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Award shows are interesting. We rarely submit to them anymore. But recently we were notified that we won the Best Graphic Design Firm 2019 – Chicago from an organization in England. We know we will be the best in Chicago this year. And to support that feeling I was offered a wide range of plaques, personalized press releases, a stylish slate trophy as well as “a bespoke package including all of the items you will need to promote the award on a grander scale.” So congratulations to us, I am hoping the slate is super bespoke!

We’re fascinated by the art created by Vasco Mourão, a Barcelona-based sculptor and illustrator who is using his talents to help clean up the ocean around the Azores, an Atlantic archipelago. Mourão creates and sells “Face Plastic”—abstract sculptures that he makes from recovered plastic trash. Half of the proceeds are then donated to The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit founded by Dutch inventor Boyan Slat that uses a current-aided filter to extract plastic from some of the largest “garbage patches” in the world’s oceans. It’s an international effort—and a great example of design that's improving the planet.

What started out as a “crazy idea” in 2015 has become a recognized art empowerment movement in Chicago. Conceived by Rich Alapack, we all live here supports arts initiatives in schools and unites communities by spreading its mantra of inclusivity throughout the city. That’s what we call walking the walk.