Shows
A life Creative PodcastEpisode 16 | Framing Vision with Kristen Aronsson, Creative Director and Founder of Aperçu EyewearIn this episode, we speak with Kristen Aronsson, founder and creative director of Aperçu, a direct-to-consumer eyewear brand that blends fashion, functionality, and strategy. With over 15 years of experience, Kristen has built a career focused on eyewear design and now leads both the creative direction and business development at Aperçu.She shares how she transitioned from studying art history to industrial design, what drew her to the world of eyewear, and how launching a brand has pushed her to grow beyond design—deepening her understanding of marketing, brand building, and business strategy. Aperçu’s busines...2025-07-221h 02A life Creative PodcastEpisode 15 | Getting the Tea with Heidi Johannsen Stewart co-founder of Bellocq In this episode, we sit down with Heidi Johannsen Stewart, co-founder of Bellocq Tea Atelier, the celebrated Brooklyn-based tea company known for its exquisite hand-blended teas and deep commitment to quality and ritual. Heidi shares her journey from training at the French Culinary Institute to nearly a decade at Martha Stewart Living, and how those experiences ultimately led her to co-found Bellocq. We explore the inspiration behind the brand, the sensory artistry of tea blending, and the creation of Bellocq’s thoughtfully curated line of teas. Along the way, Heidi reflects on the quiet luxury of tea, the...2025-07-151h 01A life Creative PodcastEpisode 14 | Dyeing for a Living, with Raylene Marasco, Textile Designer and Founder of DyenamixIn this episode, we sit down with Raylene Marasco, founder of Dye-namix, a textile studio that creates custom fabrics for film, fashion, and fine art. Today, her work shows up in everything from The Gilded Age and Severance to runway pieces for Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren. We speak with Raylene about how her business has evolved over the years and some of the unique projects that have come her way. She’s collaborated with artists like Louise Bourgeois, worked with The Met on textile conservation, and taken on challenging creative briefs across theater, fashion, and film. Ear...2025-07-081h 03A life Creative PodcastEpisode 13 | Transporting Brands with Andy Gray, Founder and Executive Creative Director at Transport In this episode, we sit down with Andy Gray, a seasoned creative director and founder of Transport New York, whose career has taken him from early days in TV graphics to top agencies like Wieden+Kennedy, Ogilvy, and VSA. Along the way, he has worked in-house at major brands like Cole Haan, Warby Parker & Bonobos, giving him a unique perspective on both sides of the client-agency relationship. Andy shares what he’s learned from leading creative teams across industries, and how his diverse experience now fuels the work he does at his own agency—helping brands define and e...2025-06-2444 minA life Creative PodcastEpisode 12 | All About Eve, The Fundamentals of Color with Eve Ashcraft, Color ConsultantIn this episode, we talk with Eve Ashcraft, a color expert and founder of Eve Ashcraft Studio. A RISD-trained painter, Eve has spent over two decades shaping and defining her role of architectural color consultant—a discipline she helped pioneer through her independent practice. She’s collaborated with architects, designers, institutions, and private clients on everything from residential palettes to large-scale public projects. Eve shares stories from her work on New York’s Moynihan Train Hall and a fascinating color assignment for the Art Institute of Chicago, where she developed a palette to surround Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grand...2025-06-171h 01A life Creative PodcastEpisode 11 | The DNA of Designing for Brands with Alex Bates, Creative Director and Founder of Flint & KentIn this episode, we sit down with designer and creative director Alex Bates to discuss her career—from growing up in a creatively charged Midwestern household to helping shape influential brands like Martha Stewart Living and West Elm. Alex shares stories of early influences, hands-on learning at Macy’s, and eye-opening trips to Copenhagen that helped define her aesthetic. She reflects on the magic of working at Martha Stewart, the joy of building meaningful, sustainable products, and her passion for spotlighting artisanal craftsmanship through her consultancy, Flint & Kent.For more about Alex visit www.alifecreativepod.comFo...2025-06-1059 minA life Creative PodcastEpisode 10 | An Artfully Built Business with Joelle Hoverson, Artist and Founder of Purl SohoIn this episode, we sit down with Joelle Hoverson, founder of Purl Soho, to talk about how her background as a painter led her to build one of the most beloved knitting and craft brands in the country. Joelle shares how she went from studying painting at the San Francisco Art Institute and earning her MFA at Yale to freelancing for Martha Stewart Living, where a new passion for knitting took root. We discuss how, in 2002, she opened a small yarn shop in SoHo with no formal business training—teaching herself everything from supply sourcing to financial planning, with th...2025-06-031h 00A life Creative PodcastEpisode 9 | Human-Centered Design with Tucker Fort, Industrial Designer, Partner & Executive Director at Smart DesignIn this episode, we sit down with Tucker Fort, Partner and Executive Director at Smart Design, to explore the evolution of his career shaped by curiosity and a commitment to human-centered design. From his early days taking apart gadgets and cleaning a ceramics studio to leading multi-disciplinary teams at one of the world’s top design consultancies, Tucker shares how he transitioned from engineering to industrial design—and eventually to the intersection of physical and digital design. He reflects on how his time at Pratt, and learning alongside peers from diverse backgrounds, helped him shift from simply solving problems to a...2025-05-2754 minA life Creative PodcastEpisode 8 | Making It Miniature with Content Creator & Miniaturist Chelsea AnderssonIn this episode, miniature artist and NBC's Making It alum, Chelsea Andersson, shares her creative journey—from studying landscape architecture to finding her true passion in the world of miniatures. Chelsea opens up about the moment she realized her original career path wasn’t the right fit, how a hamster named Martin sparked a new direction, and what it was really like to go from being a superfan of Making It to competing on the show.She also shares how she’s turned her love for all things miniature into a thriving business—selling her creations online and part...2025-05-2057 minA life Creative PodcastEpisode 7 | Mixing It Up with Jennifer Aaronson, Head of Brand & Global Culinary Director at Marley SpoonIn this episode of A Life Creative, we talk with Jennifer Aronsson, a culinary expert whose career has taken her from top kitchens to influential roles in food media and entrepreneurship. A graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, Jennifer trained under renowned chefs like Suzanne Goin and Todd English before becoming Pastry Chef at the historic Upstairs at the Pudding. She later moved into publishing, contributing to San Francisco Magazine and serving as Editorial Director of Food and Entertaining at Martha Stewart Living. Today, she is the co-founder and Culinary Director of the meal kit services Marley...2025-05-1356 minA life Creative PodcastEpisode 6 | The Man Without A Plan with Design Director & Stylist Stephen EarleWhat’s it really like to work with icons like Martha Stewart, Ralph Lauren, and NYC's Hudson Yards developer Steve Ross? In this episode, we sit down with Stephen Earle, an accomplished design director and stylist, whose career has taken him from the early days of home lifestyle branding to the creative helm of some of its most recognized names.Stephen shares the story of how he got his start with Raymond Waites, stumbled into the prop styling profession, and eventually found himself shaping the visual language of Martha Stewart Living and leading product development fo...2025-05-0644 minA life Creative PodcastEpisode 5 | Making a Scene with Event Planner, Author and Designer Matthew RobbinsIn this episode we sit down with Matthew Robbins, founder of Matthew Robbins Design, a premier event planning and design firm specializing in bespoke weddings and special events. With over 20 years of experience, Matthew has contributed to top publications like Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and O Magazine. He's also the author of Matthew Robbins' Inspired Weddings and the founder of Invited Journal.To see some of Matthew's creations and links to his site visit www.alifecreativepod.com or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/alifecreative?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== 2025-04-2945 minA life Creative PodcastEpisode 4 | The Art of Deconstruction with Artist Jeff WallaceIn this episode, we explore the themes of memory, time, and artistic transformation through the lens of artist, designer, and curator Jeff Wallace. Jeff began his career in graphic design and later established his successful design firm, Borsa Wallace. A significant moment came in 2012 when he found himself managing the personal belongings of elderly relatives, an experience that profoundly influenced his artistic path. Jeff’s story highlights how creativity can shift unexpectedly, blending past experiences into new forms of expression. We hope his story inspires you to welcome change in your own creative endeavors.For show notes an...2025-04-2251 min