Sparrow and Starlight Branding
I am wildly blessed to be able to support myself doing something I love, but at the end of the day, being a designer means designing for someone else. Sparrow and Starlight is my opportunity to create exactly what I want. It gives me an outlet to lean into my personal style, which is deeply inspired by nature, leans feminine, and is grounded in a remarkably consistent color palette.
I’ve had dreams about being a maker ever since I discovered pottery in college in 2007. As someone who is always dreaming about and planning for the future, I’ve planned and replanned and researched and daydreamed about this for more hours than I can count. In college, I remember getting called on to answer a question during a particularly dry glaze chemistry lecture, and having to sheepishly admit that I had not been paying attention because I was looking at studio spaces on my phone. (Sorry Tom Lane!) Over the years this dream has ebbed and flowed from a daydream to a possibility and finally to a reality.
As I dreamed about what I wanted this experience to be for both myself and the final owners of the objects I make, I recognized a core set of beliefs that I wanted to guide my brand and my process.
I believe...
...that time spent watching the stars, listening to the birds, and smelling the flowers is time well spent.
...in the life altering power of curiosity.
...in surrounding yourself with people, activities and objects that inspire joy.
...in the life affirming power of gratitude.
...in the value of authenticity, kindness, and community.
...that representation, inclusion and justice matter and that equality depends on these principles.
...that sometimes the most selfless thing you can do, is take care of yourself first
...that the pursuit of progress is more empowering than the pursuit of perfection.
...that patience is a skill worth cultivating.
...that anything fast or easy typically comes at the price of people or planet
...that of any purpose we have as humans, “the greatest of these is love”
Logo Development
The first step in my branding journey was deciding on a name and designing a logo. I spent over a year brainstorming names; jotting ideas down in a note on my phone as they came to me. I love my name - Serenity Joy - and at first I tried to force my brand into some iteration of my name. But every idea felt saccharine and inauthentic. Finally I went back to my grounding in nature and settled on Sparrow and Starlight.
My logo design process started as a bunch of rough hand sketches. I brought these into Illustrator, image traced them, and added color to get a feel for the balance of elements. Once I was confident that the concept was heading in the right direction, I drew each component individually, scanned them in, image traced them, and added color. This process resulted in some line weight issues, so I am redrawing this digitally and planning to update it in the future.
Visual Merchandising
I’m highly visual and utilize mockups any time I’m working through a design scenario. In the fall of 2022, I was planning a display for my studio’s annual pottery sale. I created a mockup of the display which helped me plan the variety of pieces to make, as well as what props to buy.
We planned to hold the show in the courtyard, but, because of rain, we ended up having to move the show inside. I was disappointed at first, but it ended up being a good opportunity to show people my space. Everyone is always immediately drawn to the test tiles on the wall. Each one represents a different glaze and clay combination.
Marketing Materials
I created a suite of assets to use at shows to ensure a cohesive brand experience. This included an about page, price list, payment card, business card, and a card to sign up for classes at the studio where I teach.
Giving back and community involvement is part of the mission of my brand. This mug was designed as a tribute to my LGBTQ friends and a portion of every sale goes to support the community.
Photography Style
To create a consistent feel on my instagram and website, I utilize a consistent photography style that always incorporates plant props.
Next Steps
I’ve applied to be an exhibitor at the 2023 Mill Valley Holiday Craft Fair. In the meantime, you can find me in my studio working on new designs.