RIVER VALLEY CONFERENCE 2022
July 2022
River Valley Conference is an annual gathering hosted by River Valley Church. I served as the lead art director and designer, responsible for crafting a bold, cohesive identity that would translate across every touchpoint—from signage and merch to stage design, social, and screen content.
about
art direction | photo & film direction | event branding | print design | digital design
services provided
visual theme
The theme for 2022 was Ask Seek Pray. We built the visual system around this phrase, using bold type and clean structure to balance energy with clarity. Color was used to signal movement and meaning, while the design remained flexible enough to stretch across every format.
Collaborative visual research, exploring references across music, fashion, editorial, and advertising. These early directions helped shape the tone and energy of the system and laid the groundwork for the typography-forward approach.
art direction & creative brainstorm
brainstorm
Curate a list of key words inspired by the vision and scripture for the conference
creative.
bold.
tenacious.
inspiring.
creative. bold. tenacious. inspiring.
forward moving/innovative.
june in minnesota.
tried & true.
forward moving/innovative. june in minnesota. tried & true.
stable.
vibrant.
inviting.
achievable.
stable. vibrant. inviting. achievable.
The final moodboard focused on expressive typography, strong contrast, and structured layouts. The goal was to strike a balance between clarity and energy, giving the brand room to move while staying easy to execute.
moodboard
general branding
bold | fun | forward moving
text treatment
ink bleed | simple | tried & true
color palette
bold | basking in the sun | day at the lake
underlying grid
crisp | anchored | sturdy
print design
clean | innovative | like taking a breath of fresh air
I experimented with different combinations of type, spacing, and scale to see how the system could stretch. I also built sample layouts using long phrases to test how the design would perform in print, on screen, and on apparel.
brand pitch
After sharing the direction with the team, I began refining the system into a full visual toolkit. This included type choices, color palette, layout rules, and usage examples for various formats including motion, print, and social.
brand development
The completed system was applied to stage design, signage, apparel, digital assets, and templates. I worked closely with internal teams to ensure consistency across everything from wayfinding posters to speaker slides.
brand build-out
This project was a highlight for me. I was able to lead the visual direction from start to finish and work alongside an incredible team to create a high-impact experience for thousands of attendees.
conclusion
