This is How We Create

Martine Severin
  • 5.0 (31)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Weekly

The This is How We Create podcast digs deeper into the creative life of contemporary artists of color. Discover what feeds their creativity and how they found (or are finding) their artistic voice. Through these intimate and candid conversations, you will gain insights into the lives of creative professionals of color that are hard to find anywhere else.

  1. From Couch Surfing to Hollywood Sets - Aleia Kristene

    2d ago ·  Video

    From Couch Surfing to Hollywood Sets - Aleia Kristene

    Screenwriter and coach Aleia Kristene survived grueling hustle, but she walked away questioning whether the narrative of the suffering artist is actually a badge of honor or just unexamined trauma. In our conversation, she reveals how she transformed twenty years of family tragedy into a limited series. She also shares the exact pacing mistakes that instantly tank amateur scripts.    If you feel stuck behind a wall of perfectionism or lost in a quiet season of your own creative journey, this episode delivers:  an insider guide to reclaim your voice, how to master the production realities of Hollywood, and how to get your biggest ideas onto the page.  Chapters 00:00 - Redefining the Artist's Struggle  01:23 - Reclaiming Creativity with iCode  02:08 - Writing a Male Cinderella at Nine Years Old  04:17 - Realism over Cartoons: The Influence of Black Cinema  06:35 - Turning Family Tragedy into a Sellable Script  11:15 - Demystifying the Hollywood Table Read  12:47 - Brutal Production Realities from Major Film Sets  17:43 - The Biggest Mistakes Amateurs Make in Action Lines  20:06 - Balancing Mentorship with Personal Creative Output  23:15 - Overcoming the Perfectionism Trap of First Drafts  27:55 - Aleia's Ultimate Dream Project   Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform! Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQ Spotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBs YouTube: https://youtu.be/4ekuzVLC8_M   Connect with Aleia: Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleiakristene/ Website: https://aleiakristene.com/ Support the show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We Create Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite. show   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    31 min

  2. Jun 10 ·  Video

    Learn to Spot the Invisible Rules Controlling Your Creativity - Martine Severin

    For six years, I built this podcast while secretly measuring my worth against exhausting, invisible standards I could not even name. To break out of this vicious cycle, I turned to four paradigm-shifting books that dismantled my view of success and identity. These texts exposed the hidden systems dictating my creative choices and revealed a radical mindset shift that shrunk my negative self-talk. If you constantly feel like you are falling behind or trying to fit a mold that rejects you, this episode will give you the exact permission you need to burn the old blueprints and build a thriving practice entirely on your own terms.    Chapters 00:00 The Exhaustion of Invisible Standards 02:18 Sponsor Break: iCode 02:35 Building Your Own Archive (Crafted Kinship) 06:33 The Power of Measuring Backwards (The Gap and the Gain) 09:21 Questioning Your Creative Framework (Decolonizing Language) 11:39 Navigating Identity and Double Consciousness (All the Women Are White...) 14:11 Why Naming the Problem Gives You Power 16:32 Closing Thoughts and Substack Newsletter Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform! Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQ Spotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBs   Books mentioned on this episode: Crafted Kinship: Inside the Creative Practices of Contemporary Black Caribbean Makers by Malene Barnett   The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy   Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o   All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave edited by Akasha (Gloria T.) Hull, Patricia Bell-Scott, and Barbara Smith   Support the Show Website: http://www.martineseverin.com Follow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com   This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    17 min
  3. Which Invisible Forces Are Sabotaging Your Creative Voice - Cauleen Smith & Danielle A. Scruggs

    Jun 3 ·  Video

    Which Invisible Forces Are Sabotaging Your Creative Voice - Cauleen Smith & Danielle A. Scruggs

    Filmmaker Cauleen Smith and photographer Danielle A. Scruggs join me to unpack how classical media subconsciously trains audiences to accept biases. In this episode, we discuss the radical frameworks required to dismantle these frameworks.   Listen to this conversation to discover how to identify the hidden forces limiting your own vision, walk away from spaces that drain your genius, and master an ethics of regard that anchors your ultimate creative purpose.    Chapters 00:19 - Decoding the Invisible Grammar of Cinema 04:11 - Actively Flipping the Mainstream Cinematic Script 06:07 - Visual Glow, Legacy, and Rejecting Respectability Politics 08:34 - Dismantling the Myth of Objectivity in Photojournalism 12:51 - Mapping Radical Feminist Utopias and Shared Spaces 22:19 - Weaponized Institutional Care versus the Ethics of Regard 26:55 - Why Walking Away from the Industry Saves Your Art 29:55 - Building Authentic Creative Communities Beyond the Screen   Connect with Cauleen: Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cauleen_smith/?hl=en Website: https://cauleensmith.com/   Connect with Danielle: Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scruggsworks/ Website: https://daniellescruggs.com/   Support the show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We Create Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite. show   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    30 min

  4. May 28 ·  Video

    The Secret Bridge To Your Best Creative Work - Martine Severin

    In this week's episode, we talk about the importance of rituals and why they are the key to you performing at your best. Learn how to design your own five-minute transition and how to turn chaotic energy into a focused flow.    Chapters 00:00 - The Musical Bridges of Childhood  03:32 - Waking the Creative Mind  05:03 - The Quirky Habits of Famous Artists  06:21 - The Reality of Productivity Routines  08:24 - The Science Behind Predictability  10:24 - Sacred Traditions and the Threshold   Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform! Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQ Spotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBs YouTube:    Support the Show Website: http://www.martineseverin.com Follow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com   This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    13 min
  5. The Perfect Cure for Your Creative Block - Tiffani Glenn

    May 20

    The Perfect Cure for Your Creative Block - Tiffani Glenn

    What if the thing standing between you and your best work isn't talent but the pressure you keep putting on yourself to produce?    Painter Tiffani Glenn has built a body of work around a radical idea: Black women deserve to be seen in their full confidence and color. In this episode, Tiffani shares how mentorship opened the door to her first gallery show, why self-love is the foundation of everything she puts on canvas, and the one thing she does every time creative block hits. Chapters   00:00 Question the Mirror 02:12 Saturday Morning Masterclasses 04:58 Pivot from Pixar 09:13 Paint the Confidence 11:31 The Fenty Formula 13:54 Beyond the Gallery Walls 20:40 Surrender to the Block 23:33 Off the Canvas   Connect with Tiffani: Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbytiffanig/ Website: https://tiffanigart.com/home Support the show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We Create Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    26 min

  6. May 13

    The Sea Glass Principle - Martine Severin

    If you're constantly told that time is a predator and a scarce resource to conquer, you may need a perspective shift.     The Sea Glass Principle may just alleviate the pressure that leaves you trapped in a cycle of measuring your life against an impossible moving target. Tune in to hear how this principle and a new book may just change the way you look at your work and your worth.  Chapters 00:00 The Urgency of Time and Productivity 03:00 The Gap and the Gain: A New Perspective on Time 05:56 Transformative Power of Time: The Sea Glass Principle 08:48 Measuring Growth: From Gap to Gain   Support the Show Website: http://www.martineseverin.com Follow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com   This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    12 min
  7. The "New Black Look" Redefining Interior Design - Sierra Glasgow

    May 7

    The "New Black Look" Redefining Interior Design - Sierra Glasgow

    Most creators would have folded under the pressure of the "beige box" industry, yet Sierra doubled down on a signature style that fuses modern curvature with the vibrant, ancestral pulse of Black culture. This episode uncovers the friction of being a risk-taker in a world that fears color and how she transitioned from the technical rigors of building construction to painting emotional landscapes within four walls. If you have ever felt pressured to dilute your aesthetic or lowball your worth to fit in, Sierra's journey is the blueprint for setting boundaries that protect your sanity and your specialized "sauce."   Chapters   01:02  Early memories of drawing faces and the transition from fine art to interiors 02:04  The unexpected educational shift from architecture to building construction technology 03:35  Landing the first client through social media and early industry exposure 05:28  How the cultural landscape of Richmond shaped an African-modern aesthetic 08:02  The philosophy of the "New Black Look" and the symbolism of Birds of Paradise 10:25  Confronting the "Beige Box" and the challenge of being a professional risk-taker 11:32  The Virginia Beach high-rise: Lessons in pricing and self-worth 14:49  Cultural authenticity and the balance of minimalist-maximalist design 16:38  Hard boundaries: Revision limits and preventing client-led design sabotage 18:57  Advice for finding your "special sauce" through research and mood boards   Connect with Sierra: Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniekinteriors/ Support the show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We Create Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    21 min

  8. Apr 29

    Here's Exactly How to Start Your Newsletter - Martine Severin

    If you've wanted to start a newsletter, let's get into it! We break down the technical barriers of platforms like Substack and Kit, while stripping away the myth that you need to be perfect to start. Stop letting your wisdom gather dust and discover how trusting your own voice creates the body of work you were always meant to lead.   Chapters 00:00 Opening the private vault of creative insights  01:45 Breaking the cycle of fear in a Vancouver bookstore  03:15 Understanding why you hesitate to share your voice  04:30 Choosing the right platform from Substack to Kit  06:35 How to build a subscriber list with integrity  07:50 Offering deep value instead of a sales pitch  09:15 Committing to the first ten issues   Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform! Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQ Spotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBs iHeart Podcast: http://bit.ly/4lRHms3   Support the Show Website: http://www.martineseverin.com Follow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com   This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

    9 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

The This is How We Create podcast digs deeper into the creative life of contemporary artists of color. Discover what feeds their creativity and how they found (or are finding) their artistic voice. Through these intimate and candid conversations, you will gain insights into the lives of creative professionals of color that are hard to find anywhere else.

Information

  • Creator
    Martine Severin
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    214
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Martine Severin
  • Show Website
    This is How We Create

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