Meaningful Creations

EDITION 03 / 2026

Welcome to the Monday edition Reader! 😁

I have a real problem with all-or-nothing thinking.

For example, it really bothers me when people say things like “young people do X” or “social media is bad” - cos I feel like the second you need to make a blanket statement you’ve kinda lost the argument.

Life is messy...and people are glorious (and complicated)😜. We contain multitudes. And most of the interesting stuff lives somewhere in the grey areas between the extremes of who we are and how we behave.

The same goes for this discussion of AI that is so prevalent right now.

I keep seeing this split in conversations - you’re either fully in, using it for everything; or you’re fully out, refusing to touch it (or feeling ashamed if you do!).

A lot of my friends are designers and artists and illustrators, and honestly, it seems like AI has been positioned as just another way to devalue their work - so I completely get why it feels like a betrayal of real creativity.

And I think both approaches have genuinely valid points, but I also think it needs some honest thought by us as individuals. Because there’s a whole spectrum in between those positions, and that’s where most of us are actually living.

What I think makes sense to me right now is (as with everything) for us to be intentional with how we choose to incorporate AI into our business (specifically), and to be honest about it...it’s benefits…it’s problematic impact.

I came across an article recently by the team at KOTA - a London-based creative agency - and it’s one of the more thoughtful things I’ve read on current design trends, branding & the impact of AI.

What I particularly found interesting was the questions that came up that I think could be really helpful for EVERYONE. I actually found they made me feel more hopeful rather than anxious about this whole issue. And with Canva Create happening this week (and I suspect even MORE AI integration), i think it's a good time to think on this.

I’ve added my own spin on them, but I think together they questions form a genuinely useful little framework - not just for big rebrand moments, but for everyday decisions about how you decide to show up.

So, grab a coffee ☕, put some music on and take a bit of time to reflect.

We'll start with a biggie:

When everything can be generated, what makes YOUR brand feel like it was made on purpose?
It’s the question underneath all the other questions, really. And the answer lives in every small decision you make about how your brand looks, sounds and shows up.
Where can you show the human hand in your brand?
What gets the texture, the personal touch, the imperfection - and what stays clean and consistent?
What makes your brand visually specific?
Which stories, objects, places or histories make this identity uniquely yours?
How does your brand behave in motion and space?
Is it just a logo and a colour palette, or does it have a personality when it moves? What does your brand video or animation style look like?
Where is AI invited in YOUR business - and where is it banned?
Use it to streamline, structure and refine. Don’t let it become the author.
Are you genuinely comfortable defending your use of AI if called out on it?
Does it FEEL right to you? Where do you draw the line?
Which visual choices are “core” for the next 5 years?
What’s your brand foundation, and what’s just space to play? Where can you experiment without losing your brand identity?
What should someone feel after a minute inside your brand world?
Reassured? Intrigued? Challenged? Inspired? Home?
What are you not willing to generate?
Where’s your line - and have you actually decided where it is? What can only YOU bring to the table?
Where and how can you actively support HUMAN creativity and art?
What can you DECIDE to do to offset the impact that AI does - and will - have?

There are obviously no ‘right’ answers (that’s kinda the point) but if we don’t take a minute to think about how we approach the lightspeed changes that we are living through, we run the risk of acting by default rather than decision. And that’s how you end up somewhere you didn’t choose.

Objects in motion...

There are lots of things that contribute to whether people trust your content or not - especially videos. And often, it comes down to the small animated elements - the things that signal someone put real thought into how this looks. Plus those are the little things that can really help reinforce your message!

The great news is Canva can actually handle a lot of that - and in this week's tutorial I'm walking you through three techniques that'll give your videos a noticeably more professional feel:

How to build a short branded opening and closing sequence you can drop into every video you make
A properly built name and title graphic for your talking head footage
And trendy on-screen text overlays that move with your words to keep people watching and drive your key points home

Once you've set these up, they're easy to use for all your videos going forward to streamline the process and add a little polish.😊

Check it out on my YouTube channel now.

I am always amazed by how every artist has their own style. Ten artists could use the same subject, same media, same tools - and yet each artwork will be unique. I know it sounds obvious, but I'm fascinated by how they developed their particular way of seeing things and interpreting what they see or imagine...how their experiences shape their approach.

So I am really enamoured with how the carved works of Yukihiro Akama seem to almost look like 2D illustrations come to life in his joyful sculptures.

Akama is a Japanese-born, UK-based artist (and former architect!) who carves miniature wooden buildings entirely by hand - each one from a single piece of oak, walnut or maple. He lets the natural grain and knots of the wood guide where he cuts, finishing each piece with a blowtorch before polishing and oiling. The results feel like little worlds - part vernacular architecture, part folklore, part memory.

What I find so inspiring is how his background in architecture, his move to a new country, his relationship with traditional tools - all of it feels quietly visible in the work (although I'm not sure they're all architecturally sound! 🤣). His story is literally carved into every piece.

Take a look at his instagram and tell him I sent ya. 😉