The Pencil Pushers Podcast

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Savannah Verville: Graphic Artist and Artrepreneur Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

Welcome folks to another fine episode of The Pencil Pushers Podcast.

I am, as always, your humble host Mike Rosado and today, I am pumped to share with you my conversation with graphic artist and designer, Savannah Verville.

Savannah is the creator of all fine things produced for her brand, Little Savage Design. She is currently killing it on social, using her savvy business skills to share and sell her trippy and playful products on Instagram and TikTok. We talk about her growing up in a small southern conservative town, being known as the weird, witchy girl and how she managed to take full ownership of her love of all things "woo woo" and turn them into into a way to not only full embrace her true self, but to encourage others to do the same.

Listen in as she also gives advice on growing your social game, how to embrace your authentic self and, first time ever on the podcast, I get a reading of my natal chart by Savannah herself. I absolutely loved spending time getting to know Savannah and I know you'll feel the same. So, without further ado, I invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Savannah.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Christopher Sperandio: Comic artist, Professor and Author Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to another fine episode of The Pencil Pushers Podcast. Today we present Mike's chat with comic artist, Rice University Professor and author, Christopher Sperandio.

Chris started from humble beginnings living in rural West Virginia to carving a deep niche in the pop art world, spanning comics, games, museum exhibitions, sculptures, installations, and television productions all around the world. Chris shares his love of creating collage-style comics, the importance of taking art and comics seriously and great advice on being the best and most authentic artist you can be, even if that means sometimes sometimes getting the occasional death threat. We're taking a bet that this is the perfect episode for YOU, so, sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Chris.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Kate Smith: Artist, Stationer, Artrepreneur Feb 21, 2022

Show notes

Welcome folks to another fine episode of the pencil pushers podcast. I'm your humble host, Mike Rosado, and it's a pleasure to be sitting here introducing to you our very first guest of 2022: Graphic Artist, Stationer and Artrepreneur, Kate Smith. Kate was such a pleasure talking to and had a story that I found super compelling.

Picture if you will, marrying your high school sweetheart, working as a designer and living a successful American dream life, only to drop it all, sell everything you own, buy an Airstream for the two of you to travel the country, all while building a successful stationery design business that services some of the biggest retail shops in the world. Target, Wal-Mart, CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond and more.

This is the life of Kate Smith. She quickly became one of my favorite guests and I believe you're about to find out why. So, do yourself a favor, find and follow her on Instagram @katesmithcompany, while you sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Kate.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Dean Lennert: Independent FIlmmaker and Animator Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

Today we speak with independent filmmaker and animator, Dean Lennert. Dean has a storied history of working with some of the most popular TV shows and movies of the past 30 years, including Doug, Beavis and Butthead, Sesame Street, SNL's TV Funhouse, the Oscar award winning short, Bunny and the huge big screen hit, Ice Age.

He's also currently working on his passion project, Dear Anna Olson, a short animated film he's been working on for over 30 years. Although we get to chat about what it was like working for creatives like Mike Judge and studying with masters like Richard Williams, what I enjoyed most of all was talking to him about Dear Anna Olson and having him share what it's like to create an project as large and tedious as an animated film, funded solely by himself and online donations. I've seen parts of the film, and they just look ridiculously good. I can't wait to see the final film.

Learn about it all on this episode of The Pencil Pushers Podcast - this is a great one folks - so do yourself a favor - sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Dean.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Don Hahn: Animation Luminary Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

Ok folks - here we are with another fine episode of the Pencil Pushers Podcast. I am, as always, your humble host Mike Rosado. Today we get to share with you a very special conversation with a true legend - the one and only Don Hahn. Don is largely known as the longtime producer of some of the greatest animated films of the past 50 years spanning from his start at the Walt Disney studios in the 70's to the resurgence of the public's love for animation with films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and much more. Don's love of Walt Disney the man himself as well as the studio is evident in not only the films he's helped lead, but also the books he's written and the documentaries he's directed.

Pound for pound, I'd put Don at the top of the list for most interesting person at Disney's studio since Walt left the stage back in the 1960's. His perspectives as a leader working with some of the most talented creatives in Hollywood - we're talking Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg, Howard Ashman, Richard Williams, Robert Zemekis and others - has made this conversation a tough one to pack into a one hour episode. But, luckily, we got it done and I can't tell you enough how great a conversation it was. So, do yourself a favor, grab yourself a drink, sit back back relax and enjoy my chat with Don.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Lauren Hom: Her Recipe for Success Aug 18, 2021

Show notes

Welcome folks to another fine episode of the Pencil Pushers Podcast. I'm your humble host, Mike Rosado and we have got another gem today with creative mastermind, Lauren Hom.

Lauren is a highly prolific illustrator, lettering artist, foodie, and more with a massive social media following that's hit meteoric heights through her persistence to pave new paths of creative expression beyond her lettering style, and in turn, invited others to do the same.What I love about her story is that she works from her gut - never afraid to listen to her intuitive muse, even at the cost of potential "failure".

She pulls from the paths of the likes of a Picasso, one who's never satisfied with status quo, and not relying on style to define her as an artist in movement - and she works from a state of passion and curiosity that is refreshing in an era where it can be tough to pull away from what people know of your work. I found Lauren to be an absolute delight and a true dynamo who's in her element and full of pearls of wisdom.

highly recommend you slide on over to her instagram @homsweethom to be a part of her community of creatives while you sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Lauren.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Hayley Barry: Wisdom from the Next Generation Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Ms. Jordan Kay: Illustrator and Designer Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

Welcome folks to another episode of The Pencil Pushers Podcast. I'm your humble host, Mike Rosado. I come to you from Fresno, California as I'm in the middle of a road trip across America, but I'm too excited to share my chat with Jordan Kay - a super talented illustrator, animator and designer who's worked with everyone from Starbucks to Penguin Random House. Jordan's work has a joyous exuberance, filled with color and energy that showcases her extreme talent for a variety of styles and subjects. Listen in as we talk about how she worked her way from working as a lead designer at Starbucks into making a life as a successful freelance designer. If you're looking for inspiration, good feels and just an overall great chat with a couple of design geeks, this if the episode for you. So do yourself a favor and head to her Instagram account @msjordankay while you sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Jordan.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Dameon Williams and Josh Lewis: 100 Year Anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre Jun 18, 2021

Show notes

Today, we have a very special episode where we invited my good friend Dameon Williams back to the podcast along with fellow illustrator Josh Lewis as we discuss their new creative collaboration, marking the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. If you're not familiar with the incident, well you're most likely not alone. It's an unfortunately darker part of American history, where an entire thriving black community was attacked by its fellow citizens. A part of our history that I knew nothing about just a few years back. Beautifully illustrated, this six part series told on Instagram alone is a great reminder of the powers we artists hold in helping us all better understand the human condition, heal our wounds and bring us closer together.

Follow the storyline with their miniseries on instagram here:

@dameon_williams & @joshllewis

Join us as we discuss how the project came to be, what the story meant to them individually and what they hope the project will spark for the future. I really enjoyed my time them and hope you will too as you sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Dameon and Josh.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

Joseph Giampino: Blue Collar Artist May 24, 2021

Show notes

Welcome folks to another episode of the Pencil Pushers Podcast and I'm your humble host Mike Rosado. Today, we speak with my good friend and go-to creative partner for all signs hand-painted, Joseph Giampino. Joseph is what one might call a blue collar artist. A sign painter that gets the call for virtually every new hot retail shop, restaurant, brewery and more. Hand painted signs have been around for millennia, reaching it's height during the industrial age, but had a steep decline with the advent of vinyl lettering, causing the near death of one of the great artistic trades. Joseph is one of the artists that have felt a deep and profound passion for the storied craft and it shows in his stellar work around the state of North Carolina. We talk about what it takes to make it as a commercial sign painter, the history of the craft internationally and how he used his talents to contribute to the powerful street art that was born out of the tragedy of George Floyd's death. Do yourself a favor, head over to Instagram and find him @spclsigns - while you sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with Joseph.

The Pencil Pushers Podcast is a celebration of the hand-drawn arts. I'll be interviewing friends and idols in illustration, animation, comic-art, and more.

- Mike Rosado

Post production and editing by Trujillo Media

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound

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