Episode 386: Lafiya Watson Ramirez

Lafiya Watson Ramirez is a multidisciplinary artist located in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Lafiya Watson Ramirez

It’s still pretty early in 2021, so if the year hasn’t quite gotten off to a good start, then let this week’s conversation with Lafiya Watson Ramirez be the permission you need to turn things around! Lafiya dabbles in several media — web, photography, augmented reality, mixed reality — and creates new projects for herself and for her clients through her company, Bad Chick Studios.

We talked about how she started her studio, and from there she shared the resources and programs she used to teach herself AR and XR. (Spoiler alert: a lot of these tools are free!) Lafiya also spoke on how her love for photography led her to web design and learning Flash, and how embracing becoming a generalist has changed her work and how she perceives herself as a creative.

Get a bit of inspiration from Lafiya and learn what you can!

Episode 385: Danny Shaw

Danny Shaw is the director of design and strategy at Brandshare, as well as a design educator in New York City.
Danny Shaw

We’re keeping the design educator streak going this week with an interview with Danny Shaw. Along with teaching at NYC College of Technology, Danny is also the director of digital design and branding at Brandshare. He brings a wealth of real world, working knowledge into the classroom, and helps empower the next generation of designers to take over the industry.

Danny talked about growing up in New York City, and spoke on how that made an impact on him as he moved throughout his career. He also spoke about his time working at Essence Magazine and offered up some great advice on resources for up and coming designers.

Danny, thank you for giving back to the community through education!

Resources

Episode 384: David Jon Walker

David Jon Walker is a graphic designer and a design professor at Austin Peay State University in Nashville, TN.
David Jon Walker

Let’s start off Black History Month with some education, shall we?

Meet David Jon Walker, owner of the graphic design studio Rhealistic, and a design professor at Austin Peay State University in Nashville, TN.

Our conversation started off with a brief look back at 2020, and from there, David spoke on adapting to teaching design during this socially distant time. He also talked about growing up in Nashville, discovering design during college at Tennessee State University, and shared some of the goals he wants to accomplish this year. I’m really glad there are educators like David out there to help guide the next generation of designers!

Episode 383: Angela Bains

Angela Bains is the strategy director at TransformExp, as well as a design professor at both OCAD University in Toronto, Ontario and BCIT in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Angela Bains

I am absolutely thrilled to share my conversation with Angela Bains with you this week. Along with being the co-founder and strategy director of international branding agency TransformExp, Angela is also a design educator at two prestigious Canadian colleges — OCAD University in Toronto and BCIT in Vancouver. Wait until you hear her story!

We took a trip down memory lane as Angela talked about growing up in the 1970s in London, being exposed to graphic design and typography as a young woman, and starting her own design studio in the 1980s along the advent of the personal computer. Her story continues with emigrating to Canada in the 1990s, starting over and networking as a designer in a new country, and keeping the spark for design alive for then next generation of designers through teaching and decolonizing old design traditions. Angela is truly a design icon!

Episode 382: Kevin Bethune

Kevin Bethune is the founder and chief creative officer of dreams โ€ข design + life.
Kevin Bethune

Design can change your life in unexpected ways, and Kevin Bethune is a testament to that. He is the founder and chief creative officer of dreams โ€ข design + life, a think tank that delivers design and innovation services using a human-centered approach. (It sounds lofty, but with over 20 years of experience in mechanical engineering, product creation, strategy, and industrial design, Kevin is a true master of his craft.)

We started off talking about how business has shifted over the past year as he’s transitioned further into the entrepreneurial life, and he shared a bit about his process when diving into new projects. Kevin also talked about his prior stints at Westinghouse and Nike, and how those experiences informed his later work for some of the nation’s top consulting firms. Design has truly helped transform Kevin’s life, and it can do the same for you too!