For June’s digital edition, PATTERN is spotlighting the role that collaboration plays within Indy’s creative spaces. Who better to ask than the team over at CreativeMornings? Dedicated to providing an open space for the Indianapolis community to gather under a shared appreciation for creative talent and connection, the team is well-versed on the ins, outs, and in-betweens of collaboration.
From celebrated designers to esteemed Indy natives, CreativeMornings Indianapolis boasts an accomplished and wide-ranging roster of event speakers. None of which would be possible without the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it happen every month. Meet Fred Miller, Jes Nijjer, and Devon Ngo. (You’ll have to go to some CM gatherings yourself to meet the rest of the crew!)
- Fred Miller, Video Director at CreativeMornings, a filmmaker, co-founder and creative at ArtSpeak, and colorful soul
- Jes Nijjer, Communications Director at CreativeMornings, a professional photographer with an eye for the beautiful and the delicious
- Devon Ngo, CreativeMornings Event Volunteer, a storyteller, photographer, and data analyst
Together, the trio has nearly ten years of experience with CreativeMornings. Their talent–in tandem with local partnerships, generous venues, and global networks–has made CreativeMornings the success it is today.
PATTERN sat down with Miller, Nijjer, and Ngo to get the intel on all things collaborative so that you, too, can (take your ambitions by storm).
And when I say PATTERN, I mean me, Kate Nevers, summer writing intern. But as you already know, any big thing has more than one person behind it. I’ll let the CM crew tell you the rest.
Kate Nevers: So I did a bit of LinkedIn stalking on you all. Fred, I saw that you have held several positions within the creative economy. You co-founded ArtSpeak and recently collaborated with Andy Nielson on his campaign for City-County Council. What doors has collaboration opened for you?
Fred Miller: [laughs] What doors hasn’t collaboration opened for me? I just wrapped up the campaign with Andy. He actually reached out to me back in January, but I was still working at Wunderkind at the time. When I got laid off from that, Andy and I began working together on his campaign. I was between jobs, worried about living paycheck to paycheck, and this partnership came along at just the right time.
Right now, I’m working on a project that gives a voice to ex-convicts, which has been so inspiring. Collaboration has helped me look at the question How do we solve this problem and how do we take the shroud off these institutions and organizations? Seeing people who have been discounted by society prove everyone wrong and using my work to help shine a light on that–it feels good to be part of something like that.
KN: Jes, my mouth was practically watering after looking at the food photography on your site. How did you get started in the Indy creative scene and how have you worked your way up to working with many of its top restaurants today?
Jes Nijjer: [laughs] Oh, thank you. I wish I could tell you I have an easy eleven-step process, but my method has really just been fake it ‘til you make it. Professionally, I started out as a nurse. I started exploring photography about seven years ago. I got a camera as a gift and started taking photos of any- and everything that caught my eye, anything I loved.
There was a restaurant I used to go to a lot, Open Society in Broad Ripple. They had a cafe, a bar, really great food–and I took photos of my food every time I went. I shared them on Instagram and eventually the restaurant noticed and asked to use my photos. They asked me how much I charged and I had no idea, so I threw out a number. When I said $20, they asked “Is that per hour or per photo?” and I was like, “What makes sense to you?” [laughs]
When Open Society closed, I got a lot of clients through people I’d met there. It just kind of kept snowballing, and now I’m here. So my method has been photographing what I love and seeing where that takes me.
KN: Devon, I saw that you’re wrapping up your two years at Orr Fellowship – congratulations. How do all of your skills–entrepreneurship, leadership, data analytics, photography–collaborate with one another to form your identity in the workplace?
DN: I actually just finished a project photographing my friend’s cats which was a really fun, creative way to bring my skills together. For me, it’s all about telling a story. In my other areas like entrepreneurship and data analysis, it’s still about telling a story. It’s just a different way of thinking about it.
I get the data and present it in a way that tells a story that will grab and engage people so that they can see the information and be like, Oh wait this is kind of cool and it makes sense to me. So whether it’s photography or the more technical side of what I do in data analytics, it’s all about conveying a story that can connect with people.
KN: So, it’s obvious that you each have a unique skillset to bring to the table. What does collaboration look like to be part of the CM team?
JN: It’s a lot of laughing and just hanging out. In addition to our meetings where we plan for the months and events ahead, we have team dinners. This time brings us all closer and makes it feel like you’re just hanging out with a bunch of friends.
DN: I’m an event volunteer, which means I come day-of. I still feel connected to everyone on the team which I think speaks to the value and connections of the people at CreativeMornings.
KN: What advice would you give to someone who wants to have a meaningful experience with CM?
FM: Be willing to make yourself vulnerable. Going into a space like CreativeMornings can be intimidating. For me, realizing that I need to be able to be vulnerable and to ask people questions was huge.
JN: Be a friendly face. I started at CreativeMornings by just attending the monthly events and making myself a regular. Eventually, people recognized my face, so there was already that mutual recognition and feeling of We know each other when I approached them about being part of their team.
DN: Raise your hand. I was pulled into CreativeMornings because I walked by their tent and Ryan [Hunley] sold me on it. From there, it’s just been about getting in there and showing up when I can. Everyone at a place like CreativeMornings wants to hear your ideas, so don’t be afraid to raise your hand.
KN: What is a lesson you’ve learned while working at CM that you carry with you in your every-day?
FM: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. After I was laid off, I felt isolated and not myself. The CreativeMornings team was a resource I almost let myself forget I have, and it can be hard to ask for help from other people. But this community was just awesome and instrumental during that period in my life.
JN: Hyping up other people is never a bad way to spend your time. The people at CreativeMornings are always the first to congratulate me or tell me they love my work and it’s such an incredible feeling having a community who does that for you and who you can do that for in return.
DN: Be kind. There are a lot of things that seem like a given, so we don’t say them enough. Things like saying you like someone’s work or you’re happy someone is there or you appreciate the work someone is doing. The people at CreativeMornings not only practice this but make it the norm. So then we all go out into our personal lives and carry that norm with us into our other interactions and relationships. That norm of kindness.
A final note from Ryan Hunley, current CM leader, on this collaborative effort of this team.
I believe that people gathering for good is among the most powerful forces on the planet. Our small but mighty team of CM volunteers mean the world to me. When we meet as a team and when we meet as a broader community, the goal is for people to leave that experience a little more engaged, informed, and inspired to make positive change in the world.
None of this would be possible without Fred, Jes, Devon, and many others who drive this process forward each and every month. I will be forever grateful for everything I have learned from them about commitment to community.
