WaterFire Sharon

Client: WaterFire Sharon, a nonprofit arts fund of the Community Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio whose mission is to aid in the revitalization of the region and foster community engagement.

I was approached early in 2012 to create a unique logo for WaterFire Sharon as a pro-bono project.

I was familiar with WaterFire; a world-renowned, multi-sensory art event created by Barnaby Evans, and I could see the potential impact an event like this could have on the city of Sharon. I also resonated their feeling that a unique mark with local ties would be essential to the promotion and regional recognition of the event.

My only quiet skepticism was how they thought Sharon would be considered as a potential WaterFire venue when hosted in cities like Providence, Columbus, Kansas City, Singapore, and Rome?

Alas, they came back to me a few weeks later with news that they convinced Barnaby Evans to name Sharon as a WaterFire venue. Impressed with the victory for my community, I was eager to get started.

art direction branding freelance graphic design illustration pro bono logo design

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The client desired a logo that was unique to the city of Sharon, but remained consistent with the feeling of the event and artform. With these cues in mind, I researched the existing WaterFire venue logos to eliminate any similar ideas from my brainstorming. I watched some previous WaterFire events and lit candles near flat plates of water for inspiration while I was sketching.

A selection of initial sketches. The curves and coil resembled that of a rose, which at first didn't seem significant until I discovered the term 'Rose of Sharon' through a conversation. I love this part of the process because you never know when an unexpected connection will reveal itself.

The final logo reflects the simplicity and beauty of the two elements as they dance, and when used, the text serves as a grounding element for the icon. Although subtle (and likely unnoticed by most), the link to Rose of Sharon is present and undoubtedly appreciated upon discovery.

Pictured above is mockup I created prior to the first WaterFire event of the flames dancing along the Shenango River. This image was used in the presentation of the final logo concept to the board of directors.

The foundation kicked off the second WaterFire season by unveiling this brass caldron branded with the logo on the bridge that serves as the central viewing point. Now at each lighting ceremony, the torch bearers pass flames down opposite ends of the river, coming together to light the central caldron. The branded caldron is now a permanent fixture on the bridge in downtown Sharon and reflects the success and spirit of the event and community.

A promotional piece created for the logo concept presentation. My goal was to illustrate how a knocked out version of the logo worked on top of a photograph, adding a new dimension of possibilities for the logo when elements of a photo appear through the design.

Strong community ties. Nearly 70,000 people attended the three events in the 2013 inaugural season. WaterFire Sharon is staffed entirely by volunteers, and each performance has about 350 of them.