an exercise in simplicity, the web site design for www.ten-ten-2010.com was a challenge in the sense that my task was to design a site for an exhibition proposal in which the work has not yet been made. usually, i try to pull in a sense of the site’s content in its visual elements, but here i had to create a design that would suit any work that may evolve from the experimental parameters of the project. read more about the 10-10-10 exhibition on the site.

side note: i also designed and maintain the website for the exhibition’s curator, jeweler Sarah Abramson (www.sarahabramson.com), as well as exhibition participants Colleen Heineman (www.colleenheineman.com), Maureen Duffy (www.maureenduffy.org), and of course myself (www.kate-bauman.com).

i recently completed an updated version of the first five exhibition web page. check it out: www.thefirstfive.org

to be : (determined) – an exhibition of the first five was a late October jewelry/metalsmithing exhibition at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, juried by Sarah Turner and Maria Phillips, and organized by CSU Metal Professor Haley Bates. the original version of the page detailed the call for artists and proposal for the show with a selection of images of work from the exhibition, Two Cans on a String that Turner and Phillips created together. the new version exists for archival and reference purposes, shares a list of the participating emerging artists, and showcases images from the beautiful show. the web page design is simple and clean, just like we like it. wish i could have seen the show in person!

another return client, Susan of Susan Elizabeth Designs needed a new postcard to give away at her many events. this layout prioritizes an image displaying a variety of jewelry pieces to convey her style.

the aesthetic evident in the pieces is reinforced by the imperfect circle motif behind her signature logo and silkscreened border, all in keeping with the rest of her print and web collateral.

check out Susan’s website: www.susanelizabethdesigns.com

i love to work with return clients to create new print and web collateral that reinforces their style and brand.

Michael Fleming Designs Adrift features rustic and elegant furniture and sculpture handcrafted from driftwood collected along the Maine coastline. i worked for Designs Adrift last winter to design their business cards, postcard, and letterhead for the launch of their business. this fall, they returned to me looking for a 1-sided brochure giving an introduction to the Designs Adrift products and style.

in keeping with the rest of their print and web materials, i kept the design simple with neutral bands of color bringing the whole composition together. view the business card and postcard designs i created last year, and visit their website: www.designsadrift.com

Julie of Juliet Jewelry in Chicago contacted me with a very simple and straightforward request for a sticker. she knew just what she wanted: a simple black and white, modern sticker for her gift boxes that would reflect her simple, modern jewelry aesthetic.

Julie’s sticker shows that you don’t need over-designed collateral to convey your style, and underscores the benefits of being able to communicate your vision clearly with your designer. when you know what you want, you get to enjoy the added bonus of increased affordability because your designer doesn’t spend as much time coming up with initial layouts for you to consider.

www.AOMthree.com has launched!

this website showcases gorgeous contemporary pop paintings by Madison, Wisconsin’s AOMIII, otherwise known as Arthur O. Mohagen III. my job here was to replace an old, rarely updated typepad blog. by moving to a static website with links to a twitter and facebook fan page, we increased the functionality of Arthur ‘s web presence. He can easily update information and keep his fans in the loop without worrying about the maintenance of an entire blog, while his website features a polished aesthetic with high quality, crisp images and well-edited content.

as a designer, i had a lot of fun designing Arthur’s new site. the painter’s favorite color is a light blue featured frequently in his paintings, and the site’s layout features a matching subtle painterly border to unify the site and create a memorable supporting framework for his content. the site’s navigation is simple and straightforward, making it easy to get to the information you’re looking for. AOMIII’s paintings take the cake, easily conveying the painter’s skill and professionalism.

take a look for yourself: www.AOMthree.com

i recently launched www.colleenheineman.com.

colleen is a contemporary jeweler and metalsmith in Philly. her work is clean and crisp, and that is the way i treated the design of her website. clean and crisp, and ready to let the stunning jewelry and objects take center stage (or center screen, in this case). the design isn’t totally invisible, however; it creates a neutral yet memorable and easy to navigate framework to support colleen’s images and information.

check it out for yourself: www.colleenheineman.com

after i redesigned her website, jeweler Susan Eichstaedt of Susan Elizabeth Designs wanted new business cards as well as a sticker label to put on her gift boxes. i drew up a few different options using the new logo with the asymmetrical circle motifs and silkscreened border, all created for her updated site.

unable to pick between her two favorite layouts, Susan decided to go with both, and mix them together as she gives them out. this creates variety and sparks interest in her customers, all while delivering the same important contact info and branding.

check out Susan’s stunning jewelry at www.susanelizabethdesigns.com

i recently completed a redesigned website for Susan Elizabeth Designs, a contemporary jeweler churning out handcrafted pieces in Chicago.

susan was looking for a totally new look that incorporated the asymmetrical, uneven but organic look of her jewelry, while retaining her color scheme of rich mauves against black. she wanted to maintain some consistency with the curvy “Se” logo that she’s used in the past (visible in the footer of her website).

the handwritten, signature-like nature of this logo was our starting point for developing a full signature logo. i pulled in the shape of some uneven circular links in her jewelry as embellishments for her signature. the rest of the site unfolded from there, carrying the uneven link motif and hand-drawn aesthetic through the rest of its elements with uneven, silkscreened borders. while susan opted for eye-catching motifs and borders, the site maintains a clear sense of order and navigation, making it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for.

susan’s previous website was visually striking, but wasn’t optimized for search engines. as i created her new site, i added descriptive titles and strategically placed keywords. now, it will be much easier for search engines to find her site. i also created a custom shopping cart for her jewelry, using wordpress software and designing a customized theme so that she can update the cart herself with no web design knowledge. the end result is a totally updated and distinct site for fans of susan’s jewelry to learn about her background, keep up with her events, and purchase jewelry online. check it out at www.susanelizabethdesigns.com.

i’m currently at work on business cards and a new postcard to compliment susan’s redesigned website. stay tuned for images.