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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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 two, “General duties of a student: Pull...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...