In this episode, Josh Horton talks with designer and illustrator Matt Stevens—longtime friend, collaborator, and the creative mind behind projects like Max 100 and Good Movies as Old Books. They explore how personal work can reshape a career, what it takes to stay inspired as a one-person studio, and how curiosity, clarity, and consistency have guided Matt’s path for more than a decade.
Together, they get into the realities of client work, the value of over-communicating, and how a simple Air Max obsession turned into a book, a Nike commission, and a whole second creative lane.
If you’re a designer, illustrator, or studio-of-one trying to build the kind of career you actually want, this episode is for you.
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🎙️ Podcast Credits
Presented by Creative Workers Union
Hosted by Josh Horton
Edited by Sydney Gladu
Artwork by MUTI
🔗 Relevant Links
Matt’s Portfolio: hellomattstevens.com
Matt’s Instagram: instagram.com/mattstevensclt
Good Movies as Old Books: goodmoviesasoldbooks.com
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CWU Website: creativeworks.co
CWU Newsletter: creativeworks.co/newsletter
CWU Beta Member Sign Up: members.creativeworks.co
📖 Your Story
Got a story about your creative life—a win, a struggle, a breakthrough, or just a moment that captures what it’s like right now? 📩 Email us at stories@creativeworks.co Include your name and location—we may feature it in a future episode.
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