Catalina Museum for Art & History

Catalina Museum for Art & History. Where island life meets creativity and vision.

spanish tiles

Brand Vision

Catalina Island continues to be one of the world’s most iconic destinations full of rich history, culture, and adventure. Located in the heart of Avalon, the Catalina Museum for Art & History offers the best in art and history exhibitions, music and dance performances, lectures by guest speakers from all over the world, and the finest in silent, documentary, and international film. Catalina Island Museum came to Speak looking for both branding and website design that would help them tell the story of the island’s unique and vibrant history.

Graceland animated banner

Branding Details

Logo

We explored several different directions for the Catalina logo and overall brand tone. We ultimately landed on a logo that leverages the Spanish Mission style. This direction pulls inspiration from the decorative tiles seen on the outside of the building ("Art Deco Music Man" by Richard Keit) and the tiles that can be purchased at the gift shop.

This logo serves as a flexible option that can utilize multiple combinations of design and colors. The final iteration merges island motifs including waves and plants, with a cue to the visual arts — helping to communicate to tourists what they might expect from their visit to the exhibitions: to learn about the cultural connections that the art and history on view have to Catalina Island.

The brand guidelines also outline perimeters for a special use logo that utilizes exhibition imagery.

 

Other Logos Considered 

The various options explored ranged from different tile options to modern, minimalistic designs. 

 

Colors

Color is a powerful means of identification. Consistent use of the primary colors will help build visibility and recognition for the Catalina Museum brand. These colors were chosen to reflect the island and the welcoming environment of the museum. 

 

Branding Continued

In addition to creating a brand for the Catalina Island Museum, we were tasked with creating a new website that brought their new branding online. There were a few key elements that made sure the tone was carried through and that their goals were accomplished. 

Key Design Elements

The goal of the design was to bring the branding work to life with intentional movement and style choices. The diagonal edge seen in the logo is carried throughout the site’s imagery. You’ll also notice the slight wave movement and framing effect across the site. 

When working on the best solution for the new logo it was imperative to both the client and our team to imbue the mark with a sense of community. From characteristics of the building itself, such as the slanted road it resides on — to quintessential features of the island, including the waves, flora, and tile design — we did our best to create something that could be firmly rooted on Catalina Island for years to come.

- Gabby Windham, Designer

Headshot of Gabby Windham, Designer