Metaphors, monarchs and case studies

People are always curious about the name of my business and what Trellis means to me. I alluded to it a bit in Launch Day, saying I’m aiming to “provide lots of great communications structures to help those ideas - and organizations - flourish.” Nearly six months in, the metaphor is holding pretty well, as I continue to see how a great message well delivered can help an organization gain traction with customers and employees.

I’m extending the metaphor to the site today, with the publication of case studies and a collection of writing samples that represent work I’m proud of. Each of these showcase communications, marketing and engagement programs that brought customers or employees closer to the business. In metaphorical terms, the communications provided a structure and mechanism - a trellis - for the organization to build on.

I chose nature imagery to evoke this idea of support. The photographer is my dear friend Lois Tschida, who generously shared her photography to help me build my business. Lois makes greeting cards with her photos - the monarch photo at right is one of my favorite cards to send. Watch for her work at craft sales in the West 7th neighborhood of St. Paul.

Many of my case studies are from my time leading the Law School business at Thomson Reuters. Others are from more recent client work. Writing about them was a great opportunity to reflect on what I love doing and where I get great results. Designing the pages was a great opportunity to remember why graphic designers get paid so much! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, please thank your nearest designer for making your life easier.

Take a peek at some of my projects and enjoy Lois’s wonderful pictures. When you have a chance, let me know what you’re working on. I’d love to catch up!