HEARTS ARE FULL
Three days. One room. More than we could have hoped for. Thank you to everyone who showed up for Creative Works WEST 2026 in Seattle. Your presence, your openness, and your belief in this community made it everything it was. We're still processing. Photo recap coming soon.
The industry keeps chasing faster, cheaper, more—more content, more outputs, more “efficiency.” Meanwhile, the people who actually make the work are burned out, laid off, and told to keep up with the machines. If you’re tired of the algorithm running your career, you’re not alone.
Creative Works WEST 2026 exists to push back. For three days in Seattle, creative professionals—designers, illustrators, hand letterers, storytellers, commercial artists, and creative leaders—come together to talk honestly about the work: how it really happens, what it costs, and why it matters. You’ll get real connection, real vulnerability, and hands-on instruction that treats what you do as a craft and a trade to be revered, not just content to feed a platform.
Soul Over Scale is our line in the sand. We’re here to trade shortcuts for substance, scale for soul, and algorithms for real work and real lives. If that’s the kind of career you want to build, we’d love to see you in Seattle.
PRESENTERS & INSTRUCTORS
LEADERSHIP
We elevate leaders for the depth of their practice and the conviction behind their work—not their follower count. At WEST, you’ll learn from creatives who’ve built careers on craft, courage, and long-term impact, and who are still in the thick of it. Explore their work below and meet them in person this spring.
Hands-on sessions led by masters of their craft will give you a deep dive into creative skills like branding, illustration, motion, hand lettering, storytelling, and letterpress printing. Workshops are open only to conference attendees and have very limited seating. Register today.
SKILL-BUILDING
WORKSHOPS
AM BLOCK SAT 10AM - 1PM
#ILLUSTRATION
Process is the Point: Illustration Systems & Strategy
Teresa Grasseschi, Designer, Illustrator & Muralist
Learn how to build illustration systems that are grounded in research, strategy, and clear decision-making. In this workshop, Teresa will walk through her process for concepting illustration work, creating research decks, embedding brand thinking into briefs, maintaining narrative consistency across touchpoints, and presenting work to clients with confidence. This session focuses on using process as a strategic advantage—not just a step toward execution.
#LETTERING
Composition Catalyst: Level Up Your Lettering & Typography Layouts
Dan Lee, Artist, Writer, Illustrator & Designer
Learn how to create stronger, more intentional lettering and typographic compositions that hold up across real-world applications. This workshop focuses on building and evaluating layouts with clarity, hierarchy, and purpose, whether for merchandise, social, or brand work. Dan will share practical principles and exercises to help you make better compositional decisions and bring more structure and confidence to type-driven design.
#BRANDING
From Values to Clarity: A Practical Workshop in Brand Longevity
Matt Lehman, Designer, Illustrator & Art Director
Learn how to translate brand values into clear, durable design decisions that last beyond trends. In this three-hour workshop, Matt will guide participants through a practical brand-building workflow that starts with what a business stands for and ends with a cohesive identity system. This session is focused on clarity, structure, and creating work that remains consistent and credible as brands grow.
#LETTERPRESS
Letterpress Printing as Resistance
Amy Redmond, Printmaker & Art Director
Learn how to use letterpress printing as a hands-on, human counterpoint to digital design. In this workshop, participants will work with wood type and hand-inking techniques to create an expressive poster while embracing imperfection and process. The session emphasizes slowing down, working with intention, and understanding how physical making can add meaning and weight to creative work.
PM BLOCK SAT 3PM - 6PM
#MOTION
Motion Basics That Sell
Doug Fuchs, Illustrator & Animator
Learn how to use motion design fundamentals to create animated work that gets noticed and communicates clearly. In this beginner-friendly After Effects workshop, participants will learn core animation principles and apply them to a simple motion asset. You’ll leave with a repeatable foundation you can confidently use in client, brand, and social projects.
#LOGOTYPE
Logotypes by Hand
James Edmondson, Type Designer, Author & Founder at Oh No Type Co.
Learn how to design custom logotypes by hand with clarity, personality, and control. In this workshop, participants will create a logotype for an imaginary brand while learning how to extract type parameters, sketch and refine letterforms, and prepare work for vectorization. The session covers ideation, iteration, spacing, and style matching to ensure lettering supports brand intent.
#WEBSITES
BREAKING THE TEMPLATE: STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING WEBSITES OFF THE GRID
Clare Freeman, Co-Founder, Pretty Useful Co.
Learn how to build distinctive websites without relying on rigid templates, large budgets, or long timelines. This workshop explores practical ways to express brand personality through layout, custom code, interaction, and light motion. Clare will also cover where to begin with code if you’re new, focusing on strategies that make sites feel intentional, human, and original.
#STORYTELLING
Storytelling for Survival
Brian McDonald, Filmmaker, Story Consultant & Author
Learn how to identify and communicate the core beliefs that give brands strength, direction, and longevity. In this three-hour workshop, Brian will guide participants through uncovering narrative structure, translating conviction into language, and expressing story with clarity and consistency. This session focuses on building stories that endure by telling the truth clearly and intentionally.
CREATIVE WORKS WEST POP-UP
MARKET VENDORS
Discover limited-edition prints, apparel, zines, pins, and uncommon goods from designers, illustrators, and makers from across the country. The Creative Works Pop-Up Market is free and open to the public Friday & Saturday, May 1–2, at Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center—come support independent creatives and find something truly one-of-a-kind. Interested in vending? Send us a link to your shop.
Interested in vending?
Send us a link to your shop.
CREATIVE WORKS WEST '26
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Creative Works WEST is a group effort. The organizations below aren’t just logos—they help keep tickets accessible, workshops possible, and this community going. Interested in supporting this event? Don't hesitate to reach out.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
EDUCATION PARTNERS
Interested in supporting Creative Works WEST ‘26? Don’t hesitate to reach out.
COMMUNITY AT THE CORE.
Creative Works offers an intimate, welcoming, and ego-free conference experience designed to empower and connect. For over a decade, we’ve built a genuinely community-focused atmosphere that fosters new relationships and creative growth.
Share daily drinks and meals with fellow attendees and event leaders who are excited to be there—and to meet you.
THIS ISN’T ABOUT FAME, FOLLOWERS, OR FAST MONEY.
It’s About Craft, Conviction, and Building a Career That Lasts.