CreativeMornings/Berlin Interview – Dani Maiz on MENTOR

Hello and welcome again to our new interview concept that we introduced last month.  In July, we took a short break from our regular talks and instead, we plan to meet and connect with our community over a breakfast in the garden.

What’s amazing about CreativeMornings Berlin is that we change locations each month, yet we always find familiar faces in the crowd. At our June event, we ran into Dani Maiz, an Illustrator based in Berlin, who was our guest speaker back in February and this time joined us as part of the audience to attend Susann’stalk. We’re excited that Dani accepted our invitation to be our July guest on the blog! We discussed the July monthly global theme MENTOR, he shared a piece of advice that stayed with him, as well as insights in his creative practice in both Berlin and Bilbao.

1. Dani, you’ve been both a guest speaker this year and also a member of our community. This month our global theme is MENTOR. I was wondering how do you see mentorship nowadays - especially in creative fields? And was there a piece of advice you received that stuck with you?

In my opinion, mentorship is more informal and fluid when compared to how it used to be. It’s no longer centered around having one mentor for years—sometimes, guidance can come from followers, collaborators, and even peers. The distinction between mentor and friend, actually colleague, is becoming less defined, and that opens up possibilities for mutual learning and vulnerability, which is, I believe, beneficial.

An older creative once told me, ‘Protect the part of you that creates for joy.’ This is a piece of advice that has stayed with me. I appreciate the reminder because when you turn your creativity into a job, it can become so easy to lose touch with the initial spark that led you to pursue it in the first place. Fortunately, that advice helped me to embrace space for play without the expectation to monetize or perfect anything. I’m grateful because it allowed me to stay connected to the essence of my journey

2. You get to call more than one city home, as many of us do at CreativeMornings - Do you feel living between cities like Bilbao and Berlin have influenced your creative routine?

Bilbao is incredibly important to me personally and culturally. It formed my principles, my artistry, and the quiet grit that I take into my work. There is something about its pace—more leisurely, centered, near the sea and mountains—that taught me how to listen and the importance of intention in my work.

Berlin, where I live now, feels like the opposite in the best way. It’s chaotic, full of contrasts, and constantly in motion. It dares me to remain open, to take a shot at things before I’m ‘prepared,’ and to accept flaws as part of the journey.

I think both these places have certainly shaped my creative practice. Bilbao seems to have given me roots, while Berlin has given me wings. One teaches me the importance of going inward, the other pushes me outward—and both are critically important in my creative balance.

3. Your illustrations, which I’ve seen on your website and Instagram, are vibrant—with bold colors and geometric forms. What inspires this combination in your work? And is there a message you hope people take away from your creative outputs?

I’ve always been captivated by the silent yet eloquent narrative conveyed through shapes and colors. There’s a kind of clarity and honesty in using bold forms—it strips things down to their essence. Geometric elements give my work structure, while vibrant colors bring in emotion and energy. I like playing in that space between order and spontaneity.

The reactions people have toward art are what truly inspires me. Their recollection of specific memories, or even a simple smile, provides insight into their response. That, in turn, influences my next creation. I hope my illustrations in the end serve as an ever so slight jolt of connection or delightful surprise during a mundane moment, and enable the individual to appreciate the beauty in the world around them.

Interview conducted and written by Aida Mola - an economist that blends business insights with creative writing and travel notes, with a passion for both numbers and culture. Discover more at aidamola.com or connect on LinkedIn.

Our theme for July is MENTOR. It was chosen by our Glasgow chapter in Scotland, illustrated by Molly Hankinson, and is presented by Adobe.

No one is born with all the knowledge and skills they’ll need to thrive in life. That’s why kids go to school. But we shouldn’t stop learning once we graduate. We need to find new teachers. 

A mentor doesn’t have to be an expert or the top of their field. Just someone who’s been there and done that before. Someone to show you the way and offer a bit of advice and encouragement. Ideally, they’re willing to make introductions and mention your name when you’re not in the room. 

Being a mentor is considered a way of giving back. But mentors get just as much out of the relationship, if not more. Beyond the satisfaction of helping, mentors also learn from their mentees. From a fresh way of looking at established practices to tackling new problems with a beginner’s mind. 

So, ask for help. We all could use a guide as we climb. Find your mentors and be a mentor in return. Your plans for growth are more likely to succeed if they include lifting others up as you rise.

CreativeMornings/Berlin Interview - Susann Massute on PUNK

We’re excited to introduce a new CreativeMornings Berlin short interview series, where we welcome our next guest. Susann Massute is a Berlin-based freelance graphic designer and illustrator, and the speaker at CreativeMornings Berlin on 20th of June. This month we had the pleasure of catching up with Susann to talk about our monthly global theme PUNK, about artificial intelligence, and the upcoming event.

1. PUNK often challenges norms.  How does the spirit of punk resonate in your creative journey as graphic designer and illustrator?

Punk is very important to me on a personal level. The music made it easier for me to grow up in the Brandenburg countryside and the aesthetic of rebellion naturally appeals to teenagers in particular. When you study design, you quickly learn that you have to do a lot of things yourself – from bookbinding to developing photos – and that it will never be as perfect as when professionals do it. But in the end, this perfection is not so desirable and the process can be incredibly educational and fun. For me, this has also reduced my fear of things that I haven’t yet mastered.

2. Technological advancements are very present. What role do you think artificial intelligence could play in the work of an artist?

AI is now omnipresent and I have experimented with it a lot. I don’t think we can completely avoid it anymore and I welcome the debate. On the one hand, like all creative professionals, I find it difficult that all AIs are trained with our work and that there is no appropriate form of remuneration and appreciation. On the other hand, it’s an interesting tool to create aesthetics that you can’t yet produce yourself. But I’m bored by what most people do with it: A Studio Ghibli-style image now feels like an Instagram filter in the 2010s and I’m waiting even more for application scenarios that are less about copying and more about actually creating.

3. On your website is written that ‘you love telling stories utilizing a wide variety of tools within the realm of visual communication’. Could you please offer us a short insight in the story you plan to tell on the Creative morning Berlin June edition?

I would like to tell an encouraging story that it is less about perfection and high-level specialization and more about the creative work process in a small team. That you can still achieve a lot with limited resources and little time and that it’s actually fun.

Feature photo credit - Kristina Wedel

Interview conducted and written by Aida Mola - an economist that blends business insights with creative writing and travel notes, with a passion for both numbers and culture. Discover more at aidamola.com or connect on LinkedIn.

Our 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, we’ll 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

🎸🎵🧷.

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.

Our 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.

Our theme for March is CYCLE. It was chosen by our Freiburg chapter in Germany and illustrated by Isabell Meister. 

Our Freiburg chapter had sustainability in mind when they chose this theme — from their swarms of cyclists commuting to work to their robust recycling programs that recover and reuse 69% of the city’s waste. 

Our world runs on cycles. There’s the frantic buzz of the 24-hour news cycle. The boom and bust of economic cycles. The changing seasons. Every plant, animal, and organism exists in a life cycle of birth, growth, reproduction, and death. Water flows through a cycle of evaporation into vapor to condensation in clouds to precipitation that falls as rain or snow. The menstrual cycle. The circadian rhythm of our sleep cycle. 

Just as crops are grown on a rotation cycle to replenish the soil, our own creativity requires a cycle of inspiration or inputs, followed by a burst of productivity or entering a flow state, and finally a period of rest or contemplation. 

Cycles are circular and keep things moving. Which cycles are you living in tune with? And which ones are you fighting vainly against?

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. 

The cliché “beauty is only skin deep” means that a pleasant appearance does not guarantee a virtuous character. We are a mess of competing emotions and personality traits. So how we act to the outside world doesn’t always reflect how we feel inside. We make polite chit chat when it takes vulnerable conversations to form meaningful connections. 

Surface level pleasantries and superficial decoration have their place. But it is the layers that give life meaning. We must peel them away to discover our deeper truths.

Our theme for January is JOURNEY. It was chosen by our Muscat chapter in Oman and illustrated by Salim Al Salami. 

Let’s go. Let’s get out there and see what the world has waiting for us. 

By putting ourselves in a new environment or experience, we gain a different perspective. That sense of discovery sparks fresh inspiration. If your brain feels stuck, try moving your feet. 

So, let’s travel somewhere we’ve never been. Either down the street or across a far-off border, there’s so many places to explore. Or we can take a metaphorical journey like unlocking personal growth in therapy, advancing on our career paths, or undergoing a spiritual awakening. Or we can enjoy a journey into imagination through a book, film, or other work of art.

As we travel through life, everyone you meet is at a different point in their own unique journey. Some of us know where we’re going. While other paths are full of twists, turns, and obstacles thrown in our way. The trick is to embrace the detours and delays. Because there are no shortcuts on a journey of self-discovery or creative expression. 

Just please remember: you are not traveling alone. 

Our theme for November is PATTERN. It was chosen by our Chennai chapter and illustrated by Nishant Saldanha.

Recognizing, forming, and breaking patterns are core components of creativity. Visuals, sounds, movements, and the passage of time all form patterns that shape our existence and our work. 

Our Chennai chapter’s selection of this theme was inspired by the art form kōlam; which features patterns of dots that are encircled or connected by straight and curved lines. These intricate, geometric designs are created on the thresholds and floors of houses, temples and businesses using rice flour. The practice is deeply rooted in South Indian culture to welcome guests into the home and bring good fortune and prosperity.

Traditionally created by women, our Chennai chapter shared that these beautiful designs are often created by family members and neighbors as a communal activity. Connections between people form patterns in our lives too. 

Which patterns in your relationships, work, and habits are worth repeating? Which ones should be changed? What new pattern do you want to create?