Underscore

Our guest is Derek Desormeaux, president of AIGA Chicago, who moved to Chicago from a small town in Northern Michigan after studying graphic design at Kendall College of Art and Design.In this episode, Derek speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his path into design — from wanting to be a concept artist and comic book artist to discovering graphic design through a typography class. He shares how he started volunteering at AIGA Chicago events almost as soon as he arrived in the city, eventually launching Coffee and Crits, a free monthly group critique event he's now run for three years.Derek discusses the moment the previous president offered him the role, his first instinct to turn it down, and the reasoning that led him to say yes anyway. He opens up about what leadership looks like in practice — checking tickets and bringing in food at events run by his board members — and his belief that one person can't meet everybody's needs in a community.The conversation explores Derek's conviction that design deserves the same respect as any other form of labor, his thoughts on what keeps him up at night about the sustainability of a creative career, and what gives him hope in a moment that feels uncertain. He also talks about the AIGA Chicago Paper Show, his love of print and his nearly 500-book collection, and why he stopped posting his illustration work on Instagram.Music by the band Eighties Slang.

Our guest is Liam Guiritan, a Chicago-based designer and creative coder who grew up being told there were only two career paths worth taking, and chose neither.In this episode, Liam speaks with host Christian Solorzano about how curiosity became his education — from taking apart his sister's Hello Kitty radio as a kid to teaching himself creative coding tools like p5.js and Processing after graduating from DePaul. He shares how stepping away from institutional structure gave him the freedom to experiment on his own terms, and why he believes real exploration only becomes meaningful when you give it boundaries.The conversation gets into what craft means when your medium is syntax, how Liam thinks about measuring growth through what he learned rather than what he produced, and why he draws more inspiration from design coming out of South Korea, Japan, and Switzerland than from what's happening closer to home.Liam also talks about performing live coding at an algorave in Chicago — an event where the code itself is the instrument — and why in an era of infinite digital surfaces, print is the thing giving him the most hope.Music by the band Eighties Slang.

Our guest is ⁠Eric Hotchkiss⁠, an interdisciplinary designer, engineer, and educator based in Chicago, and the founder of ⁠Made in Englewood⁠ — a design-build practice grounded in the belief that communities should shape their own spaces and tell their own stories.In this episode, Eric speaks with host ⁠Christian Solorzano⁠ about growing up in Englewood, where he and his friends made go-karts from garbage can axles, built clubhouses from construction site scraps, and figured out how to make nearly everything they needed. He reflects on how that upbringing — and a father who taught him to make things with his hands — quietly became the foundation for his entire practice.Eric talks about the origins of Made in Englewood, why he almost didn’t name it that, and what it really means to design with a community rather than for one. He shares how artifacts — murals, installations, basketball backboards nailed into alley walls — carry the stories of neighborhoods that history might otherwise overlook, and why that idea drives everything he makes.The conversation covers his work designing a youth-led miniature golf course in North Lawndale, his ongoing community work on Chicago’s South Side, and what’s coming next — an Afro-diasporic outdoor kitchen and gathering space he’s building in Englewood. Eric also opens up about what makes him angry, what inspires him, and why he thinks this moment — as uncertain as it is — might be exactly the right time to be making things.Music by the band Eighties Slang.

Our guest is Christian Solorzano, founder of the Chicago Graphic Design Club and host of Underscore podcast.In this milestone 100th episode, the roles reverse as Rick Valicenti interviews Christian about his journey from discovering design through a Sony computer at age 11 to building Chicago's design community infrastructure. Christian shares the origin story of the Chicago Graphic Design Club—born from frustration when established organizations went silent during the pandemic—and how it evolved into Underscore podcast, Faculty, and recently, his studio Opal.The conversation explores Christian's philosophy of building without permission, prioritizing relationships over metrics, and trusting the process even when he doesn't know where it's going. He discusses his approach to deep research with a light touch, the creative collaborations and why he measures success by text messages from listeners rather than download numbers.Christian reflects on what the podcast has taught him—how facilitating 99 conversations has enabled him to see himself in others and given him permission to be more himself. He shares his view of creativity as humanity's breath, an act of resistance against forces that push us away from making meaning, and why Chicago's flat hierarchy and generous design community continues to inspire his work.

Our guests are Kelsey McClellan and Andrew McClellan, the husband-and-wife team behind Heart & Bone Signs, a Chicago-based studio specializing in gold leaf and hand-painted signage.In this episode, Kelsey and Andrew speak with host Christian Solorzano about their journey from casting aluminum mushrooms together in an undergraduate sculpture class to becoming two of Chicago's most respected sign painters. They share how discovering gold leaf window signs on Michigan Avenue led them to cold-call the man whose signature they found—Robert Frese, who would become their mentor and closest friend in the city.The conversation explores Chicago's sign painting legacy, from the Beverly Sign Co. and the design innovation known as "The Chicago Look" to the ghost signs that still haunt the city's brick walls. Kelsey and Andrew recount their effort to save two 1920s signs from a Ravenswood building slated for demolition—a project that led to their book The Golden Era of Sign Design, a collaboration with Field Notes, and a permanent installation at the American Sign Museum.They discuss the realities of running a business as a married couple, the discipline of practicing simple brushstrokes, and why they believe the energy poured into handmade work is something viewers can sense—even if they can't explain it. The conversation closes with their advice for aspiring sign painters and a reflection on what Chicago stands to lose if its neon and ghost signs disappear.Music by the band Eighties Slang.

Our guest is Mary Foyder, a designer working on trauma-responsive and healing-centered projects, including Braver Collective, an online healing community for survivors of sexual trauma.In this episode, Mary speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her journey from Western Michigan University's professional pilot program to discovering graphic design, and how she developed her collaborative, human-centered approach to design. She shares insights about co-designing platforms with the communities they serve—particularly young people navigating sexual health, reproductive justice, and bodily autonomy.Mary discusses her evolution as a designer, from her early curiosity about why design decisions get made to developing trauma-informed practices that center survivor voices. She talks about what it means to design healing-centered platforms, including her five-year collaboration building Braver Collective alongside survivors who co-designed every aspect of the organization.The conversation explores the complexities of doing social impact work in politically volatile times—navigating the financial precarity of values-driven practice and the challenges of running an independent design practice. Mary opens up about projects like Bedsider for Power to Decide and the CHAT Program for the Chicago Department of Public Health, and discusses finding ways to sustain meaningful work while raising a family in Chicago.She shares candid perspectives on co-design as genuine partnership rather than extraction, and why designers working with vulnerable communities must understand how trauma shapes human experience and behavior.Music by the band Eighties Slang.

Our guest is ⁠Pedro Neves⁠, a designer, educator, and researcher at the University of Illinois Chicago whose work explores the intersection of modular systems, typography, and emerging technologies.In this episode, Pedro speaks with host ⁠Christian Solorzano⁠ about his ambitious research project "A to Z: Learning Through Lego and Letter Forms"—a collaborative endeavor with 36 international designers that investigates modular letter form design through accessible systems. He shares the journey that began as a classroom assignment and culminated in an unexpected visit to Lego's headquarters in Denmark, where the project now resides in their permanent archives.Pedro discusses his path from Portugal to Basel's prestigious design programs, where he spent nearly two years working on the Wolfgang Weingart design archive. He reflects on the mythology of Swiss design, the warmth and human-centered approach he experienced in Basel that contrasts with rigid perceptions of Swiss methodology, and how those formative experiences shape his teaching philosophy at UIC.The conversation explores what "experimental design" truly means—whether it's an aesthetic, attitude, or process—and why Pedro believes experimentation requires intention and structure rather than random exploration. He opens up about his evolution as a designer who once hated drawing classes but found his calling in design's blend of scientific methods and creative problem-solving. Pedro shares insights about teaching typography through constraints, his philosophy on learning to code as another form of craft, and why Chicago's vibrant printmaking community at venues like Public Works, Sputnik, and through organizations like the Chicago Printers Guild has become central to his creative practice.Throughout the episode, Pedro offers candid perspectives on navigating the challenges of balancing teaching, research, and personal work, finding community in a city he's called home since 2019, and building meaningful creative projects in academia.The exhibition "A to Z: Learning Through Lego and Letter Forms" is on display at the Design Museum of Chicago through January 11th.More informationPedro's WebsitePedro's InstagramLearn about the Chicago Graphic Design Club

Our guest is Blaze Smith, a web designer and content creator who has built an audience of 80,000 followers by making web design education accessible through short-form video content. In this episode, Blaze speaks with host Christian Solorzano about going from a small town to becoming a recognizable voice in web design education on social media. He shares insights about his creative process—how he scripts his videos and manages perfectionism.Blaze discusses his evolution as a designer, from discovering design through skateboard graphics and video game interfaces to landing a UX internship and eventually launching Shovel Studio. He talks about the importance of taking action over overthinking, offering candid perspectives on building in public and interacting with audiences.The conversation explores Blaze's approach to branding—why his Bruce Lee profile picture isn't going anywhere, how he builds associations between his work and cultural icons, and his philosophy that "branding is putting something cool next to your brand until people think your brand is cool." Relevant Links: www.shovel.studiowww.chicagographicdesign.club

Our guest is Matt Avery, founder of Monograph, a Chicago-based design studio specializing in publishing and typography. After 14 years as Principal Designer at the University of Chicago Press, where he designed The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition, Matt launched his independent practice in 2018.Matt joins host Christian Solorzano to discuss his journey from engineering dropout to book designer, how Emigre magazine shaped his early design thinking, and why he has moved from constantly trying new typefaces to relying on a trusted palette he knows intimately. They explore the craft of book design—from cast-offs and justification to the subjective chaos of cover design feedback—and the myths about what makes covers sell (spoiler: nobody really knows).Beyond design, Matt shares his volunteer work as a TreeKeeper with Openlands, how pruning trees connects to typography principles, his dormant photographic collage practice, and why the best creative moment is that first sketch when you know an idea will work. They also reflect on the intersection of nature and design, the importance of protecting creative time, and finding balance between client work and personal expression.Related linkshttps://monograph.studio/https://mattavery.design/https://mattavery.net/

Our guest is Ashley Bedore, a graphic designer and illustrator working at Lincoln Park Zoo.In this episode, Ashley speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her journey from studying illustration at Columbia College Chicago to discovering graphic design through album cover artwork and concert posters. She shares insights about her creative process and her evolution from production designer to leading illustration projects at one of Chicago's cultural institutions.Ashley discusses her experience teaching at Columbia College and the challenges and rewards of designing for a zoo's diverse departments, from development campaigns to event promotion. The conversation explores how becoming a mother has transformed Ashley's creative practice, making her more efficient and decisive in her work. She opens up about her current exploration of oil painting as a response to our digital-centered industry and her approach to leading teams that flourish creatively.Ashley shares her perspective on the importance of young designers finding their unique voice and niche, rather than trying to do everything. She discusses what it's like working at a cultural institution, her love for Chicago's supportive creative community, and her ongoing journey to balance professional work with personal artistic exploration.

Our guest is ⁠Suzie Shin⁠, a designer, educator, and artist who moved to Chicago after studying at RISD, drawn by the city's community of small design studios and creative collaboration.In this episode, Suzie speaks with host ⁠Christian Solorzano⁠ about her journey from aspiring illustrator to discovering her voice through collage and color. She shares insights about her analog-to-digital design process, where handmade work becomes the foundation for larger-scale projects, and how she creates parameters that allow for intuitive flow.Suzie discusses her experience as a new typography instructor at DePaul University and how persistence led to her internship at the renowned Chicago studio, Thirst. She opens up about her current collaboration with Rick Valicenti on an Alexander Girard exhibition in Columbus, Indiana, and how Girard's approach to color and joy influences her own pursuit of work.The conversation explores Suzie's creative philosophy—using collage as a thinking tool rather than an end goal—and her current transition away from traditional graphic design toward fine art and textiles. She reflects on finding balance between making and documenting, the challenges of graphic design's increasing association with marketing, and what grounds her outside the studio: reading, cooking, and learning to quilt.

Video available on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠. Search, The Chicago Graphic Design Club.—Today's episode is a conversation between Rick Valicenti and Christian Solorzano about the production of the Chicago Graphic Design Club's second issue of their publication, Faculty. In this episode, they share stories about their collaboration and memorable highlights that center around craft and designing a publication that pushes boundaries and reflects today's graphic landscape across Chicago.

Video available on YouTube and Spotify. Search, The Chicago Graphic Design Club.—Our guest is Aliona Solomadina, an independent graphic designer, artist, and researcher originally based in Kyiv who has been living in Chicago since 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Aliona was featured in our inaugural Faculty publication through her work City of Forms.In this episode, Aliona speaks with host Christian Solorzano about her unique perspective as an outsider interpreting Chicago, exploring architecture and design through a curious lens.Aliona discusses her evolution from childhood interests to becoming a specialist in book design, visual identities, and design curation, working with institutions. As co-author of "Znak. Ukrainian Trademarks of the 1960s–80s," she brings deep research experience to her practice.The conversation explores her visual identity work for "Constructing Hope Ukraine" at the Chicago Architecture Center and her philosophy that graphic design has become a powerful tool for diplomacy. Aliona shares her impressions of American design culture, offers advice for purpose-driven creative work, and discusses how she maintains hope and vitality when addressing difficult subject matter.Music by the band Eighties Slang.