Project: Bees of the Puget Sound Lowlands (Pocket Field Guide)

Client/Publisher: The Common Acre (Seattle)

Role: Art Direction / Design

Printer: Lithtex Northwest, Bellingham

For several years now I’ve worked with The Common Acre, a Seattle non-profit working to restore relationships between people and the land through ecology, agriculture, community, and art. In 2018 they were able to realize their long-time dream of leveraging their data to create a pocket field guide to bees in the Puget Sound region. Together with a dedicated team of scientists, authors, researchers and photographers, I helped bring to life the first guide of its kind in our region.

“While bees are a natural part of our ecosystem, habitat loss, agriculture, and climate change cause species to move, and some once common species are now at risk.”

— BEES OF THE PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS

Designed to help outdoor enthusiasts recognize and appreciate some of the common bees of our region, the guide features 100 bee species in 22 genera, both native and introduced, that The Common Acre found in recent surveys conducted with Seattle City Light and the Port Authority.

“Most bees rarely sting, few make honey, and they come in a wide array of colors and sizes.”

— BEES OF THE PUGEST SOUND LOWLANDS

One of the most challenging parts was creating a simple, easy-to-use identification system that was easy for the average home gardener to understand. Through color and simple iconography, we achieved an easy way to understand what time of year each type of bee was active, how it nested, size, and where it carries its pollen — all key factors in proper identification of these important pollinators.


The photos in this guide are stunning, but I can’t post any more pages of our hard work without compromising our goal of funding pollinator conservation work in Washington State!

To enjoy the full guide, please purchase the water-resistant pocket-sized book direct from The Common Acre: commonacre.org/bee-guide/.

 

Contributors: Written by Paige Embry and Kurt Sahl. Edited by Elias Bloom, Will Peterman, Allison Rinard, and Evan Sugden, PhD. Researched by Evan Sugden, PhD and Will Peterman. Photography by Will Peterman. Print production advisory by Jess Robinson / Lithtex Northwest. Art Direction & design by Amy E. Redmond.


Experienced with working in agency and studio settings, Amy Redmond is an art director and visual designer who thrives on variety, creating print and interactive work for corporate and non-profit clients. To keep her creativity refreshed, Amy balances digital design with time in her letterpress studio (Amada Press) in Seattle. She teaches typography at the School of Visual Concepts and letterpress printing at Partners in Print, where she also serves as a founding member of PiP’s Leadership Team.

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March 9, 2019