The Creative Condition podcast

It's all, always unfolding. As we change and grow, so must our creativity. Otherwise, that way lies discontent, frustration, and diminishing returns. Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the show's founding sponsor Join the Paradiso Institute and a new wave of creative leaders at https://paradisoinstitute.org/ Music for the show is by Dirty Freud https://www.instagram.com/dirtyfreud/ To coach...

Tethering Presence  is a stunning project, encapsulating the truisms of Micah Purnell and the photography of Harris, exploring the role of distraction and smartphones in our lives across two books – a London and a New York edition. They join me to discuss the role of smartphones in our creativity and our lives, and the origins of the project.   The book is out now: https://micahpurnell.com/books-p...

I reminder to self, and to all artists that we are artists, and this is our way of life. Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the show's founding sponsor Join the Paradiso Institute and a new wave of creative leaders at https://paradisoinstitute.org/ Music for the show is by Dirty Freud https://www.instagram.com/dirtyfreud/ To coach with Ben, https://thecreativecondition.com/coach To support t...

The latest instalment of The Creative Condition's Creativity Diary. Covered in this edition: Fear over AI ignorance and analog loyalty Being unafraid of disorder and acknowledging the messy ways of creativity An old friend returns in a second-hand bookshop Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the show's founding sponsor Join the Paradiso Institute and a new wave of creative leaders at https://...

Owen Smith was delighted to see I'd discovered and had begun using Stoicism teachings to improve my mental health and creativity. He told me so, and we hopped on a call to talk about getting active in your own rescue and the exhilarating feeling of being the author of the career you want to live. We cover: Responding, not reacting Recognising what you can impact Being the author of your next chapt...

Humans have finite mental energy. Creativity thrives when our battery is well-managed. But we live in a world drowning in information and data. Some thoughts on the mental battery. Hear the full episode of Do Radio on the mental battery now at https://thedoradio.com Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the show's founding sponsor Join the Paradiso Institute and a new wave of creative leaders a...

The creative industry is deep in a damaging obsession with the external. We're terrified of the tools, spending our energy arguing in black and white about artificial intelligence, starting the design process trapped in programmes before we've considered what will serve the idea. But really, we should be starting with the internal, and that's all grounded in self-awareness. Only then can we truly...

We all need to DO something. I'm doing a new radio show. Here's what, why, and where you can listen. https://thedoradio.com Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the show's founding sponsor https://open.spotify.com/artist/2c5NcXidirDDqL3sc3vW8S?si=bL3qx6zWQn6Mn03anHRPfQ https://www.instagram.com/dirtyfreud/ To coach with Ben, https://thecreativecondition.com/coach To support the Ukrainian creat...

Dirty Freud takes time out of composing an opera to talk about the many directions his music career has taken him. We discuss the need to evolve, how variation or specialising fits different people in different ways, and the role of personality in proceeding in a way that's right for you. Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the show's founding sponsor https://open.spotify.com/artist/2c5NcXidi...

A few years ago, I wrote a silly, speculative science fiction story about a teenager getting stuck in Snake 2. Now we live in a world where it's dated because someone in Silicon Valley has put a fruit fly's brain on a chip and it's doing fly things in the insect matrix. Let's sit with that and consider what it means for our mental health and creativity. Supported by https://illustrationx.com - the...

As the world gets noisier and our heads fill up quicker by the day, there's a growing appetite for quieter, intimate, real-life connections.  All Flows and Pooleyville co-founders Richard Wiggins and Simon Wright have cultivated a wonderful creative industry scene in Milton Keynes, and they join me to discuss the power of local collaboration and the personality of a place ahead of All Flows 2026,...

Do you get excited? As we grow into adult life, the glee of childhood changes. But do you stay attuned with what excitement is for you now, or get trapped in routines and habits?    This is one of creativity's biggest blind spots.   Covered in this show: Excitement's role in creativity The sense of wonder and magic The dangers of habituation, routines, and being a passenger in our story   As ever...

I work hard to avoid using AI on environmental grounds. This has brought about some deeper thinking about analog methods and how I can thrive in my creative practice as a luddite.  The latest ramble over a brew. Covered in this show: AI resource use Working around AI  Deeper connections by having to find alternative solutions to the done thing As ever supported by the show's founding sponsor https...

Flawed, clumsy, and crass are a few of the words that came to mind as I dug out as much as I could find of my first illustration portfolio in 2008. But I also saw the fire, the humour, and the strong personality I'd packed into it. We live in the information age, where everyone has the tools, so we have to tell our unique story in a visual brand. Technical competency is no longer enough. Join me a...

Who else wakes up with a sense of existential dread? Maybe it's just my midlife crisis, but it's also nothing new. How can we channel thoughts bigger than us, that wrestle with the nature of existence into something interesting and cathartic? Covered in this show: Mortality and creativity Existential dread and anxiety Storytelling, purpose and meaning As ever supported by the show's founding spons...

The Fax Club Experiment was an idea by the Founder of The Do Lectures, David Hieatt. Once a week for 52 weeks, anonymous members would receive a question via fax. A question that insists on deep introspection, time with inner parts of ourselves that tend to be forgotten in the fever pitch of modern life in the information age. Four of the 32 who saw the project through, Adam, Claire, Judy, and Gra...

Reflections about the opportunity for better creativity and joy in our lives if we learn how to slow down and communicate properly. Covered in this show: Technology's sweet spot Anxiety and mental illness in the information age Creativity and communication As ever supported by the show's founding sponsor https://illustrationx.com Support the Ukrainian Institute here: https://ui.org.ua Coach with T...

We reach for the destructive object in our pockets without conscious awareness. We know the damage it does to our minds and our souls, but we're too far gone. It keeps us from our peace and our creativity. Are you Gollum? Supported as ever by the founding show sponsor, Illustration X. https://illustrationx.com Support The Ukrainian Institute, fighting for the Ukrainian creative community during a...

Kevin Murphy taught himself to be an artist. By breaking down the craft into systemic steps, he earned himself a career as an illustrator and artist working with The Rolling Stones, Barnes & Noble, National Geographic, and LucasArts before he started Evolve Artist. We discuss why the program proves time and time again that talent is a lie, and the story behind it. Learn more about Evolve Artis...

The Gravedigger's Theory is a term in journalism that refers to the story of Jimmy Breslin, a journalist who, when offered the chance to cover JFK's funeral along with the world's media, chose to interview Clifton Pollard, the man tasked with digging the grave. Creativity depends on thinking differently, and I reflect on this, and a career made of parts for which I wasn't trained. Supported by The...

Overthinking can be second nature to creative thinkers. A classic downside to empathy and sensitivity. I've battled with anxiety in recent years, and my overthinking has been out of control. Constant rumination, wild and unmanaged responses to news headlines, and an uncharacteristically gloomy outlook leading to sleepless nights and worry spirals. I'm slowly getting a handle on it, and I want to h...

In this entry of The Creativity Diary: Understanding the self over job titles and skills The need for space to avoid overwhelm and nervous system activation Stoicism as a tool for managing uncertain times As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at  https://thecreativecondition.com ( http...

Journaling was one of several tools I used to tackle a tough year of anxiety. While reflecting upon a previous entry, I noticed that the list of helpful habits to support my mental well-being was more or less interchangeable with core components of healthy creativity, so I wanted to explore that idea a little more. I'd love to hear your take on this, so get in touch about it, or anything else at b...

'Lived data' is how Min Lew, head of Base Design in New York City, described intuition. I loved this. Min has quite the story, and she joins me to discuss her work overseeing the creative output and business of Base. We discuss why moodboards have their place, but often stifle thinking big and differently in the creative process, travel, cultural lessons, the future of branding, and much more in a...

After a personal and generally challenging year, much has been learned, and the message is strong: we must fight for a baseline of optimism for creativity to thrive! This will be the final episode of 2025, back to the usual weekly podcasts January 7th. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! As ever supported by Illustration X. See their global range of illustration and animation portfolios at https...