Memos

If creativity is a delicate ecosystem, how do we keep things in balance? Emmi Salonen’s new book explores creative burnout. The designers radical model for creativity shifts the focus from output to input – focusing on all the things that feed into our creative process: “Connection, wonder, pause, movement, and joy.”

A sabbatical mostly spent in the Finnish archipelago helped me see what I’d been missing. Surrounded by forests and sea, I realised that creativity isn’t fuelled by hustle alone. It needs variety. Connection. Space. Joy. That experience became the starting point for my Creative Ecosystem model, a framework to help creatives stay inspired without burning out. Click for Lesson #16 of my 20-part series.

Burnout is changing. It’s less “I’m exhausted” and more “where did my curiosity go?” I spoke to Design Week about what I’m seeing: AI pressure, attention drain and approval cycles that stretch on.. My recommendation is to plan to 80%. Build in pause. Protect the inputs creativity runs on.

"Don't wait for inspiration. Schedule it: read, move, meet people, notice things and keep doing it when you're busy." Studio Emmi founder and creative director, Emmi Salonen invites us into her world of design, sharing how nature, time, and joy shape her approach to creating with purpose. Click through to read more.

Wellbeing in creative education isn’t optional. If we want the next generation of designers to thrive, we have to teach them how to sustain themselves, not just their work. If we want their ideas to change the world, we need to make sure they have the energy to create it. Lesson #15 in my 20-part series is about supporting students’ creative wellbeing.

When you run a solo practice you wear every hat. Designer, project manager, admin, marketer. It’s easy to pour everything into the work and hope the numbers sort themselves out. They don’t. Lesson #14 in my 20-part series is about looking after your financial wellbeing – and how a few small shifts can turn stress into sustained stability.

I joined Katie Treggiden on Brackish podcast and goodness, what a host she is! She’s one of the very few people who’ve read an early copy of my book, and her enthusiasm is so generous - and contagious! We cover how the The Creative Wellbeing Handbook came to be, click on the image to listen.

Creative Review ran an extract from my new book today! It’s a small window into the tools and stories behind The Creative Wellbeing Handbook. Follow the links in my bio to read the article and pre-order. Released in November (Europe) and April (rest of the planet Earth). Click to link to the article.

The Creative Wellbeing Handbook is for anyone who’s felt stuck, overwhelmed or in need of a spark - whether you’re a designer, writer, artist, or anyone trying to stay inspired while juggling life’s demands. Out this November (Europe) and April (everywhere else). Pre-order: https://www.creativeecosystem.org/book

We can’t sustain creative output unless we also take and make space for our own wellbeing. That means working in cycles, not sprints. Building in rest and reflection as part of the process, not as a guilty afterthought. If we’re too burnt out to enjoy creating, can the project ever be measured as a success?

As designers, we’ve all had those moments when feedback feels more confusing than helpful. But I’ve learned how to spot the value in all feedback – however vague, conflicting, or frustrating. In Lesson #12, I’m sharing how I approach feedback when presenting my work. From preparing for the presentation to listening between the lines, this one’s all about turning client reactions into stronger and smarter designs.

When Somerset House asked me to design the interpretation graphics for Beano: The Art of Breaking the Rules, I had full permission to misbehave. The result was a riot of colour and comic play, all in service of great storytelling. For Lesson #11 of my 20-part series, I’m sharing what Beano Studios taught me about creative mischief and why breaking the rules isn’t just for kids with catapults – it’s also for professionals with purpose.

Not all design needs to make a grand entrance. Some of it works best behind the scenes, helping everything else shine. With that in mind, I created a bold yet minimal graphic system for Hidden Gallery, a visual identity designed to support some of the biggest names in art. For Insight #10 of my 20-part series, I’m sharing a lesson in quiet confidence.

Inspiration isn’t limited to a reference library. It’s about opening up to what might want to be found – and paying attention when it arrives. Some of my best ideas haven’t come from the obvious places. They’ve come from chance encounters, unexpected comments, or patterns that kept surfacing until I finally noticed. This kind of inspiration can’t exactly be planned for, but there are ways to invite it in. So for Insight #9 of my 20-part series, I’m sharing: How to stumble across your own inspiration.

There’s a classic design request we’ve all heard: “Can you make the logo bigger?” At Pick Me Up, Somerset House’s graphic arts festival, I got to do exactly that – in the best possible way. The identity started as a simple pencil sketch. But through creative collaboration with Chrissie Macdonald, the Somerset House team, and a brilliant group of fabricators and facilitators, the idea grew.

This November I will be speaking at Czechia’s biggest conference for graphic designers. Early bird tickets are now live, get yours and come join me at this inspiring event! A conference by designers, for designers – yet open to all creative minds hungry for fresh perspectives. Top speakers from across Europe will challenge the way you think about design, process, and the future of creativity.

Architecture by Chris Dyson Architects, The Greenhill Building won a RIBA London Award – and we couldn’t be more thrilled for the whole team! Built using CLT for low carbon impact, with its bold red corrugated façade and distinctive serrated roof, it honours the site’s past while looking firmly to the future. We designed signage for key parts of the Harrow Arts Centre campus, along with interior wayfinding for the Greenhill Building, helping visitors navigate and enjoy the space with ease.

Let’s design things worth keeping. And ways of working that sustain us. Lesson #7 explores how lasting value is created – through care, storytelling, collaboration and craft. From a beloved stool to a well-used identity, the designs we cherish are the ones made to mean something, and made to last.

When a brand gets handed over, it often loses something along the way. But by mentoring Centre for London’s in-house designer, we built it together – making sure it worked for real-life use, and would be used as intended. A handover doesn’t have to mean letting go. Read how to make it happen.

I’ll be speaking and joining the panel discussion at Design Declares in Manchester on 23rd May 2025. The event will focus on the impact of materials and product efficiency, and how a ‘lean’ design approach can lead to more effective solutions in response to the climate crisis. I’ll be sharing ways to align visual identity with values for deeper impact using the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Click to buy a ticket!