Creatively Blog

At Creatively, our mission is to champion creative talent and nurture a community that truly reflects the diversity across the full spectrum of the creative economy. As we mark Latinx Heritage Month, we’re proud to spotlight and celebrate the incredible creative contributions of the Latinx and Hispanic artists on Creatively.

Strands of hair intricately swirled across her forehead, complemented by perfectly winged eyeliner and holographic eyeshadow. Oh, and that’s just one of the many looks that have landed drag performer Chiquitita coverage in Vogue, W Magazine, Cosmopolitan, PAPER and Dazed. Born and raised in New York City, Chiquitita is a first-generation Salvadoran-American.

Based in New York City, Chiquitita has been featured in campaigns for apparel brands such as Helmut Lang, H&M and Steve Madden, while collaborating with companies like Netflix, Instagram and Bubly, among others—reshaping the narrative around modeling by making the industry more inclusive. In 2018, Chiquitita had the honor of being crowned Miss Bushwig at Bushwig, a yearly pageant and drag festival that celebrates innovation and creativity in performance. Chiquitita is also the creator and producer of the annual Met Gayla, a queer celebration where drag queens showcase their take on that year’s Met Gala theme.

In addition to her work on stage, Chiquitita creates drag and gender-bending visual art for corporate clients while performing in digital and live shows with world-renowned artists such as Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, Lil’ Kim and Yaeiji. Between her hand-sewn dresses, perfectly applied makeup and myriad talents, what one discovers is a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts: a presence that could fill a stadium, a star born to rule the stage.

What is the first creative project you remember?

As a kid I was always doing art projects, painting and drawing, but the first time I really recall taking designs off the paper and turning them into something big was when I started doing drag. My mom is skilled with a sewing machine, so luckily she started teaching me how to sew at 15, when I started wanting to go out and create looks. So it was definitely there, in my bedroom in Queens, learning the basics of sewing where I started to get lost in the creative process in a new way. I would bang out almost 3 looks a week and wear them with pride! They were my own special creations and I couldn’t wait to show them off. 

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Glamour, gracious, goddess. (Is “gracious” an aesthetic word? I don’t know, but I like how it sounds.)

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on? 

The collaborations that stand out most are the ones where I am allowed to be authentically myself, and not channel the idea of the creative director or photographer. As much as I also love being forced to step out of my comfort zone from time to time, creating new concepts for shoots, or performance ideas with other creatives where we have control is always exhilarating! This past spring, I was in Provincetown and got to shoot a project with my friend and photographer Sam Waxman; it was one of the first things I’ve really directed from start to finish. Sam was so great and helped me realize my vision via his insane talents behind the lens. It’s definitely been one of my favorite collaborations thus far!

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself? 

Earlier this year I created an insane zebra gown. It was over 10 feet tall and required me being rigged and hoisted up in order to see the dress in its full glory. I worked on it with my friend for about two weeks. It taught me that I have the ability to create anything I could ever want, no matter how extravagant, with the right amount of space, fabric, and help.

Chiquitita’s 10-foot-tall zebra gown.

Do you think Creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I can’t speak for others, but for me personally, I think creativity is something inherent inside us, and accessing it actually requires letting go a bit, giving the creativity space to make itself known. I’ve been my most creative when I can let my psyche do the work, letting my mind go where it wants. Recently, I’ve been finding that I have some of my best ideas when I’m about to sleep, when my active brain starts to take a rest. I keep a notebook by my bed so I can write them down as they come, otherwise the ideas may not come back! 

What’s the last dream you had? 

Candidly, last night I dreamt I was friends with Billie Eilish and we went to a Greenday show where they were covering music by my friend, Macy Rodman. I don’t know how this came about, but it did, and now I need it to come true!

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work? 

A hundred years from now, I would love to know that I played even a small part in creating the creative and dynamic fabric that makes up New York City. On a deeper level, I also hope that my life will be a great representation for trans people everywhere. When I’m older, if I can reach a fraction of the level of iconic-ness that some of the trans women have achieved whom I’ve looked up to since I was a kid, I will be happy!

Follow @Chiquitita on Creatively

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life

At Creatively, our mission is to champion creative talent and nurture a community that truly reflects the diversity across the full spectrum of the creative economy. As we mark Latinx Heritage Month, we’re proud to spotlight and celebrate the incredible creative contributions of the Latinx and Hispanic artists on Creatively.

If one could literally stretch one’s imagination, the result would look something like Felix Semper’s expandable paper sculptures. Semper is a Cuban-American artist and sculptor whose work has gained international recognition, finding its way into the collections of celebrities and global corporations such as A$AP Rocky, DJ Khaled, Kelly Ripa, Microsoft, and Adidas, among others.

While sculpture helped Semper make a name for himself, his work as a painter reveals a broad stylistic range, reflecting the aesthetics of art movements such as neo-expressionism, pop art and street art. In blending techniques and vibrant color palettes, Semper lends his subjects an undeniable sense of freedom and spontaneity.  

Semper’s process begins with him glueing hundreds of sheets of paper together before carving those connected layers into sneakers, handbags, food items, animals and celebrity busts. The resulting work invites viewers to experience sculpture in a new light, bringing a fluid, playful mobility to a traditionally rigid medium.

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

If I think back to my first project, it was when I was in elementary school. My friend and I did a one-minute hand drawn animated film for a school competition. For the project, we created a cartoon character that was hunting a rabbit. We ended up winning an award.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

I would say people are “wowed” when they see my work. Also, “surprising” and “happy” are emotions that come up. 

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

The most fulfilling and one of the most public [collaborations] was with A$AP Rocky. He called me up to collaborate with him on his album. He wanted me to design and create sculptures for the cover, and even though the team decided to go in a different direction, the collaboration was fun to do! I love doing collaborations with other artists and being able to mix different mediums and different creative pieces together. 

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

The A$AP Rocky collaboration taught me to just be simple and straight on. I learned to be myself and not sugarcoat my creativity. 

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I think creativity is something you’re born with. I think it’s like any gift you have, you have to build it. Any muscles you have, you work on them to get stronger. You have to work on your creativity. 

What’s the last dream you had?

My dream is to have a home in the Mediterranean with a workspace to create while being surrounded by visually appealing landscapes. I want to be able to enhance my creativity. 

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

In 100 years from now, I hope people are still surprised and learn something from my work. I hope they will look at my work and say, “This is from 100 years ago, but it’s still fresh today.” 

Follow @FelixSemper on Creatively

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life

At Creatively, our mission is to champion creative talent and nurture a community that truly reflects the diversity across the full spectrum of the creative economy. As we mark Latinx Heritage Month, we’re proud to spotlight and celebrate the incredible creative contributions of the Latinx and Hispanic artists on Creatively, starting with Victoria Villasana.

If there’s a common thread unifying Villasana’s work, it’s the celebration of imperfection. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Villasana is known for embroidering photographs, embellishing her images with three-dimensional threads that dangle beyond the frame. Villasana splits her time between Mexico and England, continuing to hone her craft through installations, commissions, and collaborations around the world.

Using her artwork to bridge the gap between tradition and the avant-garde, Villasana’s drive to create is borne of an insatiable interest in history, culture, and the interrelations of people in a fragmented, post-digital world. Weaving stories onto her images in her surreal, unfinished aesthetic, she is able to express the resiliency and creativity of the human spirit and accent specific features of her subjects which include Nina Simone, Marylin Monroe, Mister Rogers, and Yayoi Kusama, among many others.  

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

I remember doing a collaboration with a Spanish photographer and a Spanish street artist in the streets of London.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Colourful, storytelling, patterns.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

I worked with a charity in New Zealand where I traveled for a month doing workshops for different communities around the country. I even gave a workshop in a jail. I met really wonderful people and it was an amazing experience.

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

I think most projects teach me to be myself, to not take things too seriously, to have fun.

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I believe we are all creative, but we are creative in different ways. Humans are constantly creating things, it is part of our nature, the problem is that we are creators and destroyers at the same time, and it is up to us if we use our energy for destruction or creation.

What’s the last dream you had?

Every dream I have had in the last five years has come true. This is not to say that my life has been perfect; I experienced a lot of difficulties and pain in between, but overall, many of my dreams have come true and I am very grateful for that.

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

I really don’t know, but I hope people see a symbiosis of the paradoxes in the human experience: history and the future, tradition and defiance, solitude and belonging, the material and the sacred.

Follow @villana on Creatively

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life

Championing creativity at New York’s big reopening.

This September, Creatively is celebrating the vibrant, diverse creatives in our community whose imagination, skill, and ambition make all of our lives brighter and more enjoyable. In just over a year, 200,000 creatives have joined Creatively to showcase their portfolios, connect with one another, and find jobs. More than 1,400 companies are now using the job platform for creatives to find creators for full-time and freelance jobs.

Starting this week, we’re bringing some of the most exciting artists on Creatively to the streets of New York City, cheering on the city’s big fall reopening with stunning works by Broadie, Amber Vittoria, Tyler Spangler, Mulan Fu, Adrien Saporiti, and Friend and Nemesis. Get a sneak peek at the campaign creative below, and follow these artists on Creatively to see more of their latest work.

What’s more, Creatively will pop up in secret locations all over the city during the much-anticipated return of New York Fashion Week. Follow along on Instagram @hellocreatively for all the details! 

Based in Los Angeles, Reiss is known for her public art installations and large-scale murals that have graced alleyways, abandoned buildings, forests, bookstores, and galleries around the world.

Growing up artsy in a quiet suburb of Colorado, Reiss never quite fit in. Her gut told her she was destined for something bigger, so she relocated to San Francisco in an era when the city was still a hub for guerilla art. There, she received her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and spent almost two decades enjoying what she calls a “creative incubation,” quite literally painting the town with artists drawn to the same medium.

Influenced by her Eastern European heritage, Reiss puts a psychedelic twist on traditional Polish and Russian folk art. While murals make up the bulk of her work, she has also worked with textiles to create her signature installation experiences, while also deepening her practice on a much smaller scale with delicate paintings, sketches, and tattoo designs. There’s a certain adolescent innocence captured by her aesthetic which is juxtaposed by her technical virtuosity, allowing her to depict inviting scenes of flora and fauna in ways that can only be described as magical.  

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

One of my very first public murals was in the amazing Clarion Alley. It was around 1999-2000, and things were fantastic in The Mission. So much creative force coming out of just a few blocks in San Francisco. It was an amazing time and I painted a very small wall that took me so many days. I laugh now when I think about how long it took. I wanted it to be perfect. I painted a huge portrait of a cat toy from the 1950s. It’s still one of my favorite murals. 

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Folk, psychedelic, cosmic.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

My friends and I worked on a free carnival called Peralta Junction in Oakland, CA. We rented a vacant lot for 3 months and built a series of games, booths, stages, etc. I was in charge of the stage and it was incredible to make something so big and beautiful. It was one of the last projects our loose collective did before we sort of grew up and moved in different directions. It was by far one of the most ambitious, with so many hands and personalities involved. I loved it and still think of it often.  

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

Getting my MFA in painting was one of the harder experiences I’ve had. I was very isolated and so busy with both studio and critical reading and writing. It taught me so many lessons, but most importantly how to defend my work and speak effectively in a way where I am actually heard. It was a great lesson in understanding myself, especially as a female in higher education. 

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I think it’s a little bit of both. It just comes down to really doing what you want in this world and being honest about that work.

What’s the last dream you had?

I had a daydream about growing an orchard of olive trees on my desert property. I could almost feel the shade from them. I hope it becomes a reality. 

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

I want to be remembered as a kind, honest woman who worked hard and loved the world.

Follow @Bunnie on Creatively

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life

You’re not dreaming—you’re just looking at one of Valentin Pavageau’s hypnotic compositions that blend illustration and graphic design into mesmerizing digital renderings.

Pavageau studied art at Atelier Guist’hau-Rollin in Nantes, France, an education that easily could have pushed him towards a more traditional aesthetic. Instead, he drew inspiration from the canonical figures he studied—surrealists such as Salvador Dalí, for example—then leveraged these influences as a jumping off point from which to push the boundaries of distortion, defining a style all his own.

Pavageau’s digital collages are filled with bold geometric patterns and vibrant color schemes that play with perspective and guide the eye. His emphasis on lighting along with the addition of an occasional, solitary character lends each piece a narrative, a nod to his fascination with film. By incorporating intense, repetitive lines and shadows, Pavageau creates an illusion of movement, stimulating a seductively dizzying experience for the viewer—a trance you’ll never want to snap out of. 

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

I think it was a small series of adventurous comic books I started to draw when I was five (full of adventure and sci-fi, if I remember well). The story centered around a character named Lapa, which can be translated as “no have.” This amused my parents because he didn’t possess a nose nor ears, but this was a pure coincidence: a plain smiley face was just way more convenient to draw. 

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Minimalistic, surrealistic, psychedelic.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

A quite recent one where I had to create a poster for an upcoming VR show. It had to be one image that summed up different scenes, different stories. It was a bit of a challenge as I usually try to focus on one central element and keep my pieces as minimalistic as possible, but it was a great experience.

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

I can’t think of one in particular, but I’d say every commissioned work that has unusual constraints teaches me something new or takes me out of my comfort zone. Every project teaches me that I tend to underestimate the time I need to reach what I want… 

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I’d say I was born with it, but like many other fields, it still requires a lot of practice. I had periods of time, sometimes years, when I didn’t create anything, and I felt my appetite and skills almost disappear. I believe it is important to practice your craft on a regular basis to keep the mind fresh and open to new influences. Emulation can have great effects, too. 

What’s the last dream you had?

I had a bunch of weird dreams recently. In one, my roommate, who has been taking drawing lessons in real life, came home with countless incredible new pieces of art and I was really jealous. I don’t know what a psychoanalyst would do with this, but I don’t want to know. 

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

If there’s any trace at all of my work in a hundred years, I would be glad! And more specifically, I hope it stands the test of time and remains mysterious and evocative.

Follow @ValentinPavageau on Creatively

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life

Bigger isn’t always better, but standing beside one of Belgium native Michael Benisty’s gigantic, metal-cast sculptures, one starts to wonder whether it might be. 

Each of Benisty’s sculptures begins with a 3D rendering that allows him to further develop the imaginative world in which each sculpture exists and expand the possibilities of how his work can be shared. Benisty’s sculptures and digital works explore themes of submission, romance, and enlightenment. His artistic goal is to encourage a dialogue among viewers, to incite a response, and above all else, to promote self-discovery. 

On a technical level, Benisty brings an exquisite softness to his enormous, stainless steel figures, like the delicately draped fabric that envelops his 21-foot masterpiece, “Surrender,” or the windswept cords that form “Agaue,” a 16-foot gold-plated face. With his most recognizable creations measuring in at these larger-than-life dimensions, Benisty strives to create art that will not only make you look up, but more importantly, look inward.

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

It is difficult to remember the very first creative project since I have been on a creative journey for the past 25 years. But the first that comes to mind when looking back was my first digital art series I created to awaken and provoke a questioning of the world’s current state of affairs. I focused on international, social, and political issues that I witnessed while traveling extensively around the world, a series that juxtaposed images of East and West, military might and spirituality, power and hopelessness.   

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

My aesthetic has evolved over time throughout the evolution of my work, tapping into different mediums and themes, refining itself over time to where it’s at now. If I could describe it in three words, it would be meaningful, beautiful, and experimental.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

Each new collaboration presents different challenges, but my first large-scale sculpture in collaboration with Swarovski was a very fulfilling experience for me as I learned a lot along the way. 

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

Each new project teaches me something new about myself. 

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I think we all have creativity in us, but it definitely takes time and effort to mold your vision. 

What’s the last dream you had?

The last dream I had is the one I am currently working on building. 

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

I cannot think that far ahead, but what I have experienced over the course of my career is that art is built only to be shared. And the real reward, to me, lies in the experience that others live through and share with me.

Follow @MichaelBenisty on Creatively

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life

If only we could see the world through Nicole McLaughlin’s eyes, we’d see slippers where others see volleyballs and raincoats arranging themselves from a pile of discarded bubble wrap. Since leaving her day job as a graphic designer in 2018 and turning her upcycling passion into a career in sustainable fashion design, this young creative has been getting a lot of well-earned recognition for her wildly imaginative work, collaborating with the likes of Puma and Arc’teryx. Through her whimsical approach to repurposing everyday materials McLaughlin challenges our perception of waste and promotes sustainability in a way that feels anything but preachy.

But creating is only half the story for Nicole McLaughlin, who spends much of her time and energy educating the public, hosting global workshops on the artistic and functional potential of everyday items. Looking ahead, McLaughlin hopes to launch a summer program concentrating on skill-based learning, teaching students not only the “what” but also the “how” and “why” behind sustainable design. 

McLaughlin is currently developing a non-profit organization that will provide design resources to young artists. The organization will help large companies donate their dead stock and overstock materials to schools and universities in need, repurposing these resources for the classroom. With the crisis of climate change looming ever larger, it’ll take imaginations as big as McLaughlin’s to save the day. And thanks to her, being proactive has never looked better. 

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. My first creative project had one goal: earning enough money to buy candy. So, I did whatever I could to make a dollar. In elementary school, I made Barbie clothes— they weren’t very good, but they sold. In 5th grade, I also started a massage business where I charged fifty cents to a dollar to give what I can only describe as aggressive high-fives and punches disguised as “therapeutic.” Nothing was relaxing about them.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Comfortable, functional, fun.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

I’m grateful for the collaborations I’ve already done, but I’m equally looking forward to the ones that I have yet to do and the new challenges they’ll pose. I’m excited about my partnership with Arc’teryx and the long-lasting impact we can create by focusing on circularity, upcycling, and full-scale sustainability. I’ve also raised money for several charities through collaborations with brands such as JanSport, Puma, and various personal projects.

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

I’ve learned something from every single project but the volleyball shoe was a real breakthrough moment. It broke down barriers in my creative thinking and opened up a whole new world. It removed the word “no” from my vocabulary when creating.

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I think we’re born with a sense of wonder and curiosity and the type of creativity that develops depends on whether it’s nurtured or cast aside. Creativity doesn’t necessarily mean being a designer or an artist; it’s how you view things and apply your way of thinking to any aspect of your life.

What’s the last dream you had?

One of the strangest things I’ve dreamt about was that I was a political speechwriter for a famous rapper who was running for governor. It was bizarre. At one point, I think he wanted to be president and we argued about how much of my time they needed for actual speech writing.

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

In 100 years from now, I hope people are living a better life grounded in positive change. I hope that society will have learned from past mistakes. Fingers crossed we haven’t totally f-ed up.

If there’s any impact, any legacy of my work, I hope I’ll have inspired people to view waste as a tool to create fun designs rather than a burden.

Follow @NicoleMcLaughlin on Creatively.

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life

If you’ve shuffled through Spotify’s RapCaviar playlist or perused the app’s recap of your year in music, you’re already familiar with the vibrant work of Erik Herrström. As the former Brand Design Director at Spotify, Herrström spearheaded design for everything from brand identity projects and campaigns to interactive experiences, installations, and photo shoots. After a decade of working in New York City, Herrström is now an independent designer and art director living in Vienna, Austria.

Born in Sweden, Herrström got his start experimenting with interactive designs and building websites for small businesses during his teenage years—developing the practical skills that eventually helped land his first full-time design job. Herrström’s background in interactive design lends his work a sense of dynamism, bringing immersive, interactive experiences to life. Herrström’s body of work is diverse, ranging from redesigning digital ecosystems and creating an installation in the NYC subway system to crafting brand identities for emerging artists. 

Before Spotify, Herrström worked at renowned agencies such as R/GA and Stink Studios in New York City. There, he created designs for Nike, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, Youtube and Coca-Cola, winning over one hundred industry awards and receiving write ups from the likes of Fast Company, Creative Review, Billboard and Wired. From his homebase in Vienna, Herrström continues to drive culture and design forward with his vivid, hyper-saturated aesthetic.

You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember? 

Playdough creations in kindergarten. Apparently, I intentionally destroyed them on the car ride home from school that day. It seems I wasn’t too precious about my art from an early age. 

Describe your aesthetic in three words. 

Bold. Colorful. Systematic. 

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on? 

That would have to be the Spotify Wrapped campaign we created in 2018. It was a huge internal team effort at Spotify together with our external partners. Our goal was to use all 30 colors present in the Spotify color palette in this one campaign. We also used live image color analyses of artists’ images and artworks to define the color schemes. Every listener’s summary was therefore unique, not only in content, but also in imagery. 

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself? 

The massive David Bowie installation Spotify created for the Broadway-Lafayette subway station in SoHo, New York. After years of living in the city and using the subway system every day, it was special to be part of creating something unique there. We used unexpected ad placements to fully transform the station, decorating it in ways I never thought were possible: staircases, beams in the ceiling, and even Metrocards became our canvases. It was a bit surreal and made me understand that anything is possible when the right ideas are there. I led the design of this project and am still in awe of the innovative ideas the creative team came up with.

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught? 

All humans are creative in their own ways, but at the end of the day, it may come down to how our society defines creativity.

What’s the last dream you had?

My dreams have mostly been about traveling lately. Last night, I dreamt I was on a road trip in Tuscany. I suppose I’m looking forward to some trips in real life when it’s safe to do so again. 

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

I hope my career will have helped drive culture and design forward. Hopefully, some of my work can serve as references for someone in the future.

Follow @Herrstrom on Creatively

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life