Take a listen and get into the world of the client in our talk with Fred Knapp of Maximus Real Estate Partners as we talk about the development of the murals at Parkmerced, painted by the students of Academy of Art. Fred Knapp drives the strategy and execution for Maximus’ operations. He joined the company in 2019, and brings considerable restructuring, asset-management, and organizational improvement capabilities honed over a 30-year long career in real estate. Fred's strong customer service orientation is instrumental in the creation of an Active Service Culture across our portfolio. Prior to Maximus, Fred was the Executive Director of Related Hudson Yards. In this position, Fred was the operational leader responsible for managing 1,000 employees serving the new $20 billion New York City neighborhood. His responsibilities in this role included P&L financial management, organizational construct, security, general management, operations, and technology infrastructure. Fred also served as Interim President of Related Management Company, where he implemented restructuring and organizational improvements for the 2,000-person company overseeing 52,000 residential units and 10 MM SF of commercial space.

Go behind the scenes of the 10-year journey to create the graphic novel - White Faced Lies - as it went from the spark of an idea to the Sundance Writers Lab to now available on Kindle and Amazon. Book Synopsis - In China, local companies hire white (but not necessarily qualified) Americans to lend them credibility. Cons such as these, known as "face jobs", are instances in which Chinese companies hire foreigners to pose as professionals to lend credibility during meetings, press conferences, and other events where "face" is paramount. When veteran "face-jobber" Stanley hires a new assistant who thinks Stanley is his long-lost father, Stanley attempts to pull off the con of a lifetime by pretending to be his assistant's dad. A darkly humorous critique of the post-truth world that explores questions of race, systemic fraud, and personal greed, "White Faced Lies" is ultimately about how easily lies become truth. Check out the book here - mybook.to/WhiteFacedLies

Go behind the scenes of the 10-year journey to create the graphic novel - White Faced Lies - as it went from the spark of an idea to the Sundance Writers Lab to now available on Kindle and Amazon. Book Synopsis - In China, local companies hire white (but not necessarily qualified) Americans to lend them credibility. Cons such as these, known as "face jobs", are instances in which Chinese companies hire foreigners to pose as professionals to lend credibility during meetings, press conferences, and other events where "face" is paramount. When veteran "face-jobber" Stanley hires a new assistant who thinks Stanley is his long-lost father, Stanley attempts to pull off the con of a lifetime by pretending to be his assistant's dad. A darkly humorous critique of the post-truth world that explores questions of race, systemic fraud, and personal greed, "White Faced Lies" is ultimately about how easily lies become truth. Check out the book here - https://www.amazon.com/White-Faced-Lies-Eric-Flanagan-ebook/dp/B09N6W8HYQ

Violetta Gonzalez is based out of San Francisco, California, and fell in love with photography 6 years ago playing in the darkroom at the City College of San Francisco. She found that photography was the most efficient way to explore & share stories of all the diverse beauty she explores. With her BFA from the Academy of Art University, she uses photography as a tool to capture social-political issues that target the social norm all the while capturing its true beauty & essence of every subject matter. In expanding her portfolio & traveling to other cities that also experience similar social issues, she hopes to educate you through her lens while bringing you a new point of view. Her project, We All Need Safety, explores the world of cam models and sex workers from the inside and is fascinating look into modern sexuality in our technological age. You can view her work here - https://www.violetagphotography.com/

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN LEADER, INVENTOR, and EDUCATOR Perpetually inspired concept ideation, development, direction, education, and realization. Mark Garcia is helping to advance our world by sharing my experiences, perspective, and techniques of industrial design with aspiring creative problem solvers and future game-changers. Instructing junior and senior-level industrial design majors in a course that I have evolved to become more invention/entrepreneurial in its problem solving and design approach. Check out Mark's work here - https://www.rogue-id.com/ And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Forest Stearns is the Principal Artist at DRAWEVERYWHERE where he produces uniques artworks and leads collaborations connecting artists and institutions. He has a passion for founding Artist in Residence programs that connect art, science, and technology. Currently, he is the Creative Innovation Consultant and Artist in Residence co-founder at Google Quantum AI  in Santa Barbara Ca. Collaboration with artists is a huge part of Stearns’ creative adventure. As an art director, producer, facilitator, and public speaker. Always leaning in to bring other artists into unique situations to share creative permission in the common conversation. Stearns is an academically trained prolific illustrator, an arts educator, creative facilitator, and community builder. Also an engaged father and supportive partner. Earning a very technical Masters of Fine Art in Illustration in 2010 and a more conceptual BFA for Painting in 2005. This Academic achievement is matched by an empirical practice of daily art-making. An avid illustrator for over 20 years. Forest Stearns has been creating illuminated drawings and hand-lettered scripts on every surface available from art gallery walls to spaceships, there is nothing the artist won’t draw upon. His artistic portfolio radically spans media and substrate from endless sketchbooks of organic characters, laser-etched drawings covering hundreds of satellites that orbit the Earth, art on Quantum Computers, and giant murals on surfaces ranging from buildings, radomes, and rocket ships.

Top-rated speaker, best-selling author, and consultant Dr. Cindy is on a mission to empower people and companies to get what they want … through sales! Yep, “sales,” that icky word that makes people cringe. How did she learn to embrace that dreaded activity? After years of consulting companies and helping them grow their business, she had an epiphany: every job really is a sales job.  And every person is a salesperson. Throughout her career as a college professor, a salesperson, and a consultant, Dr. Cindy realized that people can get more of what they want in work AND in life by using the skills of sales professionals. She is in fact a doctor – although not the medical kind! – with her master’s in Communication and doctorate in Organizational Communication with an Emphasis in Organizational Leadership and Ethics. Today she focuses on bringing companies and people together to grow their businesses and get what they want in life and in work. Because, believe it or not: you were born with sales skills, and Dr. Cindy wants to help you embrace your inner salesperson to get what you want and deserve. And it’s not tough, she uses a simple five-step formula that’s easy to remember, easy to stick to, and easy to achieve. But it’s so revolutionary that once she redefines the concept of sales, the world will need a new word for it! Want to find out her secrets? Easy–she’s written a book about them! It’s called Every Job is a Sales Job: How to Use the Art of Selling to Win at Work, released in September 2019 by McGraw Hill Professional. You can find out more about Dr. Cindy here - https://drcindy.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

“A good picture book should be able to be read by anybody,” says Taylor Norman, editor at Chronicle Books in San Francisco and our guest on the podcast this week. As an editor it is Taylor’s job to find the right manuscript and shepherd it through the process from acquisition to print. No small feat as creating picture books is a multimillion-dollar industry creating memories that last a lifetime. Getting you book in front of a publisher like Taylor requires you as the author/illustrator to become immersed in the field. This is not a quick output, or one-off idea to try. The work you create can fill libraries and enter the world of “literature”. Talking to parents is the first step if you think you have a good idea. “I think as a parent, you want the right book for the right moment at all of your moments. And there's tons of melodrama in one day in a kid's life. And ideally, the picture books that get published address those types of moments in a kid's life,” Taylor says. As far as the books she is looking, “I'm interested in books that have a purpose because they're authentic and they tell a true story that a kid will respond to.”

Do you ever wonder who gets to be in charge of making the Pops and toys you love? Well, on this episode we tear open the vinyl to feast on the creative goo that is Funko Creative Director, Reis O'Brien. Fresh off his recent creation of the Grogu Ballon for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Reis walks us through his career from slaving away in the world of illustration to creating toys and vinyl pops that we all know and love. Along the way, Reis gives us some of the best advice on how to look at yourself as an artist, find the spark that you need to move forward with an idea, and be comfortable in your own designs. A great episode for everyone looking to find a bit of mentorship along the way. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Fluxco Design was founded in 2012 by Zachary Calev. As a professional sculptor with an Industrial Design degree in Transportation Design, Zach has carried forth his skills in surfacing and volume experimentation in the automotive world to furniture. Just as important is the ability to fluidly evolve an idea from a two-dimensional sketch to the third dimension of a usable product, is an attention to detail so that no screw, joinery, or tie go unnoticed. You can find more of Zach's work here - https://www.fluxcodesign.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

#CreativeMindPodcast #FineArtPhotography #Photography Subscribe to Creative Mind wherever you get your podcasts today so you never miss an episode!   Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...   Google Podcasts - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0...   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2z1VI3J...   Check out Creative Mind on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/creative_mind_podcast/ In this special episode, we walk through some of Shahzad Bhiwandiwala's favorite images and he explains how his career progressed and what he is working on now.  Shahzad Bhiwandiwala is a fine art fashion and portrait photographer from Mumbai currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. After a brief stint in the corporate world of Human Resources, he decided to make a career out of his passion for photography. He is an alumnus of the Eddie Adams Workshop Batch XXXIII, a first-place Advertising-Fashion awardee at the International Photography Awards, CA Award winner, a Phase One Certified Professional, and a professor in the photography department at San Jose State University.  You can view his beautiful work on his website https://www.shahzadb.com/portfolio

Zachary Calev is the founder of Fluxco Design. As a professional sculptor with an Industrial Design degree in Transportation Design, Zach has carried forth his skills in surfacing and volume experimentation in the automotive world to furniture. Just as important is the ability to fluidly evolve an idea from a two-dimensional sketch to the third dimension of a usable product, is an attention to detail so that no screw, joinery, or tie go unnoticed.  You can find more of Zach's work here - https://www.fluxcodesign.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Judy’s process incorporates painting, drawing, collage, and photograph transfers creating an unexpected spontaneous flow of energy and endless possibilities. “I use a torch to heat each layer and manipulate the wax. Unexpected things always happen when you are working with hot wax and fire.  I learned to let go of the critical inner voice when something goes in a different direction and just embrace it.” says Klich.   Judy captures beauty in her paintings by showing details and scenery often missed by our busy lifestyles.  Her work juxtaposes nature and geometry and displays the connection between the two.  It reflects her need for balance by contrasting elements and creating harmony at the same time.  There is excitement and joy along with a peaceful presence in her work. The beeswax adds a surreal quality of softness and translucency that complements the textural, organic elements.    Judy has a BS in Interior Design from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an MFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and is represented by Paul LeQuire and Company in Nashville, TN, River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN, Lark, and Key Gallery, Charlotte, NC and The Studio Gallery in Grayton Beach, FL.  She has also participated in multiple juried shows since 2009 including Harding Academy Art Show, Brentwood Academy, and Lipscomb Academy art shows. She paints and teaches encaustic and watercolor in her home studio.   You can view her stunning work here -  https://www.judyklichart.com/

KC Knoop proudly served in the United States Coast Guard for 20 years.  During those years, he spent most of my time away from home in the southern hemisphere fighting the drug wars that so often threatened our borders. During his years of service to the country, he developed a knack for photography that morphed into a professional career. Duane Michals, a great influence to KC, once stated, “Either you are defined by your medium or you must redefine it.”  Not long ago while seeking ways to do just that, KC discovered aerial photography.  It was in the sky that he was introduced to a whole new plane for art.  The geometric lines created by the earth all leading to a distant sunrise captivated me.  He found myself awake hours before the sunrise to reach locations he could photograph just as the sun breaks the horizon.  By the time he would return home after hours of photographing, he had already put in a full day as members of his family are just getting up to begin theirs. It is aerial photography that has not only redefined his medium, but has shaped him as an artist.   You can view his stunning images here - https://kcknoopdroneimagery.myportfolio.com/photography Also check out is stunning family and wedding photography here - https://www.kcknoopphotography.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Shahzad Bhiwandiwala is a fine art fashion and portrait photographer from Mumbai currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. After a brief stint in the corporate world of Human Resources, he decided to make a career out of his passion for photography. He is an alumnus of the Eddie Adams Workshop Batch XXXIII, a first place Advertising-Fashion awardee at the International Photography Awards, CA Award winner, a Phase One Certified Professional and a professor in the photography department at San Jose State University. You can view his beautiful work on his website https://www.shahzadb.com/portfolio Check out our portfolio review on YouTube - https://youtu.be/OyVFQiv2LQU And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Ephraim Colbert is a creative media producer focusing on arts and culture, civil rights and social action, education, health, poverty alleviation, and social services. Ephraim has turned his experience to developing original content and managing pre/production and post-production from beginning to end for video and audio platforms including producing for KPFA radio, podcasts for Capacity for Health, and other non-profits. His insights into finding clients, working in the non-profit space, and developing your creative voice to help others are just some of the topics we cover in this episode. You can find more of Ephraim Colbert’s work here - https://www.ephraimcolbert.com And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

In this bonus episode of Creative Mind, we dive in the world of making documentaries. Marjorie Sturm walk us through her film and process for dealing with sensitive subject matter. Executive producer Tod Mesirow explains the art of interviews. We also here from cinematographer Dave Drum about some first steps into getting into documentary films. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

In this bonus episode of Creative Mind, we jump into the world of writing, directing and producing for low budget films. We speak with prolific writer-director Doug Campbell about getting a film made in 2 weeks. We also hear from Academy Award nominee Chris Moore on producing films that are well below the Hollywood multi-million dollar budgets. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Antonio Borja is a 2004 BFA graduate from the School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University. After graduation, Borja went to work utilizing his vast range of skills to launch a professional freelance career, and work for General Motors as a creative designer. He later returned to his alma mater to teach Design Drawing, Transportation Design, and Digital 3D modeling courses. At the Academy, Mr. Borja led the creation of an interdisciplinary collaborative program that gives students hands-on experience working with companies such as NASA, Samsung, Audi, Nissan, Peugeot, Citroen, General Motors, and Jaguar. In this role, he guides students from the schools of Graphic Design, Fashion, Web Design & New Media, and Interior Architecture, to create a holistic vision for the design objectives of the client Michelle Ruby aka Mrbbaby, a Latina born and raised in San Diego, California, uses elements of her heritage as inspiration for her striking and lively art work. Bbaby is heavily influenced by her community, as well as her Puerto Rican/Mexican upbringing. By combining vibrant colors with traditional imagery, MrBbaby is able to uplift her audience and intrigue her viewers. The artist's aim is to bring happiness and joy to her collectors and community, while also having stronger messages intertwined, all of which are open to the viewer's interpretation. And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!

Richelle is a dedicated artist based in Denver, Colorado. Having grown up a high-level reader, acute interests in science/nature, and an avid fan of books, movies, and games alike- Being a nerd comes naturally and lead to her fun pen name; NerdBird. It was a simple decision to pursue a professional art degree to become even more immersed in the development of new and beloved universes. She graduated proudly in Spring 2021 from the Academy of Art University with her desired Bachelors of Fine Art in Illustration. Within her degree she covered many topics like Fantasy Illustration, Concept Art, Sequential Art, World Building, and even tailored her Liberal Arts to partake in advanced writing courses for Script and Fiction writing. What was not planned, but highly regarded, was her immersion in extracurricular activities like the Drawaholics Anonymous and mentoring programs. Not hesitating to help out fellow students where needed, or contribute her non-art related skills to help build the Drawaholics community. The group itself is based around the 2,500 Drawing Challenge and since her time in leadership the community has seen a consistent level of growth and activity. She contributed greatly to their goal "Creating a Culture of Excellence." Check out Richelle's work here - https://www.nerdbirdsstudio.com/ And of course check out more Creative Mind on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Got a question? Let us know!