Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Brain lube
• Maintaining a multi-faceted business
• Multiple beanstalks and many Jacks
• The pain of the past

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

After 1.5 years of creativity coaching through my one-to-one Pit Stop sessions, it's time to announce a new illustrator-specific offer.

With 18 years in the game and over 300 interviews with creative industry and broader thought leaders, I've designed something to help illustrators to take control of their next moves as the market continues to shift.

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

The world is heavy. It always was. But today, we're slammed by a constant wall of white noise, and the vast majority of what we're told is negative.

Anxiety is heightened perhaps more than ever before as a by-product of our hyper-connected digital way of life.

Too many people spend their days exhausted and locked in a state of fear. It's damaging our ability to create, to feel hopeful, optimistic, and curious.

Every one of us lives with anxiety. It is an evolutionary alarm system to help keep us safe. We are also able to manage our thoughts to stay in control of our anxiety.

UK leading psychologist Wendy Dignan, founder of Fearless Female joins me as we openly discuss our own experiences with anxiety, what it is, why many people are struggling to cope with theirs, and how we can better do that.

We discuss:

• Why anxiety belongs to all of us, and how it behaves
• Why people suffer from it more than others
• The physiology of anxiety
• Wendy and Ben's own struggles
• Anxiety misconceptions
• Techniques to turn anxiety into something meaningful, and how to quieten thoughts

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A responsive instalment of The Creativity Diary as I drive under a motorway bridge and struggle to get past the graffiti message painted on it.

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

PJ Richardson discovered graffiti. It brought him fulfilment when chaos was present in his early life.

The chaos hasn't gone away; it has only changed shape and form. We discuss his journey from painting walls to leading a Los Angeles-based motion and design studio, what today's chaos looks like, and how he finds the space to create great art within it in the commercial world.

We discuss:

• Trauma and resilience
• Abandon mindset when all else seems lost
• The need to create 'sandboxes' and 'playgrounds' to avoid stifling creativity with procedure and protocol.
• Laundry's conception and evolution.

https://www.laundry.studio/

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• The perfect nap
• Porn magazine reflections and the importance of accepting our roots and creativity context
• Parenting lessons and humans encountering their element

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

As awareness of both the shiny clock towers and the most hidden caves of mental health grows, it's become increasingly common to self- or misdiagnose. 

'Burnout' can be tossed around too lightly. I've done it myself. I came to understand what I felt was overwhelm. 

I'm joined by Cognitive Performance Strategist and burnout coach Emily Herird to discuss a condition intertwined with the crazed pace of our 21st century lives. She explains what burnout is, what it's not, and what steps we can take to avoid it, or get better.

We discuss:

• What burnout feels like
• What it's not
• Why people. burn out
• How people can recover, or begin creating space for rest and nourishing activities
• The role of modern life and the ubiquity of technology
• Common mistakes people make leading to burnout

https://vantageviewcoaching.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-heird/

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, join me as I interrogate the word creativity to see if it's doing my ambitions to see it better understood more harm than good.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Outraged by outrage
• The people on the roadside
• A simple comment reminds me of something key about creativity

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Was there ever a good time to start a business?

Jamhot and I both entered the creative industry during the financial crash of 2008. Do we now look back and make a distorted comparison to the insanity of today? Or do we recognise that there was never a good time to throw ourselves into this creative life?

We discuss:

• Storytelling and surviving
• Receiving reckless emails
• Being open to change
• Lunch clubs and the need for in-person community for optimal creativity
• Not forming ideas from assumptions
• Balancing rest and productivity

https://thisisjamhot.com/

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, join me as I share my Eureka! moment as I recognised a big lacking part of my dream job puzzle, and ask you to assess yours.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• AI and the need for mental healthcare
• A moment of connection under the station stairs 
• Lessons from a doctor
• The joys of getting lost

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Relationships. Utterly key to our ability to function with optimism, contentment, and creativity. But how much do we take care of them? Relationship with ourselves? Partners, professional or romantic? With society?

Psychotherapist Allison Heiliczer joins The Creative Condition for the latest in a series of specific mental health topic episodes as we take a long look into the relationship mirror.

We cover:

• Chaotic brains
• Finding the right tribe for these brains
• Negative identities
• The finding time myth
• Loneliness and isolation
• The control illusion

You can find out more about Allison at https://rethinkthecouch.com

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Reclaim the Throne is The Creative Condition’s campaign to recognise the need for a downtime revolution. 

The resistance to the big tech coup of our minds starts with our arses. 

From there, we will reclaim the bus stop, the park bench, the underground train, the taxi, waiting rooms, receptions, and the good old walk from A to B. 

These clutches of two, five, and ten-minute windows add up to a valuable, regular chunk of time to spend on something better than the algorithm sludge we’ve been pumping into our brains for too long. 

I hope you’ll join the cause and report back with news of your own glorious anointment.

https://www.thecreativecondition.com/throne

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

In 2025 the perception of creativity is still rooted in artistic talent. There are assumptions that our passions are already in us, waiting to be activated, and people continue to quit at the first hurdle when it comes to creating.

I'm joined by Zorana Pringle, the Yale University Centre for Emotional Intelligence Senior Research Scientist and author of The Creativity Choice in which she challenges these damaging misunderstandings. 

We discuss creativity as a choice, something available to us all, and the differences between those who do and those who don't in a deep conversation!

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Today's guest, Zorana Pringle is here https://www.zorana-ivcevic-pringle.com/ Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, join me as I explore shared themes between the Yellowstone cowboys and illustrators and challenge the productivity trap.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Learnings from a lollipop lady
• A burst basketball and productivity guilt as a learned behaviour
• My beautiful cheap watch and proud identity
• An unexpected meeting with the local council

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Personal. Work. Personal work. What does any of it mean, and is there a rule about how personal work needs to be, or whether work and personal are best separate? 

Of course not! In creativity, there are no rules.

I had the delight of chairing a conversation about all this between lettering artist and author Jessica Hische, and artist Timothy Goodman live at the inaugural Paradiso festival in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico, and you can hear it now.

A huge thank you to the co-founders of Paradiso Héctor Ayuso and Marko Pfann for their efforts, and the permission to share this conversation with The Creative Condition listeners. Check out their 2026 lineup and get your tickets here.

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Today's guests, Tala's can be seen here: 

https://jessicahische.is/

https://www.tgoodman.com/ Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, join me as I reflect on something Timothy Goodman said to me in Mexico about emotion in our art and the trappings of disciplines.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Existential night panics
• Reverting to beginner's fear
• The joy of straight shooters
• Reappraising my relationship with social media and people

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, join me as I listen into the soothing environment that is my neighbour's garden, and consider the importance of catharsis and our environments for creativity.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Within minutes of meeting artist Tala Schlossberg ahead of our discussion panel with photographer Owen Harvey at the inaugural Paradiso in Mérida, Mexico, we were into the deep stuff.

Tala is a visual artist known primarily for her fantastic animation work, but a pure artist in every sense.

We covered human connection during the discussion panel, but there was so much more to be said. So, we caught up a few weeks later and got into the ongoing battle to stay mentally balanced, as a sensitive person, in a turbulent world. 

Do we live at a time when it's a radical act of counterculture to be genuinely nice to people and make art?

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Today's guest, Tala's world is here: https://www.talaschlossberg.com/ Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, thoughts on what's changed after two tough freelancing years and a slightly better start to this year. Talking creative self-efficacy, unpredictability, joy in the unknown, and the need to be out having conversations around passions, attuned with our environment.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

It's heavy out there. Cost of living. Mental health. Climate. Extreme division. Capitalist mania.

I opened my finances spreadsheet and freaked right out. Anxiety took hold and amplified it out of all proportion.

Here are 10 things that got me out of the hole, things that can help you too, dear artist.

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Designing a career
• Little houses in Mérida, Mexico
• My love of teaching creativity
• Sharing a life through art

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, creative self-efficacy and enrichment for sustainable creativity.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, deepfake Steveb Bartlett and the beginning of the end of the internet, Tala Rae Schlossberg, local wilding, council emails, and getting back to tribal enrichment.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Our cultures and societies are changing at a rate we were not designed to adapt to or comprehend. Our minds can rage from wild optimism to pessimism and nihilism 100s of times a day. 

What does this mean for creativity, art, and design?

I'm joined by the VP of Innovation and Strategy at Marks, Jennifer Murtell, fresh off the fantastic work with female healthcare brand MUSA, with an entirely female team. She recently wrote a piece on the topic for The Drum on 'Why we need women designing for women'.

We get deep into our changing times and what it means to use our creativity in a commercial environment.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

https://www.makemarks.com/

Simon Dixon, co-founder of DixonBaxi posted about the importance of designing your own career to avoid someone shaping it in an ill-fitting way. 

It blew my mind, succinctly capturing so many universal creativity truths and bringing about a personal revelation that through my coaching, this is exactly what I'm helping my clients to do.

But what does it mean, and why is it so vital to career and life fulfillment?

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/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

https://www.dixonbaxi.com/

The original post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/simonsdixon_design-the-career-you-want-to-live-if-you-activity-7315761669303926784-4Ngd?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAU0R0IB77CfZWGalbMufEjVc_KIOl3hdbY

I don't know much about video games, but the medium intrigues me, so I'm joined by Oddbug Studio's art director and environment artist Martin Reimann fresh off the hugely successful launch of Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter.

I throw a lot of naive questions Martin's way about the role of a video game art director, the origins of both Oddbug and Tails of Iron, and we get into many aspects of creativity, passion, and the trials and tribulations of managing the mind in the creative process.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Visit Oddbug at https://www.oddbug.co.uk/ Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• AI rage
• A loss of mental balance
• Tala Schlossberg's wonderful comment on beauty in the dark
• The need for jeopardy remembered

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

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

For Tala Schlossberg: https://www.talaschlossberg.com/

In our 1000mph lives, it's so hard to listen and be heard, but deep listening is a critical part of the creative process. Being heard makes for unity, healthy relationships, and human value. 

I'm joined by the author of the brilliant Unheard: The Medical Practice of Silencing, Rageshri Dhairyawan. Rageshri felt unheard while suffering extreme endometriosis pain, which planted the seed of the idea that became the book. She wanted to use her position and experience as a doctor, researcher, and consultant in HIV and sexual health medicine to call for better doctor - patient relationships and continuity of care.

We talk creativity, the value of the arts to tell stories, what happens when people are both heard, and unheard in and beyond healthcare and much more.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com It's the last week to get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• The joy of being lost
• The inaugural Paradiso Festival
• The Burrills at breakfast
• A found book impact

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Managing our 'insurmountables'
• The joy of childish humour and Looney Tunes villains
• 'The heels': common creativity villains
• World book day – magic or consumerist tosh?

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Are we all on ref cam?
• Identity and belonging on the paper round
• AI agents and primitive idiocy

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

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Amie McNee is the founder of 'Inspired Collective', where she supports people in becoming their inner artist. Her new book We Need Your Art! Stop Messing Around and Make Something is out on Penguin Books, and she joins The Creative Condition to share her story.

Amie is a huge advocate for artistic expression as a missing pillar of understanding in the human condition, and her work to challenge this tragic oversight is awesome.

We trade viewpoints and stories and marvel over what's possible in a society where creativity is better understood and embraced.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462403/we-need-your-art-by-mcnee-amie/9781529937015

https://inspiredcollective.com

Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• A time-slip in Preston
• Losing Ken Garland and my time with him
• Covering up news headline panels on vulnerable days
• The wonder and imagination in boring church services
• A growing obsession with storytelling

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A bonus shot following the full interview with LOVE founder Dave Palmer in which he offers balanced thoughts on the opportunity and the threat posed by artificial intelligence.

Hear our full conversation on episode 257.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

LOVE is a 80+ strong agency that specialises in delivering diverse, but complementary design-led solutions for global brands across brand strategy and design, identity design, packaging design, spaces, comms, immersive and activations.

Its founder, Dave Palmer shares not just the story of LOVE's evolution since its 2001 roots, but a lifetime of leading with creativity, the humanity, the chaos, and the euphoria of it all.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• The unpredictability of a career that leads to drawing on Olympic bras in China
• The persisting intimidation attached to the word 'creativity' at all levels
• Space litter and a Galactic imagination
• A love of antagonists, graphic activism, and Pogus Caesar's photography
• A mucky treasure hunt and the value of the weekend self

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Pogus Caesar is a national treasure. 

His many projects as a photographer, director, artist, and archivist transcend language and defy perfectionism in the way great art should. 

The sheer humanity and honesty in his images spoke to me, and I needed to hear his story.

Those iconic images from the 1985 Handsworth riots fired me up through my love of activism through artistic expression. His images of cross-cultural friendships are profound, and we discuss his early experiences of moving from St Kitts to Birmingham in 1953, and his early cultural affections.

Pogus is candid in his vulnerability as a creator, sharing stories of observing people commenting on his work in galleries, and how the best we can do is offer a little piece of ourselves.

As ever, supported by the show's founding sponsor Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

https://www.instagram.com/poguscaesar/?hl=en-gb Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• A tough week of financial panic
• The personality clues in the culture we're drawn to
• The human fundamental of listening and being heard for mental wellbeing
• The battle to be trusted with a diverse skillset in a title-based market
• Young life and silent death: a motorbike in the graveyard
• Musings on joining dots and using the world as our art school in a world obsessed with automation

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Content writer Caroline Christie shares her thoughts on the time a research facility funded by America’s largest telecommunications organisation became a studio of some of New York’s most renowned and avant-garde artists. We're discussing the need for bigger thinking and cross-pollination of artists with other industries to resolve our collective problems and promote broader creativity. Caroline wrote an article for Little Atoms on Bell Labs and EAT (Experiments of Art and Technology), and their work with the likes of Andy Warhol and John Cage among many others, and we get into the idea in a big way. https://littleatoms.com/article/how-att-shaped-modern-art As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this week's instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Lively children fighting and why it's healthy
• An anxiety explosion and what I learned about structures and routines
• Boxing Day 1997 and magic in utter boredom and frustration
• Energy diversity and why it can help creative businesses
• Baby Gorilla: what a silly imaginative character for the kids has done for my own creativity

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Get your 1/3 off 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational audit now at https://thecreativecondition.com Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

In this edition of The Creativity Diary: Listening properly. Some reflections after reading Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan's Unheard: The Medical Practice of Silencing. Reading wide and reading well: why only reading about the topic you're trying to master doesn't work for everyone, and is not conducive to creativity. I was the only person in the world to see this sunrise and why that reminds us of our value and unique power. An uncomfortable eccentric in Ryman Stationery and shaking up the peace. The struggle to title myself, and why living in a big tech world demands flexibility in the application of creativity. A strange vicarious joy in the idling of a friend at Christmas, and what it tells me. The wild imaginations of children and what we adults can learn. Supported by the founding sponsor Illustration X. See their global range of illustration and animation portfolios at https://illustrationx.com Head to https://thecreativecondition.com for coaching, reading list, diary and the podcast archive!

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, join me as I reflect on a nettle sting sustained by reaching for a bag of dog shit, and why it links to Marcus Aurelius.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

The final episode of The Creative Condition for 2024 is a deep dive into the lessons of the world's greatest-ever polymath Leonardo Da Vinci. And who better to present them than a Fly-fisher of over 40 years and author of the amazing Fly Fishing with Leonardo Da Vinci – David Ladensohn!? Leonardo saw no boundaries between all of life's wonders and spent his life exploring them to identify the patterns. A man who painted the Mona Lisa, designed bridges centuries ahead of the capabilities to build them, envisioned the helicopter, and, connecting him with David, obsessively studied water's ways. He's endlessly fascinating to me and teaches us so much about creativity without limits, so David and I see out the year with a mazy discussion about all of this and more. Merry Christmas to my beloved listeners, and a creative new year! Please tell a friend about the show, and subscribe on your preferred platform! Supported by founding sponsor Illustration X who you can visit to see their glorious illustration and animation portfolios at https://illustrationx.com The Creative Condition website is now live at https://thecreativecondition.com where you'll find creativity resources and coaching opportunities. To get Fly Fishing with Leonardo Da Vinci, head here!

The second installment of The Creative Condition podcast's 'The Creativity Diary'. This edition contains thoughts on:

• The maturity trap: why an encounter with a police officer, my dog, and a tennis ball conjured a 14-year-old 'fitting in' mindset.
• The inarticulable sense of belonging somewhere at the right time.
• Appearance and perception
• AI bots commenting on posts and the subsequent etiquette dilemma as AI ups its bot game 
• The importance of getting the house in order before trying to create
• Reappraising my relationship with social media and the impact of getting older on deciding where time is spent

Supported as ever by the founding show sponsor https://illustrationx.com Please consider sharing, commissioning, or critiquing the work of the brave Ukrainian creative community at https://ui.org.ua Visit https://thecreativecondition.com for The Creative Condition's resources to support your creativity including books, articles, the diary, coaching and consultation!

For over 25 years, Duncan Wardle drove creativity and innovation at Disney. He sent Buzz Lightyear into space with NASA, almost had Roger Rabbit eliminated by agents after Princess Diana was put in danger, and oversaw a U.S. President-sanctioned parade for a special turkey at Disneyland. But more importantly, he's sharing the inner workings of his creative thinking in a superb new cookbook-style recipe format book, The Imagination Emporium. He joins me to cut through a monstrous amount of topics around AI, imagination, how to break through the misperception that only some people are creative, and why businesses routinely overlook creativity's role in progression. Supported as ever by founding sponsor Illustration X: https://illustrationx.com https://www.whsmith.co.uk/Product/Duncan-Wardle/The-Imagination-Emporium--Creative-Recipes-for-Innovation/15598381?awaid=3017&utm_source=redbrain&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=css&gclid=CjwKCAiA0rW6BhAcEiwAQH28IpF-hV7ZWc6Q_EK7Rjh2d98jEYYVr3MDGbYuu69fRR7oIB-en_SUbBoCZtwQAvD_BwE Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! And please, TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE SHOW! To see the information on the group and individual coaching opportunities, head here! https://thecreativecondition.com for The Creative Condition book and the brand new 'Anatomy of Creativity' map. and the Ukrainian Institute https://ui.org.ua Hosted by Ben Tallon https://bentallon.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-tallon-a822a725/ https://www.youtube.com/@_TheCreativeCondition

The dark nights are here. It takes more work for those of us on the wintry side of the globe to manage our thoughts and not fall victim to the harsher conditions. Pulled from the 'Anatomy of Creativity' coaching framework and my experiences/the wisdom of others, here are 8 suggestions to help you maintain optimal creativity and good mental health while we're under Gotham skies. Supported as ever by founding sponsor Illustration X: https://illustrationx.com The list: 1. Get offline 2. Get out more 3. Read Not the End of the World  by Hannah Ritchie 4. Practice 'whole body mental health' 5. Play, be silly, get out of 'the maturity trap' 6. Get to know your deathbed self 7. Conduct an emotional creativity health check and make unconditionally 8. Take care of your relationship with money Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! And please, TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE SHOW! To see the information on the group and individual coaching opportunities, head here! https://bentallonwriter.com/shop for The Creative Condition book and the brand new 'Anatomy of Creativity' map. and the Ukrainian Institute https://ui.org.ua Hosted by Ben Tallon https://bentallon.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-tallon-a822a725/ https://www.youtube.com/@_TheCreativeCondition