By Christina Dillabough, Designer/Editor, and Stephen J. Hustedt, Director of Communications
What began as a competition became a collaboration that resulted in the 2013 Desert Southwest Annual Conference Logo. Upon reviewing the submissions for the Annual Conference logo competition announced in November 2012, one submission surfaced for the decision committee, but it felt somehow incomplete.
The winning entry in the annual Conference logo contest asks members to Imagine.
The submission was from a team that preferred to remain anonymous, but they were very open to collaboration with Conference Communications, the Annual Conference Worship Team, and the office of Bishop Bob Hoshibata. Following weeks of collaboration and refinement, the final logo was selected.
“For worship we are looking at images from the Hubble telescope as the central image. We will start with the creation story and focus on what God imagines,” Rev. Susan Brims, Annual Conference Worship Leader, shared about some of the thoughts that went into refining the Annual Conference Logo. “When God dreamed of creating all that is – what was God’s dream? And throughout history what challenges have there been? What has been a blessing?”
The starburst in the center of the dream catcher was also inspired by images from the Hubble telescope, but each element of the logo design has meaning.
“The cross needed to be the central image but even within the cross the idea of what the cross represents is immeasurable. Imagine what God has in store for each individual, for The Desert Southwest Conference, and for mankind,” explained DSC Designer/Editor, Christina Dillabough, who tirelessly worked and reworked the design throughout the collaborative process. “Further-more, nearly every part of the dreamcatcher has a meaning: The hoop represents the circle of life. The net or webbing is said to catch bad dreams and the hanging feathers are a means for the good dreams to flow down to the dreamer. The beads often represent the number of good dreams caught and ready to go to the dreamer.”
In the case of the Conference Logo, the Annual Conference theme “Imagine…” was also worked into the dream catcher as well as being placed below the entire image.
Once again The Desert Southwest Annual Conference will be held at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa.
The team working on refining the logo was led through the entire process by Bishop Bob, who was as pleased as the decision committee with the final outcome. The hope of the Bishop and the entire team that brought about the final product is that this logo will serve as an inspiring visual representation of the spirit of awe and imagination that will begin at Annual Conference and be carried throughout the year.
