In Fall 2025 I was asked to create a series of designs for the Choose Clean Water Coalition. This organization’s mission is to protect the bodies of water and ecosystems that make up the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They were interested in creating a line of merchandise that would give members in each of the states that make up the watersheds (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington DC) something to represent the native flora and fauna of their home. They also wanted these designs to be fun and “handmade”, like a person made it instead of a computer.
For the first drafts, I chose to focus on the state bird, flower, and fish for each state. I also leaned into the bright, vibrant colors associated with different elements in the designs. After receiving some feedback, we decided to change the colors and fonts to be more in line with the brand of the Coalition, as well as changing the style of the state illustration itself. Also, members from each of the states gave feedback on what species they felt would best represent their state.
For the second drafts, I made changes that reflected the feedback given. I received more feedback about the exact species that should be included in the illustrations and the wording of the text. I was also asked to spread out the composition more so that the subjects were all over the state instead of all grouped together. I made these changes resulting in the final version below.
This was such a fun and interesting project to work on! If you would like to take a look at the products made with these designs, you can check them out here. You can also learn more about the Choose Clean Water Coalition here.
All copyrights and ownership of the work shown belong to the Choose Clean Water Coalition. This work is displayed for portfolio and demonstration purposes only, showcasing my design skills and contributions. This work may not be resold, repurposed, or used for any other commercial purpose without express written permission from the Choose Clean Water Coalition.