What do creatives value in themselves?

We’re asking established industry experts and upcoming talent from all over the world to define what they value in themselves – in the hope that it can be encouraging or provide the spark to look inward, into the practices of those who may read. This series will last throughout 2022.

The seventh edition of ‘Creative Values’ is here! First up is Jasmine Lo – a creative writer and illustrator who recently moved from Paris to London and joined Strategic Insights at Crowd DNA. Otherwise Jasmine is usually found collaborating with folks across disciplines and oceans. Seb Westcott is up next, an illustrator who’s based in Truro. His style is described as ‘colourful and textural and often irreverent and absurdist’. Lastly, we’ve got Sana Iqbal! The name might be familiar to you. She’s recently been featured on Creative Review and It’s Nice That talking about her latest brand system, freshly made for the Labour Party in Lewisham. Sana’s a graphic designer based in Manchester.

Read on to see what they value in themselves!

Jasmine Lo – London – Creative and Feature Writer, Illustrator

Follow Jasmine: @extreme.metaphors • @hellojasminelo • inevitablycreased.substack.com

“I admire the courage I nurture for myself. As someone who has moved around a lot, I do wonder whether building roots is even the goal. But I realise across the work I do and the art I make, I do create my own sense of grounding. I show myself that roots do not always rise vertically, they can also run across. So I keep moving— into spaces and between industries that I may not have imagined myself to be in and I do my very best to collide with folks I can truly and emotionally share with. I value every small encounter, every conversation that so often can lead to sincere collaboration. I value the vulnerability I push myself to carry into my work.”

Seb Westcott – Truro – Illustrator

Follow Seb: iamseb.co.uk • @iamsebwestcott

“I think that something I really value in myself is my ability to share myself in a compelling way.

As a teenager and even into my early twenties my single biggest insecurity was how quiet I was, I wanted so badly to be able to just talk to all of the people around me without feeling like I was interrupting conversation and inserting myself in, but it just didn’t come to me easily and I hated that about myself so I would retreat into my own head with all the thoughts and ideas I wanted to share but didn’t. As I’ve got older I realised that by being emotionally honest with people I can share all the things I want to share and that almost everyone is happy to listen and engage and I can make conversations I want to have happen, just by starting them. I have no issues calling myself cool and when I make an illustration I can show it people and unabashedly say, “look at this thing I made isn’t it cool?” and they say “yeah, Seb that is really cool'“. I like attention as long as I’m the person dictating it and think learning to use that to be me more openly is something I don’t take for granted.”

Sana Iqbal – Manchester – Strategic Graphic Designer

Follow Sana: @sanaiqbaldesign

“Doors have shut all around me. Their words “I lack studio experience” “need more training” or I’m “not a cultural-fit” still ring loud. I’ve had clients turn to my male colleague to respond to my questions. Industry giants take me under their wing, to attempt to take my clients. Yet I dust myself off and strive forward. I give them my thanks, and use their words to fuel my determination. 

On my journey, I’ve also met beautiful souls who charge-up my low self-belief. Who speak my name in a room full of opportunities. Who pick up the tools to help me chisel down the glass-ceiling. Without them I am nothing.  

I’m not scared of failure. As if I do, I did it whilst dreaming. Wishing for a better society, one where every child is full and every person is free. I want to harness the power of design to change hearts and minds for a better society. To use words to create understanding and visuals to inspire a greener future. My determination motivates me to keep on-going, to ignore the doubt of others, as history has shown only committed citizens can change the world. And I will leave it in a better place. ”

If you’d like to share what you value in yourself, please email fusedirectory@gmail.com with a few words about yourself and your creative values!*

*Fuse is platform for creatives from a racialised and ethnic backgrounds, so we’re only accepting submissions from those who identify as that!