Banks + Gilbert + Gillett

Approachable is not a typical word used to describe attorneys. Especially when they're the type of attorneys who "give a damn" about you, your case and getting you the best possible outcome. 

This spring I partnered with Brooke (my ride-or-die-and-stop-for-snacks soulmate) of Rural Gone Urban to create an approachable, relatable dot com with true-to-brand portraits and unique stock photography. 

For those keepers of small businesses, you may know purchasing stock photography is a bit pricy and the options can be limited. Armed with my favorite lenses we took to the local neighborhood, North Lincoln and downtown Oklahoma City to document images to be used in marketing collateral throughout the next year. 

Man, this was a fun project. 

For you: a few of my favorite portraits. 

P.S. Hire these guys for all your lawyering needs. They're the best.

Ogdon Family Connors State College Museum

I curated a museum.

Not words I'll say everyday -- but, wow. It's true, and the end result is pretty impressive. 

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This May, the Connors State Development Foundation, a non-profit organization created solely to support and further the mission of Connors State College in Warner, Okla., opened the Ogdon Family Connors State College Museum.

Curated by Dr. Ryan Blanton and myself, and developed through the generosity of the Ken Ogdon family, the Museum features historical displays of Connors State College's rich history. Photos and memorabilia adorn the walls and cases, while two freestanding touch-screen kiosks allow visitors to read bios of hall of fame inductees and the college history, at their leisure. 

The Project

With a previous marketing position at the National Cowboy Museum, and a Connors Agriculture Hall of Fame and historical display development under my belt, I was charged with designing a museum. 

Thanks to grant monies and major donors, the space itself inside a former, offline dormitory, was a sleek, modern, clean slate with highly polished concrete floors, white walls, and industrial exposed vents and columns. A dream, really. The goal was to develop this open space into a historical story. 

Looking at the floor plan, I knew we should create a flow for traffic through the space. To do so, we utilized freestanding display cases, strategically placed for grouping similar items, photos and memorabilia. I also envisioned an orange glass wall -- to direct traffic but not close off the space -- and found the vendor to make it come to life.

We printed (new) historic photos on archival quality paper. We created a home for the Alumni & Friends Hall of Fame and a new homage to employees who gave 10 or more years of distinguished service to the college -- plaques which were all-but-forgotten on a wall of an administration building and the library, respectively. We included two pieces by Native American artists, commissioned specifically for the college -- a mural and a mosaic feather.

We added bench seating for young and old to take in the art, or sit for a chat with an old college friend. 

The campus has several historical displays in various buildings -- the McPeak Agriculture Hall of Fame at the Indoor Arena, the Athletic Hall of Fame in the Fieldhouse, Legacy Hall in the Library -- and several Halls of Fame (those mentioned previously, as well as the Alumni & Friends Hall of Fame.) 

To keep the space clean, but offer a plethora of information at a visitor's fingertips, we chose to incorporate two freestanding, touch-screen, 55" kiosks. With that, I knew our best option for providing a wealth of information was to develop a website, linking all college halls of fame, historical displays and more. Connors State College has a rich history, as seen in these displays, but not one that was (previously) readily accessible online. 

Enter Brooke, of Rural Gone Urban. We collaborated extensively to recreate digital versions of the respective Halls of Fame (Alumni & Friends, McPeak Agriculture Hall of Fame, and Athletic Hall of Fame) while highlighting the Connors Development Foundation, providing opportunities for online giving, and telling the college's rich history in a way that works when viewing both tiny, via mobile, and mega, at 55". 

Hands down, this museum and website have been the most challenging and rewarding projects I've worked on, to date. 

Brooke Clay

Patton's Aunt B. hasn't had portraits since I took them (in the same blue chair) in 2013. Since she's Stacy Pearce Creative's {un-paid} content director, knows all my secrets from college and my maid of honor, I thought ... you know... she deserved them.

And, also, she wasn't going to leave until I took them. 

Love you, soulmate. 

Logan + Spencer

I count my blessings for these two beautiful friends of mine, who are getting married today. 

When I first arrived on staff at Connors State five years ago, these two were part of a crew who welcomed me with open arms and made my transition to the staff easy.

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I'm over the moon that their eyes and hearts were opened to one another ... To Spencer's carefree, fun-loving, jokester attitude and cowboy roots, Logan is detail-oriented, driven and completely city -- and I 100% love the way their personalities play together. 

And their session at the ranch: talk about a smoke show.

Beautiful people with beautiful hearts.

Happy wedding day, my friends! 

Janice + Mike

It's rare that a person finds true love for a second time.

Janice and Mike have both loved, with every fiber of their beings, and suffered great loss with the passing of their respective spouses. They truly know the depths marriage vows can reach, but also, the great joys that come from spending a lifetime with the love of your life.

Having a front row seat to this new relationship was quite possibly the most fun I've had, in terms of engagement sessions. These two have thrown caution to the wind, and are pursuing each other with a hope for tomorrow ... all made possible by a single offer of ice cream on a hot afternoon.

Creating a Brand Identity:: Steel Velvet

Working with small businesses is my jam. As a child of rural America, it's important for me to pour into the people who work to make our small towns great.

It just so happens creating brand identities is one of my specialities. 

When I work with a small business, like Steel Velvet, I start with the basics. I need to know who you are as human, as a business owner, and as a member of your community before we create a brand identity.

Branding is more than a logo you throw on an invoice. Think of it like your last name: although you may grow and evolve as a person, your last name always stays with you.

While your immediate needs may include a logo for your business' Facebook page, I consider all the places your logo will be used to ensure it will be a timeless business asset. A logo must not only look good on your Facebook profile, but it also needs to translate to other non-digital mediums like shirts, windows, business cards, and shopping bags. 

While there are many variable to consider, let's break it down in terms of color selection.

If you're drawn to the color blue, I must look at the various ways the blue will be created. Depending on the variation, the blue you love on the screen may print a tick purple or significantly darker than you desire on your business cards. 

Why the difference? While digital screens typically use three colors (red, green, and blue), printers use four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and key - or black) and/or spot colors (the official name of the color) to create the full spectrum of colors.

Whew, that was a lot of explanation. The point is, it's my job to ensure you receive a timeless product. My time as a team member at both the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and Connors State College has afforded me the opportunity to create thousands of print and digital files, which means: I've got this.

Through my extensive marketing experience, I've connected with enough vendors and suppliers to fill a few Rolodexes. This means, from product tags to museum displays, I can work directly with a vendor to ensure your final project is a perfect representation of your brand.

If you're ready to create (or re-create) your brand identity - I'm ready to work with you.