The Artisan Archive

Icon Illustration

Studio: Aspen Theory Creative Direction, Web Design: Kirsten Meyerson Illustration: Ysa Flores Year: 2025

At Aspen Theory, I helped bring The Artisan Archive to life, a platform by Aditi Mayer that celebrates global craft, culture, and community. I was responsible for designing a set of hand-drawn icons to represent each of the Archive’s three main wings:

The Storytelling Wing, which will highlight traditional craft practices from around the world

The Artisan Archive, a global directory of independent sustainable brands and designers

The Social Impact Wing, which will showcase grassroots work with artisans, farmers, and designers

Each icon was created using inspiration images and designed to reflect the purpose and personality of its section, helping establish a thoughtful and cohesive visual system for the site.

1. Designing Meaningful Icons with Personality Each wing has its own focus, but they’re all connected by the platform’s core values, so the icons had to feel unique while still part of the same story. I looked to traditional materials and visual references tied to each section to guide the design, aiming for a hand-drawn style that felt organic and aligned with the Archive’s globally rooted mission.

2. Creating cohesion across diverse content Since each wing covers a different focus, storytelling, directories, and social impact, the icons needed to feel cohesive while still reflecting their individual purpose. I developed a consistent line weight and visual style to bring unity across the three icons, while leaving room for each to have its own unique character.

The site is currently in a soft launch phase, with full access to each wing coming soon. This project gave me the chance to practice visual storytelling at a small scale, balancing meaning and visual personality through simple but intentional design.