Edel Rodriguez and Sharp Type: Tickets are now available for September’s Nicer Tuesdays Online!

In an increasingly political industry, more and more creatives strive to channel their creativity in aid of something meaningful. The creative industries have changed a lot in the last year in favour of this sentiment, but there are a few renowned industry leaders at the helm of this discussion. During this month’s Nicer Tuesdays Online, we’ll delve into the theme of “creativity with a purpose” speaking to two powerhouses in the illustration and type design sector: Edel Rodriguez and Sharp Type. In two Q&As with our editor-in-chief Matt Alagiah, we’ll gain an insight into two very different practices which have caused a stir in their respective disciplines for their game-changing approaches.

First up, we’ll hear from the New York-based Sharp Type, the type foundry behind Beatrice, Centra, Doyle, Garnett, Off, Post Grotesk, Salter, Sharp Sans, and Sharp Grotesk – just to name a few. The type foundry hit headlines back in October 2018 when it launched a new scholarship to support women of colour entering the type industry. Aptly named after Sharp Type’s co-founder Chantra Malee, it awards $6,000 annually to a woman of colour aged between 16 and 29, either based in the US or internationally. Next up, we’ll hear from the one and only Edel Rodriguez who is no stranger to It’s Nice That. Having graced the cover of Printed Pages SS18, we’ve covered the coveted illustrator a number of times. We’ve looked back on his 14 years of work as an art director at Time magazine and more recently, reflected on his political Trump cartoons and the illustrator’s role in design activism.

Pay what you can with our tiered payment system and grab yourself a ticket below. Also, did you know that if you join Extra Nice, It’s Nice That’s new membership programme, you’ll automatically receive a ticket every month for Nicer Tuesdays Online, for the entire year? That’s just one of the many perks that make Extra Nice so special. To find out more about this and all the other benefits of joining Extra Nice, head over to the dedicated part of our site.

Edel Rodriguez

Born in Havana, Edel moved to the United States during the 1980 Mariel Boatlift when he was eight years old. He went on to study painting in New York (where he currently resides today) and where he was art director for Time magazine for 14 years. His Cuban heritage continues to play a huge role in Edel’s work, which he’ll tell us more about at September’s Nicer Tuesdays Online, as well as providing a sneak peek of some exciting upcoming projects.

As art director of Time, Edel cut his teeth in the creative world, quickly becoming known as one of the best illustrator’s working today with a massive 150 magazine covers under his belt. He’s penned covers for Time magazine, Newsweek, and Der Spiegl, NewStateman and his work has also been featured in The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Reader’s Digest, National Geography Traveler, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and many more. On top of this, he’s also written two children’s books and exhibited paintings all over the world from Latin America to Europe and the US. Throughout these accomplishments, Edel has provided leading editorial platforms with landmark moments with his scathingly witty depictions of political leaders and notable figures, from Mao to Trump. At this month’s Nicer Tuesdays Online, we’ll dig into the creative processes behind these activism-driven illustrations and how Edel continues to craft a practice full of purpose.

Sharp Type

You may know digital type foundry Sharp Type for its custom and retail typefaces for print, digital and environmental designs. Founded in 2015 by Chantra Malee and Lucas Sharp, its releases have been featured across publications, brands and design houses galore, winning several awards along the way with the TDC, the European Design Awards, Communication Arts and more. In 2019, the New York-based foundry launched a first-of-its-kind initiative supporting women of colour type designers kickstart their careers. Actively making the industry more interesting and more vibrant, the Malee scholarship pushes the type design needle, offering an annual grant and mentorship programme to one young woman of colour in the industry. Sharp Type also put together a detailed case study that shows how this collaborative scholarship came to life. So far, the scholarship has resulted in the creation of typefaces Malee Serif and Malee Sans, as well as an ongoing showcase that shines a light on cutting edge typefaces designed by women.