Case overview
Stolen Summers is a national storytelling and public art initiative by Extreme Weather Survivors (EWS), designed to amplify the voices of individuals and communities impacted by extreme weather events. The traveling installation transforms personal survivor stories into powerful visual representations, creating immersive environments that educate, humanize, and mobilize action around climate resilience.
The project required a visual identity and digital presence capable of carrying emotional weight while remaining clear, accessible, and adaptable across tour locations and media platforms.
The Brief
Extreme Weather Survivors needed a cohesive brand and campaign system that could:
• Communicate urgency without sensationalism
• Honor survivor stories with dignity and clarity
• Adapt across digital platforms, physical installations, and community events
• Support a national tour structure
• Remain accessible to diverse audiences
The challenge was balancing emotional storytelling with structural cohesion — ensuring the initiative felt powerful yet grounded, and scalable across multiple environments.
My Approach
The creative direction centered on contrast and impact — visually echoing the disruption caused by extreme weather while maintaining clarity and legibility.
The system included:
• A restrained but emotionally resonant color framework
• A flexible typographic hierarchy for storytelling at scale
• Modular graphic elements inspired by fractured landscapes and rising heat lines
• Tour-ready signage and environmental applications
• A digital structure aligned for accessibility and community engagement
Rather than creating isolated visuals, I developed a scalable framework that allowed each installation and location to feel locally grounded while remaining nationally cohesive.
The design language supports narrative depth without overpowering the voices at its core.
The Results
Stolen Summers launched as a visually unified, emotionally compelling initiative capable of adapting across tour cities, digital promotion, and community partnerships.
The scalable brand system allowed EWS to:
• Maintain cohesion across installations and locations
• Amplify survivor voices with clarity and respect
• Streamline execution across event environments
• Extend campaign assets across digital and social platforms
Most importantly, the initiative transformed individual stories into a shared visual experience — reinforcing EWS’s mission while creating space for dialogue and advocacy.
