Flash back to 2017 (a simpler time). I was a sophomore in college. I'd just moved to the adorable historic neighborhood of North Heights in Joplin, Missouri. There's a lot to take in: some folks in the area have started a group dedicated to improving the neighborhood. You know — monthly meetings, trash pick-ups, night walks to deter petty theft, sidewalk repairs.
Then I hear that they're planning to start a music festival — a Porchfest, based on the original one launched in Ithica, NY in 2007. Musicians play on front porches, food trucks set up in the street, everyone has a lovely time. I took photos for the first iteration of North Heights Porchfest in 2017, and started doing graphic design for it the following year.
Today, the volunteer team that started Porchfest is now a full-fledged nonprofit called North Heights Neighborhood Group, and I serve on its board. Porchfest has grown from 10 musicians to 30, and from a couple hundred attendees to a few thousand. Every year is a new adventure. Here's a taste of my most recent work for the event.
DISCIPLINES
Identity, web, print, photography
TOOLS
Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, & Lightroom; Wordpress (2019–2022), Cargo (2023–), Square
EMBLEM & WORDMARK
I designed the "pick" emblem for a college class in 2018. In 2020, I extracted the typography from the emblem to create a wordmark for use at small sizes. Today, the wordmark is the primary logo, while the emblem is used for larger-scale and commemorative purposes, like signs and merchandise.
I designed the "pick" emblem for a college class in 2018. In 2020, I extracted the typography from the emblem to create a wordmark for use at small sizes. Today, the wordmark is the primary logo, while the emblem is used for larger-scale and commemorative purposes, like signs and merchandise.
WEBSITE
Porchfest's website is critical to its success — it provides general event information and a map of all the action to the public, and it serves as a central place for musicians, food trucks, artists, and volunteers to sign up for the event. The website was originally just a WordPress template; I redesigned it as a Junior in college in 2019, and then finally rebuilt it in Cargo in 2023. In addition to a heavy cosmetic overhaul, I migrated all the forms from a Wordpress plugin to Google Forms, allowing event organizers to more easily access response data.
Porchfest's website is critical to its success — it provides general event information and a map of all the action to the public, and it serves as a central place for musicians, food trucks, artists, and volunteers to sign up for the event. The website was originally just a WordPress template; I redesigned it as a Junior in college in 2019, and then finally rebuilt it in Cargo in 2023. In addition to a heavy cosmetic overhaul, I migrated all the forms from a Wordpress plugin to Google Forms, allowing event organizers to more easily access response data.
SHIRT DESIGN
I've always had vague ambitions to create new shirt art for Porchfest every year — and in 2023 I finally started that tradition! I call this year's art 'House of Rock'. Inspired heavily by the early 1900s craftsman houses of North Heights (and inspired loosely by the 1992 direct-to-VHS movie Wee Sing in the Marvelous Musical Mansion, which I watched no less than 10 times in elementary school when the music teacher was out sick), the art incorporates many musical instruments into a deconstructed historic home.
I've always had vague ambitions to create new shirt art for Porchfest every year — and in 2023 I finally started that tradition! I call this year's art 'House of Rock'. Inspired heavily by the early 1900s craftsman houses of North Heights (and inspired loosely by the 1992 direct-to-VHS movie Wee Sing in the Marvelous Musical Mansion, which I watched no less than 10 times in elementary school when the music teacher was out sick), the art incorporates many musical instruments into a deconstructed historic home.
MERCH STORE
I created and manage our Square store, through which we sell event merch and process donations. In 2022, we also started a digital tipping system through Square — attendees could scan a QR code on the front of any musician's physical tip jar, which would take them to a checkout link.
I created and manage our Square store, through which we sell event merch and process donations. In 2022, we also started a digital tipping system through Square — attendees could scan a QR code on the front of any musician's physical tip jar, which would take them to a checkout link.
STICKERS & TEMPORARY TATTOOS
I love a good sticker.
I love a good sticker.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
Social media content aims to cross-promote everyone participating in the event and highlight the overarching goals of North Heights Neighborhood Group, the nonprofit that puts on the event.
Social media content aims to cross-promote everyone participating in the event and highlight the overarching goals of North Heights Neighborhood Group, the nonprofit that puts on the event.
MAP
The sheer complexity of an event involving 27 bands, 13 food trucks, and 30 fine artists spread across an entire neighborhood necessitates a good map. Color printing is expensive, but I have always felt that color-coding the bands by timeslot makes it much easier for attendees to figure out who's playing when.
The sheer complexity of an event involving 27 bands, 13 food trucks, and 30 fine artists spread across an entire neighborhood necessitates a good map. Color printing is expensive, but I have always felt that color-coding the bands by timeslot makes it much easier for attendees to figure out who's playing when.
We added a second map this year of our incredibly jam-packed "Food Truck Row".
PHOTOGRAPHY
I'm definitely an amateur photographer, but I'm gradually getting better. 2022 marked the first year I've been happy with my photos from the event. I try to get photos of every band, so typically I only have 5-10 minutes with each one. I walked over 26,000 steps (12 miles) at Porchfest this year!
I'm definitely an amateur photographer, but I'm gradually getting better. 2022 marked the first year I've been happy with my photos from the event. I try to get photos of every band, so typically I only have 5-10 minutes with each one. I walked over 26,000 steps (12 miles) at Porchfest this year!
I learned Lightroom and used it to edit for the first time, and that helped a lot too. Color grading is my friend.
Shot on a Canon T6i with a 55-250mm F4-5.6 telephoto lens.
