Nate Burgos's Blog

Design Feast’s Makers Series—125th Interview: Haley Henning & Daniel Crespo Intuitively Surround Themselves and Their Neighbors with Nature

In addition to having green thumbs, Haley Henning & Daniel Crespo seed and cultivate a green mindset through their founding of Wild Plum. Here at Design Feast, they go deep into why they’re plant parents.

When you two met, were y’all plant-forward with each other—Did y’all introduce each other with opening lines about horticulture? Seriously, how did you learn about each other’s strong interest in seedlings and gardening? Then how did you nurture this common bond?

Haley: On our first date, we were...

Design Feast’s Makers Series—124th Interview: Anthony Roberts Writes in order to Change the World—even if by a Fraction

Reading “Fly Fishing Might Change Your Life” was (to borrow a weathered cliché) a revelation. A subject absolutely unrelatable to me, made relatable through the smooth-and-connected prose by Anthony Roberts. Inspired after reading. Here at Design Feast, he digs into sharing his call and craft of writing.

Where did your discovery of writing come from? Anything here that pointed you early in the direction of writing?

I’ve been a writer since I’ve had a memory. As a kid, I wrote poetry, raps, short s...

Design Feast’s Side Projects Series—117th Interview: Product Designer Ken Pan Collaborated on a UX Design Job Board to Help Applicants Save Time

What are you working on—on the side?

We, Gracia (Junzhu) Zhang—Product Designer & Visual Designer, Kyle (Chentao) Wang—Product Manager & Front-End Engineer, and myself, are Ciwei, a name that comes from the Chinese word for “hedgehog.” The hedgehog was our choice, because socialized on Chinese internet, hardworking folks are often lovingly referred to as “Kings of Rolling Up” or “卷王”—much like how hedgehogs curl up into a ball. We wanted to embody this spirit of hard work but in a cuter way, henc...

Design Feast’s Side Projects Series—116th Interview: AI Product Designer Steven Phung Equips Extensively the UI & UX Design Community with UX Gears

What are you working on—on the side?

I am the humble creator behind UX Gears, a vast design repository that seeks to inspire UX, UI and product designers across the globe. Within UX Gears, you’ll discover a delightful collection of over 500 handpicked links—carefully curated with love. From an abundance of UI, UX tools to ingenious AI-powered design tools, captivating illustrations, charming typography, delightful iconography, invaluable accessibility guides, comprehensive design systems and a ne...

Design Feast’s Makers Series—123rd Interview: Information Designer & Consultant Sandina Miller Materializes Honest and Humble Clarity

It was the typographic nerdy of Sandina Miller’s Twitter feed that led me to her work that focused on a discipline I cherish a lot: Information Design. Here at Design Feast, she articulates her passion for making communication that’s as clear as it can be to guide effectively its recipients.

Firstly, congratulations on exceeding a decade as a Typographic Designer and Consultant! What does independence mean to you? As it relates to creativity, making, working.

Thank you! The time’s gone fairly quic...

Design Feast’s Makers Series—122nd Interview: Ashley Lukasik Designs Immersive Experiences that Stoke Deep Collaboration and Ideation

Photographed by Miriam Doan.

The cultural trifecta of the Bauhaus (especially the legacy of László Moholy-Nagy), Design Methods and Human-Centered Design culminated in discovering Ashley Lukasik, who is one part documentarian, one part curator, one part facilitator—all parts designer. She founded and leads Murmur Ring—specializing in immersions. Here at Design Feast, she elaborates on this tactile, visceral offering and her creative process to stimulate collective curiosity as a humane, holistic ...

Design Feast’s Makers Series—121st Interview: From Indie to Industry, the Wild Journey of Apparel Designer Jessica Caldwell

Whether it’s Denver or Colorado Springs, the Centennial State is a core part of my U.S.-travel fandom. While recently revisiting The Mile-High City, I wanted to meet Jessica Caldwell—in person this time. Originally discovered her and her work (check out my first interview in 2014) via Twitter where I noticed a (former) feature about “Independent fashion design for modern, badass women.” She ran her apparel business Machine Apparel—where the spare and sharp aesthetic, expressed throughout its col...

Design Feast’s Makers Series—120th Interview: Fashion Designer Lina Lavi’s Big Love for Altruism and Activewear

Lina Lavi found and cut her path as an Apparel Designer. Here, she elaborates on turning this self-awareness into a self-fulfilling career. Giving thoughts too on mentorship and self-love.

How did you become interested in the apparel industry?

As someone who has always found joy and expression through art, I knew I wanted to go to art school after I graduated high school. I decided to take some time after high school to find a direction for myself. I had an introduction to apparel when I worked in...

Design Feast’s Makers Series—119th Interview: Fastening Herself to the Emotional Undercurrents of Stories, Illustrator Sara Wong Brings a Marvelous Vision to the Surface

Through a nuanced range of colors, asymmetric compositions, among other visual qualities, how Sara Wong interprets humanity in both her editorial and personal illustrations is poetic. Here, she elaborates on both her path toward becoming a full-time illustrator and process of keeping valid her illustrative skills (on her child-sized desk).

How did you become interested in Illustration toward ultimately becoming an Illustrator?

I didn’t know what illustration was until my senior year of high school...

Design Feast’s Makers Series—118th Interview: Photo Artist Adrian Octavius Walker Practices Fully his Creativity by Thinking, Dreaming and Mightily Doing

The photography of Adrian Octavius Walker possesses grounded qualities of confidence, elegance, grit, most of all, the beauty of Blackness. Here, he elaborates on nurturing his photographic practice and making milestones as an independent Mixed Media Artist.

Nate: Adrian, thank you so much for carving out time our of your busy schedule. Thank you for your persistence to connect. Big shout-out to our mutual connection in LaShun [Tines]—how do you know him?

Adrian: I believe we just met on social me...