AXIS ARCHITECTS

ANNOUNCEMENT

Axis Architects is one of the leading progressive architectural firms in Indianapolis. This mailer announces the firm’s addition of several talented young architects to the staff. The design transforms a portion of the Axis logo into a simple plus sign that subtly reinforces the suggestion of the additions.

BREBEUF JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL

MAGIS INVITATION

This invitation for Brebeuf Jesuit’s Magis Society Harvest of Generosity Dinner utilizes a modified version of the sgraffito art found in the school’s chapel. The stylized look of the art was adapted to suit the event’s location in a museum dedicated to native American art.

COMMERCIAL ARTISAN

COMMERCIAL ARTISAN HOLIDAY CARDS

Our studio doesn’t typically do much self-promotion, but we always create some special mailing for the holiday season. The formats change every year but have ranged from conventional cards to flags, air fresheners, gift tags and gingerbread men. Always fun, and a great excuse to bribe friends into glueing, stapling, tying, stuffing or stamping.

DARLENE DELBECQ PHOTOGRAPHY

BIRD

This postcard commemorates the opening of photographer Darlene Delbecq’s first major public art offering. As a part of the Arts Council of Indianapolis program Public Art Indianapolis, “Bird” is a billboard-sized image of a mysterious figure that looms above the street and peers down upon the crowds below. 

BRUNETTE

This invitation announces the exhibit “Brunette” by artist Darlene Delbecq at the FLUX Gallery in Indianapolis. Delbecq, a photographer who has worked with the legendary Irving Penn among others, produced a body of gelatin silver print photographs shot on film in natural light conditions.

SEAN DERRY

CHARTING POGUE’S RUN

This card announces a project by artist Sean Derry that investigates the past and present conditions of Pogue’s Run, a shallow stream that provided the basis for the original system of water irrigation in the city of Indianapolis. Derry marked the route of the stream (now primarily an underground aqueduct) with a nondescript blue line that traversed streets, parking lots and buildings that now cover the site of the original stream. 

GATEWAY FOR CANCER RESEARCH

DESTINATION KYOTO

Destination Kyoto was the 2007 theme for Gateway’s “Passport to a Cure” black tie fundraising event. The event raises over one million dollars dedicated to funding research that will lead to the eradication of cancer. The invitation sets the tone for the event and is presented this year as a stylized souvenir photo book featuring the sites of Kyoto.

MIDNIGHT IN MARRAKECH

A Moroccan theme provided the basis for the look of this invitation to a black tie fundraising event. Celebrating the organization’s 15th anniversary, we were asked to create a grand and elaborate invitation. I have only heard a client request that we add more die cuts and foil stamps once in my life, and it was for this project.

HERRON SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN

LET’S BE FRIENDS

This is a simple card that invites recipients to join the Friends of Herron organization. Friends of Herron provides support to the school and its programs through fundraising endeavors and volunteer opportunities. An H-shaped chipboard cover offers a tactile feature to an otherwise straightforward format. This is also the first official Commercial Artisan project following our transition from our original Antenna moniker.

WE MISS “U”

This postcard featuring a class picture montage from the Herron class of 1933, is an invitation for lapsed members of the Herron Alumni Association to return to the fold. The Alumni Association funds a wide variety of initiatives in support of Herron’s students, faculty and alumni.

HISTORIC LANDMARKS FOUNDATION OF INDIANA

EIGHTH WONDER PROGRAM AND INVITATION

Eighth Wonder was the title of an event that capped a massive ten year restoration of the West Baden Springs Hotel in West Baden, Indiana. The hotel and its grounds, originally constructed in 1902, are like something out of the Wizard of Oz. Centered around an enormous domed atrium, the hotel stood as the largest free-spanning dome in the world for many years. Legendary as a vacation spot for early twentieth century gangsters and movie stars, the structure had fallen into dangerous disrepair. We were asked to design an invitation and program for the event that would celebrate West Baden’s return to form as one of the world’s eight wonders. 

INDIANAPOLIS CITY MARKET FOUNDATION

TO MARKET TO MARKET

This invitation package is for the Foundation’s 2007 black tie benefit To Market To Market — a long-dormant event that was resurrected on the occasion of the restoration of the historic Indianapolis City Market. This design is intended to reflect the look of classic produce packaging, but still remain modern in its approach. The invitation package was well-received and was honored by Neenah Paper in their design competition.

PARTNERS IN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

BLUE TRIANGLE

This invitation was designed on the occasion of Partners’ renovation of the Blue Triangle building in downtown Indianapolis. Partners in Housing Development facilitates the restoration of neglected structures and transforms them into new residences for at-risk or marginalized individuals. This hand-made booklet served as an invitation to an event that marked the completion of a particularly extensive and lengthy project.

PARTNERS INSIDE

Partners in Housing Development is an organization that assists in the placement of disadvantaged people in properties that have been renovated to become new homes. This invitation was for their fundraising event in which artists created one-of-a-kind bird houses. This simple visual trick of the bird’s head poking through the opening of the house also acts as the closure device for the card.

PEASE / BRANNAN

PEASE /  BRANNAN WEDDING INVITAITON

This invitation was designed for our friends Jennifer Pease and Michael Brannan. The simple card featured a hand-stitched bead as the binding and a delicate onion skin paper as an outer layer. The gingko leaf, a symbol significant to the couple, was the only imagery that they requested and became the “mark” of the wedding.

TURKEYFEST

TURKEYFEST  WEEKLY

This invitation was designed for our friend Amy Vaughan, hostess of Turkeyfest, her annual celebration of all things worth giving thanks for. As a devoted reader of US Weekly, we knew Ms. Vaughan would appreciate our appropriation of their look for the Turkeyfest crowd. She may not have appreciated the photo of her that we selected for the cover, but we loved it. 

© 2011 Commercial Artisan