What do stand-up comedy, product design, and artificial intelligence have in common?

In this episode of The Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with product designer, UX strategist, and comedian O’mar Finley to explore the unexpected overlap between creativity, technology, and human connection.

O’mar shares his journey from growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, to building a career in product design while simultaneously developing a reputation as a stand-up comedian and creator of the Group Therapy Comedy Show.

Together they discuss:

• How UX design and comedy both rely on understanding people
• Why simplicity is one of the hardest goals in design
• The future of AI in product design and creative work
• What comedians can teach designers about empathy and communication
• Navigating feedback, criticism, and creative risk
• Building digital products that people actually want to use
• The realities of pursuing multiple creative careers at once
• Why audience psychology matters in both design and entertainment

Whether you’re a designer, creative entrepreneur, comedian, student, or someone interested in the future of creativity, this conversation offers practical insights and honest reflections on building a meaningful creative life.

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#design #uxdesign #productdesign #standupcomedy #artschoolgraduatepodcast #creativity #artificialintelligence #designthinking #userexperience #creativecareers

What happens when a designer leaves a successful advertising career to explore the deeper meaning of design?

In this episode of The Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with graphic designer, educator, filmmaker, and creative director Shantanu Suman for a powerful conversation about design, culture, identity, and visual storytelling.

Born and raised in India, Shantanu worked at some of the world’s leading advertising agencies before moving to the United States to pursue his MFA at the University of Florida. His journey transformed the way he thought about design—from simply creating visual solutions to asking deeper questions about culture, communication, and human experience.

Together, Justin and Shantanu discuss:

• Growing up as a creative in India• The differences between Indian and American design culture
• Why design is more than problem solving
• The importance of documenting overlooked visual cultures
• His award-winning documentary Horn Please and Indian truck art
• Hindi typography and cultural identity in design
• Building Studio 165+, a student-run design studio at Ball State University
• Mentorship, collaboration, and preparing the next generation of designers
• The responsibility designers carry when their work enters the world

This conversation is packed with insights for graphic designers, creative directors, design students, educators, and anyone interested in the intersection of culture and creativity.

If you’ve ever wondered how design shapes the way we see ourselves and the world around us, this episode is for you. Based on the interview transcript.

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with artists, designers, educators, and creative leaders from around the world.

#GraphicDesign #DesignPodcast #DesignEducation #VisualCommunication #CreativeCareers #Typography #DesignThinking #CreativeLeadership #ArtSchoolGraduatePodcast #ShantanuSuman

How do you build a design career when the path doesn’t exist?

In this episode of The Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with Nigerian brand designer, type designer, and founder of Udi Foundry, Chisaokwu Joboson, to discuss his journey from studying civil engineering to becoming one of the leading voices in African typography.

Chisaokwu shares how he taught himself graphic design, discovered type design, and ultimately created Ojuju, the groundbreaking Google Fonts typeface that supports hundreds of languages and helps bring African stories, culture, and identity into the global design conversation.

Together, they explore the challenges of building a creative career without formal design education, the lack of documentation surrounding African design history, and why typography is much more than letters—it is the voice of a culture.

This conversation is a must-watch for graphic designers, brand designers, typography enthusiasts, creative entrepreneurs, students, and anyone interested in the future of African design.

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💡 In This Episode:

• How Chisaokwu transitioned from civil engineering to graphic design

• Teaching yourself design without a traditional design school

• Why African typography matters

• The story behind Ojuju and Google Fonts

• Building Udi Foundry and TypeAfrica

• The relationship between brand design and type design

• Why typography is the voice of a brand

• Preserving African languages through design

• Creating opportunities when no roadmap exists

• The future of African typography and design education

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🎙 About Chisaokwu Joboson

Chisaokwu Joboson is a Nigerian brand designer, type designer, and founder of Udi Foundry. His work focuses on creating culturally relevant typefaces that support African languages and storytelling. He is the creator of Ojuju, a typeface featured on Google Fonts, and an advocate for making type design education more accessible across Africa.

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📌 Topics Covered

African Design

African Typography

Type Design

Graphic Design

Brand Identity Design

Google Fonts

Creative Careers

Design Education

Visual Identity

Typography Design

African Creatives

Design Culture

Brand Strategy

Self-Taught Designer

Creative Entrepreneurship

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Subscribe for more conversations with designers, artists, illustrators, creative directors, educators, and cultural leaders shaping the future of creativity.

#AfricanDesign #Typography #GraphicDesign #TypeDesign #BrandIdentity #GoogleFonts #CreativeCareers #DesignPodcast #AfricanCreatives #DesignEducation