Chicago - Five Month Update
Time is honestly just flying by and, unfortunately, the dreaded Chicago winter is getting nearer. It’s truly hard to believe that I’ve been in Chicago for nearly half of a year!
The BIG News!
THE Field Museum is carrying my Chicago Style Postcards. I met with them at the end of September and they ordered 1,000 each of three designs (pictured above). The store management team of the Field Museum also manages two airport shops, so my postcards will also be placed in those two locations. I hope that this is just the beginning of a great relationship with one of the most respected institutions in Chicago.
I received an order for 32,000 stickers! This is by far the largest product order I’ve received and I am beyond excited for the opportunity for so many people to see my work. More details on where these stickers will be going to come. I do think it’s important to note that it is not a Chicago client - so this doesn’t actually have anything to do with me moving.
General Updates:
I attended the Brand New Conference in Las Vegas. Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio are a total power couple in the design world and put on such amazing events. I left feeling so inspired and ready to apply all I learned. While in Vegas, I visited the Neon Museum and took lots of photos, which you can take a look at in my previous blog post.
100 Days of Chicago is still going strong. You can take a look at the project and the 65+ drawings I’ve already shared on both Instagram and Facebook.
I officially launched the City Collection in October. It currently features 14 cities in total and will be an ongoing project as I further explore my goals of expanding my design work and products to new cities throughout the US. You can explore and shop the collection here.
I got to see my new Bradley mural in person. A quick 24-hour trip to Peoria for the Big Picture Film Festival allowed me to not only snap a few pictures in front of the Bradley mural myself, but also witness first-hand that it is being used by students, staff, and visitors on campus.
I recorded an episode on The Chicago Hustle Podcast. Edward Terres interviewed me on the challenges and successes of owning a business. I shared my thoughts about networking in a new city, branding small businesses, and some of the challenges that designers face in the industry today. You can listen to it here.
My first Chicago advertisement debuted in Curated Chicago. I also did some work for the launch party and was excited to see my work in action for the first time in Chicago. The magazine highlights many unique things to do in Chicago, all while shining light on many wonderful and hardworking women throughout the city.
I will be teaching my first Lettering Workshop in Chicago at Ampersand Cowork on November 7th. I became a member of Ampersand Cowork in Logan Square in September, after finding out about the space through their first Ladies of Logan event, where I met other local female business owners. You can sign up for the workshop via the Workshops page.
I’m signed up as a vendor for the Women’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Expo put on by the City’s Treasurer on November 16th. While I usually shy away from in-person events, I am excited for the opportunity to connect with new business owners and others who work for the City. I already have my new Chicago-specific print advertisement pieces in production, so I’ll have them to hand out on the event.
I have been expanding my wholesale. This begun with new product catalogs in preparation for my meetings with the Field Museum and Art Institute of Chicago. I am continuing to build out my processes and capabilities in this area so I will be able to scale my business.
Since moving to Chicago, I’ve been adjusting to the shifts in my business - specifically a shift from the service-based freelance work I love to more product-based projects and new wholesale accounts. I’ve been working on some custom products for some cool places (more on that coming soon). As always, I am looking for new and exciting opportunities in the Peoria and Chicago areas and beyond. If you or someone you know would like to work on a project with me, send me a message via the website contact form.
BONUS: Photoshoot by Chantal Pryor of 2195. I met Chantal through the Tuesday’s Together - Chicago City Chapter. She’s a fashion photographer who is getting more into couples and wedding photography. Daniel and I happily modeled for her and absolutely love the photos she captured for us:
