The Process: The Backyard Buoys team was fortunate to be introduced to graphic designer Ms. Santa Moreno for our logo. When we first reached out to Santa, we did not even have a team name finalized, but we knew our vision for the project: to get wave data into the hands of Indigenous communities via a process they own. We also had a one-pager describing our project, and a list of keywords: stewardship, community, ocean data, wave buoy, user-friendly, lower-cost, real-time, safety and livelihoods, and Indigenous. Santa received these pieces, plus a vague concept of a buoy in hand, and she created the first iteration of what would be refined to become a logo of which we are all very proud.
The Logo: The logo, as Santa describes it, includes two hands merging with the ocean, holding a buoy, with all the elements encompassed within a circle to symbolize harmony and collaboration. It is a more traditional and organic design, but with a more modern look. The Backyard Buoys team loves the logo, especially the overall feel of it, which is dynamic and loving, and what the circle represents. It is a wonderful representation of the passion and community behind the entire project.
The Artist: Santa is a joy to work with. Originally from Mexico, she collaborated with us to fine tune the logo through an iterative process, providing multiple options, listening openly to our feedback, offering her professional input, and ensuring that we were happy with the end products. While Santa still designs logos and other materials at request, she spends her artist hours exploring technique, texture, and color in watercolors. Santa has had exhibitions across Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, where she resides. To learn more about Santa, please visit her website at: https://www.santamorenowatercolors.com/the-artist or follow her on Instagram @santamorenowatercolors.