Power to the Poster + The Creative Action Network

To bring people together around a ready supply of well-designed, wild postings that comment on the issues of our time. The central question: “As a global citizen, what moves you?”

This graphic design democracy project has officially entered its next phase. Now part of the Creative Action Network, we’re asking for new posters designed to move people to action. 

We start by featuring some old favorites to act as artifacts of the original site. This also allows some compensation to go to the artist as a small token of thanks for contributing a great poster. The designs we’ll bring into the Creative Action Network from Power to the Poster {dot} org are both aesthetically well-crafted and address an important issue in an interesting way. They capture the spirit of the project since it launched in 2008. 

For new contributions, we’re looking for compelling content beautifully executed. More details can be found in the creative brief. Thank for your interest. We look forward to your participation.

Visit the Power to the Poster Campaign »

Hey, is that an email signup?

Why yes, yes it is. Embedded right here. A little business strategy I’ll be trying out for the rest of the year. If you sign up above (or at the bottom of the Connect page) you will most likely get the JKDC Newsletter once a month. Straight from Mail Chimp to your inbox. Interesting happenings, work updates and what’s next in the works. And there you have it. Thank you for your interest.

Celebrating Four Years of Independence

Back on July 1st, 2010, I said good-bye to a cushy ad job. I was looking to go it alone with the type of design and activism work that I was most excited about. After four years with a host of nonprofits, community organizations and startups, the independent work continues. Looking forward, there are lots of good things on the horizon. New clients, new collaborators and new self-initiated projects that will be announced soon. To everyone who has played a role in the journey, especially the truly wonderful clients, my kickass collaborators, the Nebraska design community and Chief Creative Officer and amazing wife Katie, I could NOT have done it without you. Here’s to another year. Cheers!

Year of Words

This year, 2014, I’m focusing on words. Meaning, I’m going to write more. I’ve always enjoyed writing about specific projects, but I’d like to formally put an emphasis on writing about working as a designer, making things with other people and general life learnings of note. Posts on these subjects will be posted in the section of this site called WORDS. Some will be brief thoughts. Others medium (snippets that link out to other blogs here and here and here). I’m also speaking more. Those engagements will be highlighted as well. And finally, there will be some general announcements on JKDC. You can expect to find something new posted once or twice a week. Enjoy!

A new portfolio site. A little for you, a little for me.

Mark this day as the official launch of the new Justin Kemerling Design Co portfolio site. What’s new you ask? An updated Work section for one. Each project is beautifully displayed in a single column without any distraction. And there’s a new Words section. A blog for me to post my thoughts on design and collaboration. You can, of course, still “meet me,” get a sense for the Midwest and connect in a host of ways.

Why did I spend time on a new site when there’s so much going on with clients and projects? 1) To celebrate the work in a more showcased format, front and center. This aligns philosophically with how I think the Web should be. 2) A place for writing. I’m at a point where I’m less head down, work-work-work. I’m thinking more about the why, the how, the who for. And I want to share those thoughts, with bigger, better typography. 3) This is just a Squarespace template. But it does feel like an online home. A timeline of the career I’m trying to build.

Newer projects appear at the top of the Work section. Scroll down to chronologically see the variety of projects over the years. Some super solid, some just sort of ’eh, but all fit together into a design point-of-view I’m continuing to hone.

This new site is for you, if you’re looking for a designer with a particular set of skills. But it’s also for me. So I can see where I’ve been and inform where I want to go.

Welcome to JKDC. It’s design, it’s activism and it’s collaboration. Enjoy your visit. Any questions, hit me up.