made human.
brand. art. space.
Bringing identity to life through brand, environments + art experiences.
brand.
uncover the character and give it form.
sometimes the form is > an idea. an identity. a campaign. 50 works of art. a 10,000-sq.ft. workplace. an entire city's visual identity.
the medium changes. the brand strategy doesn't.
CASE STUDY > City of Wheat Ridge
Civic Rebrand
finding the community within a citywide identity
Nearly 20 years in continued use. — City of Wheat Ridge identity, still active since 2008
2008 3CMA Savvy Award — City of Wheat Ridge Brand Redesign
"Michelle is one of the most brilliant, creative professionals I know." — Kristi Estes, Principal, CIG Public Relations
CASE STUDY > Red Touch Media
Experiential + Event Design
building an entertainment tech’s brand world that could travel
CES, Sundance, SXSW, Salt Lake City, London, South Africa
"Working with Michelle was so easy, it felt so effortless to get our thoughts out... Inspiring work and a pleasure to collaborate with." — Wayne Scholes, Founder, Red Touch Media
CASE STUDY > Qdoba
Persona Brand World
turning a fictional character into an experience
50+ original artworks. 30 days. — The Quentessa, Qdoba Mexican Eats
Featured in a Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Nov. 2015, bit about the lengths brands go to.
CASE STUDY > Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Institutional Reimagining + Rebrand
shaping public perception of a beloved nonprofit.
$1.5M in annual revenue. 39,000+ visitors. — SebArts, 2025
$157K raised against $25K in costs. — North Star Gala, by year three
1,000+ members. $1M+ in artist sales. — SebArts Open Studios
selected work >
past campaign and identity work where strategy, character, and visual thinking come together to feel distinct, purposeful, and memorable.
art.
Without a visual point of view, even an award-winning brand can still feel anonymous.
Art changes the brand experience.
space.
Off the page + into the world.
Your brand’s visual environment is talking to people all day long.
Engage them through art, graphics, color + material.
founder-led + personality-rich
founder-led brands | retail | workplaces | brand launches + activations
hospitality + lifestyle
boutique hotels | restaurants | wineries | spas | suites | retail
arts + culture
museums | cultural | performance venues | festivals | creative institutions | events
Michelle Carnes
For more than 25 years, I’ve shaped identities, campaigns, and environments through a practice grounded equally in creative direction and art. I can move from the strategy conversation to the identity, the artwork, the installation, or the environment — keeping the original idea intact from concept through execution.
Carnes Creative is intentionally founder-led, giving clients direct access to senior creative direction throughout the work. When a project calls for production, fabrication, technology, or installation expertise, I bring in trusted specialists rather than building unnecessary layers between the client and the creative thinking.
What interests me most is finding the character already inside a brand or place and giving it form — creating work with a distinct point of view, a sense of place, and enough personality to be remembered.