Lori Siebert on Reinvention, Art Licensing, and Teaching Creative Retreats

Season 6, Episode 1 of the Show Up or Shut Up podcastfeatures host Wendy Solganik interviewing mixed-media artist and designer Lori Siebert, a new Fodder School teacher. Lori shares early art training from age seven, her Cincinnati roots, and studying graphic design at UC’s DAAP with its co-op program. She describes founding her design firm in 1987, growing it to about 12 employees, and creating branding and illustration-based work for clients including Target, Bath & Body Works, Nickelodeon, and Universal Studios. Lori explains moving into art licensing over 20 years ago via SURTEX, how licensing works, and balancing client-driven themes with more personal work shown on Instagram. She discusses mentorship and community, building travel-teaching “street cred,” and upcoming retreats (Mexico City, Ireland, Provence, Waco, Vermont, Chautauqua, France, Connecticut). Lori previews her Fodder Challenge birds and a Fodder School fodder-flower bouquet project. 00:00 Meet Lori Siebert 02:36 Podcast Premise and Intro 04:50 Early Art Roots 05:59 Cincinnati and Staying Put 07:52 DAAP and Design Training 11:45 Family Influence and High School Art 16:06 From Design Firm to Big Clients 21:05 Burnout and Finding Licensing 22:24 How SURTEX Works 25:48 Licensing Reality vs Heart Art 28:24 Products in Stores and Samples 32:15 Turning 60 and Choosing Fun 33:08 Building Travel Teaching Retreats 37:21 Mexico City and Frida House Dreams 41:25 Mexico City Museums 42:32 Travel Health Tips 43:25 Language Barrier Hacks 44:39 Street Art Vibes 46:04 Starting the Design Firm 48:03 DAAP Fine Art Electives 49:45 Adapting the Business 52:49 Handmade to Digital Workflow 55:22 Ceramics Detour and Return 01:00:08 Clay Practice and Selling 01:01:44 Retreat Community Magic 01:03:01 Upcoming Trips and Chautauqua 01:05:11 Fodder Projects Birds Flowers 01:08:30 Wrap Up and Next Meet