Lower Merion Conservancy Rebrand

The idea of working with Lower Merion Conservancy was first pitched by Professor Deirdre Murphy at Lehigh University, who was beginning her art residency with them at Rolling Hill Park. I had barely finished my first semester in the design program with only a fresh understanding of Illustrator and primitive knowledge of InDesign. The idea was exciting but I was, honestly, terrified.

I had a choice. The Comfort Zone: turn down the opportunity and continue to pick up new skills in the classroom before stepping out. The Fear Zone: break out of the familiarity and use my discomfort as motivation to do something most students don’t get the opportunity to do as new designers. I took the latter. 

The semester began and I started the logo redesign. I drew variation after variation including different motifs and ideas and while the team loved the work, they didn't feel it fit what the Conservancy needed most.

Towards the end of the semester, something clicked for both my supervisors at the Conservancy and for myself. The final drawn logo consisted of the oak leaf, water tributaries running through it like veins, and a house shape drawn around it to symbolize community. The team and I both fell in love with this piece and we began to work on color schemes which were mostly inspired by native plants and water systems.

Although I didn’t get to work on their print publications, the branding scheme will affect those and help to update them. Being a part of a small organization fighting for conservation, something that has been key to my personal art, was insanely rewarding. I got to be a part of something bigger. I can see myself incorporating my photography and design together to either freelance and work for companies like this or work in-house somewhere with similar values.