Why are we so drawn to the unexpected in design? Artist and creative director Joann breaks it down

Her work is about bending reality, twisting materials, and crafting speculative objects that make you look twice. It’s joyful, strange, and just the right amount of absurd. It's an antidote to the polished sameness of much of the digital world.

We caught up with the artist and creative director to talk about why people crave the unexpected, how AI became part of her process, and what it means to create work that lives somewhere between the physical, the digital, and the downright impossible.

Hi Joann! Let’s start from the beginning. Where did your relationship with AI start, and how did your background shape your approach?

Hi! My relationship with AI started as a natural extension of my background in traditional art. I’ve been painting and illustrating since childhood, and spent years working in design and visual storytelling. At the same time, I was working within major tech, which kept me closely connected to emerging technologies. I was constantly exposed to new tools and innovations, so when generative AI became more accessible, I was ready to bring it into my creative process. My classical training still shapes the way I think. AI didn’t replace anything—it became another brush in the toolkit. It allowed me to bring surreal, cinematic, and emotionally layered ideas to life in ways I couldn’t before.

You create surreal, often impossible materials like Grilled Cheese Shoes or Laced Bugs. What is it about these speculative textures and forms that you think resonates with people right now?

I think people are drawn to the unexpected, especially in a time when so much of our digital experience feels repetitive or polished to perfection. Surreal materials like grilled cheese shoes or lace bugs break that pattern. They disrupt the visual norm and tap into something playful, a bit absurd, but also strangely poetic. There’s a kind of joy in seeing the impossible made tangible, even if just for a moment. It resonates because it brings wonder, humor, and a chance to rethink the boundaries of design, function, and reality.

Each of your campaigns feels like it exists in its own micro-universe. How do you craft storytelling across such different brand identities while keeping your own aesthetic language intact?

For me, every campaign starts with listening. I study the brand’s DNA—its visual language, values, and tone—and find the space where it intersects with my world. I’m not interested in forcing my aesthetic onto something. I’m interested in building a micro-universe where both identities can coexist and enhance each other. My visual language is surreal, dreamlike, and a bit offbeat, but there are constants: atmosphere, detail, mood. Whether it’s a luxury fashion house or a bold startup, I create from that intersection where my style meets their story. That’s where the magic happens.

Can you walk us through your creative process, from concept to final render? Where does AI come in, and what other tools or techniques do you rely on?

My process always begins with the concept. I usually start by collecting references: visuals, textures, moods, even snippets from literature or film. Once the idea is emotionally clear, I move into sketching or moodboarding to map out the visual direction. AI comes in at the ideation and prototyping stage. I use it to explore form, material, and composition quickly. But the real work is in refinement. I often use multiple models, then take the outputs into Photoshop or 3D tools for detailed editing, compositing, and post-production. I treat AI as a creative collaborator, but never the final voice. The result is always carefully directed, layered, and finished by hand to ensure it fully reflects my vision.

You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in fashion. What do you think it will take for the wider industry to embrace digital artists and unconventional workflows like yours?

I think the shift is already happening, slowly but steadily. Brands are starting to recognize that digital artists bring not just visuals but entirely new ways of thinking, storytelling, and prototyping. For wider adoption, it’s going to take a mindset shift toward more collaborative, tech-forward approaches instead of tradition-bound workflows. It also takes trust. Brands need to understand that

The conversation around AI often becomes about authorship, people want to know “was this made with AI?” Why do you think that question matters so much to them?

That question comes from a very human place. People want to understand where the soul of the work is. Authorship has always been tied to effort, craft, and emotion, so when AI enters the picture, it challenges those definitions. I think what people are really asking is: Who made the choices? Where is the human in this? And that’s a fair question. In my work, AI is just one part of the process—it doesn't make the decisions, it offers possibilities. Every piece still comes from my eye, my intuition, my editing. The tool is new, but the authorship is still mine. We just need to evolve the way we talk about creative labor in a world where machines assist, but don’t invent.

For designers and artists who want to start working with AI, what would you say is the best way in? Are there tools, communities, or ideas you’d recommend starting with? 

Start with curiosity, not pressure. You don’t need to master everything at once. Tools like Midjourney, Runway, or Sora are great entry points, they’re accessible and visually intuitive. But more important than the tool is the mindset: treat AI as a sketch partner, not a magic solution. Experiment a lot, fail fast, and pay attention to what feels exciting. As for communities, platforms like Discord, X (formerly Twitter), and certain subreddits are full of artists sharing process, prompts, and feedback. The AI art space moves fast, but it’s also incredibly open—there’s room to play, question, and develop your own voice within it.

Is there any new tool, material, or platform you’re currently experimenting with that you’re excited about?

I’m currently experimenting with VEO3, HeyGen, Midjourney new models and features and many more.

And finally, anything coming up that we should keep our eyes on?

Always! I’m currently working on new AI video projects that explore more narrative-driven and immersive formats, as well as a few unexpected collaborations outside of fashion. I’m also experimenting with mixed media, blending AI-generated elements with physical objects and spatial environments. Let’s just say the next phase will be even more layered, emotional, and weird in the best way possible. Stay tuned.