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September's Theme is Muse

Whether you’re a mathematician tinkering with complex equations or a musician pairing discordant notes together, searching for inspiration can often send you in circles. The longer you sit and wait for an epiphany to strike, the harder it gets to make progress.

What if you could get unstuck by turning to your muse?

Your muse comes from the deepest parts of your imagination and guides you to new ideas. It invites you to bring your dreams to life using the raw materials found in your daily life. Artist and director Oroma Elewa once said, “I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best. The subject I want to know better.”

The next time you want to draw out your muse, stimulate your imagination in a different context. Leave your desk, take a walk outside, read something different, observe the ordinary, or try your hand at a new recipe.

Chances are your muse will come out to play.

Our Dubai chapter chose this month’s exploration of Muse and Shahul Hameed illustrated the theme. Presented around the world by our Global Partner, Mailchimp.

SEPTEMBER OPENING PERFORMANCE: CLIFF CORR

Georgia native Cliff Corr began singing and songwriting in the mid-2000s, when he toured the South with his band BlueLine. As a solo act, Cliff’s song “True Love Real” was featured on CMT’s Top 20 Countdown. After living in Nashville, TN for the past 12 years, where he played venues like Mercy Lounge, the Basement, Douglas Corner Cafe and 12th & Porter, Cliff recently made the move to Atlanta. He’s excited to be closer to family and enjoying the energy of the city.

Cliff’s sound is undoubtedly influenced by the artists he loves, including Vance Joy, Kevin Griffin, Max Gomez, Counting Crows, Dave Matthews, and Guster, and he brings to his songs his own experiences with love, loss, change, and strength when it feels hard to hold on. You can listen to Cliff’s latest EP “Lonely One: Sessions at Anthem” here.

Fun Fact: Cliff is also the Director of Partner Marketing for our Global Partner Mailchimp. (We love our partners!)

Announcing our September MUSE Speaker: Kathryn Engberg

Kathryn Engberg, a third generation artist in her family, was exposed to art from a very young age. Watching her mother and grandmother paint and spend time in their respective studios was a regular and natural part of her childhood. Early on, she displayed a creative gift for drawing and painting and was fortunate to be enveloped in a cultured, artistic environment that nurtured her extraordinary talent.

In 2016, Kathryn graduated from the Grand Central Atelier in Manhattan. At this renowned school, she was under the tutelage of the internationally acclaimed classical master Jacob Collins and several of his most accomplished students.

Now a principal instructor at the atelier school, Kathryn is known for her exquisite sensitivity of highly refined draftsmanship and classical painting technique. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, the Salmagundi Club, and the recipient of numerous awards, including those from Grand Central Atelier, Art Renewal Center and The Sobart Foundation.

She currently resides in Queens, New York. Her work is represented in galleries across the U.S. and owned by collectors around the world.

August’s theme is Justice

Justice can be a path to healing in fractured times.

When we envision moments related to justice, we often think of suits, a gavel hitting the surface of a desk, or people marching in the streets. Change happens when enough people raise their hand to work together.

Author Omid Safi wrote, “Justice is love, embodied. We cannot speak of love without linking it to justice, nor of justice unless it is permeated by love.” Justice is restorative when empathetic and innovative solutions are brought to the forefront.

Through generous listening, we all hold the ability to form moments where people can feel safe, strong, and at ease.

Our Bratislava chapter chose this month’s exploration of and Simona Cechova illustrated the theme.

Thank you so much for attending our event featuring Adam J. Kurtz (a.k.a. @adamjk) this morning! He made us laugh, he made us tear up, and most of all Adam reminded us that success is about more than talent. 

“Be honest, perfect isn’t better, and nobody cares.” 🤷

Join us this Friday, July 12th!

We're excited to have Adam J. Kurtz as our speaker for the theme of End. Adam J. Kurtz (aka @adamjk) is an artist and author whose illustrative work is rooted in honesty, humor and a little darkness. His books including 1 Page at a Time have been translated into over a dozen languages and his “very personal” work for clients like Facebook and Urban Outfitters has been featured in the New Yorker, VICE, Adweek and more.

Things to know: 

See You at the New School’s Tishman Auditorium!

Nearest subways are the 14 Street / 6th Ave station (F, L, M), the 14th Street Union Square Station (2, 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W). Here’s a map!

Thanks to our generous partners!

Thank you to Harvest 🧡

Harvest is a web-based time tracking and invoicing application relied on by thousands of people around the world, from freelancers to small businesses to departments of Fortune 500 companies.

Venue provided by The New School

Parsons School of Design enables students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing society.

Ends are unique opportunities in disguise. They allow us to make meaning out of our past relationships, experiences, projects, and seasons in life.

On the other hand, beginnings are romanticized and energize us to envision all the impressive things we will do. Headlines celebrate the latest rising startup or ‘it’ destinations travelers must see.

But reaching the end of something can also carry meaningful joy. Author Wes Moore once talked about the difference between our jobs and our work. Moore said, “Your goal should never be to start something. Your goal should be to end things.”

When we truly fulfill an ending, it reflects growth and real change. We can create projects to end loneliness, walk away from empty relationships, change habits, or choose a different career trajectory.

The secret about 'the end’ is that it actually contains countless possibilities.

Our Rio de Janeiro chapter chose this month’s exploration of End and Isadora Zeferino illustrated the theme.

May Partner Goodies

BrainStation

“There’s increasing evidence that a learning and development (L&D) program is now an essential component of the digital economy.” 

3 reasons why every workplace should invest in learning and development: Read more

Harvest

How to price your projects

Pricing your projects correctly is critical to the success of your business. Learn about the pricing models commonly used by agencies and consultancies.

Check out the guide

National Sawdust

FRI, MAY 24 — National Sawdust is hosting an event where they’ll explore how silence in music affects the human brain! They’ve got a killer lineup of scientists, musicians, and psychiatrists. 

Grab your tickets

May’s theme is Preserve

The beauty in our world deserves to be cherished, sustained, and rediscovered. We share this life, and every day we have the opportunity to act as thoughtful participants in it.

What do we care about? What do we take for granted? Would we miss it if it disappeared?

Preservation begins with asking deep questions and turning our attention to the environment around us.

Marine biologist and explorer Sylvia Earle wrote in her book, The World is Blue, “Should we race to see how quickly we can consume the last tuna, swordfish, and grouper? Or race to see what can be done to protect what remains? For now, there is still a choice.”

Our daily habits are a mirror reflecting back what we truly care about. Our actions are key to protecting the wellbeing of our communities, cities, and planet.

Pause for a moment to notice what is being neglected and take an audit. We can break out of patterns, simplify our lives, and focus on the things that will last a long time.

Together, we can chart a brighter path into the future.

Our Charleston chapter chose this month’s exploration of Preserve and Chris Nickels illustrated the theme. Thank you to our Global Partners—Mailchimp, Adobe, and WordPress.com—for supporting us.