Podcasts about creative strategies

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Dr. David O. Fakunle II!About Dr. David O. Fakunle II: Dr. David Fakunle II is a Baltimore native, academic, and self-described mercenary for change and celestial body for change who has spent 25 years using art and storytelling for liberation. He is an assistant professor at Morgan State University in the School of Community Health and Policy and associate faculty at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He serves as director of the TEACH Division (Transforming Equity through Arts, Culture and Health) at the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, working intentionally at the intersection of arts, culture, and health.We talk about his evolution as a mercenary and celestial body for change, his role in developing the Urban Cipher game (originally called the Game of Appreciation) during his postdoc at Morgan State University —a Monopoly-style game that models how inequities are built into systems. He discusses his contribution to the paper "Life as We Tell It: A Revolution Through Narratives and Creative Expression," which explores narrative as a determinant of health, and his framework for understanding data: stories are qualitative data that answer "how" and "why," while quantitative data answers "who, what, where, when."Fakunle shares insights from his recent work at the National Academy of Medicine in DC on a national initiative to build trust between communities and health science. He reflects on teaching his 16-person qualitative research class and helping students understand that AI cannot replicate context—only humans can bring meaning and circumstances to statistics. He introduces his concept of the "existential determinants of health"—five universal virtues all humans want: to be acknowledged, appreciated, respected, understood, and loved. He emphasizes the need to embrace stories, not just tolerate them, because "in the stories are your answers," and discusses how storytellers preserve and uplift context in ways that institutions and policy makers need to understand.We also talk about what this work has taught him, the importance of time as the greatest teacher, showing up in person, trusting others to tell his story, and why physical presence still matters in an increasingly digital world.Photo courtesy of subject.  The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Amir Browder and Maxwell Young!About the guests: Amir Browder is the curator, creative director, and founder of Homme Gallery in DC. Maxwell Young is the founder of the Art Shopping Network, a writer, and works on projects that socialize art buying and support living artists, nonprofit institutions, and galleries.We talk about Acquired Taste and what it does: a catalog and platform that socializes art buying through Polaroids from the host's personal archive, prints, editorial interviews and essays, and curated first‑access opportunities that prioritize context and history over speculation. Acquired Taste also runs a virtual component — online catalog materials, digital/3D renderings, and remote programming that operate alongside in‑person activations. Browder and Young explain how conversational, low‑barrier events help people connect with artists as humans, not just names on a wall.They compare running physical programming with online initiatives. Young stresses repurposing existing tools and trying imperfect, practical approaches instead of waiting for something polished; Browder centers collaboration and working together toward shared goals. The roster features alumni from The Truth In This Art, including Xenia Gray, Maurice James, and Esteban Whiteside. They discuss how Acquired Taste and the Art Shopping Network aim to support living artists, artist‑run spaces, and nonprofit institutions, and how local markets and gatherings can strengthen the broader art ecosystem.We also talk about why in‑person gatherings matter and how to make room for artists whose work challenges and expands community conversation.Acquired Taste is a two‑day live auction and exhibition presented by @artshoppingnetwork, arriving at @HOMMEDC on May 29–30. Free RSVP! Join us in DC or tune in live at artshoppingnetwork.com.Photo courtesy of subject. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Ted speaks with Greg Forest, Director of Luxury Sales at Serhant, about his journey from professional golf to building a successful real estate career in Palm Beach. He shares how the discipline, preparation, and competitive mindset developed in sports have shaped his approach to business, emphasizing consistency, teamwork, and a genuine love for the process as key drivers of long-term success. The conversation also explores what it takes to win in competitive markets, including creative deal-making, strategic negotiation, and staying focused while avoiding complacency. Greg offers insight into the Palm Beach luxury real estate boom and shares his perspective on where the market is headed, highlighting how agents can position themselves to succeed in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment. TOPICS DISCUSSED 01:10 The Journey from Golf to Real Estate 05:30 The Importance of Preparation and Teamwork 10:00 Creative Strategies in Competitive Markets 12:15 Lessons from Successful People 16:45 Avoiding Complacency and Staying Focused 20:00 Finding Motivation and Accountability 22:35 The Palm Beach Real Estate Boom 26:15 The Luxury Market Dynamics 31:30 Future of Real Estate in Palm Beach CONNECT WITH GUEST Greg Forest Website LinkedIn Instagram KEY QUOTES FROM EPISODE "Small wins every day build big success." "Serve your clients first, then earn." "Creativity can help you win tough deals."

This episode is sponsored by Brook Shepard and Mason Interactive.Welcome to another episode of Mojo: The Meaning of Life and Business. Today, Jennifer Glass sits down with Brook Shepard, founder and CEO of Mason Interactive, a leading digital marketing agency renowned for blending data, design, and strategy to drive stellar results. With over a decade of experience, Brook Shepard shares his journey—from his early days in art and an uninspiring stint on Wall Street, through the challenges of building and redefining his role in the agency world, to leading a team that helps businesses stand out in crowded, commoditized markets.In this conversation, you'll hear candid insights about the real drivers behind effective marketing today, why creative strategy matters more than ever, and how understanding the value of new customers can make or break your growth. Jennifer Glass and Brook Shepard also explore how major shifts in technology and AI are reshaping the marketing landscape, what business owners should prioritize to sustain success, and how true differentiation comes from emphasizing value and benefits over price and features.Whether you're just launching a business or looking to scale, this episode is packed with strategic takeaways to help you navigate an ever-changing market and build stability for the long term.About my guest: Brook Shepard is the founder and CEO of Mason Interactive, a premier digital marketing agency known for delivering exceptional results through a blend of data, design, and strategy. With over a decade of experience, Mr. Shepard has established himself as a trusted thought leader, guiding clients in diverse sectors from e-commerce to healthcare. His expertise lies in crafting bespoke marketing strategies that drive sustainable growth and a strong ROI. Connect with Brook on the web at http://masoninteractive.com/Keywords: SWOT analysis, business growth, marketing opportunities, threats in business, digital marketing agency, data-driven marketing, marketing strategy, sustainable growth, return on investment, creative marketing, performance marketing, Google account management, AI in marketing, commoditization of marketing, client acquisition, new customers, return on ad spend (ROAS), customer retention, value-based selling, features vs benefits, video marketing, Google search changes, AI snapshots, top of funnel advertising, bottom of funnel marketing, customer lifetime value, attribution solutions, brand differentiation, budget allocation, blended marketing metrics, small business marketing

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Sarah B. McCann!About Sarah B. McCann: Sarah is an artist, curator, and founder of SBM Gallery in Baltimore's Highlandtown Arts District. Her text-based mosaics, prints, and multimedia work has been shown nationally. She spent 15 years curating exhibitions nomadically before opening her own space this year.We talk about launching SBM Gallery and what it means to her to support artists working with love and justice—artists using their work to push for change and move us closer to where we could be. She walks through the gallery's programming: an Artists in Conversation speaker series, collector coffees, and events around Highlandtown's First Friday Art Walks. Sarah also shares how she builds real community among her artists—she hosts dinners before group shows so people actually connect as humans, not just as names hanging on the same walls.Sarah talks about shifting from nomadic curating to having her own space. She remembers unwrapping the first painting during COVID in 2021—the color, texture, and smell of that moment reminded her why we still need to show up in person. We get into how running an independent gallery lets her support artists who might not get institutional backing, upcoming shows like "All My Errors Are Human" about making mistakes in an AI world, and her own return to painting and clay after years of focusing on everyone else's work.We also talk about what it takes to build an art space with intention, why physical gatherings still matter, and how to make room for artists whose work pushes us to be better.Visit sbmgallery.com to explore the full exhibition lineup and programming through July.Photo courtesy of subject. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

A year after Veo 3 changed the video world, what's actually happened? In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Guy Bauer breaks down where AI video stands today - from rapidly improving quality to why AI performances still feel strangely “non-human.” Guy shares his thoughts on: Why AI video is becoming its own category of animation Why great ideas are still the hardest part Why the novelty phase is already over Why taste and storytelling matter more than ever The tools got better. The real question is: does anyone have something worth saying?

What if modern marketing's biggest problem isn't bad targeting… but safe creativity?In this PostPod episode of The Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros unpack their conversation with advertising legend Terry O'Reilly, and explore what today's marketers may have lost in the pursuit of optimization, dashboards, and defensible decisions.From pink flamingos and whistling beer campaigns to distinctive brand assets and the death of creative risk-taking, this conversation dives into why some of the most memorable advertising ideas in history would likely never survive a modern approval process.The discussion explores:Why breakthrough creative often sounds irrational before it worksHow organizations optimize for career safety instead of originalityThe danger of over-standardized digital advertisingWhy distinctive assets like jingles, mascots, and sonic branding still matterHow dashboards and optimization loops may be creating a “sea of sameness”Why great creative requires surprise, emotion, and a little discomfortThe tension between data, instinct, and long-term brand buildingHow AI may unintentionally push marketing even further toward the middleMarc and V also reflect on Terry's thoughts around agency relationships, creativity as a business multiplier, and the importance of giving agencies enough room to create work that actually gets remembered.Because maybe the future advantage in marketing won't belong to the brands with the best targeting…Maybe it'll belong to the brands brave enough to still be interesting.TakeawaysProduction quality can elevate a podcast's impact.Creative strategies should push boundaries to achieve greatness.Breakthrough ideas often seem irrational at first.Risk-taking is essential for memorable marketing campaigns.Digital platforms can dilute creativity with standardization.Feedback on creative work lacks structured metrics.Distinctive brand assets are declining in modern marketing.Data should complement, not replace, creative instincts.Surprise elements in campaigns capture audience attention.Career risk often stifles creative innovation.Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Podcast Production Insights03:00 - Creative Strategy and Agency Collaboration06:01 - The Importance of Breakthrough Ideas08:52 - Risk in Modern Marketing11:59 - The Role of Digital Platforms in Creativity15:13 - The Language of Creative Feedback17:56 Distinctive Brand Assets and Their Decline20:47 The Balance of Data and Creativity24:00 Conclusion and Reflections on the Conversation

Let's get real about video content, the power of imperfection, and the importance of being different and unique. In this episode Jackie emphasizes the embrace of creativity and authenticity in advertising and content creation.TakeawaysAuthenticity drives engagementImperfection resonates with audiencesChapters00:00 The Ugly Ad Controversy06:11 Authenticity in Content Creation12:16 Being Different and Unique

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, I sit down with Sam Furnish—founder of Bemo's Clothing and the guy behind Baltimore's "born in Baltimore" premium civvies movement.About Sam Furnish: Sam launched Bemo's Clothing in 2025 after years in the outdoor industry learning product development and manufacturing. The brand name comes from his father's childhood nickname—"Bemo"—given by Sam's grandpa in 1950s Midwest America alongside nicknames like "Peavy" and "Muley." When Sam moved to Baltimore and locals said "B-more," it sounded just like his dad's name. Bemo's Clothing is his homage to both the man and the city that raised him.We talk about that origin story and why it matters—how family legacy and Baltimore identity aren't just branding, they're the foundation of everything he makes. Sam's creating what he calls "premium civvies" and "born in Baltimore" pieces: clothing that reminds you of that perfect shirt or jacket you found in your parents' attic that suddenly became your go-to. Vintage-inspired but made with modern materials and finishes.We get into his design philosophy: he'd rather make a few story-driven pieces than chase endless inventory. We discuss the realities of sourcing and manufacturing as an independent brand, how he's building community through collaborations with BMore Flea and Broadway Market, and why his clothing is meant to spark conversations and serve as wearable representations of Baltimore itself.We also dig into what it means to build a brand with intention in an industry obsessed with scale and constant drops, how he thinks about creating pieces meant to last generations, and why quality and meaning trump volume.Sam's mission: make clothing that carries real stories, celebrate what makes Baltimore unique, and build a brand that brings people together—not just fills closets.Follow along at https://www.instagram.com/bemosclothing/ or check out https://bemosclothing.com/.Listeners can use code THETRUTHINITSART for 30% off. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Kelly Leonard, Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development at The Second City and host of the “Getting to Yes, And…” podcast, joins John Williams to talk about his recent journey with open heart surgery. Kelly also talks about a podcast he recorded with an education expert from England, Daisy Christodoulou, about their new book […]

Kelly Leonard, Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development at The Second City and host of the “Getting to Yes, And…” podcast, joins John Williams to talk about his recent journey with open heart surgery. Kelly also talks about a podcast he recorded with an education expert from England, Daisy Christodoulou, about their new book […]

Kelly Leonard, Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development at The Second City and host of the “Getting to Yes, And…” podcast, joins John Williams to talk about his recent journey with open heart surgery. Kelly also talks about a podcast he recorded with an education expert from England, Daisy Christodoulou, about their new book […]

In this episode, Josh shows Dylan how he's been using AI to iterate on Meta ad creatives using Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. If you're running Meta ads and you're stuck on what to launch next to improve your ad performance - this podcast will show you how to take your existing winning ad creatives and come up with new, diverse creative angles to hit new audiences. This is something new that Josh has been working on and previewing to our clients - and we are now showing it to you so you can improve your Meta ad creative. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-► Visit Our Website For Training and Resources► Leave Us An Honest Rating, Email An Image Of Your Rating To team@theecommercealley.com, We'll Send You A $10 Amazon Gift Card As An Appreciation Gift!► Learn About Our Mentorship Program For Ecom Brands Making Over $10k/month► Checkout Our Software, Breezeway - Never Second-Guess Your Meta Ads Again►  Follow Josh on social media: YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | 

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In this episode of The Truth In This Art, Rachel Mijares-Fick returns to the program.About: Rachel Mijares-Fick is the co-founder of Future Fair, an art fair in New York. She co-founded it in 2020 during the pandemic with Rebeca Laliberte. Future Fair is a trade show where art galleries, artist collectives, and independent curators from all over the world come and set up exhibitions. The fair focuses on emerging and under-recognized voices in the art world. Future Fair has launched careers of artists and art dealers over six years and is a fabric of the New York art world.The conversation covers the fair's sixth edition at Chelsea Industrial, a ground floor venue on the corner of 28th and 11th in Chelsea, New York City. Exhibitors include Wondering People (London, UK), under the pale blue (Ridgewood, NY), and Wishbone Gallery (Montreal, Canada). Mijares-Fick discusses Future Talks, a new conversations program supported by ArtLogic, a business management platform for galleries, artists, and collectors. Future Talks features rising thought leaders in the art world—artists, collectors, curators, dealers, and funders—having conversations about topics like "The Future Economy of the Artist Studio," which examines how artists are sustaining their practices today as traditional models of patronage, institutional support, and market driven income continue to shift.The discussion also touches on the physicality of art and why people want to see the hand that painted a piece or feel the physicality of objects that artists create. There's the magic that happens when people are physically in space together at art exhibitions. Future Fair creates a warm, welcoming, and open environment with intentionality, intimacy, and accessibility that makes the contemporary art experience conversational.Future Fair runs May 13-16, 2026 (Wednesday through Saturday) at Chelsea Industrial, corner of 28th and 11th in Chelsea — FutureFairs.com---If you're in New York this May, check out Future Fair, the forward-thinking contemporary art fair returning to Chelsea for its sixth edition, May 13 to 16, 2026. This year's fair brings together 68 exhibitors from around the world, with a strong focus on curatorial vision, emerging and under-recognized voices, and a community-driven approach. The Truth in This Art listeners can get 30% off tickets with the code TITA2026 at futurefairs.com.  The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Today's show features: - Cole Short, Head of Content & Creative Strategy at Car Dealership Guy - Jay Law, Head of Partnerships at Car Dealership Guy - Yossi Levi, Chief Car Guy at Car Dealership Guy This episode is brought to you by: Podium – the AI platform trusted by one in three dealerships. Podium helps dealers consolidate sales, service, messaging, and voice into one connected system that actually runs the work. If your AI isn't driving real outcomes, it's time to take a closer look at https://www.podium.com/car-dealership-guy Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff: CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/ CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ ⁠https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership⁠ Instagram ➤ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/⁠ TikTok ➤ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership⁠ LinkedIn ➤⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/⁠ Threads ➤ ⁠https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy⁠ Facebook ➤⁠ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683⁠ Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com

Are things feeling tighter in your business right now… or like they're about to? In this honest, unscripted conversation, I sit down with Tad Hargrave to talk about what's actually working as we head into uncertain economic times — not theory, not hype, but real-world strategy for coaches, creators, teachers, and entrepreneurs who want to stay in the game. We cover what happens when money tightens, why most businesses struggle before a downturn even hits, and the practical shifts you can make right now to stabilize, grow, and serve in a way that people truly need. This is not fear-based marketing. This is a grounded, strategic conversation about how to adapt, simplify, and move forward with clarity. If you're a coach, course creator, healer, educator, or purpose-driven entrepreneur… this one matters.

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Omri D. Cohen!Who is Omri D. Cohen: Author of Questions to Humanity — a collection born from five months backpacking South America — Omri has spent six years asking one question to 700 people across 50+ nationalities, documenting stories and street/landscape photography that reached millions.Omri D. Cohen talks about his journey leaving home to backpack South America, the process of gathering perspectives for his book Questions to Humanity, building a video series from those encounters, and how storytelling and photography can foster curiosity and connection across cultures. We also dig into the logistics of long-form travel projects, publishing the book, and bringing strangers' wisdom into public conversation.His aim throughout: to inspire curiosity, celebrate diverse voices, and create moments of belonging through questions and stories.For updates, follow https://www.instagram.com/qtohumanity/ and check out QuestionsToHumanity.com. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Most marketers think they have a creative problem. They don't. They have a clarity problem. In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Guy talks about why clarity is the single most important - and most overlooked - ingredient in effective video ads. Borrowing from Dave Ramsey (“to be unclear is to be unkind”) and filmmaker Errol Morris (“subtlety is for amateurs”), Guy breaks down why confusing ads fail… and why clarity isn't something you can fix in post - it has to be baked in from the very beginning. If your audience is only giving you half their attention (and they are), your job isn't to be clever. It's to be understood. Clear visuals. Clear concepts. Clear dialogue. Or don't bother.

On this episode of Inside Content, Eva De Mora, Analyst at 3vision, is joined by Candace Mizga, co-founder, executive producer and actor, and Calvin Singh, chief operatingofficer and founding partner at Chera TV - a vertical streaming platform focused on premium micro dramas. They unpack what micro dramas really are, and why Candaceand Calvin believe the next evolution of vertical storytelling needs to be quality-driven, not volume-driven.Stay in the content world loop

In this episode of Commerce Untold, Eitan Koter sits down with Pamela Wagner, Founder and CEO of Ajala Digital, a Google Partner agency that has helped thousands of businesses grow through paid advertising.They get into a real conversation about what is actually working in ads today and what is not.Pamela explains why many brands struggle when they try to scale too fast. Small changes in budget can make a big difference, and constant adjustments can hurt performance more than help it.They also talk about why ads alone are not enough anymore. People need to see a brand multiple times before they trust it. That could be through content, reviews, or videos across different platformsThe conversation also covers the difference between Google and Meta, how each one fits into the customer journey, and why understanding that matters.They touch on attribution as well. Sometimes the simplest way to understand what works is not another tool, but asking customers directly or even turning a channel off to see what happens.It is a straightforward conversation that helps make sense of what to fix first before spending more.Website: https://www.vimmi.net Email us: info@vimmi.net Podcast website: https://vimmi.net/mastering-ecommerce-marketing/ Talk to us on Social:Eitan Koter's LinkedIn | Vimmi LinkedIn | YouTube Guest: Pamela Wagner, Founder/CEO at Ajala DigitalPamela Wagner's LinkedIn | Ajala DigitalWatch the full Youtube video here:https://youtu.be/G5uqVPTLS7wTakeaways:Algorithm changes and AI impact on ad platformsStrategies for scaling paid campaigns effectivelyThe role of organic marketing in paid ad successChapters:00:00 Introduction to Agila Digital and Pamela Wagner01:21 The Evolution of Advertising Strategies03:28 Balancing Budget and Scaling in Advertising06:09 The Importance of Organic Growth07:44 Building Trust Through Multi-Platform Engagement09:29 Meta vs. Google: Understanding Platform Differences11:41 Navigating Policy Violations in Advertising15:18 Exploring New Advertising Channels18:49 The Role of YouTube in Marketing Strategies21:19 Attribution Challenges in Advertising23:52 Testing and Experimentation in Campaigns25:30 Pamela's Journey with Agila Digital28:04 Creative Strategies in Advertising29:06 Final Thoughts and Advice

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Alex Jennings!Who is Alex Jennings: Author, poet, and former standup comedian who lived in New Orleans for nearly 20 years—now working on his second novel from Chicago. You might remember Alex from my New Orleans series where we discussed his book, The Ballad of Perilous Graves, here. In our conversation, Jennings talks through his new book Dead End Boys—set in an alternate New Orleans where communicating with the dead is the main industry. He connects the project to comedy and digs into how moving from Louisiana to Chicago reshaped his rhythm. As he puts it, the book is "a chance to say something about blackness, about the pandemic and about the creep of fascism."He recalls discovering Henry Dumas and heading back to New Orleans for the Tolodano Comedy Festival. We get into living in one place longer than anywhere else, balancing graduate degrees with novel writing, and how that shift shaped his voice.Be sure to follow Alex Jennings to keep up with his work and future projects.Photo courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Chris Miles reveals how shifting from saving to cash flow can unlock true financial freedom and help anyone escape the cycle of working for money and start making money work for them.See article: https://www.unitedstatesrealestateinvestor.com/broke-millionaire-transformation-into-work-optional-freedom-with-chris-miles/(00:00) - Introduction to The REI Agent Podcast and Guest Overview(01:15) - Chris Miles Shares His Background as a Financial Advisor(03:00) - The Defining Moment That Broke Trust in Traditional Financial Advice(05:30) - His Father's Financial Reality Sparks a Wake-Up Call(08:00) - Discovering Real Estate Through a Contrasting Perspective(10:30) - The Mindset Shift from Saving to Cashflow Creation(13:00) - Early Real Estate Experiments and Creative Strategies(15:30) - Achieving Financial Independence Before Age 30(18:00) - The 2008 Crash and Losing Everything(20:30) - Rebuilding from Debt and Creating a New Business Model(23:00) - Lessons from Financial Collapse and Finding Opportunity(25:30) - Passive vs Active Investing Explained for Agents(28:00) - Why Turning Your Brain Off Financially Is Dangerous(30:30) - Exploring Hands-Off Real Estate Investment Options(32:30) - Alternative Investments Beyond Traditional Real Estate(34:30) - Acceleration vs Accumulation Wealth Philosophy(36:00) - The Work Optional Blueprint Framework Explained(37:30) - Final Advice on Value Creation and Wealth Building(38:45) - Book Recommendations and Where to Find Chris Miles(39:15) - Closing Remarks and Podcast OutroContact Chris Mileshttps://moneyripples.com/https://www.facebook.com/chris.miles9177/https://www.instagram.com/chriscmiles/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscmiles/https://www.youtube.com/@moneyrippleswithchrismiles If you are tired of waiting decades for financial freedom and wondering if there is a faster way, this episode with Chris Miles will challenge everything you believe about money and show you a better path forward. Visit https://reiagent.comIs success destroying your peace? Most pros grind until they break. Download The Investor's Life Balance Sheet: A Holistic Wealth Audit to see if you are building a legacy or heading for burnout. Presented by The REI Agent Podcast & United States Real Estate Investor® https://sendfox.com/lp/m4jrl

In this episode, Real estate expert Eddie Raymond shares his 22-year journey in the industry, emphasizing the importance of diversification, continuous education, and strong relationships. Discover how he navigated market shifts, built a successful business, and the key strategies for thriving in real estate today.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Barry Wright III!Who is Barry Wright III: Baltimore-based improviser, teacher, technology professional, and co-founder (and current board president) of Highwire Improv, launched in 2020. You might remember Barry from his first appearance on The Truth In The Art here.In our conversation, Wright talks about Highwire's origin during the 2020 lockdown, building an improv community in Highlandtown, and making improv financially accessible and sustainable. As he puts it, improv "can be done with absolutely no materials. You truly only need other human beings and space. Chairs are optional."He recalls launching 55 teams from across the world and running shows seven nights a week, all online. We dig into experimenting with programming like dinner-and-a-show, drop-in nights, worker-owned cooperative values, and how collaboration and feedback shape the evolving theater—all rooted in creating inclusive, community-driven arts programming that supports practitioners and connects audiences.For updates, visit https://highwireimprov.com/  Shows at Highwire Improv, 400 South Conklin Street, Baltimore.Photo courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Eitan Koter is joined by Matt Raminick, Founder and CEO of Sunnyside, to talk about what's really going on behind performance marketing numbers.They start with a simple idea, strong ROAS doesn't always mean a healthy business. Matt explains how brands often rely too much on platform data without connecting it back to real revenue and costs.The conversation moves into what to focus on instead, like profitability at the order level, total marketing efficiency, and how to think about acquiring new customers the right way.They also cover a common mistake, pushing too hard for growth without checking if the spend actually makes sense. Matt shares how brands can reset and build a more stable approach.Towards the end, they talk about how much creative is needed today, how fast things move on Meta, and why keeping things simple with tools and data still works best.Website: https://www.vimmi.net Email us: info@vimmi.net Podcast website: https://vimmi.net/mastering-ecommerce-marketing/ Talk to us on Social:Eitan Koter's LinkedIn | Vimmi LinkedIn | YouTube Guest: Matt Raminick, Founder & CEO at SunnysideMatt Raminick's LinkedIn | SunnysideTakeaways:Performance marketing metrics that matterThe importance of diversification in marketing channelsBuilding sustainable and profitable brandsChapters:00:00 Introduction to Sunnyside and Its Unique Approach02:26 Understanding ROAS and Profitability Metrics05:15 The Importance of Customer Acquisition Costs07:49 Net Contribution Margins and Their Impact10:35 Transitioning from Brand to Agency13:33 Creative Strategies in Performance Marketing16:25 Balancing Growth and Profitability18:44 Diversification in Marketing Channels21:28 Tools and Technology for Performance Marketing24:15 Ideal Customer Profile for Sunnyside26:54 Creative Production and AI in Marketing28:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Guy Bauer breaks down four major B2B video trends shaping 2026, and what they actually mean for marketers trying to stand out. From the rise of AI-written scripts (and why they're making everything feel painfully average) to the explosion of Apple-style product launch videos, Guy unpacks how sameness is creeping back into B2B, and how you can use that to your advantage. He also dives into why vertical video is no longer optional and why every company is rapidly becoming a media company, whether they like it or not. Finally, he tackles a surprising shift: creativity in B2B has officially gone mainstream. That's the good news. The bad news? You can't win just by being “different” anymore. If you're trying to punch above your weight, capture attention, and avoid blending into a sea of safe, forgettable content—this episode is your playbook.

Most B2B marketing teams are sprinting to adopt AI and landing in exactly the same place they started — more content, same forgettable results. The problem isn't the tools. It's that nobody stopped to ask what actually needed to change before reaching for them.In this episode, we sit down with Asher Rumack — Column Five's VP of Creative Strategy — who has spent the last year dismantling the idea that AI is a shortcut and rebuilding it as a craft. Asher makes the case that creative, strategy, and marketing have never been three different jobs, and that the agencies still pretending otherwise are going to feel it. He also breaks down why AI search is the most underpriced channel in B2B right now — and why most brands are showing up in it completely wrong.We also cover:Why 'catching up with AI' is a trap — and the mindset shift that actually makes the tools usefulThe specific reason your LLM search presence is probably lying to your buyers right now (and the low-effort fix)Why the wild idea in the pitch deck is about to become the default — and what that means for how agencies price creative risk

For many creative podcasters, the pressure to stay consistent often leads to a lack of inspiration, making your show feel more like a chore than a creative outlet. I In this episode, Alesia Galati sits down with Kevin Chung, host of the Standout Creative podcast, for a conversation on unconventional growth strategies. We explore how to leverage Substack for authors and creatives, why improv techniques can transform your interview style, and how to use live video to break the digital fourth wall and foster a true sense of community. This week, episode 277 of Podcasting Unlocked is about creative strategies for standout podcasting! Kevin Chung is a creative entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in digital marketing, web design, and business strategy. He helps authors and other creators decide what to finish and how to bring their ideas into the world in a way that actually works for their lives. Kevin also hosts The Standout Creatives Podcast.In this episode of Podcasting Unlocked, Kevin Chung is sharing the importance of having interesting conversations with creative people to explore their unique approaches and actionable steps you can take right now to try some unique strategies for your podcast. Kevin and I  also chat about the following: Expand Your Reach with Substack: Discover how to utilize Substack as a powerful offshoot for your podcast. Learn why this platform is ideal for engaging specific niches, like authors, through long-form content that complements your audio episodes.Implement the "Improv Mindset": Learn how to use improv and live video to create a more dynamic and authentic listener experience. By embracing the unexpected, you can build immediate trust and higher audience engagement.Master Strategic Guest Referrals: Move beyond cold pitching. Kevin shares how he builds a consistent stream of high-quality, inspiring guests by nurturing relationships and leveraging guest referrals within his creative network.Creative Content Repurposing: Stop just posting clips. Explore how to rethink your content repurposing strategy to highlight the most "standout" moments that resonate emotionally with your specific community.This week, I challenge you to try one outside the box engagement tactic—whether it's starting a Substack thread or hosting a short live video Q&A—to invite your listeners into a more personal conversation.Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips on turning your podcast listeners into leads and to hear even more about the points outlined above. Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don't forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about Podcasting Unlocked at https://galatimedia.com/podcasting-unlocked/ CONNECT WITH KEVIN CHUNG:SubstackInstagramPodcastCarl Rosa on the Sushi Club of Houston, Trips to Japan, and Doing What You LoveCONNECT WITH ALESIA GALATI:InstagramLinkedInFree Download: 15 Ways to Improve Your Podcast Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Cecilia M. McCormick!Who is Cecilia M. McCormick: President of MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) with 33 years in higher education, an art collector who raised three sons now working in the creative field.In our conversation, McCormick talks through MICA's bicentennial year and the vision she's building as the school hits 200. She connects the programming to three themes—illumination, innovation, and entrepreneurship—and digs into new degrees shaped by workforce demand. As she puts it, creativity is "the commodity that cannot be automated, outsourced, or depleted."She recalls the "Set of Lights" event where students recreated colonial life through costume—everything from lanterns to candlelight soldiers. We get into AI's role in the classroom, how MICA is teaching students to use it as a tool while emphasizing "the human mark," and the best lesson she's learned: "know when to pivot." Looking ahead, her focus is on experiential learning and driving Baltimore's creative economy.Be sure to follow Cecilia M. McCormick and MICA to keep up with bicentennial programming and future projects. Join MICA in Celebrating 200 Years of Creative ImpactPhoto courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

What does it take to run Marketing for multiple global brands at once without losing creativity or performance? Daniel sits down with Natalie Wills, SVP of Marketing & Creative at Expedia Group, to break down how she leads Marketing across Hotels.com, Expedia, and Vrbo…all at the same time. Natalie shares her unconventional path into Marketing (from economics to global brand leadership), and then dives into the real strategy behind Expedia's latest campaigns, including how mascots like “Bellboy” drive memorability in a crowded market and why bringing back nostalgic brand assets can outperform starting from scratch. And, why do most companies still get brand vs. performance Marketing completely wrong? Natalie and Daniel discuss.  If you're scaling a brand, managing multiple products, or trying to balance creativity with performance, this is the episode for you. Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at wrike.com/tmm Follow Natalie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliealisonwills/ Follow Daniel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing/ Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Jess Owens-Young!Who is Jess Owens-Young: Maryland-based collage and mixed media artist and professor who creates work informed by her experiences as a Black woman, mother, and former athlete, using vintage magazines (Ebony, Jet, Essence) to explore the joy and melancholy of Black life in the United States.In our conversation, Owens-Young talks about her transition from semi-pro soccer player to artist in 2018 and her two favorite series: Oak Bluffs Golf Club (exploring Black leisure and the hidden history of golf) and Hoop Dreams Never Die. As she puts it, "I use sports and our everyday experiences as storytelling vehicles to share our stories about joy, hopes and dreams."She recalls creating in her laundry room studio—"If I am waiting for a load of laundry to finish, like it has five more minutes, I might take out some paint and make papers"—preparing materials in 20-minute sessions so she's ready when inspiration strikes. We get into how motherhood has made her practice more focused, how teaching public health feeds her art, why her initials spelling JOY matter now, working with vintage magazines as time capsules, and why she invites viewers to interpret their own stories within her work.For updates, follow @truthofstrength on Instagram and Threads, and visit jessowensyoung.com.Photo courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Lass dich nicht von der FOMO-Welle auf LinkedIn mitreißen. Andromeda ist eine hilfreiche Weiterentwicklung, aber kein magisches Allheilmittel. Konzentriere dich auf starke psychologische Konzepte statt auf KI-Massenware. Willst du dein Meta-Game auf das nächste Level bringen? Besuche uns beim Ads Camp in Köln! Wenn Du über alles aktuelle im Social Ads Kosmos Bescheid wissen möchtest, abonniere gerne unseren Podcast. Hier kriegst Du deinen wöchentlichen Nerds-Input. 🤓 Hier geht es zum [Blog](https://www.dienerds.com/blog), zu unseren [offenen Stellenanzeigen](https://www.dienerds.com/jobs-bei-den-nerds) und zu unserem [Kontaktformular](https://www.dienerds.com/kampagnensteuerung).

If the role of a CMO is to make a brand interesting, why does so much marketing today feel anything but?This week Jim sits down with Nick Law, Creative Strategy & Experience Lead of Accenture Song, the $20 billion creative services division of Accenture, to explore what's gone wrong in modern marketing, and what leaders need to do to fix it. In 2019, Accenture Song (then called Accenture Interactive) purchased the highly awarded and fast-growing creative agency droga 5. Teaser alert: its founder, David Droga, is a big reason Nick is now at Accenture Song. Nick's journey is anything but traditional. He began his career in trade school in Randwick, Australia, before rising through the creative ranks, where he spent 17+ years at R/GA during its most innovative era, a stint at Apple as VP of Marketing Integration, and now helping shape one of the most expansive creative organizations in the world. Today, at Accenture Song, he works across marketing, design, commerce, and customer experience, bringing together systems and storytelling at scale.Tune in for a conversation about creativity, leadership, and the evolving role of marketing in an increasingly complex world, and what it really takes to build brands that people care about.—Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/ccs Promo Code for $150 off ticket prices: CMOPODCCS26—This week's episode is brought to you by IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Chandler Chavez.Who is Chandler Chavez: A Los Angeles–based filmmaker, editor, story analyst, and writer originally from Arizona, drawn to complicated characters and stories that test our empathy—especially when they're filtered through the strange mechanics of online attention.In our conversation, Chandler unpacks his feature debut: a dark-comedy “screenlife” film told entirely through a computer desktop, set inside the “hellscape” of live streaming—where the real-time chat isn't set dressing, it actively drives the story forward. He talks about arriving at the format out of pure practicality (making something possible with very little money), then spending years refining the cut to make the digital world feel specific and true—not “movie internet,” but the kind of online authenticity you recognize immediately.We also get into the long road from early festival submissions with unfinished materials to a stronger re-approach—new poster, press kit, and a tighter final version—leading to the project's selection for the 2026 Maryland Film Festival.Catch Chandler Chavez's feature debut at the Maryland Film Festival, April 8–12, screening at the SNF Parkway Theatre and venues across Baltimore. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Kenny Riches!Who is Kenny Riches: A Miami and Salt Lake City-based filmmaker born in Toyota City, Japan, whose award-winning features explore loneliness, identity, and human connection through intimate, character-driven narratives. With a BFA in Painting and Drawing and a filmography that includes The Strongest Man (Sundance premiere, 2015) and A Name Without A Place (2019), Kenny has received support from Sundance Institute, Knight Foundation, and PBS—and is co-founder of The Davey Foundation, a grant-giving organization for filmmakers.In our conversation, Kenny traces his journey from wanting to make films in the early 2000s when 16mm was still too expensive for a broke college student, to making skateboard videos with camcorders that evolved into short films alongside childhood friend and actor Patrick Fugit. He breaks down how Mouse—his fourth feature screening at Maryland Film Festival April 8–12 at the SNF Parkway Theatre and venues across Baltimore—emerged from pandemic isolation as a meditation on loneliness in the pre-social media early 2000s and a thriller about a lonesome first-generation person in ultra-white, ultra-religious Utah who gets tangled up in pen pal scams and petty theft. Kenny shares the bizarre real-life origin behind the film's scam storyline: a mysterious filmmaker friend he talked to for years without ever seeing his face, whose very existence his girlfriend suspected was an elaborate con—paranoia that bled straight into Mouse. He talks about directing his Japanese mother after convincing her a week before production (his pitch: we'll save money), the difference between Miami's endless weirdness through fresh eyes versus Utah's invisibility after a lifetime there, why he believes 90% of directing is casting, and running relaxed sets where everyone's cracking jokes instead of stressing out. We also dig into why pre-production and script feedback from actual filmmakers—not just your friends—will save your life, the collaborative magic of bringing all your people together to make something, and his advice to forget arbitrary deadlines because nobody cares if you made your first feature at 25.Don't miss Kenny Riches' Mouse regional premiere at Maryland Film Festival—a thriller that's funny, a little thrilling, and quietly cuts to the bone about what it means to look for connection when the world keeps you lonesome. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guests are Ben Baker-Lee and Rasaan Hammond!Who are Ben and Rasaan: Ben Baker-Lee and Rasaan Hammond are Baltimore-born filmmakers and co-directors of A Life in Art through the eye of Dr. Leslie King Hammond. Ben, founder of TrueView Film, has been documenting life through a lens since high school, drawn to film's power to capture truthful emotion and lived experience. Rasaan, who grew up immersed in the art world as the son of Dr. Leslie King Hammond (former dean at MICA), gravitated toward audio-visual storytelling early on, working in production, weddings, music videos, and now documentary film.Ben and Rasaan talk about their early influences—from 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Senator Theater to sci-fi classics like Star Wars and E.T.—and how their filmmaking journeys began with video cameras in hand. We dive into the origins of their documentary: what started as a casual request from Leslie to film one of her students evolved into a years-long portrait of a cultural architect and "way maker" for artists of color. They share stories of Dr. Hammond's warmth, humor, and fierce conviction, the challenges of shaping a lifetime of material into a cohesive narrative, and the intimate family perspective Rasaan brings as her son. The conversation also touches on the film's observational approach, the significance of Joyce J. Scott's relationship with Leslie, and what they hope audiences take away from the film.For updates and screening information, follow @Leslie_King_Hammond on Instagram, visit ALifeInArt.net, and catch the film at the Maryland Film Festival in Baltimore, April 2026, where Joyce J. Scott will present the opening night screening. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, returning guest Esteban Whiteside is back!Who is Esteban Whiteside: A Durham, North Carolina-based artist, Esteban Whiteside creates bold social commentary through what he calls "concrete oppressionism"—work that confronts American cultural absurdities with childlike aesthetics, parody, and irreverent humor. Working across canvas, wood, and sculpture, his art is both therapy and truth-telling, making heavy subjects digestible through wit and visual directness inspired by artists like Jacob Lawrence.Esteban talks about his creative evolution since our last conversation, including his new clock series exploring history and revolutions, and how he balances tackling heavy subject matter with abstract work that lets him breathe. We dive into why he uses humor to shame oppression, the colors that make him happy (brilliant blue, yellow, and emerald green), and how his art reflects his personality—chill in person, but uncompromising when it comes to speaking truth. He shares stories about drawing daily lunchbox notes for his daughter that sparked the clock series, unconventional painting techniques (like writing text upside down or left-handed), and why Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series opened the door for him to become an artist.He reflects on the importance of making art accessible at every price point and staying true to his voice no matter what may come with that.For updates, follow @estebanwhiteside on Instagram and visit estebanwhiteside.com.Revisit Esteban's first interview on The Truth In This Art here. Image courtesy of Esteban Whiteside The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Veronica Jackson!Who is Veronica Jackson: A Washington, D.C.-bred and Virginia-based visual artist whose foundation is rooted in architecture and museum exhibit design. She critically examines the lives of Black women through innovative visual art, exploring themes of invisibility, hypervisibility, and devaluation—bringing powerful narratives to life using familiar objects, archival texts, and data.In our conversation, Veronica traces her late-in-life arrival to visual art—graduating from grad school in 2016 with plans to teach, then attending a Santa Fe residency where "art just started pouring out of me." She breaks down her seminal piece That's Pop's Money, a data portrait memorializing her grandmother's devalued domestic labor through 813 hand-cranked time cards printed in blue ink on black paper—chronicling 72 years of marriage, nine children, and invisible work. Veronica explains how she pulls from established archives like the Library of Congress, Sojourner Truth's carte de visite statement "I Sell the Shadow to Support the Substance," Jefferson's farm book (which listed enslaved workers alongside cattle), and poets like Lucille Clifton ("every day something has tried to kill me and has failed") to tell stories rooted in truth. She discusses her Blacksist series spotlighting 13 understudied Black women from the 1850s, including Anna Julia Cooper—the only woman quoted in every U.S. passport—and reflects on how visual culture shapes perceptions, why Black land ownership matters, and what it means for Black women to mark, claim, and take up space.Don't miss Veronica Jackson's work—her archive-driven, text-based pieces make the invisible visible and challenge how we see history, labor, and value. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the returning guest is Lanise Howard!Who is Lanise Howard: A Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary artist, Lanise Howard creates work centered around a reimagining of different histories, especially within the black experience. She pulls from the past and from the future, which she often sees in her dreams. Working across paintings, drawings, sculpture, and soon textiles, Howard is a world-builder whose portraiture depicts Black bodies and paints often untold stories.Lanise talks about the three bodies of work she's currently developing: her main project, a sci-fi world based in the future but with a story that started in the 1970s; a more personal body of work featuring herself traversing different landscapes; and an ancestral series honoring different ancestors from the past. We dive into her world-building practice, how she merges the "future past" or "past future" to create parallel universes and new dimensions, and her approach of asking which medium best conveys each story she wants to tell.She reflects on recent museum shows—particularly at the California African American Museum in partnership with Art and Practice—where she witnessed diverse audiences getting emotional while viewing her work. Lanise shares details about her Miami solo show, where she experimented with cultural elements like feathers and architectural details. She opens up about becoming more unapologetic in her work, navigating the art world as a Black woman who has to demand respect, and why her work is always uplifting—even when melancholic—to give people hope.For updates, follow @lanise_howard_studio on Instagram and Twitter, and visit lanisehowardart.com.This is Lanise's second appearance on The Truth In This Art—it's been a little over two years since her first episode.  The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Are your Facebook and Instagram ads getting lost in the feed while your competitors keep stealing the clicks? Are you spending time and money tweaking campaign settings when your real problem might be on screen? To discover how to build a Facebook and Instagram ad creative strategy from the ground up—including how to identify the right messages to test, what kinds of creative formats actually perform, and how to tap into Meta's free creator network to generate high-performing ads without doing all the production yourself, I interview Ben Heath.Guest: Ben Heath | Show Notes: socialmediaexaminer.com/711Review our show on Apple PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Ruut!Who is Ruut: A Finnish-born, Maryland-based singer, songwriter, composer, and writer, Ruut is a multidisciplinary artist and creative leader known for her evocative music and dedication to uplifting women artists. She's the founder of the Making Her Mark Foundation, a young nonprofit born from personal loss that connects, mentors, and amplifies women artists in Baltimore and beyond.Ruut talks about discovering music as a child at the piano, moving to the United States as a teen, and the moment creativity became her calling. We dive into how Making Her Mark grew out of honoring a mentor's legacy, the early challenges and surprising community response to a “baby” organization, and stories of mentorship—like helping a hesitant student find her voice and confidence through creative projects. Ruut also shares practical details about her music journey: a new record partnership with ECR Meridian, forthcoming shows, and where she'll be sharing new work this year.She reflects on creative routines (5:30 a.m. writing sessions with her dog as an alarm), the emotional work of returning to past recordings like the Steinway sessions, and what the phrase “art saves us” means to her now—how art can honor memory, foster resilience, and create spaces of belonging.For updates, follow @ruutartist, visit https://www.ruutartist.com, and if you're a woman artist seeking connection and mentorship, check out makinghermark.org.Image courtesy of Steven Parke The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Barbara Perez Marquez!Who is Barbara Perez Marquez: Baltimore-based, Dominican Republic–born writer and creator working in comics and prose, focused on middle grade and young adult readers.Barbara Perez Marquez talks about her path into writing and why she centers younger readers and her own lived experience. She shares insights from The Cardboard Kingdom and previews upcoming projects: The Library of Memories, The Curious Society: A Game of Code, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and To Dance the Moon and Star. We also dig into collaboration, mentorship, and community—how creative peers shape the work and sustain the process.Her aim throughout: representation, strong storytelling, and a sense of belonging for young readers.For updates, visit www.mustachebabs.comPhoto by Jason Gitlin. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Back by Bodacious Demand. Let's Watch It Again is back!Rob Lee and Isaiah Winters revisit the 1991 childhood classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze for its 35th anniversary.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) drops the turtles back into a messy, fun, 90s adventure: reconnecting with April and Splinter, fighting Tokka and Rahzar, and chasing the mysterious ooze that created them.  It's loud, goofy, full of practical effects, puppetry, and pure kid‑movie energy.In this episode, Rob and Isaiah mix straight-up nostalgia with clear-eyed takes. No fluff — just the moments we loved, the parts that aged weirdly, and why this movie still matters to us.Topics include:Pizza PropagandaWhy the sequel went full kid-friendly and how that shapes the filmTokka, Rahzar, and Keno: what works and what doesn'tVanilla Ice's “Go Ninja Go Ninja Go” set piece and the Super Shredder finalePractical effects, puppetry, and 90s slime — what still landsIsaiah's NYC Rat StoryVHS memories, the 35th anniversary screening vibe (Georgetown), and where it fit in 1991 pop cultureRob and Isaiah's favorite scenes and quick takesWanna listen to Rob make another funny? Check out the review of the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles review — give it a listen and relive the nostalgia. Cowabunga. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Juan Morales!Who is Juan Morales: Maryland native, writer and director whose films explore immigration, racism, and community; currently developing the feature Abhaile about a small town overtaken by a white supremacist group.Juan talks about his path from nearly attending medical school to filmmaking, why he wrote Abhaile from the perspective of a Latina protagonist, and the challenges of telling a large story with a small cast. We also dig into research, collaboration, mentorship, and how community shapes and sustains creative work.His aim throughout: to tell timely stories that provoke conversation about belonging, identity, and justice.For updates, follow https://www.instagram.com/j.mor_95/ The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Ethical principles are difficult concepts for students to grasp. In this episode and article, Dr. Valerie Wright discusses an innovative strategy she developed using art as a means to engage students and promote active learning in a leadership course. 

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Jamilla Okubo!Who is Jamilla Okubo: A Washington, D.C.-based multidisciplinary artist whose work spans painting, collage, illustration, and print design. Her work centers the Black silhouette, using pattern, ornament, and saturated color to explore identity, self-possession, and cultural memory—drawing from African textile traditions, fashion, and Black feminist thought.In our conversation, Jamilla traces her journey from Duke Ellington School of the Arts to Parsons, where she initially planned to focus on painting but discovered her multidisciplinary approach after making a dress from magazine paper. She breaks down how she developed her signature use of the Black silhouette—blacking out white models in fashion magazines with Sharpie, then tracing and painting them in bold colors to represent Black people in a positive light. Jamilla talks through the tension between her illustration work and fine art practice, explaining how client deadlines can feel like "being a machine" while her studio work requires patience and time to let ideas fully develop. She shares her creative breakthrough ritual: boxing at the gym followed by steam room sessions where she works through mental blockages. We also dig into community, the importance of trusting your gut ("if it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no"), and what it means to be in this for the long haul—creating meaningful work instead of chasing fleeting fame.Don't miss Jamilla Okubo's work—her bold, layered silhouettes tell stories of identity, heritage, and belonging you won't want to overlook. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Currie Lee!Who is Currie Lee: Filmmaker and artist with a photography background, focused on visual stories about complicated relationships.In our conversation, Currie talks through her short film The Haze—a psychological horror about a toxic relationship. She connects the project to personal moments that pulled her back into making art and digs into choices that shaped the film's edit and camera language. As she puts it, “you're upset and unhappy because you're not the one making the art.”She recalls a Q&A after a screening where she realized she was speaking before she'd decided to—steadying herself by looking to friends in the front row. We get into collaboration and making adjustments when feedback or funding reshapes a plan, and how staying connected keeps the work moving.Be sure to follow Currie Lee to keep up with her films and future projects. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Nicole Clark!Who is Nicole Clark: Chicago-born, Baltimore-based artist and writer. Nicole works across paint, prose, and collage, often pulling from personal paper trails to build layered, funny, and pointed reflections on women's lives.In our conversation, Nicole talks about moving from “Chicago proper” to Baltimore, why she leans on blinders to avoid comparison, and how running her own race keeps the work honest. She walks through mixing mediums—abstract and figurative painting with text and collage—and how revisiting old artifacts lets her thread humor, memory, and critique into a single piece. We also get into the art-and-business overlap: accidental entrepreneurship becoming intentional, and finding voice and community in Baltimore's scene.Explore Nicole's work and writing at https://tilqueendomcome.com/ and on Instagram at @til_queendom_come. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, artist Santos Shelton returns!Who is Santos Shelton: Bay Area–based artist and storyteller. Santos blends science fiction and fantasy with vibrant color and dynamic texture, using his work to explore vulnerability, healing, and lived experience through a lens shaped by being biracial—Black and Mexican.In our conversation, Santos talks about using art to translate personal and societal trauma into visual stories, and how making the work can be a way to express what's hard to say out loud. He reflects on a deeply personal solo show shaped by difficult experiences at home and how those experiences can linger, influencing identity and self-perception. We also discuss his upcoming mini solo show at Gallery Ergo in Seattle, where he's focusing on death and grief after years of family loss—and how cultural context shapes the way he approaches that theme.Catch Santos's previous episode here.Follow Santos on Instagram at @santosart and follow the gallery at @gallery.ergo for updates on the March 13 opening.As a first, I have an extended version of this conversation if you want to check it out:  The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★