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Nature's Treasures

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This month’s theme of “crossover” will be discussed by Jen Spencer

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Jen is founder of The Creative Executive—a coaching and consulting practice focused on helping creative executives be more successful and successful executives be more creative.

She is equal parts insightful entrepreneur and nurturing dynamo. Born in Texas. Made in Alaska. An obsessive planner and a gypsy-at-heart. 

Like many Boston College grads with sociology degrees, Jen first headed west to California where she repped directors and animators in advertising. 

She moved to Austin back in the pre-high-rise condo days of 2005, and in 2007, she started Jen Spencer Coaches, her ever-evolving legacy dedicated to coaching and championing those who think and create for a living. 

She is also proud to have been Executive Producer of the first years of TEDxAustin, bringing “ideas worth spreading” to the city she now calls home.

Her proudest production to date: Leo Maxwell Spencer Maki, a chip-off-the-old-block who is currently taking toddlerhood by storm.

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This month’s theme of “color” will be discussed by Briks.

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Founding member of the Blue Dozen collective, and original member of Spratx collectiveBriks, has spent his lifetime flooding the streets of Houston and Austin, TX with artwork. Whether it be found in sticker, wheat paste, spray paint, or acrylics, Briks has been expressing his unique take on the experience of “life” via whimsical illustrations, reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons, and Sunday comic strips, with a penchant for sarcasm, and occasional pessimism. An ever evolving array of characters, he is most known for the saber toothed Briks Bear, sharing a message of love, and strength in character.

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This month’s theme of “failure” will be discussed by Andy Crouch.

Andy Crouch is the Director of Education of the Hideout Theatre and organizer of the 2014 Applied Improvisation World Conference. He fell in love with improv in 2001 because it was scary and cool and seemed like it might change his life forever. More than a decade later he makes his living sharing the secrets of improv with students at the Hideout Theater, with companies across Central Texas and most recently at a non-English-speaking theater in Athens, Greece. He gets to invent and direct new improv shows every year, including Fakespeare, the Big Bash and the award-winning Live Nude Improv.

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creativemornings:

This month’s theme might be Failure, but it’ll be anything but a flop. Chosen by our Singapore chapter, we were excited to have photographer Bill Wadman depict it in his conceptual, narrative style (above).

To make sure your month is an epic success (not a failure), be sure to find an event near you by checking upcoming events here and find out more about the lineup here.

We’ll be posting event details for this month’s talk, with the theme of “Failure” soon.

 July’s theme of “heritage” will be explored by DJ Stout. 

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DJ Stout is a sixth generation Texan, born in the small West Texas town of Alpine.

Currently, DJ is a graphic designer and art director at Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design consultancy with offices in Austin, London, New York, San Francisco, and Berlin. He joined the firm as a partner in 2000, where he and his team specialize in the creation of brand identity and strategy, publication design, packaging and interactive solutions. 

He studied graphic design at Texas Tech University and began his career in 1981, working for Robert A. Wilson Associates in Dallas. In 1987, he moved to Austin, where he was the award-winning art director of the nationally respected and critically acclaimed magazine, Texas Monthly.

He has received many accolades and awards over the last three decades. In a special 1998 issue, American Photo magazine selected him as one of the “100 most important people in photography.”

In 2004 I.D. (International Design) magazine selected him for “The I.D. Fifty,” it’s annual listing of design innovators. The Society of Illustrators also honored him with the national Richard Gangel Art Director Award in 2010.

Also in 2010, DJ Stout was recognized as an American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Fellow award recipient for his exceptional contributions to the field of graphic design.

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ADDITIONAL DETAILS

We’ll be gathering in a place usually reserved for ACL Live’s performers: the green room. This unique opportunity will keep seating even more limited than usual. Please be sure to release your ticket if you cannot attend.

Click here for parking information.

July's theme is Heritage:

We’re getting back to our roots this month as we talk about Heritage across 85+ CreativeMornings cities around the world. The theme was chosen by our organizer our Cape Town, South Africa team and…


The May theme was Freedom.
Our fearless leader.
Nick & Paige set the stage with their emotional, soulful music.
Collecting gratuities for our band.
Our location was delicious. And caffeinated.
It was such an idyllic morning.
Katie Ford, our May speaker
Our very first speaker, Austin Kleon, is also an audience member. Writers supporting writers!

Thanks to Callie Richmond for the beautiful shots of Katie Ford’s “Freedom” talk at Tom’s Coffee Roasters. You can see more great photos from the talk here.

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