Explore every episode of the podcast Lex Talk Design
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designing Careers: Krista Shearer on Talent, Timing & the Future of the Industry | 17 May 2026 | 00:59:17 | |
In this episode of Lex Talk Design, Renée sits down with Krista Shearer from Bespoke Careers for a wide-ranging conversation about design, recruitment, career pivots, workplace culture, and the shifting needs of the architecture and interiors industry. Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| How Generative AI Is Changing Design, Creativity & the Future of Work with Daniel Chan | 06 May 2026 | 00:31:00 | |
In this episode of Lex Talk Design, Renee sits down with Daniel Chan, CEO and founder of JoJo Ventures, a Hong Kong-based next-generation AI creative studio working across film, television, commercial content, marketing and advertising. Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Bernadette Wilson on community, collaboration and the politics of space in Australian architecture | 05 May 2025 | 00:36:44 | |
In this episode of Lex Talk Design, host Renee Ballard speaks with architect Bernadette Wilson about her diverse career in architecture, her insights on the politics of space, and the supportive nature of the Australian design community. They discuss the importance of education in architecture, the intersection of music and design, and the challenges of delivering projects in a collaborative environment. Bernadette shares her experiences and thoughts on how architects can navigate their careers while maintaining a strong sense of community and support.
Connect with Bernadette Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadette-wilson-2936611a/ Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Creative Producer, Desmond Chung, on how AI is reshaping the creative industry, the impact of the democratisation of media, and how his love of pop culture shapes his work | 28 Apr 2025 | 01:01:20 | |
Today’s guest is Desmond Chung. Desmond is based in Hong Kong, where he is the Vice President of Creative Management with blockchain and web3 specialist brand, Collectiv. Before arriving at this role, Desmond has spent the past ten years working in all areas of content creation and media production throughout Asia. Lex Talk Design Podcast Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Jo Kellock, CEO Design Institute of Australia, on how Australian design can lead product development, boost the economy and reduce waste | 21 Apr 2025 | 00:59:20 | |
Jo-Ann Kellock, CEO of the DIA shares her insights and strategy for how Australian design can lead product development, boost the economy and reduce waste. Jo-Ann Kellock has served as Chief Executive Follow Jo Kellock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-kellock-54725220/ Follow the DIA: https://www.instagram.com/design_institute_au/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/design-institute-of-australia/posts/?feedView=all Lex Talk Design Podcast We’re speaking with all the talented creatives and creators about the business of design. Subscribe YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LexDesignAgency Subscribe Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lex-talk-design/id1797431854 Subscribe Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0DKAN5j9xUy0FeOuFpWACJ?si=jIVjXJtDS3uOPJybeJzL8A Subscribe Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454031 Follow: https://www.instagram.com/lexdesignagency/ Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Content Creator David Leigh Dodd & ‘I Am Not Kate Moss’ icon, Denise Ohnona, on going viral | 14 Apr 2025 | 00:54:10 | |
A photographer, videographer and viral content creator, David Leigh Dodd, is an Australian who is living the dolce vita in Rome, Italy. David gives us a masterclass in how to approach making content, from what goes in, and more importantly, what to take out. During our interview, David shares his love of pop culture and how it inspires his creative collaborations. He has worked with everyone from Paris Hilton, to the cast of Muriel’s Wedding, to rock legend, Wendy James. Joining us later in the call, is one of his greatest collaborators, British model-icon, Denise Ohnona. Denise is the woman behind ‘I Am Not Kate Moss’ and she shares with us her career in creating witty and wickedly funny moments, in the spirit of positive parody. Follow David: https://www.instagram.com/davideographystudio/ https://www.instagram.com/doddywood/ Follow Denise: https://www.instagram.com/iamnotkatemoss/ Lex Talk Design, where we speak with all the talented creatives and creators. about the business of design. New podcast out every Tuesday: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454031 Subscribe YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LexDesignAgency Subscribe Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lex-talk-design/id1797431854 Subscribe Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0DKAN5j9xUy0FeOuFpWACJ?si=jIVjXJtDS3uOPJybeJzL8A Follow: https://www.instagram.com/lexdesignagency/ Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Creative Director Tamzyn Adding, founder of Miss Lolo & The Beige Epidemic, on the joy of colour | 07 Apr 2025 | 00:22:14 | |
Tamzyn Adding could also be known as the Queen of Colour. Her designs are renowned for being bold and balanced. A New Zealander who now lives in Queensland, Australia, Tamzyn draws inspiration from everything around her. Her creative process blends intuition, and technical know-how, to create stunning, vibrant designs. Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Design Strategist - Renee Ballard talks 2025 retail design predictions | 31 Mar 2025 | 00:07:59 | |
Retail design direction will split into two distinct categories, those who use AI and those who don't. In 2025, Renee predicts we'll see two distinct trends in retail design emerge; brands that rely on AI for design direction, with their stores reflecting the latest (global) trends. And brands that will double-down on their commitment to solely express their unique DNA in 3D. Follow Lex Design Agency: https://www.instagram.com/lexdesignagency/ Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Samantha Hobbelen, Event Designer and Founder of Sapia Creative, on how she balances the brief, the vision and the budget, when creating luxury events around Australia. | 24 Mar 2025 | 01:04:47 | |
With over 15 years experience in the events' industry, Samantha Hobbelen is the creative force, and founder, behind Sapia Creative. Samantha is a natural entrepreneur, and she shared with us how she's applies her creativity, both conventionally and unconventionally, in building her brands. Samantha also took us through her creative process; how she starts with the big picture vision, and then, if ever an obstacle hits - she utters - how can we reverse engineer this? Until she's brought that vision to fruition. And finally, we also shared our mutual love for Thomas Jolly's 2024 Paris Olympics' Opening Ceremony. https://www.sapiacreative.com.au Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Business Adviser - Damian O'Donnell shares what designers get right and wrong in business | 17 Mar 2025 | 00:36:34 | |
With over 30 years as a CPA accountant, business owner and business adviser, working from Melbourne, Australia, Damian O'Donnell has worked with countless clients and companies, streamlining their finances and helping them to fortify their future. Damian has worked with all sorts of industries, including the design and creative fields, so he has firsthand insight into what makes our industry unique, and where we can watch out for common mistakes we all make. Connect with Damian O'Donnell: linkedin.com/in/damian-o-donnell Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Ruby Shields - Interior Designer, on making the move from advertising to interior design | 10 Mar 2025 | 00:55:02 | |
Chatting with Ruby was a great reminder to fall in love with design, and fall-in with the community who loves what you love. Ruby has not wasted a second since joining the Australian design industry. She's won the Dulux 37th Colour Award in the student category, and was a two-time finalist in the 38th Dulux awards. She was also honoured as a Design Institute of Australia - Graduate of the Year, and named in the ‘30 Under 30’ cohort of 2023. Ruby's design style includes a fearless use of colour, signature, rich textures, and for her talent in create striking sculptural forms, within the built environment. Follow Ruby Shields: https://www.instagram.com/_studio.shields/ Ruby Shields' Studio: https://studioshields.com.au/ Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Why we’re talking to creatives and creators about the business of design | 05 Mar 2025 | 00:01:01 | |
Hello and welcome to Lex Talk Design. I’m your host, Renee Ballard and I’m a Design Strategist with Lex Design Agency. We specialise in retail design, but that’s only one part of the vast and varied world of the creative industries. We’re speaking with all the talented creatives and creators, to find out their unique perspective, and firsthand experience, of working in the business of design. We're based in Sydney, Australia, but we'll be talking with architects, interior and industrial designers, visual communicators, trend forecasters, finance people, industry associations, curators and educators, all around the world. Launching March 2025, subscribe now to find out how the (design) sausage is made! Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Avalana Simpson: Wallpaper Design, Colour & Creative Freedom | 28 Apr 2026 | 01:03:08 | |
In this episode of Lex Talk Design, we’re joined by Avalana Simpson, British artist, wallpaper designer, and founder of Avalana Design - a luxury homeware brand known for bold, colourful wallpapers, fabrics, and immersive interior murals. Avalana shares her journey from working in textile and surface pattern design to building her own global creative business. Starting with hand-painted watercolour artwork, her designs evolve into large-scale wallpapers and interiors used in residential and commercial spaces worldwide. We dive into the realities of building a design brand - from navigating creative freedom without client briefs to developing a signature style that stands out in a trend-driven industry. Avalana also discusses how travel, nature, and storytelling influence her work, including how a trip to Costa Rica inspired her early collections. This episode is packed with insights for interior designers, creatives, and small business owners, covering everything from colour theory in interiors to building a personal brand as a designer. https://www.avalanadesign.co.uk/ Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Creative Fitness with Kyle Hughes-Odgers: Art, Discipline & Public Space | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:59:08 | |
This week on Lex Talk Design, Renee is joined by Kyle Hughes-Odgers - an acclaimed Australian artist whose work spans painting, illustration, publishing, and large-scale public murals across the globe. Based in Perth, Kyle has built a distinctive visual language that explores the relationship between people, nature, and place through bold geometric forms and stylised figurative imagery.
#LexTalkDesign #KyleHughesOdgers #AustralianArt #CreativeCareer #DesignPodcast #PublicArt #ContemporaryArt #LexTalk Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Creating New Worlds Between Art & Design with Danielle Brustman | 15 Apr 2026 | 01:07:13 | |
In this episode of Let’s Talk Design, we sit down with Melbourne-based artist and interior designer Danielle Brustman - a creative force known for her bold use of colour, playful forms, and deeply emotive spaces. Danielle’s work spans residential, retail, and hospitality design, alongside striking art installations exhibited both locally and internationally, including at the National Gallery of Victoria and Milan’s Salone del Mobile. Her distinctive style blends dreamlike palettes with a sense of joy and accessibility - spaces that don’t just look beautiful, but feel something. In this conversation, Danielle shares her unconventional journey into interior design - from taking nearly a decade to complete her degree, to finding her creative footing in theatre set design, and eventually returning to interiors with a renewed sense of confidence and clarity. We explore the tension between creative freedom and commercial reality, the importance of curiosity in young designers, and why sometimes the best ideas come when you temporarily ignore constraints altogether. Danielle also dives into her deep relationship with colour - how it shapes her emotional response to spaces, influences her process, and ultimately defines her work. Drawing inspiration from the expressive design eras of the 1960s and 70s, she reflects on the loss of boldness in modern design and why it might be time to bring it back. This episode is a must-listen for designers, creatives, and anyone interested in building a career that balances artistic instinct with real-world application. Connect with Danielle: https://designweek.melbourne/event/superhot-shop/ Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| John Harms: How to Balance Creativity with Commercial Writing Against a Looming Deadline | 07 Apr 2026 | 01:15:33 | |
In this episode of Let’s Talk Design, Renée sits down with writer, historian, and publisher John Harms to unpack the delicate balance between creative expression and the commercial realities of writing for a living. Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Designing the Path of Least Resistance: From Print to UX with Daniel Spat | 31 Mar 2026 | 00:58:51 | |
In this episode of Lex Talk Design, Renee sits down with designer Daniel Spat to explore what it really means to design in today’s digital world. With over 17 years of experience spanning print, multimedia, UI and UX, Daniel shares how his career evolved from traditional graphic design into the complex, ever-changing world of digital experience. What started with posters, packaging and visual merchandising has grown into designing seamless user journeys across government, corporate and digital platforms. At the heart of the conversation is a powerful idea: great design should feel effortless. Daniel breaks down how UX designers shape the “path of least resistance” - helping users intuitively navigate websites, complete actions, and ultimately achieve what they came to do. From accessibility standards and government guidelines to the psychology behind navigation, automation and user behaviour, this episode reveals just how much thought goes into the experiences we often take for granted. Renee and Daniel also reflect on:
They also touch on Daniel’s involvement with the Design Institute of Australia, mentoring emerging designers and helping shape the next generation of creative thinkers. Whether you’re a designer, business owner, or simply curious about how digital experiences are built, this episode offers a thoughtful look into the systems, strategy and human behaviour behind great design. Connect with Dan: Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| It’s Not the Camera: The Real Art of Photography with Dee Van Der Merwe | 25 Mar 2026 | 00:49:08 | |
In this episode of Lex Talk Design, we sit down with Brisbane-based photographer Dee Van Der Merwe - founder of Pixel Punk and a visual storyteller with over 16 years of experience capturing everything from weddings and families to global brand campaigns. Dee’s work goes far beyond aesthetics. Known for her editorial, emotive style, she has a rare ability to capture not just how a moment looks… but how it feels. Together, we explore the reality of working behind the lens - from the psychology of working with people, to the physical demands of the job, to the creative tension between trends and authenticity. In this episode, we cover:
Key Takeaways
Dee’s Advice for Creatives “You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Do you want to be a photographer… or just wonder what it would be like?” About Dee Van Der Merwe With over 16 years behind the lens, Dee is a trusted visual storyteller for couples, families, brands, and entrepreneurs seeking imagery that is powerful, emotive, and full of energy. Her signature style is editorial, heartfelt, and atmospheric - creating work that becomes a lasting legacy. In the branding space, she’s known for producing bold, engaging content that connects deeply with audiences and reflects the true essence of a business. Connect with Dee Pixel Punk: https://www.pixelpunk.me/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_punk_pictures/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pixelpunkpictures Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Damian Hinks: Turning Creative Talent into a Sustainable Design Business | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:54:14 | |
In this episode of Lex Talk Design, Renée sits down with Damian Hinks, a long-time figure in the Australian design industry and founder of The Commercial Creative. Together, Renée and Damian explore the complex relationship between creativity, entrepreneurship, and business leadership - and why many designers struggle with the commercial side of running a studio. They discuss how the creative identity often sits in tension with the responsibilities of business ownership, why talking about money still feels uncomfortable in many creative circles, and how studios can build systems that allow them to grow without sacrificing their creative vision. The conversation also looks at how the design industry has shifted in recent years, particularly following COVID-19, with many studios moving away from the traditional “bigger agency” model toward smaller, more specialised teams doing high-impact work. Damian shares practical insights from his work advising creative businesses, including the importance of clear systems, healthy financial awareness, and surrounding yourself with the right people to support growth. This episode offers a thoughtful look at what it means to be both a creative and a business owner - and how designers can build careers that are not only creatively fulfilling, but also commercially sustainable.
Connect with Damian Hinks
Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||
| Quick intro Lex Talk Design Season 2 hosted by Lex Design Agency Renee Ballard | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:00:56 | |
Lex Talk Design is back for season 2 and we're chatting with all the talented creatives and creators around the world, about the business of design. Thanks for listening! Subscribe, follow, visit: | |||