In May 2021, Spencer Gillis reached out to me for a commissioned illustration about athlete activism. Spencer is the executive producer of the podcast Shut up and Play hosted by the National Women's Hockey League player Saroya Tinker. In this thought-provoking new show, Saroya tells us what it's like to be an athlete with a voice, discovering what the future holds for athlete activists and the causes they represent.
For the podcast website, I illustrated a package of artworks to suit the needs of the production team. From researching the athletes who are brave enough to not Shut Up and Play, communicating the creative vision, to iterating the design, it was such an awesome experience working on this special project!
The Process
For the concept brainstorming, I presented several sketches on the layout options.
Spencer suggested some additional inspiring figures, such as the image of Alysia Montaño training and competing while pregnant and Kim Ng, the first woman GM in the history of major North American men’s pro team sports.
After finalizing the line art, I presented several colour schemes for the cover images. With so many iterations, it is so important to manage the layers for quick adjustments and have a naming system for version control.
I also worked on several portraits of Saroya.
Fun story: on June 23rd, the Toronto Six announced that Saroya has signed with the club as a free agent for Season 7. So, on the eve of the announcement, I got to work on switching the jersey from the Riverters to the Six!
The Podcast
✊🏿 Check out the podcast trailer here!
"Athletes have been standing up for important issues for decades, in some cases by not standing. We'll tell some of those stories from history and we'll look to the future. When we're done, I hope all of us, you, me, our guests, I hope we all have a better view of why athlete activism is so powerful, why some athletes pay an outsized price for taking their views public, and most importantly, where we're headed. This is Shut Up and Play, an inside look at athletes as activists. Remember, this is a podcast for everyone, even if it makes you uncomfortable. In fact, I kind of hope it does. "
Saroya Tinker
Saroya will take you right off the sidelines and onto the field of play, where you’ll sweat alongside the athletes who put it all on the line. You’ll explore the true stories behind today’s persistent stream of social justice actions in sport and envision where it's all going next. From Shut Up and Play co-founder and NFL linebacker David Meggyesy dodging the pre-game anthem in 1968, to Gwen Berry’s probation and all points in between, we ask outspoken athletes what they’ve gained - and what they’ve lost. Saroya also digs deep with social justice champions to understand what’s happening, and with decision-makers at the helm of sport’s corporate power structure on what the future holds for athlete activists and the business of sport.
