Coming soon

PUNK | JULY 2025

Words were shared. Inspiration was had.

John Ryland took us on the most punk, yet so not punk talk at CreativeMornings/Richmond in July and we were all here for it.

From serendipitous moments to what keeps him creative (and awesome!) this is a talk you’ll want to visit again for the inspiration ripples that will abound.

Venue: Arts & Letters Creative Co.
Photography: DeQuan Moss
Videography: Antoine Robertson

Thank you to our partners at Frontier and Martin for keeping this engine running and to our in-kind brand champions Worth Higgins & Associates, Lavender Hill, The Anderson Accounting & Advising Group and Quickly Hire for all your love.

Drop us a note at richmond@creativemornings.com to learn more about partnerships and stay in touch via our socials.

See you soon, friends!

Our global theme for June is PUNK. It was chosen by our Bologna chapter in Italy and illustrated by Cristina Portolano. 

🎸The description for this month’s theme is written in the style of lyrics to a punk rock song. If you know a band that wants to put them to music, HQ will feature their cover song of our punk rock anthem on the CreativeMornings blog. 🎵

Does the system feel broken 

Staring at our screens

Not hearing the screams

Wake up wake up wake up

We’re not meant to go it alone 

Find your people lift them up

Do what you can with what you got

Wake up wake up wake up

Your creativity can save you

What you gonna make

What you gonna change

Wake up wake up wake up

🎸🎵🧷

Stay tuned for how we’re unpacking this theme in Richmond, VA.

REVIVAL | MAY 2025

When Anna Leon was in elementary school her mom read her this book called “Terrible Things.” It was about animals in the forest, and at first, the terrible things came to take away the squirrels, and the owls and the deer and rabbits and the porcupines did nothing, because they were not squirrels. Then the terrible things came for the deer, but the owls and the rabbits and porcupines did nothing, because they were not deer. Then they came for the owls, and.. You get the picture. Finally the terrible things came for the last animals in the forest and there was no one left to stand up for them.

Her mom took this book and turned it into an interactive play for elementary school assemblies. The kids made paper plate masks so they could play the part of an animal or a terrible thing. They acted out the book JUST as it was written. then they had a conversation about how they wished the story had gone differently. Her brilliant mom then let them reenact the play again from the beginning, and this time they were allowed to adlib.

When the terrible things entered the forest for the squirrels on the very first page all the animals jumped up and screamed to protect the squirrels, even though they were owls and deer, rabbits and porcupines, forever scaring away the terrible things.

Remembering that assembly made her think it’s time to revive
that paper plate mask play - but for adults… right now.

Anna took us through the theme of revival through the lens of tango and interior design and left us in agreement that it’s high time Richmond has a “let’s-go-out-to-the-dance energy” revival where we can all put our phones down and be with other people in a joyous, engaging, interesting, and safe way.

Be sure to catch the video here and browse the photos here. Don’t forget to tag us and our capture team below in any photos you share.

Venue: Martin
Photography: Christversal
Videography: Double Take

Thank you to Frontier and Martin for helping us rise and shine this month and to our in-kind brand champions Worth Higgins & Associates, Lavender Hill, The Anderson Accounting & Advising Group and Quickly Hire for all your contributions to this engine.

Drop us a note at richmond@creativemornings.com to learn more about partnerships and stay in touch via our socials.

Our theme for May is REVIVAL. It was chosen by our Fort Worth chapter in Texas and illustrated by Mariell Guzman.

“Everything old is new again” sums up the revivals that bubble up throughout culture. Clothing styles, art movements, and all kinds of things come back into fashion decades after their original popularity waned. It’s a useful paradigm. Take something old, dust it off, and adapt it to suit the present moment. 

But are there really no original ideas left? Has everything been done? Does it matter? New context adds new meaning. You can recycle whatever you want, just make it your own. Lots of things from the past are worth saving from obscurity. 

What we need is a few more revivals. 

A revival of empathy and understanding. 

Kindness and caring.

A revival of handwritten notes and holding open doors for strangers. 

Let’s pursue hobbies and join clubs instead of optimizing and monetizing every hour. 

Bring back boredom and curiosity. 

It’s time for a revival of the golden rule. 

It’s up to you to distill the best of the past and create a better future.

See you this month at Martin as we unpack REVIVAL together.

CROSSROADS | APRIL 2025

Matt Brehony. That’s it. Matt Brehony.

He took us through the crossroads of it all and you’ll want to watch the video that drops here and browse the photo rabbit hole here. Don’t forget to tag us and our capture team below in any photos you share.

Venue: Studio Two Three
Photography: Tina Take My Photo
Videography: Double Take

All the love to Frontier and Martin for helping us rise and shine each month and to our in-kind brand champions Worth Higgins & Associates, Lavender Hill, The Anderson Accounting & Advising Group and Quickly Hire for all your contributions to this engine.

Drop us a note at richmond@creativemornings.com to learn more about partnerships and stay in touch via our socials.

See you next month!

Our global theme for April is CROSSROADS. It was chosen by our Wroclaw chapter in Poland, illustrated by Joanna Gniady, and is presented by Adobe. 

We all reach turning points in life that change the course of our destiny. Should you break up or give your relationship another chance? Accept that job offer or strike out on your own? 

What’s the best way to go? Continue straight ahead? Or turn left? When you’re faced with a crucial decision, there’s no map that shows where the consequences lead. And sometimes, you only recognize a crossroads when you see it in the rearview mirror. 

No wonder that in folklore and mythology, crossroads represent a gateway between our mortal coil and the supernatural realm. An in-between place of transition, where worlds collide, and anything can happen next. 

Legend has it that the greatest blues guitarist in the world, Robert Johnson, met the devil at the crossroads of two dirt roads at midnight and struck a bargain to trade his everlasting soul for masterful skill. But there was no deal with the devil. In reality, he practiced like hell.

So, how do you decide which way to go next? Just pick what feels right. Because there’s no wrong choice. Only different journeys to where you’re meant to be.

Meet us at Studio Two Three on April 18th to chat more about this theme. Tickets drop on Monday, April 14th at 8:04am.

PARELLEL | March 2025

Vann Graves, Executive Director of VCU Brandcenter gave us insights and perspectives on the global theme parallel that we can’t wait to come back and revisit again and again.

Stay tuned for the video here and browse photos from the talk here.

Venue: VCU Brandcenter
Photography: Antoine Robertson
Videography: Double Take

A special thanks to our partners Frontier, Martin for keeping the lights on and our in-kind brand champions Worth Higgins & Associates, Lavender Hill, The Anderson Accounting & Advising Group and Quickly Hire for all your contributions to this engine.

Drop us a note at richmond@creativemornings.com to learn more about partnerships and stay in touch via our socials.

Our theme for March 2025 is PARALLEL. It was chosen by our Kuala Lumpur chapter in Malaysia and illustrated by OLI.

Like train tracks receding into the distance, our lives eventually reach the end of the line. And for a large part of our journey, most people tend to live parallel lives. We go to school, hang out with friends, get jobs, and take care of our families.

Just look out the window at the home or office across the street. We exist side by side with strangers. Always keeping the same distance of anonymity between us – even though we have so much in common. All of us are trying to build a better life for ourselves and our loved ones.

Of course, we are not carbon copies. The differences make our lives our own. Her black coffee. His energy drink. Their chamomile tea. So, we may never see eye to eye. After all, mathematics proves that parallel lines never meet.

But unlike those train tracks, our paths don’t run in straight lines. We can meet someone new at every turn. Look someone in the eye and smile. Reach across that gap between us and make a connection.

We may be living parallel lives. But we don’t have to go through them alone.

See you on March 21st at VCU Brandcenter as Executive Director Vann Graves walks us through the parellels and intersections that make up our creative lives.

LAYERS | February 2025

Samia Minnicks took us to school and served us a master class in layers this February as she shared her beautiful work restoring photos (layer by layer). It only got better when she mentioned how Adobe’s tools help her preserve memories so well. (Yay, @adobe!)

Layer into her story and CMRVA talk here and browse photos from the talk here.

Venue: Martin
Photography: Tina Thomas
Videography: Antoine Robertson

A special thanks to our partners Frontier, Martin, Worth Higgins & Associates, Lavender Hill, Anthony Bryant, and The Anderson Accounting & Advising Group for keeping the lights on. Drop us a note at richmond@creativemornings.com to learn more about partnerships and stay in touch via our socials.

Our theme for February is LAYERS. It was chosen by our Lausanne chapter in Switzerland and illustrated by Catherine Olivia Pearson.

Simplicity provides clarity, but layers give our work a richer complexity and depth.

Musicians fuse melodies, harmonies, and rhythms to create more dynamic compositions. While other artists use a juxtaposition of colors, textures, images or materials for greater visual impact. The creative magic happens when those choices conjure different interpretations and emotions.

Because people have layers too. Just like a collage is created by overlapping layers of found materials, we pile up experiences that form our beliefs and reactions.

Go deeper with this month’s hashtag: #CMlayers.

See you on February 28th at Martin Agency as Richmond unpacks LAYERS with Samia Minnicks.