As Co-founder and Creative Director of Cream Studio, Amanda Russell shapes ideas to rich visual experiences that captivate the senses through the art of design and animation.

She’s passionate about pushing the creative industry toward a positive future through mentoring, thought leadership, and a collective collaboration between artists, studios, agencies and brands.

https://wearecream.com

After a life-threatening event, Peters’ life changed course. He transformed from a feather in the wind doing everything people told him to do into a business owner, award winning author and social media influencer with over a million total followers between all of his social channels.

But more important than all of that was his new found focus on his Family. He went from grinding out 65-hour weeks at an ad agency to 4-day work weeks with a focus on what’s important – people. In this session, he’ll share all of the lessons he learned that helped him make this transformation possible.

Walker Noble Studios is a modern art and lifestyle brand founded by husband-and-wife duo Walker and DiDi Noble.

Walker Noble, the studio’s co-founder and Creative Director, is also a respected keynote speaker. His artwork has been licensed by nearly every major big-box retailer and featured in collaborations with West Elm, Pottery Barn, Yeti, Madewell, and more.

Highlighted in numerous national publications, Walker’s work brings a warm, intentional, and accessible aesthetic to homes around the world.

Join logo designer James Barnard to see how he uses the SODOTO (See One, Do One, Teach One) methodology to stay masterful in design packages like Illustrator and Photoshop. With the software continuously changing and expanding, James will show how he stays fresh with new features and uses them not only to further his own business, but also to grow a social media community.

In this inspiration session, James will share:

• The hidden benefits of passing on your learnings
• Why the SODOTO method helps you retain information
• Some of his favorite tips and tricks
• How to navigate social media as a designer

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Join Weekend Creative as they share how personal projects sparked their journey from creative experiments to building a thriving business. Discover how embracing curiosity, taking risks, and prioritizing passion work helped them shape their brand, attract dream clients, and grow on their own terms. You’ll leave inspired and equipped with practical tips to turn your personal projects into powerful opportunities.

Join the Smith & Diction team for a deep dive into their creative process—not just the shiny client-facing stuff they share publicly, but the actual nitty gritty.

We'll talk about brainstorming creative concepts, decision-making, collaboration techniques, color tests, typography selection, and how to make brand moves that give a design team much more than just type and color to work with as they go to build out a full identity.

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Jesse Taylor is a stranger-to-none Creative Director and Graphic Designer. He has a passion for design and people, and his fulfillment comes from connecting the two.

For over a decade, he has served the creative industry in fields ranging from medical, environmental and social impact to restaurants and clothing brands. As ACD at Marketing for Change he collaborates with research, strategy and media teams to lead creative campaigns from concept to execution.

He’s also a freelancer with a focus in branding, typography and illustration and has been awarded and recognized nationally in both roles. In addition he’s a speaker, mentor, judge, AIGA board member and educator — all in an effort to give back to the community.

And when he’s not busy enough with that, you can find him working on a passion project — or two. Jesse lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and fur babies.

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This talk offers actionable and attainable strategies to define and achieve your dreams while maintaining balance in your life. Drawing from my experience running a design studio in Miami’s combat industry—complete with wild adventures and the challenges of managing a chronic illness—I’ll share practical insights on:

• Finding and defining your calling: Discover your unique path and purpose.
• Mastering the art of niching: Learn techniques I picked up firsthand from industry experts like Señor Do.
• Building unstoppable momentum: How small, consistent steps create what feels like luck, all while prioritizing rest and wellness.
• Effective networking: Actionable tips for connecting with the right people at every stage of your journey.

You’ll leave with a concise, actionable framework to pursue your goals with focus, passion, and mindfulness.

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Dan is a hand-lettering artist, designer, and illustrator who forced his way into the graphic design world kicking and screaming. Ten years later, he’s ready to talk about it — along with the mindsets that helped him claw his way forward.

Whatever type of creativity you pursue, and in whatever capacity, we all know there are times inspiration can be scarce, motivation can feel impossible, and burnout can take over. Whether you flourish or fade depends on the mindset you bring to the craft and the struggle.

Dan dives into his own journey to share practical strategies he’s found helpful for finding the creative spark and keeping it alive wherever the road takes you.

Fall in love with your creativity. Every creative battles doubt, often wondering if their work or voice matters. But what if these doubts are signs of your growth?

Let's explore using this "doubt" to fuel your creativity. We'll learn to transform uncertainty into momentum, reignite our passion, and see how believing in ourselves can lead to notable artistic achievements.

Together, we'll push beyond our comfort zones, embrace change, and consistently choose kindness over ego in an actual act of rebellion.

Eddy Herty, VP, National Creative Director of OUTFRONT STUDIOS, has spent the last 10+ years traveling the country to create award-winning advertising campaigns. He leads a team of over 50-designers across the country and is the founder of OUTFRONT STUDIOS - an in-house boutique creative agency for OUTFRONT STUDIOS has been a frequent winner and finalist for the OBIE awards.

Eddy is highly respected in the advertising industry and is a frequent guest speaker at industry-leading events including the OAAA, The Infinity Film Festival, HOW Design Live, and The NY AdClub. He has also had the privilege of being a Judge for various ADDY Awards, OAAA OBIE awards, The One Show, The Clios and LeBook Connections

Herty has committed his career to helping businesses differentiate themselves from their competitors, as well as students…helping teach advertising courses at KCAD and LSU. Leveraging the power of Out of Home, dynamic creative execution, and establishing a client-first environment, Eddy and his team are changing the perception of Out of Home that cuts through mediocrity in the world’s oldest advertising medium.

He is also a graduate of LSU, father of five, and New Orleans area native.

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