Bright Bright Great is excited to announce that our Creative Director Amy Schwartz has been named one of Print Magazine’s 15 Visual Artists Under 30. To commemorate the accolade, all artists were asked to produce a cover for the monthly print issue.
More About Amy Schwartz:
https://brightbrightgreat.com/tag/amy-nicole-schwartz/
More About Print Magazine:
http://www.printmag.com/
Bright Bright Great would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Director of Projects, Jeanne Henry. Jeanne will be assisting BBG with all BBG accounts and sales.
What is your name and official title at BBG?
Jeanne Henry, Director of Projects. Hello, Hello. I am excited to be here.
What got you interested in (your role)?
I’ve always been interested in communication (the heart of project management), first through my writing background, but that skill set grew when I was working for a book publisher, and I really got to understand the power of design in communication and how important it is to elevate messages. From there, which was many years ago, I got the chance to work in the creative agency space and loved how project management combined so many things that I love from organizing to getting to talk to people across many different industries and fields of expertise. I haven’t looked back since! Project management has really felt like a natural fit for my interdisciplinary background.
What interested you in working at BBG?
I was really drawn to the broad range of digital projects and the high-energy and excitement of the BBG team.
What skills are you excited to polish, or learn in the next few years?
I’m always really excited to learn more about the development process and grow my knowledge base as technology is always changing—it’s important to stay up-to-date and always be looking for different ways to innovate, and to keep knowledge fresh. Outside of that, I’m always interested in trying new ways to run projects and expand on some of the strategy skills that I use as a project manager. I’m always a student.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I’m an essay and poetry writer. I love wandering through independent bookstores and finding an author that I’ve never heard of. I like trying to surprise myself by new adventures. Coffee shops, running, and board games with my partner, Edmund, is also pretty high up there in interests.
Who is currently inspiring you the most creatively in design?
Outside of Amy Schwartz and all the lovely work of my colleagues, I really enjoy the human and hand-drawn data visualizations of illustrator Mona Chalabi. I love Claire Wasserman and the whole, supportive and dope community of Ladies Get Paid.
Who is currently inspiring you the most creatively in a field outside of graphic design?
There are really lovely writers and advocates for social change that inspire me and urge me through their work to take as much action as possible for positive, progressive social change and to write better poetry. Those people include Clint Smith, Eve Ewing, and Tarfia Faizulla. Among others. I’m also really inspired by the Blood Orange album ‘Freetown Sound’ from 2016. It’s amazing and never gets old.
What’s the closest thing to real magic?
Love. Love is magic. Does everyone say that? Well, it’s true.
If you were given a one-minute ad slot during the Super Bowl that you couldn’t sell, what would you fill it with?
Poetry, yo. The poetry ads in New York City and here in Chicago show mostly stale poetry from dead white men. I’d love to have a dope ad the represents the real and current freshness of poetry.
Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?
20 minutes early, for sure. I’m the person that walks around the block because they got to a meeting too early.
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Be sure to follow Jeanne:
Jeanne Henry LinkedIn
Jeanne Henry Twitter
Bright Bright Great would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Design Apprentice Timberlene Gilliam. Timberlene will be assisting BBG with Design and branding as well as with BBG’s Avondale Type Co. type and Mlmtr photography teams.
What is your official title at BBG?
Timberlene Gilliam, Design Apprentice
What got you interested in (your role)?
I took design as an elective in high school and was hooked immediately. I haven’t looked back since.
What interested you in working at BBG?
The remarkable amount of thought and expertise that’s clear in each of BBG’s projects is what really attracted me. As a young designer, I want to be learning from and growing alongside the best. I know that’s what I’m getting here at BBG.
What skills are you excited to polish, or learn in the next few years?
I’m most excited to learn about web design and the processes that go into creating effective websites. Up until now, I’ve only had experience with print design, so I’m ready to dive headfirst into digital design.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I spend most of my downtime learning Japanese and buying new stationery. I also like to make short animations for fun.
Who is currently inspiring you the most creatively in design?
Risotto Studio, Fabian Fohrer, Studio Feixen, and Alex Proba.
Who is currently inspiring you the most creatively in a field outside of graphic design?
The Madbury Club, Hannah Waldron, Cold Picnic, and Elevator Teeth.
What is your favorite fast food menu item?
French fries. Preferably in waffle or crinkly form, with a side of ranch.
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
No movie or tv show has ever made me cry. Even the most famous tear jerkers get nothing out of me.
Were you Prom Queen?
Thankfully, no. However, a handsome stranger professed his love for me and “proposed” at my post-prom dinner. That’s almost as good, I think.
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Be sure to follow Timberlene:
Timberlene Gilliam Instagram
Timberlene Gilliam LinkedIn
Timberlene Gilliam Twitter
Bright Bright Great would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Designer, Kara Shim to the team. Kara will be assisting BBG on our Design team as well as our Avondale Type Co. type and Mlmtr photography teams.
Name & Role
Kara Shim, Design Apprentice
What got you interested in (your role)?
I had heard about BBG and was snooping around the website for job opportunities. I saw the position for the role the day AFTER applications were due and applied with my fingers crossed – and here I am. Thankful I made it.
What interested you in working at BBG?
I knew BBG would be a place that would push me as a designer. They had the small studio vibe I was looking for but they still strived for excellence and made great work. I heard they were very hands on and collaborative as well and these were all aspects I was looking for in a job.
What skills are you excited to polish, or learn in the next few years?
Definitely looking forward to developing my UI/UX skills. I had a strong fine arts background before diving into design and there’s a lot of aspects to web that I’m looking forward to learning and practicing.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I like being around people so I’m usually hanging out with friends. I love good food so I enjoy finding new, cool places to eat (especially ramen places, I’m a sucker for good ramen). Aside from that I draw and I daydream a lot more than I should – I also adore funky jewelry and will go great lengths for some sweet earrings or rings.
Who is currently inspiring you the most creatively in design?
Currently design crushing on Leta Sobierajski. But also really inspired by a lot of Korean and Japanese designers as well.
Who is currently inspiring you the most creatively in a field outside of graphic design?
Matisse has always been an influence for me.
What is your favorite fast food menu item?
Fries, duh. Always get BBQ sauce with them too. Always.
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I spent most of my life growing up overseas – I was born and raised in Illinois and before moving with my family. I primarily lived in Kyrgyzstan and Thailand for 10 years of my life and came back to Illinois for college.
But the real shocker to people is that I was homeschooled for a few years in elementary to middle school. People are always shocked by that because they expect me to be weirder than I am. Little do they know I’m actually super weird I can just hide it really well.
Also I’m left-handed. For some reason people who have known me always lose it when they hear that.
Were you Prom Queen?
My school was tiny so I feel like this doesn’t mean much – but yes I was my junior year. Wasn’t that great.
What would you name your boat if you had one?
The Yellow Duck.
What’s a body part that you wouldn’t mind losing?
I feel like I could live without one of my toes. Do you need all of your toes?
Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?
20 minutes early – because I’m already usually 10 minutes late.
Be sure to follow Kara:
Kara Shim Instagram
Kara Shim LinkedIn
Bright Bright Great is delighted to welcome our new Art Director/Designer, Mackenzie Freemire, to the team. Mack will be assisting with Art Direction.
What is your official title at BBG?
Mackenzie Freemire, Art Director
What got you interested in design?
I went into college thinking I wanted to be a photojournalist. When I went in to register for classes, my advisor urged me to take some graphic design classes—and here we are.
What interested you in working at BBG?
As a young designer, I’m constantly hungry to learn and grow and never become stagnant in my practice. The best way I can do this is by observing people and studios that are at the top, pushing limits and taking on innovative design projects regularly. I have so much to learn from BBG—at that challenge was immediately enticing to me.
What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on to this point?
I created a magazine 2 years about called Hush Magazine, which was a passion project for me. Hush focuses on the subject of Time, and how we use it, waste it, feel it, etc. I created about 2-3 original sets of work and design for each of the first three issues, and for the rest of the content I curated photos, poetry, painting, and other mediums that I have artists from all over the country submit to be in the magazine. Not only did I get to collaborate with other artists, but I got to create a piece of art that people can hold and experience and feel in their hands.
What is your favorite Taco Bell menu item?
Chicken Quesadilla, hands down. Who knows what that sauce is, but I’m into it.
What do you hope to learn during your time at BBG?
I hope to dive into the world of digital design and learn as much as I can about UI, UX, and pushing the limits on the way we interact with design digitally for the best experience possible.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I shoot photography for fun almost every weekend as a way to get off my computer and work with other creatives and friends. I also enjoy decorating my apartment, getting brunch, and dreaming things with friends.
Who are some designers/agencies/artists that are inspiring you right now?
Hey Studio, Instrument, Sagmeister & Walsh, Jimmy Marble, and all my friends.
Do you have any pets?
I’m not exactly an animal person (don’t tell anyone).
What is your favorite place that you have ever visited, US-based, or international?
I have been to Paris multiple times, and it is always as magical as I remember. I think the French language is amazing—the buildings, the art, the shops, and of course the chocolate croissants.
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I have a weird love for strawberry jell-o. It has always been my favorite food, it’s just a weird comforting thing from my childhood. Fun fact: every job I have ever applied to (including BBG) the subject line has been Strawberry Jello.
Follow Mack on Instagram.
PRESS CONTACT
Jason Schwartz, Owner Bright Bright Great
sayhello@brightbrightgreat.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bright Bright Great Announces New Creative Director, Amy Schwartz
Chicago, IL – Tech and design agency Bright Bright Great welcomes new Creative Director Amy Schwartz to oversee all design, user experience, and brand strategy. Schwartz is well-known in the Chicago design community for her work as Design Director at Cards Against Humanity and Vice President of Member Experience for AIGA Chicago.
Already part of the Bright Bright Great family, Schwartz is excited to return home and invest in agency. “I started my design career as an intern at Bright Bright Great in 2011, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the team again,” says Schwartz. “I’m excited to bring the knowledge and skills I’ve gained since then back into the Bright Bright Great team, and to continue pushing the limits of contemporary, effective design work.”
Schwartz’s design style is influenced by the years she spent earning a Masters in Design from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, famous for producing some of the best designers in the country, including Charles Eames and Florence Knoll.
Schwartz previously served as the Design Director at the best-selling party game, Cards Against Humanity. Notorious for their huge, public stunts and generous charitable gifts, Schwartz has directed a variety of large scale design projects for the company including a full-ride scholarship for women in STEM, several holiday promotions, and rebrand for packaging and e-commerce. Before that, Schwartz worked at numerous design-focused agencies in Chicago and Detroit, including gravitytank and Skidmore Studio. Select past clients include Motorola, the NFL, and Google.
Schwartz is noted in the Chicago design community for her desire to uplift and support those she works with, demonstrated in her experience as Adjunct Professor at DePaul University. She currently serves as Vice President of Member Experience for AIGA Chicago and hosts yearly workshops for students in design.
“Effective teams recognize the importance of each individual, whether they are an intern or C-suite. I facilitate ways for my clients and the creative team to mesh into one, where all ideas are considered, explored, and tested– until we solve the problem together,” says Schwartz.
Bright Bright Great has worked with clients worldwide, including Comcast, The University of Chicago, chewy.com, Nike and Hightower Financial. They recently rebranded American Needle, one of the largest retailers of sports related headwear, as they celebrate their 100 year anniversary.
To work with Bright Bright Great and Amy Schwartz, contact Chief Creative Officer Jason Schwartz at sayhello@brightbrightgreat.com or Jason Schwartz on Twitter.
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🔥 Take a peek at the first gallery show Street Dreams from BBG’s Photography House Mlmtr at Galerie F on Chicago on August 5, 2016.
(Photos)
The show has a very nice write-up on Threadless’ Blog “Street Views Offers A Clsoer Look Inside Chicago” by Elisha-Rio Apilado.
Join the Mlmtr community on Facebook and Instagram.
Bright Bright Great is delighted to welcome our new Designer, Maayan Brown, to the team. Maayan will be assisting our Art Directors and learning alongside our full team.
As part of her first day, we sat down to ask some questions about what brought her to the BBG team and what drives her. Read her answers below!
What is your official title at BBG?
Designer
What got you interested in design?
I’ve always been artistic but focused mostly on motion graphics and illustration in art school. I recently became more interested in graphic design and was able to get some really good mentorship from talented designers here in Chicago, which helped me sharpen my typographic and conceptual skills. Design is art with a purpose, and it’s a very gratifying field to be in. Seeing a beautifully designed piece of work makes me awed and happy- and I aim to create things that make me (and others) feel that way.
What interested you in working at BBG?
A mentor told me about BBG and said it would a great learning experience at a wonderful company. I could tell from a glance that the work BBG puts out is strong, good design and I knew I’d be honored to get a chance to learn from the talented people who work here.
What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on to this point?
In school I did a rebrand for FTD (Florists’ Transworld Delivery) and got to make a monoline “seal”/stamp brandmark which was something I’d always wanted to do.
What is your favorite Taco Bell menu item?
I don’t do fast food, so I wouldn’t be able to tell you 😇. I’ve only been to Taco Bell once in my life and that was in 2008.
[Ed. Note: We realize that Maayan’s answer to the above question is offensive, but we feel it is important to publish her answers as she gave them to us. We apologize if anyone was upset or disturbed by this response.]
What do you hope to learn during your time at BBG?
A lot! I want to get fast and efficient. I want to gain confidence in myself as a designer and while facing clients. I want to become a better designer in general and as one working in the digital space. I’d love to get more involved with the design community in Chicago and make good connections with my co-workers. I’d like to create work that I am proud of and help BBG keep doing awesome work.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I like to draw, read, cook healthy food, and exercise once in a while. I also have a slight obsession with buying dresses. I love wearing fancy (usually medieval-style) dresses as costumes, so I’m waiting eagerly for Halloween.
What’s your hometown?
Be’er Sheva. A Southern city in Israel.
How long have you been in Chicago?
I was born in Chicago and left when I was a baby. I’ve been back 3.5 years now.
What is your favorite thing about the city?
The buildings. Walking through the city, the architecture and the river are beautiful.
Do you have any pets?
I grew up in a household that had two cats, a dog, a tortoise and at one point, eleven rabbits! Currently I don’t have any pets but I hope to get a cat again someday. My husband is allergic to cats, so I’m hoping for a hypoallergenic breed or something.
Cats or dogs?
Love Cats! I used to have a cat that bit and scratched me regularly, but I’m convinced it was out of love.
Have you traveled? Do you have a favorite culture/country?
I’ve been to Italy, and I spent my honeymoon in Ireland. Besides that, traveling around the world and much of the U.S. is still very much on my to-do list!
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I’m the oldest of 6 kids. I have four sisters and a brother. I can’t drive. I’m distantly related to Amy Winehouse: She is my mother’s-cousin’s- husband’s-niece.
Bright Bright Great is excited to announce that our founder and Creative Director Jason Schwartz has been selected as one of Newcity’s Design 50 for 2016.
We’re thrilled to have Jason mentioned among so many other brilliant people who are helping to continually redefine and grow Chicago’s design community, like Theaster Gates and Jeanne Gang, and we’re proud to see what Newcity had to say:
Bright Bright Great is many, many things. The eight-plus-year-old design house founded by Jason Schwartz is known for working with high-profile brands from McDonald’s to the Museum of Science and Industry, but also serves as the umbrella for a variety of artist-driven projects and initiatives intended to, as Schwartz says, “produce beautiful creative.” Among these include the Avondale Type Co., a type foundry that produces custom in-house typefaces and its Avondale Typeface Co. Artist Series, and MLMTR.co, BBG’s in-house photography studio.
Yet it might be TSH—BBG’s traveling conference that connects design professionals to students and aspiring professionals—that undergirds Schwartz’s belief most in using BBG as a platform to “help people create and produce beautiful things.
Read the whole article on Newcity’s website, here.
Come join the conversation between design professionals and students at our 32nd Annual Conference.
Students, bring your best work and show us what you can do! Network and grow through valuable advice and constructive feedback from industry professionals. Take part in breakout sessions designed to advance your knowledge as you launch into internships and careers. Students of all levels will find something valuable at this event. Register today to add your voice to the dialogue!
Who & What:
All professionals and students are welcome to join us for the Keynote address with Jason Schwartz of Bright Bright Great. Jason crafts engaging experiences intersecting human interaction with technology.
In 2007, Jason founded the Chicago-based brand and strategy agency Bright Bright Great, where he currently acts as Creative Director. Since, Jason has added Avondale Type Co. and Mlmtr to his roster of active brands, acting as Founder/CD.
For over 10 years, Jason has been speaking with young designers, educating to help bridge the gap from education to professional life. In 2014 & 2015 he threw 3 TSH conferences for young designers in San Francisco, Chicago and New York City.
Friday, April 22, 2016
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Keynote Address
12:00 pm – 12:50 pm
Cleveland State University Wolstein Center
2000 Prospect Ave East,
Cleveland, OH 44115
Early-bird registration ends on April 4, 2016.
Additional information & Tickets
