Clever

Industrial designer Tom Dixon discovered the transformative power of clay at a young age. Later, after dropping out of art college, he toured with his band and when a motorcycle accident ended his bass playing career, he taught himself to weld. Now his eponymous global design brand specializes in furniture, lighting, accessories and interiors. After 30+ years as a designer, he still fancies himself a rebel, thriving in chaos and experimentation.    Images, links and more from Tom Dixon!   This episode is presented as part of WantedDesign Manhattan Online Conversation Series, presented by Clever and Design Milk. Visit wanteddesignnyc.com/online to view the schedule and register for live talks.   Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk   All past Clever episodes are available here in our archive. (Free, of course!)   If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing u

Legendary art director Giulio Cappellini first fell in love with cars, then studied architecture, and took the family furniture business into the stratosphere with his bold curatorial vision and knack for spotting international talent. His true gifts may lie in his instinctual approach to risk taking, a dedication to longevity over market trends, and his truly familial approach to building relationships. With passion and curiosity for miles, his gaze is eternally optimistically pointed toward the future.   Images, links and more from Giulio Cappellini!   This episode is presented as part of WantedDesign Manhattan Online Conversation Series, presented by Clever and Design Milk. Visit wanteddesignnyc.com/online to view the schedule and register for live talks.    Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk   All past Clever episodes are available here in our archive. (Free, of course!)   If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leavi

This rebroadcast is presented as part of WantedDesign Manhattan Online Conversation Series, presented by Clever and Design Milk. Visit wanteddesignnyc.com/online to view the schedule and register for live talks.  Internationally acclaimed designer Humberto Campana grew up in small-town Brazil and found imaginative freedom in crafts and the local movie theater. During his adolescence it was considered subversive, even dangerous, to become an artist so he decided law school was the best way to get to the big city. He eventually abandoned law in order to “construct his life with his own hands.” A near-death experience led to his first chair design and the formation of an enduring studio partnership with his brother.  Images and more from our guest! We would LOVE for you to fill out our listener survey. Thank you for your input! Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making

Industrial designer Ayse Birsel grew up thinking she’d become a lawyer until a revelation with a teacup enlightened her to the principles and practice of design. Always a playful soul, her essence of playfulness is an important part of her creative process - a process she’s used to design award-winning products as well as to help people design a life and work they love. Now, she shows us an optimistic way to lean into the transformative opportunities that are inherent in these challenging times. Images, links and more from Ayse Birsel! This episode is presented as part of WantedDesign Manhattan Online Conversation Series, presented by Clever and Design Milk. Visit wanteddesignnyc.com/online to view the schedule and register for live talks.  Many thanks to this episode’s partner: Polish Cultural Institute New York - to learn more about Tomek Rygalik, the Circula project and Eco-Solidarity platform head to circula.org and polishculture-nyc.org.  Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @Clever

Interior designer and art consultant Elena Frampton grew up in Southern California drawing floor plans and going to open houses. Sensitive and introverted as a child, her rebellious adolescence belied her unwillingness to conform to others’ expectations and may or may not have involved a stolen convertible. Now, as a professional interior designer and art advisor she operates as a sort of conduit between both worlds, creating aspirational spaces and placing art within them. Just don’t box her in!  Images, links and more from Elena Frampton! WantedDesign Manhattan Online Conversation SeriesPresented with Design Milk + CleverVisit http://www.wanteddesignnyc.com/online to see the schedule, get updates and register for events. Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors: Skillshare - Skillshare's online learning community is offering Clever listeners 2 months of free Premium Membership! Explore new skills, deepen existing passions, and get lost in creativity, with classes from Skillshare. Get

In this special Clever extra we teamed up with Paintzen to talk wall power. Walls are the backdrops of all our spaces. They are in the prime position to set the vibe and ambience of our lives. Paint and wallpaper have the power to transform, brighten, warm, refresh, and personalize a space. Two experts help break down the style and execution of wall treatments, Casey DeBois, Interior Designer and Meghan Stewart, color consultant, with inspiration, trends, how-to and services that will make it easy and fun.   Read the show notes   Many thanks to this episode’s sponsor:   Paintzen - Paintzen is offering remote quoting, an online visualizer color tool & a free swatch program to help you kickstart that paint job you've been putting off. Save 10% using code CLEVER & designers earn 10% on booked projects - sign up at paintzen.com/clever Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk   All past Clever episodes are available here in our archive. (Free, of

Graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister did not care for engineering in high school. He found designing a poster that would communicate a vibe and draw crowds to an event to be way more compelling. After design school, the Austrian native decided that New York is the city that fits him best. With many awards and a big name in his field, he’s now focusing on art, exhibitions and taking a sabbatical every 7 years. He’s got a brain for planning and long-term data which allows for a very optimistic long view.   Images, links and more from Stefan Sagmeister!   Thanks to Adobe MAX for hosting us in the Airstream podcast lounge.   Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors:   CanvasPeople - You can get a FREE 11x14 canvas print featuring your own artwork or memorable photo. It’s so easy to create - simply go to canvaspeople.com/clever and upload your artwork or photo.   Lulu & Georgia - They’ve got everything to make your dream home a reality, from rugs and furniture to lighting and accessories. Visit luluandgeorgia.com

Industrial designer Catherine Bailey grew up playing with the old school computer punch cards that were the technological accoutrements of nearby Bell Labs. A public school art teacher gave her the push she needed to find her way to industrial design. After stints designing sneakers and snowboard boots, she and her husband Robin embarked on a creative adventure together stewarding the beloved and iconic Heath Ceramics brand back to health and into modern times. Also, she’s a fan of a good road trip. Images, links and more from Catherine Bailey!Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors:Lulu & Georgia - They’ve got everything to make your dream home a reality, from rugs and furniture to lighting and accessories. Visit luluandgeorgia.com/clever and use coupon code CLEVER15 for 15% off your next purchase.Paintzen - You'll be matched with a reliable, experienced contractor, and Painzen will find and supply you with the best paint out there while handling the hassles of managing the project. Get a fast quote today

These are strange and difficult times. People are feeling anxious, isolated, and frightened. *raises hand* We reached out to friends and familiar voices you know and love from previous Clever episodes to bring you messages of solidarity, hope and coping strategies. Now, we really want to hear from you - How are you doing with all this? To leave us a voice message: call (323) 387-3329 (inside the U.S., anytime 24/7) OR record a voice memo and email it to hello@cleverpodcast.com (anywhere in the world.) ‪ Please also find us on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk   If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!   Clever is hosted by Amy Devers and produced by 2VDE Media, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, and music from El Ten Eleven. Clever is proudly distributed by Design Milk. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/clever

Artist and designer Misha Kahn grew up hustling his lakeshore Minnesotan neighbors with tin foil wrapped baked goods, sewing clothes and hanging with exchange student stragglers. A year of guzzling weird culture in Brussels set him on a path to study furniture design in school. Now, at the young age of 30, his career has snowballed and earned him a reputation in the art world as an exciting and provocative force working at the intersection of furniture and sculpture. Sewing and tin foil still included. Images, links and more from Misha Kahn! Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you! Please fill out Clever’s listener survey. Thank you for your input! Clever is hosted by Amy Devers and produced by 2VDE Media, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, and mu

Furniture and interior designer Claudia Washington grew up in El Salvador during the civil war. It was not safe for her to play outside so she spent her days clipping pictures from architecture magazines and redesigning her bedroom. In college, she predicted whom she would marry from seeing a work of his art. Now, Claudia and Harry Washington are designing work for international clients and championing design in El Salvador through a design biennale, education, artisan collaborations and economic growth.  Images and more from Claudia Washington!Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors:CERF+ - The Artists Safety Net is there for artists in their moment of greatest need. Visit www.CERFPLUS.org to learn more.Lulu & Georgia - They’ve got everything to make your dream home a reality, from rugs and furniture to lighting and accessories. Visit luluandgeorgia.com/clever and use coupon code CLEVER15 for 15% off your next purchase.Paintzen - You'll be matched with a reliable, experienced contractor, and Painzen

Artist, illustrator & author Lisa Congdon grew up being praised for hard work but not for creativity. She studied history in college, spent years as a classroom teacher, and didn’t even start dabbling in art until her early 30’s. At that time of internet nascency, Lisa was an early adopter sharing her work and getting positive feedback. It’s all blossomed into a thriving career, social media stardom, and solid relationships. Her recipe for success includes grit, hard work and NOT being a perfectionist.  Read the show notes: Images and more from Lisa Congdon! Thanks to Adobe MAX for hosting us in the Airstream podcast lounge. Many thanks to this episode’s sponsor: Design Museum Magazine - Design Museum Magazine is a quarterly print and digital publication about design impact with stories from creative thought leaders on how they’re using design to change the world. Visit designmuseummagazine.org to subscribe today. We would LOVE for you to fill out our listener survey. Thank you fo

This special Clever Extra, taped live at RISD as the keynote presentation of Design Week RI, four creative thought leaders come together for a discussion on the power of creativity. As a social value, creativity often gets dismissed as “making things pretty” rather than being understood as the fundamental impulse and effort behind every creation. Here, with Panelists Rosanne Somerson, Sara Ossana, Umberto Crenca and Sophie Chien, we are discussing creativity as a core component of personal empowerment.    Click here to read the show notes and see images of the event   Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors:   Rhode Island School of Design: Explore RISD’s academic programs, campus life, executive education, continuing education, RISD Museum and more at https://www.risd.edu/   DesignxRI: We believe design is a critical economic sector that drives change globally, socially, and locally. Learn more at http://www.designxri.com/   We would LOVE for you to fill out our listener survey. Thank you for your input!   P

Industrial designer Konstantin Grcic grew up in Germany, listening to punk rock and dreaming of building boats. In England, he trained in cabinet making at The John Makepeace School for Craftsman in Wood, and studied design at the Royal College of Art. Since starting his own studio in 1991 he’s designed several iconic pieces like Chair One for Magis, and the Mayday lamp for Flos. Even though he’s big time, he’s purposefully keeping his studio small so he can keep his hands and mind engaged in every project.    Images and more from our guest! Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors: Design Museum Magazine - Design Museum Magazine is a quarterly print and digital publication about design impact with stories from creative thought leaders on how they’re using design to change the world. Visit designmuseummagazine.org to subscribe today. Lulu & Georgia - They’ve got everything to make your dream home a reality, from rugs and furniture to lighting and accessories. Visit luluandgeorg

Design impresario Murray Moss grew up in a house his father engineered with a drinking fountain in the dining room. At 5, he redecorated his farmhouse bedroom with a Chinese motif. In college, after accidentally burning down his apartment with a fondue pot, he found his love of theatre. The ‘90s were all about MOSS, his Soho New York boutique that lit up the global high-design scene and paved the way for a new era of design as art. Cut to today: he’s a pedagogue, a retail consultant and as fabulous as ever.   Images and more from our guest! Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors: Finnish Design Shop - Finnish Design Shop specializes in modern furniture, lighting and accessories with a Scandinavian twist. Go to finnishdesignshop.com/clever to get their special offer for Clever listeners. Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a

Graphic designer Paula Scher grew up drawing pictures to escape a turbulent home life. Later, rebelling against suburban existence, she ventured to art school and became a hippie, and then art directed album covers in NYC. She’s been a partner at Pentagram since ‘91. In her ~50 years in the business she has blazed trails, upended boys’ clubs, committed “typographic blasphemy,” given form to the zeitgeist, and earned herself a reputation as one of the world’s most influential graphic designers.  Images and more from our guest! Thanks to Adobe MAX for hosting us in the Airstream podcast lounge.  We would LOVE for you to fill out our listener survey. Thank you for your input! Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you! Clever is created

Happy holidays + new year! We’re rebroadcasting a favorite episode from the archives. Enjoy!Experience designer Kristy Tillman was a very studious child, extremely driven academically. Always on the advanced track, she assumed she would one day be a lawyer like Clair Huxtable. Coding and art were background passions until a friend made her aware of design as a profession and she immediately redirected them to the foreground. Having recognized the need and summoned the courage to “invite herself to the table,” she is now Head of Global Experience Design at Slack. Still on the advanced track, obvs. Images and more from our guest!Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilkIf you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you! Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors:Abstract - Head to goabstract.com to sign your team up for a f

Happy holidays + new year! We’re rebroadcasting a favorite episode from the archives. Enjoy!Jeansmith and co-founder of Raleigh Denim Workshop, Victor Lytvinenko, was born with tons of energy and curiosity. As he grew it led to playing soccer, building small engines, and digging deep into whatever was capturing his attention - woodworking, cooking, wine-making... until he found a sewing machine and became obsessed with making the perfect pair of jeans. Together with his now-wife Sarah Yarborough, they perfected the pants and went on to build a brand deeply committed to craftsmanship. Cult following ensued. Images and more from our guest!Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilkIf you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is created, hosted and produced by Amy Devers and Jaime Derringer, aka 2VDE Media, with mu

Happy holidays + new year! We’re rebroadcasting a favorite episode from the archives. Enjoy!Google’s Head of Hardware Design, Ivy Ross, learned from her industrial designer father how to see the world for how it’s made, and for the possibilities of how it could be remade. Early professional success as a jewelry designer taught her that life is not about ego hits, it’s about the journey. Fueled by curiosity, she’s traveled through the corporate world as a way to keep learning. She approaches work like conducting an orchestra - drawing out the best in individuals to create beautiful music as a team. Images and more from our guest!We would LOVE for you to fill out our listener survey. Thank you for your input!Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilkIf you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you! Many thanks to

Happy holidays + new year! We’re rebroadcasting a favorite episode from the archives. Enjoy!Streetwear designer Bobby Hundreds grew up as a minority of a minority, being both Korean-American and into the socal skate punk scene. He loved to draw, but was not encouraged to pursue the arts so he got a law degree instead. When he started The Hundreds with a classmate, it took off like a rocket and he learned to fight like both an underdog and a champion. With the soul of a storyteller, he uses his voice—zines, blog, film, book—to champion the streetwear ecosystem. Images and more from our guest!We would LOVE for you to fill out our listener survey. Thank you for your input!Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilkIf you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors:Frame It Easy - Frame It