Missy J. Kennedy
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MOONRISE

HUMANxNATURE

In 2018, Haley E. D. Houseman and I partnered to publish a print anthology of new nature writing. The work would range from mythology to taxonomy to theology to post-colonialism; the tone would be meditative at times, urgent at others. Haley would edit and illustrate the contributors, and I would design and illustrate their essays. We opted against color printing to make the book more accessible. Creamy paper, neo-traditional fonts, and uncanny glyphs give the text a vintage touch, while ragged columns and oversized treatments keep it in company with contemporary literary zines. Light, gestural author portraits quietly capture their human counterparts, while vibrant line illustrations vibrate off the page throughout—bringing nature to the forefront of the exchange.

​This project was funded through Kickstarter in August 2018 and printed in the fall. It was awarded Second Place in Self-Published, Illustrated at the 2019 New England Book Show. 

Design and essay illustrations by Missy J. Kennedy.
​Editing and portraits by Haley E. D. Houseman.
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Elegant typography punctuated with boldness. Art doesn't overwhelm the design but supports it. Strong graphic artwork balances beautifully with the refined typography." — Judges' Comments

MOONRISE

In 2016, as a graduate student at Emerson College, I decided to take a magazine design course a few steps further. Rather than create a magazine concept from sample content, I pitched the first installment of a zine for emerging women creatives to my class and to my network of mutual followers on social media. The first installment—edited, designed, and produced that semester—centered around ritual in essays and fine art. That summer, I put out a call for submissions to a second installment, which focused on legacies in craft, poetry, and recollection—including a collection of memories of readers' grandmothers (one of my favorite things I've ever worked on). The text is neat but annotated with playful motifs and treatments, while co-opting hyper-formal elements like calligraphic drop caps and catalogue-style attributions—to bring weight and gloss to what feels, at heart, like a well-kept journal.

The first issue was awarded Best in Category in Student Interior Design at the 2017 New England Book Show.

​All told, just under 200 copies of this project (and as many moon stickers) went out to readers. 
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Love the vitality of this! All of the contributors' personalities come through. Legible type! Terrific portraits—we love the variety and quirkiness. Consistent use of design elements, titling type, handwritten-like font, drawn icons—this motif holds throughout. Incongruous and fun juxtaposition of gothic type with the handwritten font. Like the use of the pink color theme throughout—including photographs, icons, type." — Judges' Comments
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Writer, illustrator, marketer.
Project wrangler.
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