Last Updated:
September 29, 2023
Legacy of the Sarah E. Johnson Farm
1911, 1970, 2018
My paternal family history began in 1911. That was the year the Sarah E. Johnson Farm was established by my’ 3x great-grandparents. The stable that is now home to Studio Seals/Vocal Type was built by my 3x great-grandfather in 1911. ¶ Sarah raised my dad on this 50-acre farm, 10 miles outside of Washington, D.C. She was a strong-willed businesswoman who ran the farm, a foster home, and a boarding house. She was even on the board of a bank. ¶ She passed those business skills onto my dad, and he onto me. In 1970, he made an addition to the stable. In 1980, he started his company on the same farm. He and my mom have been running the company since 1990. ¶
As for me, after going full-time freelance in 2016, I realized that it was time to move into a place where my talent could flourish, and I new that I wouldn’t be inspired by what thousands of other designers see in any city daily. So, my dad and I broke ground in September 2016 and began a new legacy on the Sarah E. Johnson Farm. ¶
Studio
Down To Business
My Approach
Honesty is a huge deal for me. Most times, I’m too honest. Sometimes, that makes people uncomfortable, but that has nothing to do with me. Honesty is such a huge part of my practice because I’m a storyteller first and a designer second. So, I don’t have a truly defined approach because each partnership is different. ¶
Some partners trust me enough to give me control over the project. Others like to be more collaborative because they want this process to be a learning experience. Regardless of how involved you’d like to be, I live and work by this ethos. Everything happens for a reason, and so should every design decision. That’s how the best work gets made. ¶
Some Partners You May Know
- AARP
- American Institute of Architects
- Apple
- Atlanta Hawks
- Black+Decker
- Brooklyn Museum
- Chronicle Books
- Coca Cola
- Compass
- Everpress
- Experian
- Harper Collins
- HBO
- Hewlett Packard Enterprises
- Hulu
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Mother Design
- NBC
- Netflix
- Nike
- Panasonic
- Penguin Randomhouse
- Pentagram
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Rowing Blazers
- Spike Lee
- Stacey Abrams
- The Standard Hotel
- Target
- Time Magazine
- United Nations
- USPS
- Whole Foods Market
- WeTransfer
- Whole Foods
- Wieden+Kennedy
- Wix
- YouTube