One of the many things we love about CreativeMornings is the opportunity to explore different, interesting subjects through the lens of each month’s global theme. The concepts and conversations that our speakers come up with never fail to spark a new perspective.

For this month’s theme of Context, we’ve asked Sarah Gallimore to share a few things to get us ready for Friday’s talk.CreativeMornings/Detroit: Don’t give it all away just yet but can you tell us in three words what you’ll be talking about on the 15th?

Sarah Gallimore: Context is boundless.

CM/D: Why Detroit? What keeps you inspired here?

SG:  While I grew up in the Metro Detroit area, Detroit has only been our home for the past four years. My husband and I have both lived in numerous other cities over the past 10-15 years and this is the longest we’ve stayed in one place since leaving our hometowns. It’s safe to say we both think of it as “home” now. We were married outside in our neighborhood on a cold December day in front of a great big mural with the owner of a local coffee shop officiating and our neighbors as witnesses. The energy, warmth and generosity of our neighbors and the entrepreneurial community as a whole is what keeps me here. 

There’s no shortage of challenges to tackle or opportunities to create - making it an ideal place for a multi-faceted creative such as myself to call home. It keeps me on my toes!
As an avid outdoorist, I adore having such great access to the riverfront and a delicious variety of planned and unplanned greenspaces that you’ll find here as well.CM/D: What is your favorite project you’ve ever worked on? What would your dream project be?

SG: My favorite project so far was developing a business model for a program that simultaneously supported under-privileged youth in the Bay Area as well as struggling food entrepreneurs to strengthen the local food ecosystem. The first phase of the project is going strong with my former colleagues under the name of Civil Pops.

I’m about to embark on my dream project this month as a design strategist working within city government! I’ll be able to share more details on this soon. CM/D: What do you do when you feel stuck, creatively?

SG: When I’m feeling stuck creatively I do something else with my body besides sit in front of the computer scrolling endlessly through Pinterest (not that it doesn’t happen sometimes as well…). I go for a walk with my dog, I take a bath or break out my markers for some therapeutic coloring. I find something interesting to cook. I grab coffee with a friends. I engage other parts of my body and brain and I try my best not to stress if genius doesn’t strike right away. For hairy, complex problems, I try to put myself “outside” – amidst the issues I’m tackling with the people that are involved – whenever possible.  Often times - the answer to what it was I was stuck on will come relatively half way through the other activity and I’ll have to scramble for a pen and paper to capture it! This is a practice I’ve had to work on for years as both a freelancer and employee - particularly when it comes to managing deliverables within tight project schedules. A work in progress!CM/D: What’s your favorite animated gif?

SG: I have a thing for beautifully simple/clean animations but lately I’ve been falling in love with some painterly, doodley ones!

https://upload-assets.vice.com/files/2016/08/26/1472230581FrancisCab.gif

A recent fave from Francisca Borzea

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Join us Friday, December 15th to hear more from Sarah!
Register here to let us know you’ll be there!