Challenge: To create a save-the-date with enough

intrigue that the recipient will at least turn the card

over to see what it’s all about.

Solution: Hopefully, obvious!

Challenge: The real challenge became to get the

“perfect” wine stain to circle the date we were asking

the people to save.

Solution: I tried to incorporate the event’s theme, a

wine tasting, without giving it away entirely, and

without having too much wine before I got to the

best wine stain!

Youth In Action

Providence, RI

The Education Partnership

Providence, RI

Challenge: The theme of this fundraising event was

sampling wines from a variety of geographical areas,

all in one evening and all in one venue.

Solution: I created the invitation in the form of a

passport and commissioned the illustration. Come to

an international wine tasting without even having

to pack a suitcase!

The Providence Athenaeum

Providence, RI

Challenge: To create a “give-away” brochure that

would help increase membership and create

renewed interest in this 200-plus-year-old, historic-

membership library. The Athenæum is known for its

collection of rare and current books, exciting

programs, and membership benefits, and is a viable,

current, family-oriented “haven”.

Solution: The package contained six stand-alone

cards, each one with a “juicy” photo on the front and

information on the back. With this format the

Athenæum is able to update any one card without

having to reprint the entire package when any

information changes.

Challenge: Yet another save-the-date postcard to

catch the recipients’ attention as the card falls

through the mail slot.

Solution: Once again, a search through my

encyclopedia of mental images gathered over the

years, to find an image that is familiar to library-ites,

and use it in a slightly unfamiliar way to create a

smile, an “aha” moment, and to convey our message.

Challenge: Find an innovative format for an

invitation to an annual event.

Solution: Each “category” of information (all usually

found packed onto one card, including info about the

event, patrons and sponsors, teaser auction items,

board members, and reply card) was printed on its

own card and all five cards arrived tucked neatly into

a book pocket - a new use for this nostalgic symbol

of library patronage.

Dorcas Place

Providence, RI

Challenge: Dorcas Place Adult and Family Learning

Center provides low-income Rhode Islanders

educational opportunities to realize their full potential

through literacy, workplace training, college

preparatory programs, and employment. Each year

Dorcas Place presents a “state-of-the-organization”

report in a style that demonstrates their commitment

to its mission, and helps both constituents and

funders learn how that mission has been met.

Solution: Among the many effective programs at

Dorcas Place is The Clothing Collaborative. When

walking through the building one day, I wandered into

the room that holds donated clothing. There hanging

above the clothing racks all around the room was this

wonderful collection of recently donated hats.

Hmmmm… wouldn’t they make an exciting design

tool to use throughout the Annual Report -

symbolizing the diversity and richness of the

constituents who benefit from this meaningful

program.

Challenge: Design an Annual Report, yet again!

Solution: Using flags from many countries spoke to

the global nature of the many people who benefit

from the services of Dorcas Place. And putting the

mission statement right out there on the front of the

booklet leaves no room for missing the message!

Challenge: Dorcas Place wanted to distribute a

yearbook at the graduation ceremony showcasing the

accomplishments of the graduates, while also

presenting information for potential funders,

highlighting the vast breadth and scope of the many

programs offered.

Solution: This 126-page booklet contained a graphic

element that showcased each of many programs

under one common theme. The typeface is used

frequently for college varsity teams - a subtle nod to

the amazing accomplishment of each Dorcas Place

student.

Everett Dance Theatre

Providence, RI

Challenge: Design an invitation to the opening-night

performance of the revival of The Science Project, 

which had not been performed in the past ten years.

Solution: No current photography existed, but in

researching photos from the previous production,

I was repeatedly drawn back to the one where three

people were standing on one side of the board

balanced by one on the other - how did they do that?

It certainly was intriguing, so I drew a silhouette of

the image from the photo - and voila!

Challenge: Design an invitation to the 20th

anniversary celebration.

Solution: Dream up a hot copy line for a cool

fundraiser, done up in contrasting vibrant colors to

hint at the notion of the fun that the evening

promised.

Challenge: To create a compelling invitation to a golf

tournament fundraiser.

Solution: Seemed logical to impose YIA’s logo right

onto the golf ball, with lots of blue skies to indicate

a good time ahead.

Challenge: To create a CASE FOR SUPPORT for

potential corporate and private funders, combining the

vigor and energy of this youth-led organization in a

format that at the same time conveyed its credible

and responsible mission.

Solution: Using a photo on the cover shows the

many faces of leadership, and again inside, balancing

the text with photos to demonstrate some of the

activities in which YIA members are engaged.

Challenge: To create a direct mail specifically

targeting those who gave last year but not this year.

Solution: Using fundraiser jargon (LYBUNT: Last Year

But Unfortunately Not This) politely reminds donors

that they had supported the organization in prior

years and gently nudges them to remember

Youth In Action this year.

Challenge: An ongoing challenge for the Athenæum

is to impart the stewardship inherent in the

organization’s mission while providing readers with

21st-century titles, programs, and state-of-the-art

technology.

Solution: I chose this photograph for the cover of the

2010 Annual Report to demonstrate the wonderfully

preserved collection as it is housed carefully within a

modern shelving system.

Challenge: To create a memorable image for a save-

the-date postcard for the upcoming Micro-Memoir

program.

Solution: Taking a prompt from the title and using a

mini-pencil was an engaging way to indicate that the

evening would lead attendees to create short, to-the-

point memoirs.

Challenge: How to maintain the literary persona of

the institution while establishing a newsletter

template.

Solution: Choice of type, color and two-column

layout was customized for the Athenæum’s

readership.