a way to use symbols, colors, shapes, and words to create a deliberate association between a company’s or a product’s promise.

When creatives present their work we are expected to go beyond just presenting the work. We must also share what we stand for and use the personal to communicate our offerings to help us stand out in the crowd.

In my conversation with Darnell Scott a visual brand manager at Apostrophe Reps, we discuss the subtitles of how creatives can craft a visual brand to create an instant association with our work.

Darnell shares some key tips on how to present yourself and your work in such a way to help you stand out.

Darnell shares information on the best way to show your work online, the best programs to use to create your promos, and how to organize your archive.

Enjoy the show and I’ll check you later.

Get to know Darnell Scott better:

Apostrophe Reps: https://www.apostrophereps.com/

https://www.instagram.com/_darnellscott_/

Favorite place for camping:  Big Sur, Gallatin National Forest

Harriman State Park: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/145/details.aspx

Book:  The Artist’s Way:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-artists-way-julia-cameron/1123638709?ean=9780143129257

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

When was the last time you had a conversation with someone who delighted you?

Where chatting with that person is like going on a walk in a new neighborhood where with every turn, you discover something new.

My conversation with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographer Essdras M Suarez, felt like such a walk.

Essdras shares stories of how he first stumbled on photography and the journey he went on to develop his eye and his skill as a visual storyteller.

During our conversation, Essdras takes us to Panama, to the jungles of Central America, to Florida, and the Middle East!

Essdras also goes on to share tips that any artist, whether you’re a fine artist, you work with mixed materials, there’s something in this episode for you.

Learn more about Essdras:

essdras.com

https://www.instagram.com/essdrasmsuarez/

Vis Yoga: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4d07NhzHOg9VuYW82vdkdA/videos

Portfolio Review:

https://essdras.teachable.com/p/portfolio-reviews

Photo Mechanic: https://home.camerabits.com/

Catch up with your host, Martine Séverin

www.martineseverin.com

Today’s episode of This is How We Create features yours truly, Martine Séverin.

I am so pleased to share with you an interview in which Sony Artisan Tony Gale invited me to his podcast Sony Alpha Photographers Podcast.

Tony and I talk about my work as a photographer, to share what’s in my bag and the tools I use to create stories. During my talk with Tony, I’ll share more information about how my experience with the program. Tony also asks me some questions about dream assignments, so you’ll have to take a listen to know more!

Last year, I was welcomed to join the Sony family as a Sony Alpha Female. The Sony Alpha Female supports the growth of under-represented voices in photography, videography, and filmmaking, and provide a platform.

You will have 12 opportunities to win, with the final opportunity ending on February 15, 2021. Check out the link below for more information on the Sony Alpha Female program.

Tony Gale https://www.tonygale.com/index/G0000H.m9wKKQIJI

Sony Alpha Photographers Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sony-alpha-photographers/id1504933102

Sony Alpha Female https://alphauniverse.com/alpha-female/

Stay connected with Martine Séverin:

https://martineseverin.com/

https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/

Today we're changing things up a bit. I've invited my best friend, sister and my PIC aka Partner In Crime, Jenny Severin to the This is How We Create Podcast.

Jenny and I are will chat about the art of travel and the art of escape.

Jennys has been traveling since the age o 8 and has been to over 40 countries to date. With friends, with family but mostly by herself.

I thought it would be cool to hear about her fave places and about unexpected corners of the world we can consider when we are no longer in the clutches of a pandemic.

Scotts Cheap Flights: https://scottscheapflights.com/

SkyScanner: https://www.skyscanner.com/

Girls Gone International: https://www.girlgoneinternational.com/

Tripit: https://www.tripit.com/

Stay connected with Martine Séverin:

https://martineseverin.com/

https://www.instagram.com/martine.sev...

This is How We Create has been edited by the lovely Casandra Voltolina