StoryRaps - Kids Show

Wes Tank’s StoryRaps is a kids show on safe streaming channel Kidoodle.TV. In addition to developing the look of the show’s title animation, iconic book jacket, and promotional graphics, I lay out spreads for animation and contribute image ideas for new videos as part of the StoryRaps team. I’ve also had the opportunity to direct several episodes, including Time Rhymes (above) and Gift Rappin’.

Green Room - Digital Music Magazine

The Green Room is a web-based magazine run by the Pabst Theater Group. Inspired by theater green rooms where performing artists relax before a show, the magazine is a forum for exploring topics that relate to entertainment in the Pabst Theater Group’s venues and the greater community. Drawing inspiration from the visual library of independent music, the site is a nod to DIY punk posters, 70s logotypes, and the modern concert experience. A coordinating launch campaign plays on the concept of a backstage pass, inviting viewers to step inside the Green Room.

Turner Hall Ballroom photos by Will Hues

Wedding Venue Site Redesign

Turner Hall Ballroom Weddings needed to set itself apart in an increasingly competitive local market as the trend of weddings in non-traditional spaces means new venues are opening all the time.

To give Turner Hall an edge, I lead a redesign of the previously brochure-style venue website, creating a site that was more immersive and modern, including a contemporary-feeling logo that nods to the venue's history.

Many couples have no experience with wedding planning before they get engaged, and I knew this was an opportunity to make Turner stand out. Working with the private events director, I added an entire toolkit of features to help couples make their decision including vendor recommendations, room Layout examples, links to galleries of other weddings at the venue and other local resources.

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Click to expand

Florentine Opera - Season Image

As part of MIAD's competitive internal internship, Visual Resources, I was challenged to create a set of cohesive, approachable visuals for the four shows in the Florentine Opera Company's 2012 Season.

In order to appeal to a broad audience and help visualize opera's emotional intensity I illustrated simple but dramatic symbols in a stylized manner, inspired by cut-paper. The climactic depictions, reminiscent of simplified Victorian toy theater cut-outs, are set against vivid backdrops painted as a reaction to each show's score.

This project was selected as the winning design and was used by the opera company to promote their 2012 season.

Menu Design for Local Brewery

In 2017 I designed a suite of menus for the Riverwest brewery Company Brewing. Using typography inspired by hand lettering and the color scheme from their existing brand and website the new menus help position the restaurant as a casual, neighborhood destination. In addition to the menu designs, I created a set of templates and a customized training manual to allow the restaurant to make their own updates to the menu, helping maximize their initial investment in the designs.

Mrs. M–––––'s Cabinet - Exhibition Companion Site

In 2016 I worked with The Chipstone Foundation to develop an online companion to their latest installation at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Mr’s M––––’s Cabinet is a “lavish nineteenth-century interior, filled with some of the finest and most diverse objects found in the British Atlantic colonies in the seventeenth century.  This Cabinet is designed to inspire wonder, curiosity and perhaps even some mystery.”

The online companion houses additional information about the cabinet and the mysterious Mrs. M–––– and gives visitors a portal to access additional content related to the exhibit and interact directly with Mrs. M–––––.

Boutique Film Production Company Website

After creating graphics and providing project support for a number of videos for Honeycomb Productions, they asked me to help design their new logo and website. Under the direction of president Kurt Raether, I gave the Honeycomb website a playful approach, using vintage illustrations paired with a dramatic black, white, and goldenrod color scheme to promote their services as a boutique and classically cinematic production company.

Animator Matthew Dwyer followed the playful illustration style in his quirky introduction to the Honeycomb Reel embedded on the homepage. In addition to creating the site's graphic style, I also consulted on the site's navigation structure and assisted with copywriting.

Bosavi Headlamp eCommerce Site

In the summer of 2014, I worked with Larry & Dan Freschl on a website and promotional materials for their rechargeable LED Headlamp, Bosavi. Working off of their strong marketing base, I redesigned their previously hard-coded website in Squarespace's CMS, setting up eCommerce and working with Benjamin Wick Photography to provide them with a professional set of product photography.

In•Season Pop-Up Dinner

In•Season is a seasonal pop-up dinner hosted out of my home in Brewer's Hill. Featuring dishes from the minds of Milwaukee's top emerging chefs and produce from local farms, In•Season is a synthesis of experimental cuisine and experiential dining. As the primary driver behind In•Season, I organize, promote, and host the events, working closely with the chefs to showcase their vision and make sure everything runs smoothly. 

PRESS
Artist couple creates high-brow, low-brow conceptual feasts
Tap Milwaukee 

Photos by Benjamin Wick Media and Twin Lens Weddings

Parking Garage Signage

In the summer of 2014 I collaborated with Reginald Baylor Studio to re-envision a downtown parking garage. Working with the garage’s management company and design support from Armahn Gonzalez, I completely redesigned the directional and informational signage of the garage to playfully complement Reggie’s external, backlit car sculptures.

PRESS:
Magical Thinking Transforms Parking Garage
Urban Milwaukee

Garage photos by Michael Horne.

Hand Painted Wrapping Paper

Petiole Paper Co. is a personal project I started to experiment with color and pattern. A lot of my design work is digital so it’s always fun to challenge myself to do something with my hands. These designs start with watercolor paintings and become repeating patterns with digital editing. I’ve always loved the ritual of giving gifts and I created this series of holiday papers that capture the joy of Christmas in unexpected ways. In 2019 I sold my wrapping paper as part of MIAD’s student and alumni holiday art sale and raised over $300 for student scholarships.