From the Nominator

Each year, the University of Maryland hosts a reception to recognize donors with lifetime contributions of $250,000 or more. The event, Flagship’s Finest, provides an important opportunity for university leadership to connect with donors and celebrate the impact of their giving. In designing the invitation, our goal was to generate excitement and anticipation among invitees, while communicating the elegance and singularity of the event. We also wanted to highlight this year’s venue: the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Evoking a wind-sculpted rock formation, the building’s curvilinear design – with almost no straight walls—is a one-of-a-kind space built with natural materials. Native American elements feature throughout the building, including a dramatic, large-scale copper screen by Hopi artist Ramona Sakiestewa—a permanent museum installation that would also serve as the backdrop for the event space. As a nod to the venue’s organic features, the invitation’s striking cover design mimics the dramatic, undulating lines found in geological strata. We added embossing for a tactile experience and copper foil for its ability to capture and reflect light, just as Sakiestewa’s installation does in the museum. Together with the bronze, iridescent, cover-weight paper, the overall impression exudes warmth and grandeur. The invitation yielded a strong number of RSVPs and set the tone for an event as unique and elegant as the venue itself.

From the Judges

Overall, the concept and creativity with the creation of the invitation to match the building structure are innovative. They created a high-end piece and delivered well.