Originally created in her home kitchen, McKenzie Payne began experimenting with her own body care products after her first son was born. Realizing the bulk of ingredients in products such as lip balms and moisturizers were causing more harm than good, she attempted to make her own.
Mac's Smack is the result of wanting yourself and others to feel their best with no harm done to anyone or anything.
I was fortunate enough to take on her brand as a whole and examine everything from the packaging to the logo. Her products can be found throughout Virginia at independent locations and most Whole Foods stores.
High Point Barbershop & Shave Parlor somehow manages to separate itself from the recent blossom of trendy, uber-hip, mustache-twisting men's grooming locations. Located in Richmond, Virginia, it walks a line between honesty, style, grit, and pomade.
Rather than greeting you with a facade of suspenders and a beer, you're welcomed with genuine hospitality and the feeling of common ground. The shop isn't intimidating. It's actually quite the opposite. Designed by Richmond's Campfire & Co., you get the feeling of professionalism and class. It's a great combination.
The following is a collection of apparel and merchandise that I've created for the owners over the years. Visit their website to schedule an appointment if you're in the Richmond area.
The story of skateboarding in Richmond is an interesting one but would be impossible to tell without mentioning the lineage of Back Door, Dominion, and Venue Skateshops. Interesting enough, all three of these shops were owned by the same people.
Although relatively new, Venue Skateboards and the owners represents everything that skateboarding is in Richmond.
Over the years, I've had the chance to work with both Dominion and Venue to develop board graphics, apparel, and one-off designs that can still be seen in circulation today.
Set back just off Vancouver Ave. in northwest Portland, most people pass by Pacific Crest CrossFit on their bike commute downtown. However the unassuming white box is home to a community of die-hard athletes of all colors, ages, and abilities.
More than just your standard CrossFit gym, PCCF takes the community aspect of CrossFit to a new level, constantly hosting events, competitions, potlucks, and programs designed for children as well as seniors.
I worked directly with the owner, John Huston, to develop a bold, strong, and dynamic brand that steps away from the cookie cutter mold of most CrossFit gyms.
Visit their website.
Jackson Hole, WY is often thought of as a ski town, and rightfully so. The area receives around 400 inches of snowfall each year. During this season, thousands migrate to the cowboy state to get a piece of the action.
But like all resort towns, once the snow melts, most of the tourists leave. However, Jackson Hole isn't just a ski town. It's environment provides outdoor athletes, families, and travelers a landscape like no other.
Jackson requested a series of ad concepts targeted at shoulder season tourists. These are some of the favorites.
Based in Bozeman, Montana, The Traveling School provides an unconventional classroom for girls spanning across seven different countries in two continents.
Sixteen motivated young women and four inspiring teachers travel to a unique region of the globe for 15 weeks. Students earn full credit, immerse in new cultures, develop outdoor skills, and build confidence during this transformational semester.
In 2019, I worked with them on a comprehensive rebrand that reflects the diversity, adventure and willingness to explore that the organization has embodied for more than 17 years.
My first design job.
For over ten years during my time in Richmond, VA, I was fortunate to cut my teeth (and eat relatively well) at a locally-owned natural foods market called Ellwood Thompson's. After three failed attempts at getting a job, I finally landed one bagging groceries part time while in college. From there I worked my way up the ladder and eventually became their first full-time staff designer, eventually serving as Creative Director under the owner.
I owe a lot to Ellwood Thompsons. They provided me with an endless amount of work across a wide spectrum of projects. From physical store signage and apparel to website design and advertising, Ellwood's trust me to deliver. I failed a lot but I also learned a lot and I'm still proud of the work I did there. The following is a selection of some of my favorite projects.
Househappy is a Portland, Oregon-based, one-stop shop for home buying, listings, repairs, financing, and service. Originally a search platform that put photos first, the site has evolved into much more.
I served as art director during the early stages, developing and fine tuning the brand and product with a strong focus on user experience.
Although their mission goals have changed over the years, they still hold true to clean, simple aesthetic.
Visit Househappy.
Claiming the title of the second oldest indoor rock gym in the US, Portland Rock Gym's history in the climbing community is hard to ignore. Founded by Gary Rall in 1988, the gym has gone through numerous renovations as climbing wall technology (and safety) has evolved.
The gym currently sits in SE Portland and is a home base for some of the Pacific Northwest's most dedicated climbers. The gym continues to offer a world-class indoor climbing experience for beginning and experienced climbers alike.
The following is a selection of choice works and one-off designs done for the gym.
I worked with the Beloved festival out of Portland, Oregon to develop an updated logo, aesthetic, and poster for 2018. Wanting to reacher a larger audience, the new branding is directed at more of a world audience with heavy influences of folk art, nature, and the lush Pacific Northwest forests that surround the festival grounds each summer.
From a brewer's perspective, the original gravity is a measure of the fermentable and unfermentable substances in a beer wort before fermentation.
After fermentation, that original gravity is then mathematically compared to your Final Gravity which is the exact alcoholic strength your new beer possesses. If you're in the Northside of Richmond, VA, Final Gravity also refers to one of the cities best breweries.
What started out as a small home brew shop (accordingly called Original Gravity) has grown into an actual brewery to support the shop. Final Gravity holds some of the states highest award-winning brews and serves them to you in a low key, neighborhood environment.
I've been working with the owner, Tony Ammendolia, since the brew shop was first conceived, developing their identity, illustrations, and most recently, Crowler labels.
Over the years I've been lucky to work with some really neat people, companies, and organizations. From large corporations to small homegrown businesses, here's some of my favorite logos that I've developed over the years.
Cody, Wyoming might be the best little town you've never heard of. Situation in the northwest corner of the state, it serves as a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. With a goal of obtaining a slice of the Yellowstone pie, Cody needed to position itself as more than an entrance.
Boasting incredible mountain bike trails, a nightly rodeo, and some of the most beautiful landscape you've never seen, Cody needed a new way to showcase their offerings.
The Wilder Side of Yellowstone and The Wilder Side of the West, was conceived with the help of Mercury CSC based out of Bozeman, MT.
I've had the pleasure of working with Wells Fargo over the years assisting them in numerous project. From targeting younger clientele and speaking directly to college students to developing tone, inviting interfaces, typography, and icons.
I've also worked with them to develop original content such as infographics and illustrations to better tell their story.
Chris left his day job and took a trip to Maui. "I quickly realized that the island life was for me and moved here full-time. Living on the North Shore that first winter, I built a campervan so I could be more comfortable while I ventured around Maui."
Multiple vans later, North Shore Vans has turned into Maui's premier van rental company allowing you to truly see the island at the pace that's right for you. The company's identity was based off of vintage 60's-inspired surf graphics for a laid-back yet bold feel.
Visit North Shore Vans website if you're headed to Maui.
Trulia provides a home for buyers, sellers, and agents in the real estate market. Whether you're looking, listing, or just browsing, Trulia allows you to filter homes down to exactly what you're looking for. No matter the location, price, or home size, Trulia is a powerful tool for anyone in the market.
I worked with Trulia to develop original content, illustration, and data-driven infographics to help inform users and make the home buying process less daunting.
Constructor.io is an advanced search add-on beneficial to most businesses using e-commerce. Although it might not be noticeable to most users, go on any major shopping site and chances are you've used Constructor's technology without even realizing it.
In an effort to give a dull, backend company some life, they requested the development of some fun, engaging illustrations for employee apparel, stickers, and graphics.