Welcome to Creative Disobedience, a podcast complete with insight for artists and anyone else searching for self-discovery. All content originates and comes from the conversations of Donald Black, Jr. and Ali Black.
Donald is an artist, thinker and visionary who has spent his whole life working to discover who he is, and he has been sharing what he’s learned with others along the way. After realizing that traditional schooling and education was selling him somebody else’s dream, he decided to go in his own direction and discovered that nothing—no school, university, gatekeeper, or curator—could teach him who he is.
Creative Disobedience brings you information uncensored, unfiltered and unabridged to illuminate truth and offer raw and transparent advice for anyone looking to grow and find a real response to one of life’s ultimate questions: Who Am I?
Creative Disobedience is the active and professed refusal of an artist to obey certain spoken or unspoken laws, demands, orders, or commands of a society. By some definitions, Creative Disobedience has to be uniquely imagined to be called creative. Creative disobedience is sometimes equated with radicle expression or artistic resistance.
Creative Disobedience: EP 05 Asking Artist For Feedback
Artists often ask for feedback, but knowing when and how to give it can be tricky. In this episode, DBlack and Ali Blackbreak down the realities of honest critique, self-expression, and growth in creative practice.
When artists genuinely want the truth, and when they're just looking for validation
Balancing technical skill with conceptual depth in art
How self-honesty impacts creative output and personal growth
The difference between inspiring others vs. trying to influence them
Understanding value, pricing artwork, and navigating feedback within the art world
4 Nov 2025
Creative Disobedience: EP 04 - The Artist Guide To Disobedience
We just dropped a fresh episode: "The Artist Guide to Disobedience" and it’s one you definitely don’t want to miss! DBlack gets real about what it means to break free from the boxes that society tries to put us in—and how that rebellion is key to finding your true creative voice.
Discover what it really means to practice creative disobedience as an artist. In this episode, DBlack breaks down why being yourself often means breaking the rules.
How systems and education suppress individuality and creative expression
Why artists must choose between obedience and true self-expression
The internal conflict of seeking validation versus creating authentic work
How cultural conditioning shapes our perception of art, success, and acceptance
The lasting impact and value of being unapologetically yourself in creative spaces
27 Oct 2025
Creative Disobedience: EP 03 - Artist Stop Telling Your Lies
Here are 5 keys you’ll learn from listening:
Drop the Acts: Why “code-switching” between rooms and audiences might hurt your authenticity—and how to break the habit.
Unique Voice Matters: Your perspective adds NEWNESS to old conversations in art; it’s not about inventing something entirely new but being the you that only you can be.
Honesty Wins: Being real about your story, your background, and your subjects immediately changes how your work is received (and yes, it could be the difference between getting grants or not!).
Portfolio Power: How focusing your portfolio on your story rather than just your “strongest images” can make a bigger impact.
Loneliness & Growth: Discover how the isolation of honest self-expression isn’t punishment—it’s the space where you become your best creative self.
Donald reveals he didn’t discover he was a “Black artist” until he was the only Black person at the biggest portfolio review in the country. It was an old Mexican curator who told him, “Don’t tell me the shit you tell white people”—and that moment changed everything about how Donald describes his work today!
So, if you’re tired of trying to “play the game,” want to get closer to your true self, or just love hearing real talk from real artists, hit play on this episode.
20 Oct 2025
Creative Disobedience: EP 02 - Creation Of The Mind
If you’ve ever felt stuck, lost, or just needed a nudge to trust your own creative journey, you’ll want to press play now. Donald takes us on a real, raw ride through growth, self-trust, and art that truly speaks (sometimes even louder than words).
12 Oct 2025
Creative Disobedience: EP 1 - Why Creative Disobedience?
In this episode Donald and Ali discuss the meaning behind the title of the podcast Creative Disobedience. At its core Creative Disobedience refers to an artist striving to be themself.
6 Apr 2022
StudyMe: Notes on “The Gripes”
In this episode, D Black lists his gripes with Cleveland’s art world. He’ll break down each gripe, giving us insight and perspective on what he feels is wrong with the world of art education, art institutions and more.
1 Apr 2022
StudyMe: Notes on Putting the Work Out
On this episode of StudyMe, D Black will talk to us about his stunning outdoor murals. We will also get his response to what he experiences once the work is out. How does it feel to let go of the work and trust others with it?
3 Mar 2022
StudyMe: Notes on Call for Artist
Today we’re talking about the call for artists—an opportunity notice that provides artists with the information they need to apply for a specific art commission or project. D Black will discuss his experience with call for artists, exploring everything from the pros and cons of them and more.
9 Feb 2022
StudyMe: Notes on Hard Work vs Talent
Next weekend, Cleveland will be hosting the NBA’s All-Star Weekend so in this episode, we’re getting D Black’s thoughts on talent vs. hard work and what he thinks it takes to be the best. We’ll also find out what he has brewing for All-Star Weekend.
2 Feb 2022
StudyMe: Notes on “A Day No One Will Remember”
This episode of StudyMe is all about D Black’s current exhibition, “A Day No One Will Remember” on view at the John J McDonough Museum at Youngstown State University until March 5, 2022.
23 Jan 2022
StudyMe:Notes on Goals
In this episode, we’ll talk about goals and get D Black’s take on setting goals. We’ll also discuss some of D Black’s current goals and get his thoughts on what gets in the way of accomplishing a goal.
16 Jan 2022
StudyMe:Notes on Reputation
This episode is all about D Black’s reputation. Some call him arrogant, mean, complicated, smart, witty, challenging, serious and a host of other things. Let’s find out how D Black feels about these labels and how he defines himself.
9 Jan 2022
StudyMe: Notes on ”Self Imprisonment”
This week on Study Me, we’re discussing D Black’s photograph, “Self-Imprisonment,” which placed 3rd in Nikon’s International Competition in 2007. We’ll get D Black’s thoughts on defining self-imprisonment and what this piece means to him.
7 Jan 2022
StudyMe: Notes on Submitting
Today we’re discussing the pros and cons of submitting your work to competitions, awards, prizes, etc. We’ll find out what happens to D Black emotionally when he’s preparing to enter a prize or competition.
7 Jan 2022
StudyMe: Notes on Discovery
Welcome to StudyMe! In this episode, we’re talking with our featured artist, Donald Black, Jr. (a.k.a. “D Black”) about discovery—covering everything from discovery vs. finding to when he discovered he was an artist to when he discovered the traditional art world wasn’t for him, and much more.
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