Introducing AIGA Chicago’s On The Daily Podcast
On The Daily started as an AIGA Chicago Instagram takeover series coinciding with history and heritage months and spotlighting underrepresented creative talent throughout the year.
As an extension, the On The Daily podcast aims to diversify the stories we hear in art/design by inviting designers, artists, and creators to talk about their work, their identities, and how both shape the story of who they are.
This first installment features ten such Chicago designers, artists, and creators — all who bring different stories and perspectives. Your Season One host is Philip Mak, a digital product designer, Chinese American, and avid board-gamer.
As a chapter, we’re excited to take these conversations deeper and hope other cities will follow suit. On The Daily is available everywhere you listen to podcasts and on Instagram by the hashtag #designonthedaily.
Episode 1: Erick Morales
Erick Morales is a graphic designer from Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood 🇲🇽 who loves illustration, typography and UX design. On this episode, Erick discusses the importance of representation, accepting individuality, and the excitement of being throwing into the design deep end with limited direction.
Erick was originally featured on On The Daily during National Hispanic Heritage Month 2018. Follow him and see more of his work here.
Episode 2: Elisha-Rio Apilado
Elisha-Rio is a Filipino American 🇵🇭 artist, dancer and future art therapist who is always advocating the importance of self-care. Elisha-Rio discusses the healing power of art therapy, how identity has shaped her creative practice, and the lasting impact of great mentors.
Elisha-Rio was originally featured on On The Daily during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2018. Follow her and see more of her work here.
Episode 3: Nolis Anderson
Nolis Anderson is a portrait and lifestyle photographer — born and raised in Chicago. On this episode, Nolis discusses turning hobbies into a profession, the importance of establishing a tight-knit circle of creative friends, and the state of representation in the industry.
Nolis was originally featured on On The Daily during Black History Month 2018. Follow him and see more of his work here.
Episode 4: Madeleine Bennet
Madeleine Bennett is a designer and an endless source of random facts. She has an immense passion for the environment and enjoys comedy podcasts and fries 🍟. On this episode, Madeleine talks about her love for museums, the magic of seeing your work come to life in a non-digital setting, and the power of mentorship.
Madeleine was originally featured on On The Daily during Women’s History Month ♀ 2018. Follow her and see more of her work here.
Episode 5: Sharlene King
Sharlene King is a UX/UI designer focused on accessibility and behaviors and passionate about tattoos, horror movies, and taxidermy. On this episode, Sharlene discusses her design journey, the importance of precise, service-driven user research, and the nuances of navigating mental health as a creative.
Sharlene was originally featured on On The Daily during LGBTQ Pride Month 2018. Follow Sharlene and learn more about her here.
Episode 6: Carlos Segura
Carlos Segura can be found creating via Segura; promoting, creating, and supporting typography via T26; and writing, researching, and documenting the automotive industry via CarType. After spending 15 years working in the advertising industry, Carlos discusses how he took a more “spiritual approach” to his creative work. Two of the biggest things he used as guides on the journey that followed? Ideas hold power, and being true to yourself is the only way to operate.
Carlos was originally featured on On The Daily during National Hispanic Heritage Month 2018. Follow him and see more of his work here.
Episode 7: Shelby Rodeffer
Shelby Rodeffer is a Chicago-based painter and commercial artist. Shelby talks about how a movie jump-started her creative focus, the beauty of making functional art, and the importance of breaking down systematic underrepresentation in the industry.
Follow her at @smellby and @finersigns and see more of her work at http://shelbyrodeffer.com and https://www.finersigns.com. Shelby was originally featured on On The Daily during Women’s History Month ♀ 2018.
Episode 8: Camilo Medina
Camilo Medina is an artist born and raised in Bogota, Colombia 🇨🇴. He is currently making visual art and producing music in Chicago. From being a young boy who was obsessed with Tom DeLong from Blink 182 and drawing to getting serious about art that’s “just for fun,” Camilo discusses his artistic journey to date (plus much more).
Camilo was originally featured on On The Daily during National Hispanic Heritage Month 2018. Follow him, listen to his band Divino Niño, and see more of his work here.
Episode 9: Blanca Cortés
Blanca Cortés is a lefty letterer, illustrator and graphic designer — originally from El Salvador 🇸🇻 and currently based in Chicago. She’s been a proud member of AIGA since 2011. After always feeling like she couldn’t find the right fonts for her projects, Blanca fell in love with letters — and making them herself. On this episode, she details her creative journey as well as how artists (and their art) have the power to build an all-inclusive community that makes the world a better place to live.
Blanca was originally featured on On The Daily during National Hispanic Heritage Month 2018. Follow her and see more of her work here.
Episode 10: Cristina Vanko
Cristina Vanko is a freelance art director, hand-letterer, illustrator, and author of Hand-Lettering for Everyone and Adult-ish. On this episode, Cristina discusses how experimentation in your artistic journey is crucial (and can lead to much bigger things), that encountering human truths and creating dialogue about those truths is incredibly fulfilling, and how positivity goes a long way.
Cristina was originally featured on On The Daily during Women’s History Month ♀ 2018. Follow her here and here and see more of her work here.
