Hi friends,
I hope you’ve had a calming winter solstice transition, and that this time of year is bringing you together with family, friends, and loved ones. As I write this ✨ first edition ✨ of Heartseed Creative’s newsletter, I’m at home in Wisconsin, watching snow fall and hearing my niece giggle to the Bluey theme song.
The juxtaposition of this time of year always sits with me; how so many happenings in the world can be fraught with grief and anger and yet my family’s unit has so much joy and stillness within it. I’m grateful for the cozy spaces and people I call home, and the recharge I am able to take to continue the work ahead; a privilege.
This newsletter, Full Bloom, is my way of sharing the seeds I’ve gathered across my climate change communications and design work—stories of inspiration, creative ideas, client successes, and tools that inspire action. (If we haven’t met or connected before, you can read more about me and my experience in the climate movement here.) When I founded Heartseed Creative a year and a half ago, I envisioned my work to be a catalyst for communications to connect, explore, and celebrate the incredible work happening at the intersection of creativity and climate change action. I’d like this email newsletter to be an extension of that.
Each month, I’ll share what’s been lighting me up (and challenging me) lately, from impactful climate communications to thought-provoking reads, inspiring art, and a little peek into what’s happening at Heartseed Creative. My hope is that Full Bloom feels like a conversation, and a moment to pause, reflect, and plant something new in your own work or life.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me! I’d love to hear from you and feature content or tools you find inspiring as well. I’m always at the other end of the “reply” button.
I’m heading into 2025 with feelings of angst, as well as a strong commitment to the big ideas, creativity for justice, and lasting change we can create together. How about you?
With gratitude,
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Lauren Boritzke Smith
Founder
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P.S. I’m hiring a Marketing and Communications Assistant! You can learn more here. I’d love it if you share with anyone you know who might be a good fit.
WHAT I'M READING & LISTENING TO:
📘 This is Marketing by Seth Godin
🎵 crooked the road. by Mon Rovîa
ROOTS OF CHANGE
Climate Comms Resource
Visuals and design have such a large role to play in catalyzing action and stirring up emotions about climate change. (I wrote about this earlier this year). Climate Visuals is one of my favorite resources for climate change communicators — it’s literally a treasure trove of photographs depicting climate change solutions and impacts with the aim of creating a new visual language for climate change.
Their take? “All too often, climate change imagery is ineffective at driving change, it may be aesthetically pleasing and illustrative but not emotionally impactful and often misses an opportunity for detailed engagement with viewers.” After conducting social research, Climate Visuals has created pillars of effective imagery on climate change. They found that imagery needs to embody people-centered narratives, local impacts and positive solutions, and must resonate with the identity and values of the viewer.
LINKS ON LINKS
Featured Climate Artist: Ben Weaver
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This month, we’re shining a light on musician, climate advocate, and friend, Ben Weaver, and his new album, Stay With. Recorded over a four-year span beginning in 2020, the album was born out of a creative exchange between Ben and Henry Toft.
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In 2024, Ben was awarded the Creative Climate Communications Award for his innovative approach to combining art and advocacy. Heartseed Creative has had the privilege of working alongside Ben to optimize his messaging, conduct a brand and engagement audit, and develop his marketing outreach.
Ben’s process for the album was deeply rooted in the landscape around him. He spent countless hours riding his bike through Saint Paul, MN, recording sounds from the seasonal environment, which were then manipulated and woven into the album as instruments and transition layers between tracks. Stay With is a collection of sonic poems, crafted to be experienced like a book—where you listen intently, without distraction, to fully absorb the journey.
Ben describes the album as being a work of connection and healing, meant to travel beyond him and reach those who need it most. His hope is that Stay With will resonate with people, serving as a reminder of our deep, interconnected relationships with each other and the world around us.
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CASE STUDY
Heartseed Highlight: 2024 Wrapped
Okay, it’s everywhere, but I had to hop on the whole wrapped trend of things — what an easy way to collect a bunch of work. This first full year of Heartseed has been one of new partnerships and exciting opportunities. Here’s a mash-up of just some of the work we’re proud of this year.
Illustrating Climate Narratives
Coastal States Organization
services provided:
custom illustration
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This is Biochar Campaign
International Biochar Initiative
services provided:
custom illustration • communications strategy • content creation • impact webpage
Explore now →
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Growing a Just and Resilient Food System in the Midwest
McKnight Foundation
services provided:
content creation
Read now →
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Brand and Engagement Audit
Ben Weaver | Lillie Benowitz
services provided:
engagement audit • communications strategy
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How We Can Work Together
At Heartseed Creative, we help organizations share and scale their impact with communications and design. A few ways we can collaborate:
- Brand Engagement Audit: Ready to dive in? We’ll prepare an audit of your channels and messaging, and a DIY packet of recommendations to engage your audience with success.
- Automated Email Campaigns: Level up your audience engagement with a custom email series or drip campaign to keep you top of mind for your people.
- Custom Illustrations: Bring climate narratives or program impact to life with unique, impactful illustrations.
- Impact Reports & Graphic Design: Let’s create visually compelling reports and campaign designs that speak to your audience.
WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS NEXT MONTH:
📚 Booking clients for early 2025 projects – would you like to fill a spot?
🆕 Developing our visual identity and design offering to help nonprofits promote and make an impact with their events. Coming in January!
💫 Putting together a free downloadable resource for you and all my clients — more info coming soon.
🎂 Celebrating my birthday in January! Aging is a gift, y’all.
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
— Arundhati Roy
