Timeless, Infinite Light was a nonprofit small press in Oakland, California, that published queer, radical, and experimental poetry. Over the duration of the six-year project, of which I was co-founder, I led the creative development of the brand’s story, strategy, and design, drawing from the Bay Area’s rich history of queer activism and mystical inquiry.
SCOPE
Creative leadership – Book design – Digital platform and ad design – Brand development – Marketing strategy – Content development – Author collaboration – Vendor relationships – Operations management
GRANTS + AWARDS
– Intersection for the Arts
– Lambda Literary Awards
– California Arts Council
– Southern Exposure
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Book Publishing + Design
FULL-LENGTH TITLES
Timeless, Infinite Light proudly designed and published books from a wide range of authors. Rather than following a templated design system, we leveraged visual references and production techniques thematically connected to each title in order to communicate ideas central to each work.
TRACT SERIES
Timeless, Infinite Light aimed to give voice to writers and artists who potentially found it difficult to find a home elsewhere — a place that welcomed experimental risks and bold ideas. To supplement our length titles, we developed the TRACT series: a recurring series of print works that existed between standard chapbook and full manuscript lengths.
Rebecca Heikkila
At the end of each volume of the TRACT series, we featured “Free Additional Content” that included excerpts from forthcoming Timeless, Infinite Light titles and original visual artwork by artists whose practices aligned with our fluid but rigorous approach, such as Phyllis Ma, Zach Ozma, and Jeffrey Cheung.
Phyllis Ma
Emily Goldface
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Brand Identity
Timeless, Infinite Light’s brand identity borrowed from past and present subcultures connected to the San Francisco Bay Area. It was important to us that the design aesthetic embrace the courage of our city’s radical social and creative forebears, while also breathing new energy into a publishing industry caught in outmoded conventions. Conceptual sources for our stylized brand expressions included mystical cults, psychedelic happenings, queer nightclubs, and early Silicon Valley utopianism.
ANNUAL PRINT CATALOG
An annual print catalog mailed to bookstores and industry influencers generated brand awareness and connection, as well as purchase orders.
BRANDED STATIONERY
Stylized envelopes, letterhead, and other printed collateral ensured the Timeless, Infinite Light brand remained cohesive and cool in any communication.
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Web Design + eCommerce
Direct-to-consumer sales were an essential component of our business model, from a logistical and purpose-driven perspective. Our goal at Timeless, Infinite Light was to support writers and the art of poetry as a discipline. Direct sales allowed us to build more personal connections with and deliver the best experience to our readers who spanned the globe. I developed and managed our ecommerce website, built on Shopify and customized with CSS and jQuery. The website also served to document events and content connected to the brand.
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Promotional Materials
SHORT FILMS
Using thrifty video equipment and no-budget shoots, we produced hours of short-form video content to engage our audience at events and across social media channels. This was the peak era of Facebook and Instagram, so a lot of short format “book trailers” as well as recorded performances, collaborations, etc.
– Book trailers
– Recorded performances and readings
– Artist collaborations
– Exhibitions (including MOMA PS1 in 2016)
ADVERTISING
– Print
– Retail display
– Social
– Web/digital display
UNSOLICITED BOOK REVIEWS
– The New Yorker
– Hyperallergic
– Los Angeles Review of Books
– BOMB Magazine
MERCHANDISE
Some books called for additional marketing components that would enhance and deepen the connections forged through the poetry — from book launch swag to subscription bundles. For these titles, we created products that aligned with indie sensibilities and added an element of delight to a reader’s book purchase.
