Saturday, November 28, 2009

A Music City Design

Another project I look forward to each year is the Nashville Aquatic Club Music City Invitational t-shirt design. I have been privileged to create the design for the past 4 years. Each has taken on it's own look that is similar in format but different in design and colors. This year's design was a record, and it will be printed on a black shirt. Pictured above are the backs of all four shirts. The fronts have a coordinating design across the chest. It's always a pleasure working with this group on their shirt designs.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

CASA No-Go 2009

I am fortunate to work with a lot of incredible nonprofit organizations who do great work in the communities they serve. One of my favorite projects to work on each year is the CASA No-Go invitation. The concept is the same each year - people are invite to attend a "No-Go" party which means that they don't have to come but are asked to donate the expenses they would use on a party to the worthy organization. The design is different each year.

This year, the theme was "CASA - What is it worth" playing on the whole mastercard campaign of what things cost. We did a 4-page panel card front/back with a perforated reply card. It turned out really cool, and I was pleased with the final outcome.

2009 Invitation Design
theme: What is it worth?



2008 Invitation Design

theme: A Child's Life
2007 Invitation
Theme: Life's Not Always A Party



2006 Invitation

theme: Welcome to My Neighborhood
For those of you who don't know what CASA is - it is an organization who advocate for abused and neglected children who are in danger of being placed in the foster care system. As a result of CASA's efforts, these children are placed in safe and permanent, secure homes. CASA of Maury County has advocated for 170 children.

For those who may be looking for a good nonprofit to support, I would recommend CASA of Maury County. They are a great organization with wonderful people who are passionate about what they do! These children have a hope for a better future because of the work of CASA. For more information, visit http://www.casamaurycounty.org/.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Christmas In Columbia...


It's hard to believe Christmas is just right around the corner! Although it is 74 degrees outside right now, the Christmas festivities and decorations are already taking shape - like the Columbia Main Street annual Christmas Parade in downtown Columbia. It is a great night, and the theme this year is "All Creatures Great and Small."

I always enjoy doing the artwork for this event because the theme is always fun and allows for a lot of creative design work! This design features an illustration of downtown Columbia, along with Santa's sleigh of animals being pulled by a team of mules. It will be a great night and definitely worth bundling up the kids and heading out for.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Back Where I Come From...

I'm proud as anyone. There is nothing like Columbia, Tennessee. Not only am I am proud to call this place home , but I owe all the thanks to this community for supporting my business from the beginning and helping it to grow where it is today. I work on and off with several individuals and businesses in Columbia, and it seems most projects always seem to call for a historic/nostalgic design. There is something about the fall that brings back great memories of my hometown. Hence, my post about a few featured designs I've done for Columbia clients.Most recently, I did a direct mail design for the Columbia Main Street organization (pictured above). This particular piece was to promote an upcoming seminar featuring Jon Schallert, a Marketing Consultant and Business Coach. The event is targeted to business owners and city officials. I always love working on CMS designs to help promote Columbia's beautiful downtown.A few years ago, I worked with the Duck River Agency to create a River Guide that would be used in coordination with the Duck River Blueway project. This project was a challenge dealing with 17 pages - 14 of which included detailed maps of each float. This piece took a long time to finalize, but it turned out nice once we did. I am from Columbia, but I'll have to admit that I didn't know a whole lot about the history of the Duck River. I definitely learned a lot with this one!
In 2007, I entered a competion of designers in Columbia to create the Bicentennial logo for Columbia and Maury County. I entered two different designs, and the above logo was the winning design! This was another fun project to work on, and once again, I learned more about my city as I thought through the design. Below is the description that ran in the local paper.

Bicentennial Logo Explanation
As Columbia and Maury County both celebrate their Bicentennial in 2007, we reflect on 200 years of growth and development. This logo shows a representation of the progression of change throughout the eras. Each element plays a role in defining who we are today. Beginning with the earliest settlers in 1807, the cabin represents the foundation of some of the first inhabitants of Maury County, and the acorn is a symbol of the Polk family. Standing stately through the years, the antebellum home signifies what has become a trademark for Columbia and Maury County – majestic historic homes – each filled with its own story to add to the rich history of our city and county.The smoke stacks symbolize the industrial era which has increased growth and prosperity in the community. The mule represents Maury County’s agricultural roots as well as Mule Day, a nationally recognized event that draws many visitors to our area. The courthouse stands alone as a notable trademark for Maury County and will continue to be a source of pride with the downtown revitalization and River Walk. The green and blue represent the rich colors in the rolling hills and rivers of Tennessee, the growth of our city and county, as well as a remembrance of our local community college. Tying it all together is the “swoosh” to symbolize the Duck River which connects our past to the future.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

An Invitation "Outside the Box"

I am very tardy in updating my blog but with good reason. Robin E Designs closed shop for a vacation to the beach last week. And now, we are back to the work grind - designing, drawing, printing, writing and blogging.

I love the beach! But really, who doesn't love the beach? There is something inspiring about the beach. Whether it is the sound of the waves crashing on the sand, the vast openness of the deep blue sea or the gorgeous sunsets, the entire aura at the beach always gets me inspired with new ideas and fresh thoughts.

I can't share any specific ideas or thoughts, but I do have a renewed creative spirit. I feel re-energized and ready to tackle new projects. There are lot of projects I am working on that I can't wait to share soon when they are completed...

But for now, I still have the smell of ocean air and the feel of sand between the toes on the brain which reminds me of a project I did several years ago.

It was a invitation design for a Quinceanera (in Latin American culture, is a coming of age ceremony held on a girl's fifteenth). I coordinated with The Perfect Party to create it for the beach themed event. For the invitation, we used real starfish tied with natural raffia and hot pink silk dupioni ribbon. The invitation was a tri-fold printed on white linen paper with a sparkled starfish at the bottom. It was folded and wrapped in light pink tissue to be mailed in a pretty little white box. This invitation was a hard one to assemble, and to this day, I can still smell the horrible scent of the starfish when they arrived in the mail. We had to let them air out a few days and spray them with febreeze to help neutralize the odors.

Oh, what we go through to get a unique and memorable invitation!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

A "Green" Project

Green definitely seems to be the color these days. We are all finding our own avenues to "go green" and live environmentally-friendly. I have more and more clients looking for ways to look "green" or print "green." People are seeking to incorporate this into their businesses and personal lives. I believe a start is by community awareness. And that is just what the City of Franklin is doing.
I recently had the privilege to work on a logo and a Sustainability Action Plan design for the City of Franklin. This was a fun project to work on - not only because I got to work with new people - but because I am so proud of this new initiative and happy to be a part. There are many volunteers who give their time to serve on a task force committee that outlines the goals and details of this plan. It is inspiring to see so many put such a big effort towards helping their community achieve great things.

Franklin, Tennessee rocks, and I am so proud to be a member of this community. Thank you to the city officials who allowed me take part in this goal. Check out the City of Franklin website for the full Sustainability Action Plan and other details about Franklin's commitment to "going green."