September Newsletter: Creative Corner— State Fairs at the Renwick, Adobe MAX 2025, Mono(ish) Font Trends & a Studio Shift into Fall

This September edition of Creative Corner is rooted in thoughtful transition—new offerings, new clients, and a renewed creative rhythm as summer gives way to fall. From adding a mentoring section to the Schweitzer Designs website to taking on deeper work inside the automotive supplier world, this month has been about meaningful pivots and the groundwork that enables bigger moves ahead.

We start with the State Fairs: Growing American Craft exhibition at the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.—a joyful, unexpected celebration of American creativity. Featuring more than 240 works, from seed-crafted portraits to the iconic life-size butter cow, the exhibit reframes state fairs as vibrant showcases of craft, community, ingenuity, and storytelling. Open through 2026, it’s a must-see for anyone who loves art that celebrates tradition through a modern lens.

The Conference Spotlight turns to Adobe MAX 2025, one of the most influential annual gatherings for designers, photographers, marketers, and digital creators. With keynotes, sneak peeks at upcoming Adobe tools, 200+ workshops and labs, and in-person networking events like MAX Bash, the conference is engineered to reignite creative passion and push the boundaries of digital storytelling.

In Trend Watch, we highlight the rise of mono(ish) fonts—monospaced and semi-monospaced typefaces making their way into brand identities, editorial design, and interface systems. With their structured, technical character, mono fonts bring a distinctive edge to modern layouts and are quickly becoming a go-to style in 2025 for brands seeking clarity, precision, and a hint of utilitarian cool.

This month’s Design Resource features Ladies Who Design, a creative studio and community dedicated to empowering women across branding, UX, photography, and digital design. Combining thoughtful visual work with mentorship and educational resources, the platform embodies the forward-looking, inclusive spirit of today’s design industry.

Our Studio Rec heads to Union Market with the D.C. opening of Chai Pani, the James Beard Award–winning Indian street food restaurant known for its bold, “mindblasting” chaat and vibrant flavors. Because every designer knows great work runs on inspiration—and the occasional perfect thali.

In What’s in the Oven, we share a behind-the-scenes look at Schweitzer Designs’ ongoing collaboration with Panther National. The full redesign of their golf members book is underway, elevating essential printed pieces with refined details, polished layouts, and the kind of finishing touches that transform everyday collateral into luxury brand experiences.

The edition wraps with studio openings for fall, offering opportunities for campaign development, brand refreshes, and full visual rollouts—ideal for teams looking to launch before year’s end.

Packed with design trends, creative events, typography insights, exhibit highlights, studio updates, and inspiration for the season ahead, this issue of Creative Corner offers thoughtful creative fuel for designers, marketers, and brand leaders.