The Be Nimble Foundation is building the national blueprint for diversity and inclusion in tech with an eye toward generational wealth for people of color. It’s a powerful vision in an economy–and co-founders Kelli Jones and Jeff Williams are making it happen here in Indianapolis. Jones joined us as a thought leader during the Creative Crossroads: Indiana Creative Economy Summit in October 2023. Williams lives in Dallas, and has been a bit harder for us to catch in person, so we took advantage of his All-Star 2024 travel plans to make this interview happen. I’ll let Williams take the lead ..read more

New year, new interns! This week we welcomed three new faces to our PATTERN team. Get to know more about our Spring ’24 interns. My name is Frances Dimaranan, and I’m one of the graphic design interns here at PATTERN. I’m a junior at Herron, majoring in visual communication design.  What is your ideal gig?  FD: I would like to work independently and do freelance work for many different clients. I don’t have a single one in mind, but I would like to travel.  What are you looking forward to for your PATTERN internship?  FD: I’m looking forward to learning more about the ..read more

Leah Brinkman, Graphic Design, Creative Fellow 2023 “This city is so boring.” “There’s nothing to do.” “All Indiana is, is cornfields.” Those are phrases I see often on subreddits about things to do in Indianapolis and even muttered by my own friends. And honestly, I’m guilty of saying those words too. When I was getting ready to graduate college I was convinced I was going to get the hell out of the Midwest (I grew up on Indy’s north side and went to college at the University of Cincinnati) and live abroad, move to some exciting city on the east or west coast, or even Chicago if I haaaaad ..read more

Hello, PATTERN family! As we bid farewell to 2023, let’s take a moment to reflect on a year that was nothing short of extraordinary. It’s been our most exciting and fulfilling year yet, marked by growth, new adventures, and a whole lot of fun. Many of you were with us for the ride and know exactly what we’re talking about. We’ve grown not just in size but in spirit, and we owe it all to the relentless passion and dedication of our community.  So, without further ado, let’s dive into the PATTERN staff highlights of 2023 – a year of creativity, collaboration, and change. Our New Stutz ..read more

Cris Martinez interned with PATTERN as a graphic designer (Fall Semester ’23). The creative world is somewhere I’ve always wanted to reside. My passion for art began with drawing and my interests shifted to other mediums since. When it was time to make a decision for college, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the arts. After considering my options, I was led to graphic design–majoring in visual communication and design. My last year at Herron, IUPUI, required an internship, and as I scoured the internet for opportunities, I came across PATTERN. I began to research, and I was intrigued by ..read more

This November, we’re exploring careers that most likely weren’t, aren’t, or won’t be listed as a potential college major–not specifically, anyway. Many of these folks have made their way to their current occupations by way of a more traditional nine-to-five, like our girl Maria Baer who is the queen of organized living and owner of The Baer Minimalist. Baer moved to Indianapolis in 2006 and spent about a decade in a variety of traditional professions. Ultimately, she landed in a sales role where, according to Baer, “The harder you worked, the more money you made and the more stressed you bec ..read more

The inaugural Indiana Creative Economy Summit was a resounding success! A heartfelt thank you to the incredible community of sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and volunteers who joined forces with PATTERN to bring this vision to life. The day was charged with energy, optimism, and a collective eagerness to elevate Indiana’s creative talents. Key takeaways included the importance of cross-sector collaboration, the need for a unified language bridging policy-makers and the creative sectors, and the urgency of securing sustainable funding to ensure fair compensation for our creatives. The Summit ai ..read more

Inspired by the past year’s doll obsession at the movies and on television. Barbie slaying the theatres and box office this summer, with M3GAN starting a new franchise, and the classic killer doll Chucky with the hit series. This Halloween, life in plastic is fantastic. Photography and Styling: Willyum Baulkey (Aesthetic Artist Agency) Makeup: Danelle French Hairstylist: Sebastian DeJong Models: Model (1) Deziree N. (L Modelz Model Management), Model (2) Gwyneth K. (L Modelz Model Management), Model (3) Sophia P. (Independent) The post Killer Dollz appeared first on PA ..read more

Polina Osherov is one of Indiana’s most committed champions, but many of you already know Indiana isn’t where she started. Born in Moscow, Russia, Osherov made her way to the U.S. by way of Italy and Australia with her parents and landed in Indiana after first spending some years in Chicago. But talk to her for three minutes, and you’ll know that she’s made short work of connecting to what Indiana has to offer. After decades of working in Indy’s various creative communities as a professional photographer and through PATTERN, she has become intimately familiar with the opportunities and chall ..read more

Twenty-five-year-old Morgan Robinson-Gay, has been at the forefront of Indiana’s performance and endurance art scene, as outlier and innovator, for the past three years. Educated at the Herron School of Art and Design, she hopes to be pursuing a Master’s in Fine Arts, which will likely see her leaving Indianapolis in the fall. Recently, however, I had the pleasure to sit down with the unconventional artist and discuss what it’s like to be trekking new ground in the Crossroads of America. Caiden Cawthon: Your art is exceptionally personal, as you’ve alluded to with such pieces as “The Snare ..read more