Whether busy in the field or in the kitchen, those working on the front lines of our local food movement often don't have time to sit down at a computer to tell their stories. That's where Lauren Elizabeth comes in. With web-savvy skills and an artful eye, Lauren joined the Farmers Guild this past summer to help build an online tool we called "Follow the Rooster", an interactive website that captures the stories of local food heroes, maps the next generation of farmers, and invites everyday people to recognize the unique actions that help build a more sustainable way to feed our communities.
Lauren Elizabeth is the mastermind behind Ruffles Art Studio in San Francisco. She makes fresh, fun designs for small businesses with a specialty in bringing a handmade, organic element to websites, business cards, logos and other collateral, and walking the lines between illustration, photography and design.
According to Lauren, "Making the website and artwork for Follow the Rooster was super fun! I wanted to get involved in this project because local farms are not only small businesses, but one of my favorite kinds. I live in the city now, but my heart will forever live in the country. As a kid, some of my happiest days were spent raising fancy rabbits, chasing chickens, riding horses and learning how to keep every animal around. From goats to gerbils, I wanted to learn how to take care of it (and photograph it, and draw it). My first design projects were making illustrated logos for show rabbit folks - not many people had logos for their rabbitries back then. Those little logos helped offset my art school costs, made people happy and made rabbitries memorable. I still see people using them at the rabbit shows - design is timeless."
Lauren came to professional design work through starting a pet photography and portrait studio. There she learned just how important branding, marketing and design is when you’re small--like most of the farmers who gather at the Guild each month. It’s critical that these kinds of businesses stand out from the crowd and find the right customers. "You’re not trying to attract everyone," says Lauren, "It’s very personal, and it can be tricky to see what makes you unique. But those differences are your biggest assets! You gotta rock what you’ve got."
Lauren Elizabeth is the mastermind behind Ruffles Art Studio in San Francisco. She makes fresh, fun designs for small businesses with a specialty in bringing a handmade, organic element to websites, business cards, logos and other collateral, and walking the lines between illustration, photography and design.
According to Lauren, "Making the website and artwork for Follow the Rooster was super fun! I wanted to get involved in this project because local farms are not only small businesses, but one of my favorite kinds. I live in the city now, but my heart will forever live in the country. As a kid, some of my happiest days were spent raising fancy rabbits, chasing chickens, riding horses and learning how to keep every animal around. From goats to gerbils, I wanted to learn how to take care of it (and photograph it, and draw it). My first design projects were making illustrated logos for show rabbit folks - not many people had logos for their rabbitries back then. Those little logos helped offset my art school costs, made people happy and made rabbitries memorable. I still see people using them at the rabbit shows - design is timeless."
Lauren came to professional design work through starting a pet photography and portrait studio. There she learned just how important branding, marketing and design is when you’re small--like most of the farmers who gather at the Guild each month. It’s critical that these kinds of businesses stand out from the crowd and find the right customers. "You’re not trying to attract everyone," says Lauren, "It’s very personal, and it can be tricky to see what makes you unique. But those differences are your biggest assets! You gotta rock what you’ve got."
| If you’re a farmer, crafter or maker in need of design or website work, visit www.rufflesartstudio.com or send Lauren an email at [email protected] and mention Follow the Rooster - she'll help you grow some delicious organic designs! |
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