As an active member of the Minneapolis climbing community, the Bouldering Project has been my gym for years. When they announced a shirt design contest to the community, I saw it as more than just a fun challenge — it was a chance to design something that could speak to a community I am a part of.

The Problem The hardest part wasn't coming up with ideas — it was finding the right visual language. The design needed to feel at home within the gym's existing brand while also capturing something raw and authentic that climbers would actually want to wear. It couldn't feel corporate or generic. It had to earn its place on someone's back.

The Approach I leaned into what makes climbing culture distinct — the grit, the community, the obsession — and let that drive the creative direction. From there, I extended the designs beyond the contest brief, building them out into shirts, stickers, and tote bags just to see the full vision realized. Sometimes the best design work happens when you give yourself permission to run with it.