Seattle Animal Shelter Awareness Campaign

Last fall I was asked to be on the team to create an Awareness Campaign for the Seattle Animal Shelter. In addition to the dedicated folks and volunteers for the shelter, I've worked with Cindy Chischilly of White Canyon Design and Emily Rieman of Best Friend Photography—two huge animal lovers themselves. We designed a series of six ads which run on Seattle bus tails and interiors to educate the public on important issues: animal cruelty, spay/neuter, adoption, licensing, finding your lost pet and public safety. Currently the fourth ad, Find Me (pictured above), can be seen running on the busses so keep your eyes open. The final two are currently underworks and will launch later in the year.

The animals featured in the ads were all photographed specifically for the ads and their inspiring stories can be found on the shelter's website.

Fun + Friends + Fitness = Boardwalk 5K!

Here's a project fresh off the presses announcing a fun upcoming event for Treeswing. It's for their 4th annual 5K Run/Walk on April 26th which helps fund physical education programs in the Seattle Public Schools. I wanted it to be attention-getting and lively so I made the text bold used the bright colors of the Treeswing palette. If you and your family would like to participate, go here to sign up!

Treeswing Jumps!

Here's a recent invitation package I designed for Treeswing. It's for an event in January—a live performance by a professional jump rope team and a showing of the film Jump! I have a feeling these kids are way more advanced in the jump rope department than I ever was. The invitation package supports Treeswing's existing brand along with some new imagery and illustration.

Green Your Halloween!

It's hard to believe but October is right around the corner—the grey skies and changing leaves guarantee it. So if you're like me, you're already thinking about carving pumpkins and getting visits by cute (and sometimes spooky) trick-or-treaters. Green Halloween, a local organization and a program of Treeswing, is thinking about it too and wants you to consider giving out other fun stuff instead of candy. I know how crazy that sounds, being someone who is mildly obsessed (ok, majorly obsessed with chocolate), but trust me—your kids and their parents will thank you! Last year we went with the the Green Halloween plan and handed out stickers, play-doh and temporary tatoos and the kids were thrilled. I recently designed this Green Halloween action kit which is full of ideas, recipes and other fun stuff to get your family on-board. Hope you have a happy (and healthy) Halloween!

KCSARC: End the silence

Mark your calendars for another worthy cause on the horizon for 2009: KCSARC's annual 'Kids Are Our Business' breakfast on Tuesday, February 24th. This one is their 20th anniversary and will be an opportunity to hear moving testimonies of how they have helped many sexual assault victims in the King County area. This is the second year that I've designed their event materials and again, the artwork is created by one of the children they have helped. For more information, visit their website here.

Treeswing

Did you know that 1 in 3 children is overweight? Or that obesity will soon top tobacco as the most preventable cause of death? Scary news, isn't it? That's why a local non-profit is doing everything it can to get the message out that eating healthy and being active are crucial to the lives of our children.

I recently partnered with Treeswing to develop and design their new donor materials. Their existing brand was extended to the gatefold brochure along with new images that convey the spirit and energy of the organization's mission: to help kids lead healthy, active lives. We printed the piece on an environmentally friendly stock, Mohawk Via pc cool white which is 100% post consumer waste paper manufactured using wind-generated electricity.

It's here!

Art with Heart has just released it's latest publication, 'Magnificent Marvelous Me' and it's chock full of engaging activities and amazing illustrations to benefit children who have a sibling with a disability or serious illness. I'm honored to be a contributor to the project. Learn more here.

From the archives

Last year I designed this invitation for a fundraising event to support Children's Hospital. It needed to be friendly, but elegant and print in two colors to be cost effective. I used the Eames Furniture Weave Finish in Pacific Blue which was also used to create custom mailing envelopes.

Art with (lotsa) Heart

The other day my dear friend Steffanie of Art with Heart asked me to create a page for one of her latest books. This book will be similar in look and feel to Oodles of Doodles, but this one is for the siblings of children diagnosed with serious or debilitating illnesses. It will be a therapeutic activity book which will focus on meeting the emotional needs of siblings dealing with a wide range of confusing emotions. The page I illustrated is a board game that will help the kids engage with others in their circle of support and help reduce isolation. If you would like help to make this project a reality, visit here. It's a wonderful organization and I'm honored to contribute to the project.