Talk Paper Scissors
Join host, Diana Varma, as she explores the wonderful world of design and printing, typography and branding, books and publishing. Diana loves nothing more than getting creative with Creatives about all things creative. Ready to have some fun? Let's Talk Paper Scissors!
Brave Creative Humans: Failure (Part 2)
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Welcome to the Brave Creative Humans series! This is the second of 6 episodes featuring some of the many past Talk Paper Scissors guests who exemplify brave creative living: Allison MacKenzie, Kevin Shaw, Vincent Wanga, Meg Lewis, Emad Saedi, and Justine Abigail Yu.
In this episode, the 6 answer this questions: âWhen is a time when you failed, what did it mean to you and how did you move forward?â
This series is inspired by Dianaâs recently published book, Brave Creative Human: Embrace Failure, Reframe Imposter Syndrome, and Be Una...
Brave Creative Humans: Failure (Part 1)
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Welcome to the Brave Creative Humans series! This is the second of 6 episodes featuring some of the many past Talk Paper Scissors guests who exemplify brave creative living: Allison MacKenzie, Kevin Shaw, Vincent Wanga, Meg Lewis, Emad Saedi, and Justine Abigail Yu.
In this episode, the 6 answer this questions: âHow do you sense failure: literally, how would you describe how you see it, feel it, hear it, smell it and even taste it?
This series is inspired by Dianaâs recently published book, Brave Creative Human: Embrace Fail...
Brave Creative Humans: Perfection
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Welcome to the Brave Creative Humans series! This is the first of 6 episodes featuring some of the many past Talk Paper Scissors guests who exemplify brave creative living: Allison MacKenzie, Kevin Shaw, Vincent Wanga, Meg Lewis, Emad Saedi, and Justine Abigail Yu.
In this episode, the 6 answer these questions: "What are your thoughts on perfectionism in creative work? Is perfect necessary or even possible?"
This series is inspired by Dianaâs recently published book, Brave Creative Human: Embrace Failure, Reframe Imposter Syndrome, and Be Unapologetically You. Join Di...
Brave Creative Human Book Launch Day!
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Surprise! Brave Creative Human is here one month early. In this episode, I share the serendipitous story behind the book, why it exists, and who itâs for.Â
There's a special guest appearance by Creativity Professor and Drag Queen, Guy Anabella, who wrote the bookâs foreword and joins me to talk about brave creative humanity. Themes include embracing failure, reframing imposter syndrome, and finding belonging in creative workâplus whatâs next for the Brave Creative Humans podcast series.Â
Join me for the bookâs official launch on October 1 an...
Accessible Digital Publishing with Laura Brady
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Itâs the final episode before Talk Paper Scissors takes a break until September and we have one of the best with us today, talking all about accessibility in digital publishing.
Laura Brady is an accessible publishing expert who works with eBound Canada, the Accessible Books Consortium, the International Publishers Association, and Adobe among other organizations. She teaches, she consults, and she advocates for accessible publishing on a global scale. Â
In this conversation, youâll hear all sorts of examples of accessible digital publishing, inclu...
Making Magic
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Letâs make magic!Â
In this episode youâll hear about Dianaâs latest collaborative making project (that could involve you!) called Making Magic; a collection of creativity kits that anyone can use to experience a bit of everyday joy and wonder.
Youâll hear about the first batch of kits ready to share (Upcycled Zine Kits), as well as the three alternative creative economies on which this project is built (no money need be exchanged!). Youâll also hear about the t...
A Home for Zines: The Toronto Zine Library & Archive
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A home for zines!
From makers near and far, with small and large publications, youâll hear about the exciting medium of zines where anything can happen at the intersection of art and independent publishing. This is the 4th and final episode in the series, featuring the Toronto Zine Library.
The Toronto Zine Library & Archive (TZL) is a physical library space run by a collective of zine readers, zine makers and librarians who strive to make zines accessible for the Toronto community. They believe that zines are an important me...
Zines to Feel Seen with Sisley Mark
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Yesssss zines!Â
From makers near and far, with small and large publications, youâll hear about the exciting medium of zines where anything can happen at the intersection of art and independent publishing. This is the 3rd of 4 episode in the series, featuring Sisley Mark.
Sisley is a Chicago-based artist and creative. She primarily works with acrylic or ink on canvas and paper. Her work is deeply rooted in the belief that art isn't about the polished end result. It is about the stories, exp...
(Feeling All the) Feels Zine with Hannah and Sarah
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Zines! Zines! Hooray for Zines!Â
From makers near and far, with small and large publications, youâll hear about the exciting medium of zines where anything can happen at the intersection of art and independent publishing. This is the 2nd of 4 episode in the series, featuring Hannah and Sarah of Feels Zine.Â
In this episode, youâll hear how Feels Zine came to be, as well as hear more about the interdisciplinary nature of the Feels Zine team duo, Hannah and Sarah.
Y...
Life is Collage with Ioana of Artizine UK
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Welcome to a 4-part publishing series all about the world of zines! From makers near and far, with small and large publications, youâll hear about this exciting medium where anything can happen at the intersection of art and independent publishing.
First up we have Ioana Simion, who is an artist-educator and facilitator based London. She runs community workshops under the artistic identity of Artizine.Â
In this conversation, youâll hear how to Ioanaâs zine making evolved from solitary practice through to creating in comm...
Emerging Typeface Designers Paulina Marin & Darrab Qureshi
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Meet emerging typeface designers, Paulina Marin and Darrab Qureshi! Paulina designed a typeface called Funky Pants and Darrab designed an Arabic typeface called Qalam in GCM 806 Advanced Typography at Toronto Metropolitan University. In the following conversation, you'll get to hear about each typeface. You'll also hear their perfect type pairings, sensory descriptions of each (sight, smell, touch, sound and even taste), as well as what was easy and difficult about the process. Let the type geekery begin!Â
Brave Creative Human: Embrace Failure, Reframe Imposter Syndrome, and Be Unapologetically Y...
Be The Glitch You Want to See in the Matrix with James McCrae
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Welcome to a thought-provoking and paradigm-shifting conversation with James McCrae, author, poet, and teacher who empowers creators to live with purpose and turn imagination into reality.
In this conversation youâll hear how Jamesâ career has always been rooted in both art and writing, including his navigation through various facets of the design industry. Youâll hear why James believes that social media is an art form in its own right and how making mistakes have been some of his greatest moments of learning.
We tal...
Toronto Tourism, Graffiti Culture & Emotional Infrastructure with Alex Sein
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Today we have educator, storyteller and Toronto tourism go-to, Alex Sein @BeardedProf416. In this conversation, youâll hear Alexâs story of becoming a Torontonian, including his link to graffiti culture in the city and how he accidentally became intwined in this community.
Youâll hear about the history of graffiti, why it matters and how graffiti is often a collaborative process. Youâll not only hear about physical infrastructure of a place (including the idea of a 15-minute city), but also the emotional infrastructure that signage, advertising and graf...
Nature x Creativity with Paige Deasley
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Todayâs conversation features Paige Deasley, photographer, storyteller, and creative strategist passionate about helping people reconnect with nature.Â
In this conversation, youâll hear about Paigeâs life that exists at the intersection of nature and creativity. Youâll hear how she handles working remotely while immersing herself in nature, how she found her photographic voice, as well as what about the natural world inspires her and what itâs like to swim with an octopus. Finally, youâll hear about Paigeâs ideal vision of a life that allows her...
Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., Citizen Printer
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Today we have the one, the only, Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., an American printer, book artist and papermaker who has been puttinâ ink on paper since 1949. He is a citizen printer, which youâll hear much more about very soon.
In this conversation, youâll hear about Amosâ incredible book, Citizen Printer, including how it came to be, what it means to be a citizen and Amosâ vision for citizenship today and tomorrow. Youâll hear about activism, humanism, materialism, capitalism, environmentalism, and the need for a new system. And...
Talk Paper Scissors Meets...Talk Paper Scissors?!
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Todayâs guest is internet artist, Nolen Royalty. He's interested in getting strangers to interact over the internet in unusual ways and in pushing mundane technology to its limits. Projects of his include stranger video (a website that shows you live, silent video of a stranger's face until one of you blinks), One Million Checkboxes (a website with a million global checkboxes), and games that run inside Google Calendar, MacOS Finder, and your unclosed browser tabs.Â
And heâs also created a game called Talk Paper Scissors, which is ho...
Creative Meets Technical with James Rowan
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Could you collaborate to make an award-winning professional short film with a team from start to finish in just 48 hours? Our guest today has done just that! James Rowan is a technologist, educator, and researcher working at the intersection of film, television, and emerging technology.
Youâll hear James talk about the ways in which both creativity drives technology and technology drives creativity. He provides advice about how to develop both creative thinking skills, paired with the technical skills necessary to make a vision come to life, and wh...
Type Up Your Life with Elliot Jay Stocks
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Elliot Jay Stocks is a designer and musician, known in typographic circles thanks to his time as Creative Director of Adobe Typekit, founder of typography magazine 8 Faces, and for his recent collaboration with Google that lead to the creation of Google Fonts Knowledge.Â
In this conversation, youâll hear about Elliotâs prolific career in type. We talk passion projects and opportunities to broaden skills sets and unique opportunities that can happen from following oneâs genuine interests. Elliot also shares his process for writing and designing my very fa...
I Wrote a Book!
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Welcome to 250th episode of Talk Paper Scissors where I celebrate YOU the listeners, chat about podcasting milestones and share info about the upcoming release of my book called Brave Creative Human: Reframe imposter syndrome, embrace failure and be unapologetically you, with the foreword written by the one and only Drag Artist & Creativity Professor, Guy Anabella!Â
Release date: September 28, 2025!
Hereâs to the celebrating the small successes that turn out to be not so little with time and consistency.
*Note: The Book above is not my book; itâ...
The Art of Direction with Vincent Wanga
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From actionable leadership strategies to creative direction to AI, this episode is for all of the creative change makers!Â
In this conversation, youâll hear from creative leader, Vince Wanga, author of "The Art of Directionâ with a distinguished two-decade career. He shares the benefits of long-term goal setting and he shares his next audacious goal. Youâll hear about his book and the important and deeply personal stories about creative leadership he shares in it.
Youâll hear why creative leadership isnât the only âp...
Playing Racquetball in the Bathroom with Artist Kara Dunne
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Have you ever dressed up as a life-sized paper doll, used a typewriter in a public bathroom or traveled to multiple continents to learn more about sheep? Meet Kara Dunne, who has done all of the above and more in the name of art.
In this conversation, youâll learn more about why and how many artistic modalities are part of Karaâs artistic practice, as well as about her most challenging project to date: a book called âShopping Cart Shepherdsâ and all of the serendipity leading to its crea...
A Rosie Life in Italy with Rosie Meleady
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Todayâs guest is Rosie Meleady, Irish author and my first cousin once removed!Â
 Rosie is currently having a fabulous midlife crisis in Italy, running womenâs writing retreats in Italy twice a year, and hosting women solo travellers and creatives in her Umbrian villa guest house. She writes humorous living memoir and humorous fiction.Â
Through this conversation, youâll better understand Rosieâs journey as both an independent and traditionally published author, her process for writing âliving memoirâ (or âreality TV in book formâ, as she calls it), and the advice she...
Snacky Sidebars with Magazine Designer Kyle Schruder
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This 3 part mini-series features 3 designers who bring different kinds of magazines to life. In this third and final episode, we have Creative Director and magazine designer, Kyle Scrhuder.
In this conversation, Kyle straddles the line between printed magazines and digital magazines. Youâll also hear about a project early in Kyleâs career that fundamentally changed the way he approached magazine design from that day forward. Kyle maps out a framework to balance readability and creativity, digging into actionable techniques to move through a magazine design process, including what...
Digital Tools for Magazine Creation with Alexandra Golubeva of Readymag
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This 3 part mini-series features 3 designers who bring different kinds of magazines to life. In this second episode, we have Alexandra Golubeva, Designer at Readymag!
In this conversation, Alexandra takes us through what Readymag is all about, as well as a series of projects that showcase the platformâs capabilities. Youâll better understand whatâs possible with digitally published magazines, as well as how Alexandra thinks about working with type on the web and lots of tips around accessibility for publication design on the web.
You...
Serving Up Magazines with Nicola Hamilton
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This 3 part mini-series features 3 designers who bring different kinds of magazines to life. First up we have Art Director and Issues Magazine Shop owner, Nicola Hamilton!Â
In this conversation, youâll hear Nicola share what it means to work on projects that manifest in print, as well as how she approaches the design of Serviette magazine to serve the content and audience, including working with a number of design constraints.Â
Nicola shares insights about how she believes current students keen on being part of the magazine industry can work on a...
Communities of Care with Patricia Ki
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This is the third and final episode in a 3-part mini series about exploring creative education, both as a noun and a verb; new ways of thinking about assessments, grading and ungrading with 3 brilliant educators who work and teach in the spaces of communication, design, creativity, art and art therapy.Â
In this episode, youâll hear from Art Therapist and Educator, Patricia Ki, who brings a rich understanding of therapeutic practice and educational pedagogy informed by her practice to this conversation. She discusses how traditional grading systems are in...
Design as Creative Midwifery with Rupsha Mutsuddi
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This is the second episode in a 3-part mini series about exploring creative education, both as a noun and a verb; new ways of thinking about assessments, grading and ungrading with 3 brilliant educators who work and teach in the spaces of communication, design, creativity, art and art therapy.Â
In this episode, youâll hear from researcher, educator, designer and artist, Rupsha Mutsuddi, about her upbringing in a variety of school systems and the ways itâs led to her current path. Youâll hear about the unique interdisciplinary nature...
Success Through Failure with Dom Prevost
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This is the first episode in a 3-part mini series about exploring creative education, both as a noun and a verb; new ways of thinking about assessments, grading and ungrading with 3 brilliant educators who work and teach in the spaces of communication, design, creativity, art and art therapy.Â
First up is Dom Prevost, Group Creative Director at Resonance and also teaches at IDEA School of Design (Capilano University) and Miami Ad School. With a multi-disciplinary approach and years of international experience, Dom has created award-winning, fully-integrated campaigns for s...
Lora: An Incomplete History of Type
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From the middle ages to the Middle East, From Futura to Freight, join us on a journey across the type universe and go where no designer has gone before...Welcome to An Incomplete History of Type (Part 5!)
This episode is guest hosted by Natalie Annabelle.
Name: Lora
Release Date: 2022
Designers: Cyreal, (Type Designer) Alexei Vanyashin, (Photographer) Olga Karpushina
Classification: Serif font
Owned By: Open Source / SIL Open...
Eurostile: An Incomplete History of Type
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From the middle ages to the Middle East, From Futura to Freight, join us on a journey across the type universe and go where no designer has gone before...Welcome to An Incomplete History of Type (Part 5!)
This episode is guest hosted by Sam Weinberg.
Name: Eurostile
Release Date: 1962
Designer: Aldo Novarese
Classification: Geometric
Owned By: URW Type Foundry
Claim to Fame: Popular...
Abhaya Libre: An Incomplete History of Type
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From the middle ages to the Middle East, From Futura to Freight, join us on a journey across the type universe and go where no designer has gone before...Welcome to An Incomplete History of Type (Part 5!)
This episode is guest hosted by Joanne Liao.
Name: Abhaya LibreÂ
Release Date: 2015
Designer: Sol Matas
Classification: Serif
Owned By: The Abhaya Libre Project Authors
Claim to Fame: Itâs a r...
Lexend: An Incomplete History of Type
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From the middle ages to the Middle East, From Futura to Freight, join us on a journey across the type universe and go where no designer has gone before...Welcome to An Incomplete History of Type (Part 5!)
This episode is guest hosted by Matthew Karton.
Name: LexendÂ
Release Date: 2019
Designers: Bonnie Shaver-Troup, Linnea Lundquist, and later Thomas Jockin, Santiago Orozco, HĂ©ctor GĂłmez
Classification: Sans-Serif
Owned By: T...
Georgia: An Incomplete History of Type
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From the middle ages to the Middle East, From Futura to Freight, join us on a journey across the type universe and go where no designer has gone before...Welcome to An Incomplete History of Type (Part 5!)
This episode is guest hosted by Darrab Qureshi.
Name: Georgia
Release Date: 1996
Designer: Matthew Carter
Classification: Transitional Scotch Roman style
Owned By: Microsoft Corporation
Claim to Fame: <...
Looking Past the Brush with Koy Suntichotinun
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This is the fifth and final episode in a 5-part guest lecture series in GCM 806 Advanced Typography, speaking with design typography pros from across North America!
This episode features Koy Sun, a seasoned Thai American artist, whose decade-long journey through the realms of custom lettering and illustration has recently expanded into the vibrant territories of sign painting and mural work. In this episode, youâll hear Koy talk about his introduction to letterforms and using the painted medium to craft his work today. Koy speaks to why he be...
Baselines and Basslines with Jamie Chang of Manic Type
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This is the fourth episode in a 5-part guest lecture series in GCM 806 Advanced Typography, speaking with design typography pros from across North America!
This episode features Jamie Chang, founder of Manic Type in Toronto, Canada. Youâll hear Jamie draw parallels between brand identity design and type design, better understand his process and hear about ways that designing a typeface can get out of hand (in a both a good way and bad way). Youâll hear how Jamie decides what kind of type to design next, demy...
A Legacy in Lettering with Jessica Hische
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This is the third episode in a 5-part guest lecture series in GCM 806 Advanced Typography, speaking with design typography pros from across North America!
In this episode features the legendary, Jessica Hische. Youâll hear Jessicaâs origin story in graphic design and illustration, how she works with sources of inspiration and what her process looks like (yes, verbal brainstorming!). Youâll hear how and why technology has changed Jessicaâs process and how she thinks about the topic on so many creativesâ minds: AI. Finally, Jessica shares that itâs...
Lettering, Signs and Graphic Design with Chris Rouleau
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This is the second episode in a 5-part guest lecture series in GCM 806 Advanced Typography, speaking with design typography pros from across North America!
In this episode youâll hear about Chrisâ recent projects, the magic to be found in creative constraints, and helpful advice about where to find inspiration. Youâll hear about Chrisâ typical process, his thoughts on how many is too many typefaces and advice for muralists looking to scale up and transfer designs onto a wall. Lastly, youâll hear the role that failure plays in C...
Illustration and Brand Collaboration with Fiorella Granda
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This is the first episode in a 5-part guest lecture series in GCM 806 Advanced Typography, speaking with design typography pros from across North America!
In this episode youâll hear design, illustrator and content creator, Fiorella Granda, discuss her relatively recent shift to full-time illustration, her creative process and the way passion projects fuel her work with big brands (including details about her project in Toronto with the WNBA). Youâll also learn about Fiorellaâs love/hate relationship with social media, tips for pricing and licensing your work...
Behind the Scenes with Mufasa (Oren Williamson on Creativity, Collaboration and Comedy)
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On the heels of his debut as Mufasa in Mirvishâs The Lion King last Friday night, Oren Williamson is here to chat all things creativity, collaboration and comedy!Â
In this episode, youâll hear Orenâs origin story moving through his non-linear creative journey. Youâll hear him explain the process to play a role in The Lion Kingâs production, as well as a moment-by-moment account of what was going on in his mind on stage as Mufasa for the first time.
We talk all of my favourite t...
Creating as a Designer AND an Artist with Zach Litoff
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Have you ever found yourself straddling the world of art and the world of design, not sure if you should commit fully to one or the other?Â
Enter Zach Litoff, a multi-media artist AND designer whose work blends art and design to create visually compelling narratives. Heâs here to chat about existing in both worlds and the benefits heâs found in living in multiple creative spaces.Â
In this conversation youâll hear about Zachâs multi passionate interests in art, science and athletics...
