Every once in a while we have the good fortune of working on a project that we feel truly matters, a project that we’ll still be thinking about years from now. Maybe even something we can imagine telling our grandkids about – surely you’ve had moments like that where something you did in your professional life really mattered?

Steven Bankey & The Flatland Band

We are set to release a new single called Remind Me in the fall of 2022. This single means so much to us because it comes from a very personal place. We all had a very important role in creating this record and we are very proud of how it turned out. In todays fast paced life its very easy to get lost in the rat race and feel like you have stalled out. This song reminds us that even though it can feel like we aren’t moving forward. If we look back we can actually see how far we have come. It inspires us to keep pushing forward and chasing our dreams and goals. We hope that anyone who hears this record feels the same way and it can help and inspire those it reaches. Read more>>

Lucien Douglas

Creating my own solo performance piece–“A Shadow Among Strangers–Performing the Life & Works of Edgar Allan Poe.” I had this production in the back of my head for some time. When the Harry Ransom Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin contacted me about doing some Poe recordings as part of their web advertising for an exhibit celebrating Poe’s 200th anniversary (2009), I asked if I could also do a special live presentation of his works–poems, letters, stories–in their 130-seat theatre as a special event to be included in the semester-long celebration. Read more>>

Alex Workman

Every year we try to work on a personal project, beyond our client work. We want to make sure that we are giving back to our community and telling stories of people and things in our community and surround areas that are making a difference or that need help. On October 10th, Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle leaving a level of devastation and destruction never before seen by the state. Michael was the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the Florida panhandle and was the third strongest storm in U.S. history. Read more>>

Quincy Crutchfield

I think they all should be meaningful. I’m big on client/custom/patron experience. That’s the key. We often aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, we are trying to use the wheel in a new way. Having said that, KC Night Market is the meaningful project I’m working on right now. The idea came about a few years ago but due to location issues and other things I shelved the project. Then COVID hit. Read more>>

Tyler Nykole

Since I’ve been little I have constantly been around a camera. Both of my parents were in the military, so my eyes were always open to new experiences and cultures. When I first started photography school I always wanted to create something that was meaningful to me but would also bring awareness to the world. My last semester in school I created a project called SecondHand Style which features 12 young adults. I wanted to create this project so that these young individuals are able to showcase their styles through secondhand clothing. Read more>>

Lauren Leto

I started my teaching career in Hillsborough County in 2011. I taught psychology one, psychology too, AP psychology, law studies, legal systems, and US government. I started my career at Sickles HS in Tampa. I coached Softball and I coached two seasons of varsity swim where I was chosen as all American conference coach of the year. Read more>>

Carolynn Hayman

One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on was called The Big Balloon Build in Vincennes, Indiana. This project brought a group of 65 balloon professionals together for four days to create a bigger than life Candyland made out of over 125,000 balloons! The project raised over $130,000 for local United Way charities and collected over 14,000 pounds of canned food for the community. I was lucky enough to be chosen as a Team Leader for this project and led the Character Team which created giant Candyland characters which were placed throughout the display. Read more>>

Abisola Oladeinde

When it comes to African fashion, the most popular fabric is usually Ankara but there is so much more to explore! I decided to create authentic fabrics actually made in Nigeria with symbols meaningful to my country , my craft, and Africans at large. I contacted a friend who was a textile designer, and gave colors and symbols I wanted, and had it crafted out and sent to me. Bear in mind, that these symbols were all hand drawn. Read more>>

Christopher Burroughs

When creating garden spaces in disadvantaged communities they all offer a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Building something that you know people will get joy from and teaching them about the earth and plants is uplifting. Watching as people become inspired by nature and passionate about learning is an amazing feeling. I built a garden at a church in SouthEast San Diego. The neighbor across the street would watch me each day and sometimes she would come out and speak to me. Read more>>

Aubrey Charnell

So far in my career, I think the most meaningful project I have worked on has been the life-size torso, ‘mercy.’ This piece is also a self portrait done through a few large mirrors. That in and of itself was a very challenging mind flip to work through. I used calibers to take down my measurements and of course I wanted to position my head to where it was impossible to see everything in one glance. Read more>>

Toni Butler

Two of my favorites: I founded Kensington Theatre Company in 2008. I believe theatre should enrich the lives of the people it touches. So, I had an idea in 2019 to produce The Fantasticks in honor my high school drama teacher, Russ Johnson. Russ was diagnosed with Alzheimers and I wanted to show him my love and appreciation before he didn’t remember anymore by producing his favorite musical. So, I selected a cast (two were actually in it in high school with Russ). We invited him to our first read through and he sang along with us. It was very sweet. Read more>>

Ekaterina Soyuznova

The project I’m gonna talk about has been in development for almost 2 years now if you don’t count the year it took to develop a solid idea. It is the biggest passion of mine right now. Ages ago i did a sketch of very weird characters. Some old lady with a huge nose had a very slimy green pet with a lot of teeth. When i found it again, I showed it to a close friend of mine and we had a moment of laughter. We talked about how this could be a cool portfolio project and jokingly started brainstorming about the world these 2 characters would live in. Read more>>

Renee Fleuranges-Valdes

Wow, the word ‘meaningful’ can be interpreted in so many different ways. I will share a personal piece and why it touched me so. Breast cancer is such a horrible disease. Actually all cancer is. But at a young age I remember my mother loosing one of her best friends to breast cancer. I remember where we both were at the time and the scene of my mother on a ladder and me sitting on a step vividly, because that is where we were when she told me. I couldn’t have been more than 7 years old. Read more>>

Chayla Cooper

During the 2020-2022 pandemic, I was laid off from my job of over a decade. During my tenure at my prior employment, I taught myself how to self-publish children’s books with my first book entitled, “Thank You God”. An homage to my African American family dynamic where gratefulness was instilled in me at an early age, I decided to tell MY story, something I rarely see in today’s children’s books. Continuing to practice my new skillset, I released my second book entitled, “You Belong”, to remind children that no matter the gifts of others, you are still valuable and needed. Read more>>

Mike Pennino

Currently, the most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my first album release called “Between You And I.” My heart behind the album was to be very transparent about myself, my life, and my faith in Jesus. I discuss different topics like God, faith, mental health issues, and more. I picked different types of hip-hop beats for the songs, and I was able to stretch myself as an artist. My goal with the project was to get real with my listeners and for them to hopefully see Jesus as Lord and Savior. That no matter what we go through, we can trust in Jesus and know that He truly loves us. Read more>>

Matthew Rojas

This is a hard question to answer! Right now, I’m finishing up my degree for a bachelor’s in Music Industry Studies, and that’s pretty meaningful. However, as meaningful as that is, I think it would have to be my latest music release, “Spirit in the Ground,” with my solo project, Beyond the Marsh. Beyond the Marsh originally started releasing music in early 2017 under the name “Matthew Rojas,” but changed to the new name as of 2021. The music is a mix of my favorite sounds and genres, pulling influence from metal bands such as Tool, and Metallica, as well as classical composers like Rachmaninoff, and Brahms. Read more>>

Tanner Castro

The most meaningful project that I have worked on in the wedding industry has to be the time that I filmed a micro wedding in the SLC, UT mountains early in the morning! There were a lot of emotions that day and it was such a small and intricate group that I was really able to get to know a lot of people. Plus the bride had some harry potter themed stuff so it was amazing to film and incorporate those into their final film! Read more>>

Jules Downum

Oh man. It’s hard to pick ONE meaningful project. There have been so many and they are meaningful for different reasons. I think I can focus in on two. One is the project we are working on now – it’s an immersive event series being held in the historic Coosa Mill in the fall of 2022. The other is the feature length film we created in 2020, title “The Light We Share,” which is premiering at the Nashville Film Festival in October 2022. Read more>>

Nicole Clauder

When I am commissioned, it is most often for a personal project on a subject near and dear to the client–a pet, a parent, a child, a spouse. They will often gush about the subject, or the person they are commissioning for, and sharing that passion with them brings a brightness to my work. After leaving the office life to pursue art, I enjoyed a little over a year teaching painting classes at a local wine-and-paint studio; has hard as the work was, and despite the pay, it was one of the best jobs I’d ever had. Read more>>

Monica Cioppettini

I find that working with costume jewelry as a medium makes all of my artwork extra meaningful. Jewelry is inherently a very personal item to its wearer, it is endowed with significant history whether it is a gift or passed down generationally, or won at a spring fair. Each piece of jewelry is embedded with a history, but then its discarded until I find it. I re-write the jewelry’s history by giving it a second life as artwork. I don’t wish to discount the history of each individual piece of jewelry, the parts of its bygone wearers that remain. Read more>>

Keith Terrell

It’s hard to narrow down one since I’ve had a chance to work on so many great projects. One of the most recent was a campaign I directed for Beats Headphones and Apple’s non-profit, Propel, called, “Living in Legacy”. That was was special because I got a chance to work with HBCU students and hear how they were either continuing a legacy or beginning their own. One of the students, Mia Moore actually designed the pair of headphones that was featured in the spot. It was pretty inspiring to hear their stories and what they are accomplishing and getting to document it for the world to see. Read more>>

Scotti Fraser

Recording my album has been an extremely meaningful project. As a US Marine Corps combat veteran of the Middle East wars, Telling my story of going to hell and back has been extremely meaningful. I hope to inspire other veterans and individuals suffering from personal trauma and hardship, but I am also finding that writing and recording songs is healing my brokenness from the invisible wounds of war. Read more>>

Crystal Martin

The most meaningful project I have worked on is a passion project called ‘Rich’s Department Store Rehabilitation.’ It was inspired by the desire to create a monumental space by reviving the original purpose of the building and space, as a nod to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. Born during a time of protests during the height of the pandemic, I believed that this project was appropriate. Unraveling a historic downtown story with the cultural significance of the Magnolia Room would create a space not would not only celebrate a city’s history but also elevate the community. Read more>>

Serena Malyon

I made a map around 7 years ago, and was tasked by a friend to write a story that takes place in that world. I ended up with a concept for a story that has lit my imagination on fire – once I came up with the more of the worldbuilding, I filled a sketchbook with dozens and dozens of illustration thumbnails. The concepts just come so easily, now that I’ve got a world I can explore that is all my own. Every time I have a break from client work, I can pull out my sketchbook and pick an illustration I’ve been meaning to work on for ages, and I have a new personal work ready to go for my portfolio. Read more>>

Federica Borlenghi

One of the most meaningful projects I worked on was “Reminiscence”, a community-based project I curated this past spring. Earlier this year, I received a phone call by Vittorio Capotorto, founding Artistic Director at Italytime Cultural Center, a non for profit based in the heart of the West Village. I volunteered there for a few years while I was in College, and eventually was hired to produce and creative direct a few events here and there. Read more>>

C. Neil Davenport

Being a screenwriter on Called Higher Studio’s first feature film, Camp Hideout (2022) was an extraordinary experience. It is a faith-based kid’s comedy staring Corbin Bleu, Ethan Drew, and Christopher Lloyd. At the time when I was brought on to the project, I was very green. Though I had worked on several projects prior with Jason Lee Brown, one of the film’s producers alongside Phillip Glasser, this movie was on another level and these gentlemen took a chance on me. To be trusted, guided, and mentored by these two producers was an honor and an education I hope happens again in the near future. Read more>>

Judie

Thinking ‘outside of the box’ I embarked on a few unique and bold projects with my eye on creating change and goodness for the planet. I converted my back and front yards to California native plants, teeming with a huge variety of species of plants and wildlife critters. Without any irrigation, my yard is a lush nature space with mini hiking trails inviting the public in. Read more>>

Nancy Natow-Cassidy

“Your work makes me so happy!” I hear this many times at every show, and I can’t begin to tell you how happy that makes ME. Color makes me Happy. I breathe deeper and my heart expands in the presence of color and organic shapes. While I often despair at the state of the world, and sometimes make paintings that express those feelings; the anger and frustration of violence and war, of racism and anti-semitism, I really try to “be here now” and am filled awe and wonder at the beauty of the natural world. Read more>>

Natalie Young

There have been several meaningful projects I have had the honor of being a part of during my writing journey. Some of these have included collaborations with writers from all over the world. There was a collaboration that stands out to me when a group of almost 15 writers (including myself) wrote about 3 of our favorite places where we each live. This was so much fun to learn more about various interesting places from all over the world. Read more>>

Cadence Hodes

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a recent custom order, it was so special from start to finish. I received the following email from the client after an article featuring my work was published in our local newspaper: “Reading the article in yesterdays Post-Dispatch could not have come at a better time. My husband and I celebrate our 15th “meetversary” on July 12th. Our song is “Strangers in the Night”…his father passed in January, and in sorting his albums, I found the 45 record. My husband does not know I found the record in his dad’s collection as I was saving it for the gift”. Read more>>