Infusing Identity into Art and the Power of Personal Beliefs in Professional Projects with Suzy Ultman (Part 1)

In this two-part episode, Margo is joined by illustrator, product designer, toy creator, and bookmaker of sophisticated and simple objects that inspire and delight young and old alike, Suzy Ultman. from graphic design to creating educational content for children, Suzy emphasizes the importance of infusing personal beliefs into professional projects and how hardships in her life such as her divorce and the loss of her sister played a role in her own creativity and imparting it on children. Make Time for Play is the main philosophy behind everything that she does as an artist and her signature products celebrate play, creativity, connection, and community in the world around us.

Margo and Suzy discuss:

Suzy’s creative path: transitioning from studying accounting to pursuing a career in graphic design
Her experience of working in design for Adidas
Prioritizing handwork, creativity, and inspiration in the creative process
How personal identity and cultural heritage plays a role in her creative process
Challenges she’s faced when integrating her Jewish identity into her work
Lessons learned from finding representation and building artistic vision
The importance of connection and community when it comes to doing creative work
Staying true to one’s story and identity

Connect with Suzy:

www.instagram.com/suzyultman

www.suzyultman.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Lisa DeJohn http://www.lisadejohn.com/

Ooly https://www.ooly.com/pages/search-results-page?q=suzy%20ultman

Jonathan Adler https://jonathanadler.com/

When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chödrön https://pemachodronfoundation.org/product/when-things-fall-apart-book/

Helen Dardik https://www.helendardik.com/

Current NY https://www.currentny.com/suzyultman

The Happiness Project Podcast https://gretchenrubin.com/podcasts/

Charles Schulz https://schulzmuseum.org/about-schulz/Keith Haring https://www.haring.com/