Artists For Humanity

Preserve’s new Lightweight Pouch designs are here! And… a lot of people put a lot of work into the beautiful designs that are now on store shelves. Our Lightweight Pouch needed a makeover, and we wanted to celebrate the power of the artists and designers who make a positive difference in our world.

With this in mind, we turned to our friends at Boston-based nonprofit Artists For Humanity—an incredible place that provides jobs in the arts for Boston Area teens—led by its Founding Executive/Artistic Director Susan Rodgerson. We hired AFH for the job, shared rough ideas of what we were looking for, and a host of talented teen artists from AFH's Graphic Design Studio came forward with proposed designs.

While it was hard to narrow it down, Preserve ultimately chose the work of three artists: Jenni Ogaus, Jonathan Pinchera, and Jordan Nelson whose work now covers our Ultra Soft, Soft, and Medium pouches respectively.

Of the design inspiration, participant turned assistant mentor Jordan Nelson explains, "The inspiration behind my design for the Preserve toothbrush packaging was the toothbrush itself. I thought to myself, 'what better way to communicate the mood of the product than by using it as an art tool?' That is when I had the idea of taking an actual toothbrush to create streaks across the package using watered down acrylic paint. I wanted my design to show a sense of energy."

To get from the initial designs to the final package, there were votes by the Preserve team (which included some healthy debate), followed by co-development with the artists as the designs were refined. A whole lot of waiting came next as the packages went to production. Now, we are thrilled to announce that Jenni, Jonathan, and Jordan’s work is “Live.” With each package sold, a portion of proceeds will go to support Artists For Humanity and other creative organizations making a powerful impact on their communities.

Artists For Humanity’s Jordan Nelson reflects, "Knowing that my design is out on the shelves of major grocery stores is exciting. Getting the opportunity to send my art into the world is always a blessing to me."

Preserve Founder and CEO Eric Hudson notes, “Engaging young artists to help show appreciation for people taking the time to create beauty for each other is really rewarding. Artists For Humanity is one of the most innovative and creative places we have worked with in Massachusetts. We are so excited to support such a great organization and to showcase the work of these amazing young artists.”

Artists For Humanity’s mission is to bridge economic, racial, and social divisions by providing under-resourced urban youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in art and design. To learn more visit afhboston.org.

Photos on this page courtesy of Artists For Humanity