Underscore: Recent Episodes
The Chicago Graphic Design Club
Description Underscore is a podcast by the Chicago Graphic Design Club, that brings you conversations with Chicago’s creative community. On this podcast, we explore the craft, theory, and practice of graphic design, plus discuss ideas that cultivate a more inclusive and thoughtful creative community.
Our guest is Matt Avery, founder of Monograph, a Chicago-based design studio specializing in publishing and typography. After 14 years as Principal Designer at the University of Chicago Press, where he designed The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition, Matt launched his independent practice in 2018.
Matt joins host Christian Solorzano to discuss his journey from engineering dropout to book designer, how Emigre magazine shaped his early design thinking, and why he has moved from constantly trying new typefaces to relying on a trusted palette he knows intimately. They explore the craft of book design—from cast-offs and justification to the subjective chaos of cover design feedback—and the myths about what makes covers sell (spoiler: nobody really knows).
Beyond design, Matt shares his volunteer work as a TreeKeeper with Openlands, how pruning trees connects to typography principles, his dormant photographic collage practice, and why the best creative moment is that first sketch when you know an idea will work. They also reflect on the intersection of nature and design, the importance of protecting creative time, and finding balance between client work and personal expression.
Related links
- https://monograph.studio/
- https://mattavery.design/
- https://mattavery.net/
Our guest is José Rosa, a Chicago-based graphic designer, DJ, and artist. They join host Christian Solorzano to talk about their journey from Milwaukee and Puerto Rico to Chicago’s creative scene, and how magazines like The Source and Vogue sparked their path into design. José shares how their Caribbean upbringing shaped their vibrant aesthetic, why they push back against minimalism, and how their current work—exhibitions and workshops on reimagining identity—centers on decolonizing Puerto Rican and queer identity. They also reflect on the younger generation’s unapologetic self-expression and fight for change.
Our guest is Ashley Bedore, a graphic designer and illustrator working at Lincoln Park Zoo.
In this episode, Ashley speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her journey from studying illustration at Columbia College Chicago to discovering graphic design through album cover artwork and concert posters. She shares insights about her creative process and her evolution from production designer to leading illustration projects at one of Chicago's cultural institutions.
Ashley discusses her experience teaching at Columbia College and the challenges and rewards of designing for a zoo's diverse departments, from development campaigns to event promotion.
The conversation explores how becoming a mother has transformed Ashley's creative practice, making her more efficient and decisive in her work. She opens up about her current exploration of oil painting as a response to our digital-centered industry and her approach to leading teams that flourish creatively.
Ashley shares her perspective on the importance of young designers finding their unique voice and niche, rather than trying to do everything. She discusses what it's like working at a cultural institution, her love for Chicago's supportive creative community, and her ongoing journey to balance professional work with personal artistic exploration.
Our guest is Sun Segura, Managing Director of design studio Segura and the digital type foundry T26. She is also the founder and curator of AHA Time, a nonprofit organization focused on promoting essential core values.
In this episode, Sun speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her journey from growing up in South Korea to leading two companies that helped shape the digital design landscape.
The conversation centers on Sun's exploration of values and their impact on society. She discusses how her South Korean upbringing shaped her perspective on leadership and community, and how these principles guide her work. Sun shares insights about building organizations that prioritize meaningful impact and how personal values can drive systemic change.
To submit a poster to our call for submissions, see details here.
Our guest is Suzie Shin, a designer, educator, and artist who moved to Chicago after studying at RISD, drawn by the city's community of small design studios and creative collaboration.
In this episode, Suzie speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her journey from aspiring illustrator to discovering her voice through collage and color. She shares insights about her analog-to-digital design process, where handmade work becomes the foundation for larger-scale projects, and how she creates parameters that allow for intuitive flow.
Suzie discusses her experience as a new typography instructor at DePaul University and how persistence led to her internship at the renowned Chicago studio, Thirst. She opens up about her current collaboration with Rick Valicenti on an Alexander Girard exhibition in Columbus, Indiana, and how Girard's approach to color and joy influences her own pursuit of work.
The conversation explores Suzie's creative philosophy—using collage as a thinking tool rather than an end goal—and her current transition away from traditional graphic design toward fine art and textiles. She reflects on finding balance between making and documenting, the challenges of graphic design's increasing association with marketing, and what grounds her outside the studio: reading, cooking, and learning to quilt.
Our guest is Betsy Schuster, a type designer and founder of Queer Type, an independent type design studio based in the Detroit area. Originally from suburban Michigan, Betsy discovered his calling in typography after studying graphic design and darkroom photography.
In this episode, Betsy speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his evolution from graphic designer to specialized type designer, exploring how his background in visual storytelling and photography shaped his approach to letterforms. He shares insights about his creative process, from late-night design sessions surrounded by sketches to finding inspiration in everything from handwriting to songwriters like PJ Harvey.
Betsy discusses his recent typeface "Antiphony," released through Future Fonts, and his philosophy of pushing typographic boundaries while maintaining legibility. The conversation explores his expansion beyond fonts into jewelry design and textile work using his grandmother's fabrics, reflecting on how personal history and values inform creative practice.
He opens up about the challenges of having diverse creative interests—from wanting to work with indigenous scripts to exploring fashion and ceramics—while building a focused type design practice.
The episode touches on themes of creative identity, finding your calling, and the intersection of personal values with professional practice in the design world.
Video available on YouTube and Spotify.
Search, The Chicago Graphic Design Club.
—
Today's episode is a conversation between Rick Valicenti and Christian Solorzano about the production of the Chicago Graphic Design Club's second issue of their publication, Faculty.
In this episode, they share stories about their collaboration and memorable highlights that center around craft and designing a publication that pushes boundaries and reflects today's graphic landscape across Chicago.
Video available on YouTube and Spotify.
Search, The Chicago Graphic Design Club.
—
Our guest is Cristobal Mora, co-founder of Bueno Days, the community-centered coffee shop and creative space in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. As a photographer, graphic designer, and community builder, Cristobal represents a new generation of Mexican-American creatives shaping Chicago's cultural landscape.
In this episode, Cristobal speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his unconventional path from photography to graphic design through side projects rather than formal art education. He explores the complexities of Mexican-American identity and how cultural duality informs both his personal practice and community work.
Cristobal discusses his evolution from documenting Chicago's South Side music scene to creating Bueno Days as a third space that celebrates authenticity without cultural tropes. He shares insights about building meaningful connections through design, the importance of giving yourself permission to pursue your vision, and his philosophy that everyone is a photographer with a unique perspective worth sharing.
The conversation explores his approach to mentorship, the intersection of survival and creativity as an independent business owner, and his belief that graphic design is everywhere—making it a craft worthy of lifelong dedication. Cristobal offers candid advice for young designers navigating an uncertain industry and discusses his vision for creating community spaces where people can exist authentically.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Video available on YouTube and Spotify.
Search, The Chicago Graphic Design Club.
—
Our guest is Aliona Solomadina, an independent graphic designer, artist, and researcher originally based in Kyiv who has been living in Chicago since 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Aliona was featured in our inaugural Faculty publication through her work City of Forms.
In this episode, Aliona speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her unique perspective as an outsider interpreting Chicago, exploring architecture and design through a curious lens.
Aliona discusses her evolution from childhood interests to becoming a specialist in book design, visual identities, and design curation, working with institutions. As co-author of "Znak. Ukrainian Trademarks of the 1960s–80s," she brings deep research experience to her practice.
The conversation explores her visual identity work for "Constructing Hope Ukraine" at the Chicago Architecture Center and her philosophy that graphic design has become a powerful tool for diplomacy. Aliona shares her impressions of American design culture, offers advice for purpose-driven creative work, and discusses how she maintains hope and vitality when addressing difficult subject matter.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Barry Deck, graphic designer and typographer known for creating Template Gothic and serving as the final art director of Ray Gun Magazine.
In this episode, Barry speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his unexpected journey from theater student to design icon, beginning with his discovery of graphic design while wandering the dorms at Northern Illinois University. He shares insights about his transformative years at CalArts under Ed Fella's mentorship and how vernacular inspiration led to the creation of Template Gothic—one of the most influential typefaces of the 1990s.
Barry discusses his role reshaping Ray Gun magazine's visual identity, his collaboration with Thirst Type, and the experimental typography movement that defined an era. He opens up about how meditation and yoga have profoundly shaped his creative practice, offering candid perspectives on confidence, imposter syndrome, and what he calls his "easy knowingness."
The conversation explores Barry's thoughts on AI as a creative tool, his experience teaching design students in suburban Florida, and why he believes designers need to venture beyond comfortable environments to develop their visual vocabulary. Barry also reflects on Chicago's influence on his work, his recent website redesign, and his philosophy that embracing all parts of yourself creates a more compelling creative package.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Jamie Gannon, an artist, designer, and photographer who has spent over 30 years in Chicago exploring the intersection of architecture, memory, and creative practice.
In this episode, Jamie speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his unique approach to documenting buildings through what he calls "defamiliarization" - taking familiar structures and making them unexpected again. He shares insights about his journey from Tennessee to Chicago, his evolution from commercial graphic design to fine art, and his meticulous process of photographing, deconstructing, and reconstructing architectural forms.
Jamie discusses his recent move to a new studio at MANA Contemporary, his "Sibling Revelry" exhibition in Nashville, and his Type Force installation. We explore how his background in printmaking influences his current work with surfaces and materials, his morning ritual of walking through Wicker Park, and why he chooses hands-on creation in an increasingly digital world.
The conversation delves into Jamie's philosophy of preserving architectural history, his approach to craft and detail, and how he balances commercial design work at Surprise Media with his artistic practice. Jamie reflects on the role of intuition versus strategy in creative work, the importance of surface in art-making, and his upcoming plans for art fairs throughout the Midwest.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Wendy Robles, a visual artist and designer who explores themes of connection, memory, and an invisible presence through her work. She maintains a dedicated creative practice between fine art and design in Chicago.
In this episode, Wendy speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her journey from fine arts to graphic design, exploring how her family's rich storytelling tradition has shaped her visual language and artistic vision. She shares insights into her creative process—how she navigates different mediums, from oil painting to digital work—and her perspective on publishing her work through her website rather than social media platforms.
She discusses the importance of following intuition in her creative practice, offering candid perspectives on overcoming creative blocks and finding renewal through exploring the intersection of art and science.
The conversation delves into Wendy's personal manifesto, which encompasses principles such as "feel everything," "preserve your peace," and "always return to love." Wendy shares how finding joy through embracing all aspects of herself, including her mischievous side, has influenced her creative explorations.
Music by Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Aggie Toppins, a designer and educator who explores the origins, impact, and evolution of visual communication. She is an Associate Professor and Chair of Design at Washington University in St. Louis.
In this episode, Aggie speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her journey from commercial design in Chicago to academia, exploring how her working-class upbringing in Ohio shaped her approach to design and education. She shares insights about her creative process—how she addresses the tensions between client work and personal expression, and her thoughtful perspective on teaching as a practice of freedom.
Aggie discusses her evolution as a designer, from her early years working with clients like the Chicago History Museum to developing her values-driven approach to design history and education. She talks about the importance of creating joyful, empowering classroom experiences, offering candid perspectives on challenging conventional wisdom and finding purpose amid today's complex landscape.
The conversation explores Aggie's research interests and her book "Thinking Through Graphic Design History," which examines how historical thinking can foster socially engaged, critical design practices. Her writing has appeared in prestigious design publications including Design and Culture, Design Issues, Slanted, Eye, and AIGA Eye on Design. Aggie shares how finding joy through connecting with students has influenced her creative explorations.
Our guest is Andrew Dembitz, a paper specialist, creative consultant, and founder of Resource Engine Group, who has been championing the value of printed media in Chicago for over 30 years.
In this episode, Andrew speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his journey from the fashion industry to becoming a respected voice in Chicago's paper and printing community. He shares insights about the unique properties of paper that digital media cannot replicate—its tactile qualities, permanence, and emotional impact. Andrew discusses his experience organizing paper shows in Chicago, his role as a consultant helping designers make appropriate paper choices, and how he built his reputation as "Chicago's paper person."
The conversation explores Andrew's current ventures, including Resource Engine Group and his newly launched "Smart Threads" wardrobe consulting service. Andrew offers candid thoughts on the state of the paper industry today, expressing optimism while acknowledging the challenges of a changing marketplace. He also reveals his passions beyond paper—baseball, pop culture, antique toy collecting, and philanthropic work with organizations like Marwen and Bernie's Book Bank.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Jeffrey Hitchens, a photographer, designer, and community builder who moved to Chicago in 2011 after studying journalism in Long Beach, California.
In this episode, Jeffrey speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his journey from photojournalism to graphic design, exploring how his background in telling visual stories shapes his approach to design work. He shares insights about his creative process—how he addresses client needs and his thoughtful perspective on community building.
Jeffrey discusses his evolution as a designer, from receiving his first camera from his brother to developing his values-driven design practice. He talks about the importance of mindfulness in his work and life, offering candid perspectives on navigating the contradictions we all face as creative professionals.
The conversation explores Jeffrey's personal values—creating, discovery, purpose, meaningful work, mindfulness, intimacy, and uniqueness—and how these principles guide both his client work and personal projects. Jeffrey shares how finding joy through accepting all parts of himself, including heavier emotions, has influenced his creative explorations.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Violet Luczak, an artist, educator, and designer who currently directs the graphic design program at McHenry County College.
In this episode, Violet speaks with host Christian Solorzano and co-host Hamid Alavi about her journey from graphic design to fine art, exploring how her formal design training influences her distinctive painting style. She shares insights about her creative process—collecting words and phrases as inspiration rather than beginning with visual references—and her transition away from commercial design.
Violet discusses her evolution as an artist, from her surrealist dairy-themed work to her current experiments with three-dimensional and interactive pieces. She talks about the influence of Chicago Imagists on her work and offers candid perspectives on building community within Chicago's vibrant art scene.
The conversation explores Violet's newest chapter: opening a storefront studio that she hopes will become more than just a workspace—a hub for creative community engagement and collaboration.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Cris Hernández, a type designer and researcher currently based in New York, working on expanding typography support for indigenous languages and underrepresented communities through various collaborative projects.
In this episode, Cris speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his journey from being captivated by anime symbols as a child to his current research in typography. He shares insights about the importance of understanding where our design knowledge comes from and his work with Indigenous communities to preserve and develop their writing systems.
Cris talks about his experiences across different design communities in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York while offering valuable perspectives on representation in design. He shares his vision for a more inclusive typography landscape with us and his recent launch of Get a Type foundry.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Lauren Gallagher, a Chicago-based designer and founder of Something Else Studio, a shape-shifting creative practice working with like-minded clients and collaborators.
In this episode, Lauren speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her path from early design explorations to running her own studio, and how launching just before the pandemic shaped her approach to work. She shares insights on building a practice that aligns with her values while fostering meaningful collaborations.
Lauren speaks about her deep connection to Chicago's creative community, finding inspiration beyond design circles, growth, and learning. She shares with us how her grandfather's memory influenced her studio's name and philosophy.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Nathaniel Haefner, a Chicago-based designer and educator who teaches graphic design while exploring the intersections of typography, web development, and music.
In this episode, Nathaniel speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his journey from engineering student to design educator, and how his systematic approach shapes both his creative work and teaching. He shares insights on creating tools for others, whether through type design, web development, or music synthesis, and how embracing failure leads to authentic creative growth.
Nathaniel speaks about his deep connection to experimental typography and systematic design, from his early days teaching at Texas State to his current role fostering the next generation of designers in Chicago. He shares with us how memory, identity, and failure inform his creative practice and teaching philosophy.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Chris Eichenseer, a Chicago-based designer and founder of Someoddpilot Design Studio and Public Works Gallery.
In this episode, Chris speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his journey from thrash metal bands to building one of Chicago's most distinctive design studios. He shares insights on creative fearlessness, building mythology through design, and how maintaining a rebellious spirit shapes his approach to underground and corporate projects.
Chris speaks about his deep connection to Chicago's DIY creative community, from his early days making album covers to his current work fostering collaborative environments. He opens up about the intersection of music, design, and entrepreneurship and how creating spaces for fearless ideation has shaped Someoddpilot's unique creative culture.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Robert Robbins, a Chicago-based designer and creative director at City Church Chicago.
In this episode, Robert speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his journey from skateboarding culture to creative leadership, and how these experiences have shaped his approach to mentoring the next generation of designers. Robert shares his perspective on creating spaces where creativity can flourish and why vulnerability is essential in leadership.
Robert speaks about his deep connection to Chicago's creative community, from his early days in the punk rock scene to his current role building creative talent. He shares with us how faith, resilience, and a commitment to serving others have guided his path, and how these values translate into building strong creative teams and meaningful work.
Contact Robert at robert@thisisegg.com.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Today, we share a special Underscore episode with some of the Chicago Graphic Design Club team: Cheryl, Alexis, Jeffrey, and Christian. Together, we reflect on 2024, all that we’ve accomplished, and our vision for 2025.
We also spend time reading over comments from our community survey, giving you a glimpse into how the CGDC operates and works behind the scenes. As usual, thank you for listening and for all your support this year. It means a lot, and you are the reason why we do this.
Enjoy the conversation, and if you enjoy this show, please rate it, share it with your friends, and subscribe to it wherever you listen.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Antonio Garcia, a Chicago-based designer, Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer at TXI, and Founder of Dadwell.
In this episode, Antonio speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the intersection of business, strategy, and design and their value in creating outcomes rooted in intellectual curiosity and reason.
Antonio speaks about his love for Chicago and his trajectory as a designer for over two decades. He shares with us how hope and his lived experience come across through his work and how that has translated into his involvement in Chicago’s design community through initiatives such as mentorship, programming, and giving back.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Hamid Alavi, a Chicago-based graphic designer, and Chicago Graphic Design Club programming team member.
In this episode, Hamid speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his multimedia creative practices, moving to the US from Iran, his research methods, Chicago, the importance of self-initiated projects, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Alexis Gonzalez, a Chicago-based graphic designer, and Chicago Graphic Design Club programming team member.
In this episode, Alexis speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her introduction to graphic design through a computer program she learned in the first grade and her thoughts on what the responsibility of a graphic designer is. She shares insight into how her identity as a Mexican-American shapes and influences how she sees the world — and how she seeks fulfillment in freelance projects outside of her day job. As a lifelong soccer player, she also discusses how soccer teaches her life lessons centered around community, discipline, growth, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Tony Bynum, Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the ID Executive Academy at Illinois Tech's Institute of Design (ID).
In this episode, Bynum speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the role of design as a philosophy and agent for change. We discuss the importance of creating meaning through our work and collaboration, the qualities that make up the leadership required to shape the future, technology, learning methodologies, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Mira Kida, a Chicago-based recruiter and design collaborator.
In this episode, Mira speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her background growing up in her family's art supplies business — and how that led to an appreciation for creativity/design. Today, she's a recruiter and shares advice on how designers can craft a compelling story and portfolio that can get them to do work that aligns with their values and vision. We discuss the state of the design industry and the importance of adapting to a changing world with resiliency, discipline, and authenticity.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Chris Leather, a Chicago-based graphic designer currently working at The University of Chicago’s Physical Sciences Division as Director of Graphic Arts.
In this episode, Chris speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his introduction to graphic design, background in concert posters in the 90s, publication design, and his move to Chicago from Knoxville. He shares the power of experimentation, making a mess, his obsession with typography and composition, and his encounter with a designer, Vaughan Oliver. Chris speaks to us about his perspective on the role and responsibility of a designer, how that has played a role in his approach to teaching for over two decades, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guests are Kim Terzis (Executive Creative Director) and Alex Sommerville (Director of Brand Development) of Simple Truth, a Chicago-based design studio.
In this episode, Kim and Alex speak with host Christian Solorzano about the importance of clarifying and understanding your simple truth and how that influences collaboration, culture, and design. They share with us how they work with clients and their teams to build an environment that fosters learning and belonging through five simple rules that include generosity, imagination, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Valerie Craig, a Chicago-based designer and community organizer.
In this episode, Valerie speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the power of community building and its importance in creating spaces that welcome sharing experiences and insight. Valerie walks us through her introduction to graphic design and the milestones and journey along the way. She also offers advice to designers looking to differentiate themselves and gives words of encouragement to seek joy in our design practices and the work that we are doing. Additionally, she speaks about her love for Chicago, the inspiration she draws from the city and people, and so much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Sabine Lenz, founder of Paper Specs, an organization and community dedicated to print, paper, and graphic design.
In this episode, Sabine speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the power of printing and the ways in which designers can cut through today’s digital noise by working with paper, ink, and printers. Sabine shares her love for craft with us and explains her definition of quality, plus the story of Paper Spec’s origin and much more.
Sabine will be hosting Paper Specs Live in Chicago on September 26th — and listeners can use discount code CGDC24 when purchasing tickets here.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is designer George Aye, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Greater Good Studio.
In this episode, George speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the ethos that drives Greater Good Studio's social mission to use design as an agent for change. Together, they talk about the importance of defining what “good” means within the context and practice of the design, craft, and discipline, the importance of speaking up, and the courage it takes to stand up for your values. George shares personal stories about the ethical dilemma designers often face when working on projects that conflict with one's moral compass and ways to tune in to the “voice in our head” to produce ethically sound work in alignment with what matters to us — and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is graphic designer, educator, and founder of Studio Bema, Michal Janicki.
In this episode, Michal speaks with host Christian Solorzano about moving to Chicago from Poland at the age of 13, his introduction to art, design, and creativity — and how they were forms of expression and self-discovery, which eventually led to a career in graphic design. Michal also shares his perspective on emerging technologies, specifically AI, and how he's experimenting and incorporating them into personal projects. We also hear about his approach to teaching and thoughts on design's role across culture and society, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is graphic designer and co-founder of Studio Apertif, Denny Liu.
In this episode, Denny speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the journey to co-founding Studio Apertif alongside his wife and the reality, challenges, and victories. We also hear about his introduction to design, from drawing his favorite band logos on his binder to being raised by an industrial designer who encouraged technical and artistic skills. We also discuss trends, the design industry, inspiration, Chicago, etc.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Newberry Library graphic designer educator Andrea Villasenor.
In this episode, Andrea speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her fascination with libraries going back to her childhood. We learn about her interests in graphic design, typography research, and history and how they inspire her work, process, and approach to teaching. She shares her thoughts on AI, self-discovery, aesthetics, Chicago, theory, craft, practice, and how design shapes culture.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is graphic designer and photographer Johnny Mei.
In this episode, Johnny speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his unconventional path into the world of graphic design — starting with his fascination with browsing magazines at Tower Records. Johnny’s creative output is multidisciplinary, and we learn about his approach to self-initiating projects such as his photography series, Imperfect Day, T-shirts for Charity, and most recently, his online archive of inspiration, Internet Found. We also discuss the graphic design industry, the importance of both breaking and following rules and so much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
On this episode of Underscore, we celebrate four years of the Chicago Graphic Design Club. Host Christian Solorzano reflects on the impact of CGDC alongside team members Alexis Gonzalez, Carson Koppin, Cheryl Bever, Jeffrey Hitchens, and Hamid Alavi.
We discuss what community means to us and how the Chicago Graphic Design Club has shaped our relationship to design. We share memories and our vision for the future.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guests are Rotimi and Candace Solola of the Chicago-based multidisciplinary design studio, SO Dsgn.
In this episode, they speak with host Christian Solorzano about how they bring a unique approach to brand and industrial design. Together, we dive deep into their collaborative process and approach, the origins of their studio, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Vida Sačić Chicago-based, artist, typographer, and design educator.
In this episode, Vida speaks with host Christian Solorzano about using letterpress materials to explore language, process, and meaning-making. Vida shares her perspective on teaching and the importance of being passionate about the work you teach. Together, they also discuss hope and optimism and their roles within creativity and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Chuck Anderson of Chicago-based creative practice No Pattern Studio
In this episode, Chuck speaks with host Christian Solorzano and co-host Carson Koppin about his introduction to the internet and creative cultures beyond the Midwest, the importance of routine, physical health, social media, and the influential early internet culture blog The Brilliance.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Christian Solorzano, Underscore host, designer, and founder of the Chicago Graphic Design Club.
In this episode, Solorzano speaks with guest-host Carlos Segura about his upbringing, background, motivation behind founding the Chicago Graphic Design Club, and the inspiration that drives much of his community-centered work. Solorzano shares his vision for Chicago's design community and the reasons why he believes craft and passion are at the core of the city, and so much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Alyssa Low, Chicago-based designer and muralist.
In this episode, Low speaks with host Christian Solorzano about designing and painting murals and the meditative approach to working with your hands. Low also shares her perspective and principles on determining what creative projects are worth focusing on, and we also learn about how her dedication to soccer fosters a collaborative spirit across the work she engages in. It's an insightful conversation in which we cover analog work, Chicago, community, and much more.
Alyssa is also featured in our publication, Faculty. You can purchase a copy here.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guests are James Langford and Larry Tchogninou of the Chicago-based studio Points of Sail.
In this episode, James and Larry speak with host Christian Solorzano and this episode's co-host Carson Koppin about designing everything from concrete boats to storefronts, Dafont, Larry's 3 Practices theory, graphic design not having to obey the laws of gravity, play as a means of creative inspiration, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Rick Valicenti, founder of Thirst (1988–2019).
In this episode, Valicenti speaks with host Christian Solorzano and reflects on the journey and highlights of his career, which has spanned decades. Valicenti shares insights from his collaborations, friendships, and encounters with designers such as Paul Rand, Art Paul, Saul Bass, and Tibor Kalman.
Valicenti walks us through his creative process and the methods through which he stays inspired to continue to create and use graphic design as a means of expression and communication.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Chicago-based designer and Object Company founder, Benjamin Edgar.
In this episode, Benjamin speaks with host Christian Solorzano and co-host Carson Koppin about industrial design, his creative process, Jeff Koons, solving emotional problems, Powell Peralta's "The Ripper," and much more.
Benjamin talks through the lifecycle of a product and how, through purposeful collaboration and particular attention to the mundane, he can take an idea from the notes app to a prototype in a matter of weeks. He shares valuable lessons on a meditative presence and explains why he uses Internet Blue, Helvetica Neue 57 condensed bold, and value as a method of communicating an idea.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Chicago-based designer and innovation executive at Salesforce, Sharlene King — she is skillful, wise, and unapologetic.
In this episode, Sharlene speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the art of listening, education, art/design school, generosity, taxidermy, her love for her 1989 Honda Civic, and much more.
She walks us through her introduction to design by way of working security at a museum and the path toward her career as a designer championing accessibility and authenticity within the creative process. Sharlene shares valuable lessons from her adolescence and explains her enthusiasm for new technologies that will evolve creativity, the commonalities between design and taxidermy, and life as neurodivergent.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Today's episode reflects the Chicago Graphic Design Club's 2023 and looks into the new year and some of the programming we have planned. Host Christian Christian is joined by CGDC team member Cheryl Bever, and they discuss some of this year's highlights plus share community comments.
Thank you for supporting our program and listening in 2023. We look forward to connecting with you in the coming year.
Stay safe and happy new year.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Chicago-based community organizer, educator, and designer Amira Hegazy.
In this episode, Amira speaks with host Christian Solorzano about “love and care” as guiding principles that shape and drive the design process and work we do as designers.
She walks us through her research about Chicago neighborhoods and the typography that represents their identities. She shares the importance of listening and understanding as crucial methods of honoring and respecting the history and legacies of cultures of communities. We also hear about her perspective on teaching and the classroom as being a space for inquiry into the ethics and implications of design across a range of contexts.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Chicago-based graphic designer Sean Fermoyle.
In this episode, Sean speaks with host Christian Solorzano about logo redesigns, ways for designers to share their expertise with clients and stakeholders to get buy-in, how to manage ideas and find balance across professional and personal projects, and much more.
Sean also shares the story of discovering graphic design in high school and how teachers helped him connect the dots between his interests and the possibility of a career in design.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Rich Alapack, entrepreneur, artist, designer, public speaker, creative consultant, and the founder of we all live here.
In this episode, Rich speaks with host Christian Solorzano about creativity and design being catalysts that spark inspiration and positive community impact. He shares stories of working with community leaders, libraries, schools, and businesses and takes us behind the scenes of teaching children curiosity, creativity, and confidence. Additionally, we dive deep into the process of co-creating murals, Chicago, embracing failure, taking risks, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Brian Shutters, Director of Shuttershot Productions.
In this episode, Shutters speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his insight into the power of being a generalist. He shares how this approach not only leads him to what he refers to as 'side quests' but also enables him to experiment and create across diverse mediums and industries.
Brian takes us behind the scenes of some of his projects, explaining to us how he combines narrative with craft and sheds light on the journey of discovering one's creative voice, while providing practical advice on how to activate and sustain it and walks us through his process of infusing this creative spirit into both client work and personal projects.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Bud Rodecker, Design Director and Partner at the Chicago-based studio Span.
In this episode, Bud shares with host Christian Solorzano his approach to finding inspiration in unexpected places and dives deep into his approach to the creative process and the importance that he places on research through the method of keeping ongoing archives of experiments and references. He also tells us the story of how a pirated copy of Photoshop given to him by his brother was the catalyst that kicked off his graphic design passion as a teenager.
Bud shares his definition of what excellence in graphic design looks like, going into detail and breaking down typography, color, and effective visual communication.
He speaks about what makes Chicago unique in contrast to other major cities and shares his perspective on Span’s commitment to being environmentally conscious and the ways in which, through their work, they are engaged with organizations and clients that are agents of change, not just locally but globally.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Tyler English , a letterpress designer and founder of Ulterior Press.
In this digital age of screens, software, user experiences, and obsessions with pixel perfection — it is inspiring to hear from Tyler about his letterpress practices and the ways in which he meticulously works with typography, ink, and paper to create work that is rooted in the ways in which graphic design was once done.
In this episode, Tyler speaks with host Christian Solorzano about the hard-to-describe feeling of making things with your hands as opposed to on the computer and the familiarity and freedom that comes from working within the limitations of particular mediums, whether it is letterpress, music, or writing.
He shares the insights and surprises that he gains from working with letterpress and the process of seeing an idea all the way through production.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is educator and graphic designer Sajad Amini.
In this episode, Amini speaks with host Christian Solorzano about ethics, the role and responsibility of the graphic designer, and the variety of ways in which language and semiotics come together to create realities that, more often than not, are unexpected.
Amini shares examples that showcase graphic design as both being complicit in problem-solving and problem-making and the importance of making decisions that are value-driven and equitable. We learn about his teaching philosophy and methods for encouraging critical thinking amongst his students and the reason why he believes authenticity and experimentation are crucial within the design process.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Will Miller, Senior Director of Design at the Chicago-based creative studio, Firebelly.
In this episode, Miller speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his design process, the importance of drawing inspiration from personal interests, ways to build trust with clients and stakeholders, craft, typography, designing in Chicago for over two decades, and so much more.
We also hear about the lessons he learns in empathy and compassion from dogs and pets and the ways in which he carries those teachings into his work.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number ten, “We’re breaking all the rules. Even our own rules. And how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guest is designer and business owner Cheryl Bever.
In this episode, Cheryl speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her transition from fashion design to graphic design, her thoughts on the pressures of social media, confidence, running a business, working independently, and much more.
She shares with us the importance and value that she places on community and belonging, and as a collaborator of the Chicago Graphic Design Club, she dives deep into her approach to our programming.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number nine, “Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It’s lighter than you think.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guest is designer and partner at the Chicago-based studio Span John Pobojewski.
In this episode, John speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his background and education in music and the ways it influences his approach to his graphic design practice.
From 2003–2019 John was a designer and later partner at Thirst alongside Rick Valicenti — and he shares with us his experiences and lessons learned from that time. He dives deep into his belief that design is one of the many ways to look at the world as a place of discovery and possibilities, in which designers have an opportunity to respond through their creative disciplines and values.
We also hear about the power of listening, which serves as an imperative skill that allows us to create thoughtful and purpose-led solutions to problems, and so much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number eight, “Don’t try to create and analyze at the same time. They're different processes.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guests are design educators and practitioners Sharon Oiga and Guy Villa.
In this episode, Oiga and Villa speak with host Christian Solorzano about their collaborative dynamic, the story of how they met while studying at UIC in the 90s, the emphasis they place and looking for inspiration outside of design, and so much more. As educators, Oiga and Villa both give us a glimpse into their teaching ethos and the ways in which they foster curiosity in their students through experimentation and play. This conversation centers much around graphic design craft, theory, and practice.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number seven, “The only rule is work. If you work, it will lead to something. It’s the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guest is educator, typographer, photographer, and interdisciplinary designer Nathan Matteson.
In this episode, Matteson speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his approach to graphic design that emphasizes the materiality of what we work with, his focus on typography as a tool of communication, his transition from painting into graphic design, and his skepticism of whether design can ever truly be solution-oriented. He shares with us his thoughts on craft and the consequences of plugins and templates used within the design process and offers us alternative ways through which we can approach our work as graphic designers.
Nathan on the web:
https://brut.ist/
https://skeptic.ist/
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number six, “Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guests are Design Director Nermin Moufti and Strategic Director Kristin Lueke of the creative studio Field of Practice.
In this episode, Nermin and Kristin speak with host Christian Solorzano about their studio's ethos, which views the creative process not as a destination but as an ongoing practice. Together, they share the ways in which they are challenging notions of business as usual and their need to stray away from the false sense of urgency. We explore the meaning of a creative obituary as opposed to a creative brief and what it means to leave behind a legacy through the work that we do as creatives.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number five, “Be self-disciplined: this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guest is a multi-disciplinary writer, educator, consultant, futurist, and lecturer, Heather Snyder Quinn. Her work focuses on the future of design, emerging technology, ethics, fiction, interdisciplinary practices, and theory and has been recognized by Nasa, the World Economic Forum, MIT Press, Yale Law School, and the Washington Post. Heather is often found playing in unexpected places, physical or virtual, and collaborating with people from an array of backgrounds. Her work uses design fiction to empower communities to imagine possible futures and understand technology’s impact on human freedoms.
Currently, she is editing Technologies of Deception, a publication bringing together art, design, technology, ethics, futurism, and policymaking.
In this episode, Quinn speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her early love for phonebooks, the future of graphic design, education, AI, interdisciplinary approaches to creative problem-solving, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number four, “Consider everything an experiment.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guest is Patrick Smith, designer and founder of C2 Creative Studio. For over two decades, Smith has been working as a designer and calling Chicago his home. Today, in addition to working with clients and running his own studio, he is a contributing committee member of the Chicago Graphic Design Club, where he helps drive our mission and programming.
In this episode, Smith speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his introduction to graphic design, his first creative projects, drawing band logos and album covers as a teenager, the evolution of Chicago's design industry over the last two decades, leadership, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number three, “General duties of a teacher: Pull everything out of your students.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guest is iicky, a Chicago-based artist who works with the concept of impermanence and non-traditional materials. His ethos centered around embracing decay, aging, and his father’s advice of “use what you have” and “there are no mistakes.”
Born in Trinidad but raised in the Virgin Islands, today he resides in Chicago. He was one of the featured in the Chicago Graphic Design Club’s art exhibit, Chicago’s Tomorrow, Today. His piece is titled “floating taxis in hyperspace near Pluto while eating vegan hotdogs.”
In this episode, iicky speaks with host Christian Solorzano, about his earliest memories of creativity, the value of the imperfect, sustainability, analog media, technology, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number one, “General duties of a student: pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
On this episode of Underscore, host Christian Solorzano is joined by committee member John Hatherly to reflect on the last three years of the Chicago Graphic Design Club. They share their favorite moments and vision for the club's future and respond to community comments.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Sundays with Corita is a mini-series that is part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this episode, we discuss rule number one, “Find a place you trust and then try trusting it for a while.”
To learn more about Corita Kent, visit the Corita Kent Art Center.
Our guest is Nicolette Stosur-Bassett, a business strategist and communications professional working primarily in the social impact space. In 2018, she founded Do It Better Design, a Chicago-based branding and communication studio. She graduated with a BA in Social Enterprise and an MA in Social Innovation and Sustainability from Goddard College.
In 2022, she spoke with the Chicago Graphic Design Club about her project, Designing For, an examination of the ways in which the global pandemic shaped the personal practices of designers and their approach to community engagement.
In this episode, Nicolette speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her approach to learning, the meaning of socially conscious work, graphic design's relationship with communication, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
We’re excited to announce Sundays with Corita, a new mini-series which will be part of our podcast Underscore. On this podcast, hosts John Hatherly and Christian Solorzano will examine American artist, educator, and Catholic nun Corita Kent’s (1918–1986) legendary 10 Rules, also known as the “Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules.” The rules are designed to evoke inspiration and guidance throughout the creative process.
In this mini-series, each episode will comprise of our hosts talking about one rule and dissecting and discussing how the rule can show up in our lives and assist in leading a more creatively fulfilling life rooted in purpose, altruism, wonder, and more.
Our guest is Joseph Michael Essex, someone who has played a pivotal role in the history of Chicago graphic design for the last five decades. Joseph has spent his career asking questions and finding meaning and reason throughout the process. In the 1970s, he started his career as an art director for the station that produced Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood and the National Geographic Specials. Today, he leads J.M.Essex, where he consults corporations, institutions, associations, and independent creative offices and agencies — helping others implement plans personalized for their creative leadership goals. In this episode, Essex speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his childhood, learning from Paul Rand and Herb Lubalin, design competitions, the value of learning, writing, leadership, and more.Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Grace Hamilton, host of the podcast Design Is Not Neutral, a thesis project created during a design master’s program at the University of Notre Dame. Hamilton focuses on challenging perceptions of design, conversations on the meaning of socially conscious work, design education, and history.
In this episode, Hamilton speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her early introduction to graphic design, growing up in South Bend, Indiana, her approach to teaching design to designers and non-designers, equity within our industry, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is designer and community leader David Sieren. In 2002 he graduated from RISD with a BFA in graphic design. Over the past two decades, he’s been an educator at DePaul University, Spudnik Press, the Chicago Portfolio School, has been Co-President of AIGA Chicago, and Co-Founder of the creative collaborative, The Post Family. Today, he’s a Managing Director and Partner at One Design Company, where he leads teams focused on creating powerful experiences rooted in research, design, and strategy.
In this episode, Sieren speaks with host Christian Solorzano about growing up in Milwaukee, being raised by a painter and designer, moving to Chicago, design education, culture, history, and much more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is entrepreneur, muralist, and designer Jay Byrnes. In 2010, he founded Fourth is King, a Chicago-based streetwear brand. In 2003, he founded his studio Adapt Studio, where he collaborated with companies such as Avondale Type, Chicago Athetlic Hotel, the Museum of Science and Industry, Google, and Nature Valley. Most recently, he’s the Director of Brand at MNML, described as a product development and brand incubation agency.
In this episode, Byrnes speaks with hosts Christian Solorzano and Jaime Cisneros about starting projects from scratch, building design culture, AI, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is designer, artist, and community organizer Lashun Tines. Chicago-born, Lashun has been working in design for nearly two decades. Since then, he’s worked at VSA Partners, Leo Burnett, Razorfish, and currently, he’s a Design Director at Wieden + Kennedy. Between 2014–2018, he was the Diversity Lead for AIGA Chicago.
His notable work as founder of the project the Art of Blackness has paved the way for African American graphic designers to obtain familiarity and exposure to the creative field through representation and inspiration by celebrating and highlighting African American creatives working today.
In this episode, Lashun speaks with host Christian Solorzano about growing up in Chicago, high school, the power of finding your “creative tribe,” Emory Douglas, diversity and inclusion, leadership, mentorship, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guests are Dan McManus and Sofya Karash, partners in both life and business. Together, they run the design studio, the Narrative. Both as educators and designers, they are committed to contributing to and advancing culture through graphic design. Their expertise lies in storytelling and multidisciplinary visual communication languages — relying heavily on research and collaborations, they visualize their clients' narratives.
In this episode, Dan and Sofya speak with host Christian Solorzano about their Chicago roots, creative inspiration, the meaning of community, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Crissy Chahyadi. She is currently in the graduate program at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art), earning a Master’s in Graphic Design. Her connection to Chicago is through the work that she’s done for the Field Museum and Adler Planetarium. Originally from Indonesia, she came to the United States to study design at Dordt University in Iowa.
In this episode, Crissy speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her introduction to lettering, starting a design business at 16, studying graphic design in Iowa, her faith, the meaning of community, Chicago, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
We're absolutely thrilled about Chicago Graphic Design Club's programming scheduled for 2023, but we also want to take some moment to reflect on 2022. This episode is special because we do just that — some of the Chicago Graphic Design Club's committee members reflect on 2022, discuss the club's future in 2023, and share comments from our community.
As always, thanks to our listeners and supporters throughout the year — everyone that rolled up their sleeves and contributed their time and energy to what we do; you're what makes this club possible.
Happy New Year!
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is educator, designer, and ceramist Richard Zeid. For the last three decades, Zeid has taught design at Columbia College in Chicago and designed for many clients, from not-for-profit theatres to Fortune 500 corporations.
In this episode, Zeid speaks with hosts Christian Solorzano and Jaime Cisneros about his perspective on teaching, analog approaches to making, creative practices, graphic design curriculums, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is illustrator and designer Mick Champayne. She refers to her work as having beauty and brains while being strategic and thoughtful. In addition, Champayne uses illustration as a tool for storytelling that tackles everything from light-hearted memes to serious social commentary — believing that art can be a catalyst for conversation and connection.
Currently, Champayne is a Sr. Visual Designer at Google.
In this episode, Champayne speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her introduction to art as a child, the internet, memes, motherhood, speculative design, humor, the creative process, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is master storyteller and creative Steven White. Over the years, he's facilitated innovative creative workshops and sessions with military special forces and thousands of corporate executives and business leaders.
Most recently, he published his first graphic novel, Ancient Futures, a sci-fi fantasy that tells the story of humankind through the lens of afro-cyberpunk assassins. An epic tale told on multiple levels — a dark global organization waging war on science, a rogue professor with unbelievable technology, angels sacrificing heavenly status, and the super-dimensional force coming to oppose them...and one dude caught up in it all, just trying to lead a Dope Life.
Currently, he runs Seven Studio, which expands minds via space and time through work in arts, entertainment, and metacognition. In addition, he has a Master’s in Design Methods from the Institute of Design.
In this episode, White speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his early introductions to storytelling, the discipline of following your creative aspirations, writing graphic novels, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is designer, illustrator, and artist Brian Morris. For the past 25 years, he’s devoted much of his time to working in digital agencies. Most recently, he held the role of Executive Creative Director at a big four consulting firm. Today, he is a full-time self-employed artist working in the NFT and AI space while collaborating with other artists and perfecting his craft.
In this episode, Morris speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his introduction to creativity, giving himself a tattoo when he was eight, leaving a job to pursue his passions, NFTs, artificial intelligence, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Ashley Lukasik, CEO and founder of the consulting agency Murmuring and longtime collaborator and supporter of the Chicago Graphic Design Club. She has a Master’s in Anthropology from the University of Chicago and spent years at IIT Institute of Design as Director of Corporate Relations, Communications & Marketing. In addition, Ashley was also the co-producer of the 2019 documentary, The New Bauhaus, a film about the legacy of the designer and artist Laszlo Moholy-Nagy.
In this episode, Lukasik speaks with host Christian Solorzano and discusses humanity’s relationship to technology, the importance of immersive experiences, and the role design plays in how we experience the world.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Our guest is Tanner Woodford, Executive Director and Founder of the Design Museum of Chicago. Woodford has been a key figure in Chicago’s design community for over a decade, creating spaces for critical dialogue, connection, and inspiration. He’s an optimist by nature and a believer that design has the capacity to improve the human condition. In addition, he’s an educator, artist, muralist, and coin collector.
In this episode, Woodford speaks with host Christian Solorzano and shares stories about his early introduction to graphic design, the beginning of the Design Museum of Chicago, his influences, and ways to strengthen design's role throughout the city.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
The designer Francis has deep Chicago roots. Although they are no longer in Chicago, their work continues to be heavily inspired by their relationship to Chicago's 90s design community and culture. Francis is a designer who prioritizes graphic design before anything else. They're unapologetic in their criticism of the design industry. Still, they make an effort to push the boundaries of what is possible and inspire the next generation to do good work.
In this episode, Francis speaks with host Christian Solorzano and discusses their education and upbringing in Chicago during the 90s, their influences, approach to working with clients, philosophy, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Over the past two decades, graphic designer, Nick Adam has been shaping and contributing to Chicago’s visual culture through collaborations with institutions, studios, and leaders. He describes himself as strategic and values-driven, focusing on and exploring identities and stories while producing work that leads to rich conversation and experiences by merging craft, theory, and optimism.
In 2018, he graduated with an MFA in Graphic Design from RISD. Currently, he is a Design Principal at the design studio Span. Before that, he was an Associate Principal at Rick Valicenti’s studio, Thirst, and before that, Strategic Director at Firebelly.
In this episode, Nick Adam speaks with host Christian Solorzano and Jaime Cisneros and, discusses his upbringing, early design influences, approach to design, the Chicago design community, and more.
Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Since 1991 Carlos Segura has been running his studio, Segura Inc. In 1994 he founded T26 type foundry, and today, he continues to create beautiful work with purpose, meaning, and immense attention to detail.
In this episode, Segura speaks with host Christian Solorzano and discusses his design philosophy, approach to working with clients, and shares stories about the Chicago design community. Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Bob Zeni is no stranger to the design community. In the past, year after year, Zeni contributed his time to fostering the celebration of craft and excellence in design. Zeni graduated in 1974 with a degree in journalism, and 1988, he began his design agency, Bob Zeni & Associates, where he worked on visual identity systems, editorial design, and digital and print design.
In this episode, Zeni speaks with host Christian Solorzano and discusses his journey, experience, and stories about the Chicago design community. Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Mx. Studio was founded by designers Jonathan Sangster and KT Duffy. Together they focus on projects that involve branding, identity development, front-end web development, VR and AR environments, design, print, social media, concept development, video, and digital fabrication. In this episode, Sangster and KT speak with host Christian Solorzano and discuss their approach to design, breaking conventions, sharing their solutions to building an equitable industry that champions diversity of thought, and more. Episode edited by Irina Goldman. Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Patric King is a graphic designer and typographer based in Chicago. In this episode, King speaks with host, Christian Solorzano and discusses coming to Chicago in the mid-1990s to work alongside Rick Valicenti at the design studio Thirst and the work that he did while there. King also shares how he founded House of Pretty, his design studio, and speaks about some of the early influences that shaped his career.
King is also the designer and typographer responsible for Big Shoulders, the official typeface for the City of Chicago, released in 2020.
In this episode, host, Christian Solorzano, speaks with Nick Haas, a Chicago-based designer, creative director, and artist. Originally from Cleveland Ohio, Nick has been calling Chicago his home for over 20 years. In 2002 he graduated from DePaul University with a degree in Graphic Design.
Today, his roles are Director of Design in the Products and Technology group at PwC — which is a large consulting firm, and Founder of Haastyle — his creative outlet where he produces artwork and photography for public companies and private collectors.
His work has been recognized by GD USA, Communicator Awards, W3 Awards, the Chicago Suntimes, and the Chicago Tribune, amongst others.
In this episode, we explore the evolution of the design discipline, ways to balance professional and personal creative practices, places in the city from which he draws inspiration, and general life advice.
In this episode, host, Christian Solorzano, speaks with Chicago-based designer, Brooke Kravitz, about a wide range of topics, from emotions, vulnerability, creativity, business, and more. She shares with us the story of how she was introduced to graphic design, how being a Girl Scout shaped her perspective of the world and her perspective on design.
A conversation with designer, letterer, and entrepreneur, Chelsie Tamms of Lettering Works. In this episode, she speaks with Underscore's host Christian Solorzano about her creative journey, process, and more.
A conversation with John Hatherly, a multidisciplinary designer and founder of the design studio Sondwerk. In this episode, Underscore's host, Christian Solorzano, speaks with John about curiosity, purpose-led work, and what it means to never lose the wonder in life.
A conversation with Christian Solorzano, Founder of the Chicago Graphic Design Club. In this episode, the host, Patrick Smith asks Christian about the inception of CGDC and the ways in which he's fostering and building a design community in Chicago.
Theme music by the band, Eighties Slang.