At the beginning of the year, the popular documentary about artist and designers called Abstract: The Art of Design was on everyone’s radar. My friend and I binged watched the season together as the design nerds we pride ourselves to be. Perhaps my expectations were too high or I already had a preconceived notion of what I wanted to see, but I was disappointed. Some of the narratives were confusing and sporadic, and I wasn’t always aware of the narrative the director was trying to get across.

Portraits in Creativity stood out to me because each portrait tells a cohesive, poignant story. This makes sense since Gael Towey, the brains behind this project, is passionate about storytelling. Previously, Towey was the Creative Director for Martha Stewart Living magazine. She designed the iconic magazine and won numerous awards, including the prestigious American Society of Magazine Editors awards for Design, Photography and General Excellence, the AIGA Corporate Leadership Award, and the Chrysler Design Award. Now she is embarking on a new adventure by directing Portraits in Creativity, a series of short documentaries that:

“capture the bravery of artists and artisans, and delights in the visual seduction of the creative process.”

The focus is authentically capturing the artist’s voice and their story. I appreciate the care and attention to detail this series values and the fact that the artists are empowering woman. (source: about Gael Towey & Co.)

Season 1: Sheila Berger
New York-based painter and sculptor Sheila Berger follows an odyssey that begins with a bird’s nest found at her childhood home in St. Louis. Using encaustic, plaster and steel, she examines nurturing and explores the fragility of nature.

“The stories that we tell, they define us.” – Sheila Berger

Director of Photography Philip Lehman

Season 1: Maira Kalman
“Everyone is eccentric,” Maira Kalman says. “You just have to find it.” With her characteristic humor, tender observations of our human foibles, and gorgeous sense of color, she asks:

“Who are we? How are we documenting ourselves? Is this a dream? Are we in costume?”

In partnership with The Met, MoMA and The Guggenheim, Maira explores these essential questions through painting, publication and performance.

Director of Photography Philip Lehman
Editing by Antoine Mills

Click here to watch the rest of the series.

For more information about Gael Towey, check out Gael Towey & Co.’s website.