CreativeMornings HQ have rounded up ten books on July’s theme of Heritage, as sourced from the CM community.

Check it out and get your read on here → http://bit.ly/1qoiwxA 

Morning Person: Meet Eddy

We have an amazing team of volunteers and partners who help us make CreativeMornings happen every month. We think they’re super cool and you should totally meet them.

This week: Meet Eddy Helm!

1. Who are you?
   Eddy Helm
2. How do you help out at CreativeMornings/Akl?
   Technically, I’m the co-host. But really I do anything I can to help make Jade & Kaan’s life easier. Sometime’s that means I introduce the speakers, sometimes I make the coffee; but mostly, I just pay any bills that come our way. 
3. What gets you up in the morning?
   Running Curative with my best friend and the best team anyone could ask for makes it pretty easy to get out of bed each morning. We work on projects that make the world a little bit better, and that means we get to meet, work with, and bring to life the stories of amazing change-makers. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. 
4. Tell us a surprising fact about yourself. 
   I don’t drink coffee. Strange for a morning person, but a cup of tea is all I need to start my day. 
5. What is your favourite thing about Auckland?
   I love walking up Mt Eden, and looking out over the whole city all the way to Waiheke Island. No matter how many times I do it, I still always try to spot my apartment building from up there.
6. Best breakfast you’ve ever had?
   It’s become a tradition for us to bake croissants on Christmas morning, and enjoy them with avocado, tomato, and a big bowl of fresh fruit salad. I’ve had some pretty great breakfasts, but Christmas morning with my family is always the best. 
7. Favourite CreativeMornings/Akl so far?
   We’ve had so many great ones - but the stand-out for me is still Richie Hardcore’s talk about being a Rebel. It really seemed to inspire and challenge the audience too - think that’s the perfect balance for a CM talk.
8. Favourite CreativeMornings talk from the global library? 
   I have to confess that I really haven’t watched many… time would be such a fine thing. 
9. Favourite Quote ?
   

Fully reccommend this Christiaan Van Vuuren talk at CreativeMornings/SYD. He talks about life in quarantine, how this led him to video blog his experiences under the rap pseudonym ‘The Fully Sick Rapper’,  and how that  led him to create another successful youtube series ‘Bondi Hipsters’

Watch the video above or at http://creativemornings.com/talks/christiaan-van-vuuren/1

"Create an environment where it’s not only safe to fail, but required to fail."
— Seth Godin.

Watch the video at http://creativemornings.com/talks/seth-godin/1

Freddie from MailChimp and CreativeMornings are teaming up again to bring CM to three new cities! In an effort to highlight July’s theme of Heritage around the world, we’re beginning a month-long search for three outstanding organizers who love CM, want to start a chapter locally, and can speak to the concept of heritage in the context of their city. 

To kickstart the new chapters, each new organizer will receive a $1,000 USD starter sponsorship from MailChimp for the chapter’s first few events.

Find out more here. →

via creativemornings

Each of us is born into this world with existing personal characteristics. We are born into a family whose status and culture are set. Over time we are nurtured. Eventually we fly the nest, plant our own seeds and the cycle continues. How does “who our ancestors were” play into who we, our children and future generations become ?

Who better to delve into the subject of Heritage than a family of creative entrepreneurs -  Elliot, Kate and Grant Alexander.

Having worked closely for 5 plus years they now each run their own individual businesses in the creative industries and find ways to collaborate and share.

Elliot (Son and Brother) started the hugely popular art print store, endemicworld  Grant (Dad) runs Studio Alexander  an awarded brand strategy and design studio. Kate (Daughter and Sister) is forging a name for her interior styling company, Places & Graces, after a successful career in graphic design. 

Sue (Mum and Wife) works part-time in two of the businesses, and Toby (Brother and Son) chips in from afar. 

Elliot, Kate & Grant will take us into their personal worlds, examining how ‘Heritage’ has influenced their past and may influence their future.

Join us on Friday July 25th for a visual journey of creativity through the generations.

Last Friday we enjoyed a very minimal installment of CreativeMornings/ Auckland, with Industrial Designer Jamie McLellan sharing his thoughts on the ideas of Minimalism & Maximalism. Hosted by the amazing team at Designworks Auckland.

Proudly brought to you by Curative, Coffee Supreme, Antipodes Water Company, Little Lot, AUT and our fantastic team of volunteers. Hat tip to Aria Taylor for the photos.

Check out the full set here: CreativeMornings /AKL with Jamie McLellan »

This July, we’re excited to announce the theme of “Heritage.” The theme was chosen by Cape Town organizer Philipp Schmid and his team, and depicted by Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based illustrator Olaleken Jeyifous.

Find out more here.

Morning Person: Meet Erini

This week were getting to know a bit more about one of the team at Designworks, one of Australasia’s leading strategic design practices and our hosts for CreativeMornings in June. Read more about Designworks here…

Our Morning Person works in the studios Spatial Team, and as such has played an important part in the design of the new space. That’s why we think you should Meet Erini from Designworks!

1. Who are you?
   Erini. I currently work as a Senior Designer at Designworks. I studied Interior Architecture and Design at Victoria University in Wellington. This was followed by 3 years working in Wellington then 5.5 years in the UK. I have been back in NZ for 2.5 years and loving every moment!
2. What gets you up in the morning?
   Throughout my career I have always felt privileged and grateful to have a job that is my passion - design is definitely not just 9-5 for me! Being an interior designer my focus has always been to better peoples environment and experience in a considered and crafted approach - this is what gets me up in the morning. As an aside, I have a strong passion for floristry and completed a night course in London for interest. I do the flowers for our office every Monday – fresh from the markets, 13 arrangements, flowers everywhere!
3. Tell us about Designworks in five words or less.  
   Stimulating, addictive, contagious, friendly, approachable. 
4. What’s a surprising fact about you?
   I am Greek (1st generation) and was brought up in Wellington’s Greek community - a warm bubble filled with olives, feta cheese, dancing and love! My parents only taught me Greek (what other language do you need?!) -  therefore my very first memory is day one at kindergarten not understanding a single soul – it was a defining moment – since then I have never appreciated communication more.
5. What’s your favourite thing about Auckland?
   Auckland is just getting better and better (said by a Wellingtonian!) The city is full of vibrancy, diversity, life and upward energy - these would be my favourite things - oh and that the cafe / coffee scene is getting a whole lot better….still a way off Wellington though!
6. Best breakfast you’ve ever had?
   Hands down my trips to the Greek Island of Lesvos (where my father is from) starting the morning with a swim in the clear blue sea followed by Greek coffee, homemade Greek yoghurt, honey and bread - so simple yet deliciously perfect.
7. Best piece of advice you’ve received?
   The grass is the greenest beneath you.
8. Who would you love to hear speak?
   In my first year at Uni my tutor introduced me to the works of Herzog and de Meuron. From then on I was completely hooked and they have influenced me hugely. While I was in London I heard they were doing a talk at RIBA however it had completely sold out. Unable to get any tickets from anywhere or anyone(!) I ended up writing a letter expressing my immense interest and they were nice enough to give me a ticket. Even luckier after the talk I was able to speak to them both and have a photo. It was one of those magical moments!
9. Secret Superpower?
   Patience. 
10. Is less more?
    The best pieces of design look ‘easy’, ‘effortless’ and ‘natural’. The finished article rarely conveys the hard yards that are involved in creating it. Any great piece of creativity requires dedication; a clever approach, careful consideration and in depth thought. It is through this process you are allowed space for natural editing and refinement – so in this regard, yes, less is more.

We’re lucky enough to be invited in to the brand new Designworks workspace for this month’s CreativeMornings. We can’t wait to check it out! Details on how to get to Designworks here. Don’t forget to bring a cushion!