Bloom

The sense of home and spending time in nature has been rooted in my heart since I was a child. The beauty of the natural world brings me freedom as well as peace, tying many of my memories together in a single gesture. Summers spent running barefoot through freshly cut grass, picking daffodils from the side of backroads, and planting a sunflower garden in the backyard have all been formative experiences for me. Nature has been a theme I have been continually drawn to throughout my art career and it seemed to be the perfect fit to pair with my love of illustration. These symbolic parallels between the growth of plants and humans hold an important place in the branding of Bloom. Bloom – a fictional flower shop made up of a series of branded package designs, posters, t-shirts, and garden tools. The logo includes a sans serif font with line drawings of two flowers and a branch of leaves. The logotype is used throughout the body of work as well; and references the organic, hand-drawn theme within the branding and illustrations of the work. Using a hand-written typeface for the logotype as well as in other aspects throughout helps create a strong brand identity between the packaging, posters, and other design elements. Hand-drawn illustrations help provide a personal connection for the audience, as well as represent my connection to the subject matter. A second script typeface is also used to contrast the sans serif and which again reinforces the theme found in things that are created by hand and found in the natural world – being perfectly imperfect. The color scheme includes soft, natural shades of earth tones and floral colors. I draw inspiration from Alli Koch’s illustration style, Julianna Swaney’s color palettes, and Jessica Hische’s hand lettering. All three designers create unique works that are organic and personal in feel. My goal for this body of work is to create a consistent brand identity and to remind my viewers of the beauty in the natural world and that simply bringing a bouquet of flowers or a plant inside can create a more positive atmosphere. The size of the seed packets encourage viewers to get closer to view the smaller scale illustrations and planting instructions while the large scale mural allows them to take a step back and absorb the exhibition as a whole. The theme of objects being handmade continues within the media used, including terra cotta pots, natural wood shelves, and recycled paper textures – no two objects are perfect or exactly the same. Creating this discussion with the viewer allows them to connect with the idea behind the entire branding of Bloom: the organic qualities found in something that is hand-drawn reflect the imperfect perfection found in nature itself.https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art498/1058/thumbnail.jp