Challenge:
The Snowmass Ice Age discovery did not happen in a lab. It happened just outside Snowmass Village, uncovered unexpectedly during a construction dig, where an unthinkable number of fossils began emerging from the earth. The Village of Snowmass partnered with BLKDG to capture that sense of surprise, scale, and ongoing discovery, translating it into a digital experience that felt alive, approachable, educational, and exciting for the public.
As Art Director and Lead Designer at BLKDG, I was responsible for shaping a visual and experiential system that transformed a complex scientific story into something people could explore, interact with, and remember.
Response:
To fully understand the story, I needed to immerse myself in it. I dove into the published literature surrounding the discovery and visited the Denver Museum of Nature and Science alongside representatives from the Village of Snowmass, their branding team, and the Aspen Science Center. That experience provided firsthand insight into the fossils, the Ice Age time period, the scientists behind the excavation, the reconstructed animals, and the narrative techniques used to bring deep history to life. Being physically present with the artifacts helped shape how the digital experience should feel: immersive, intuitive, and slightly awe inspiring.
That sense of discovery happening everywhere became a core creative concept. I led the art direction toward an experience that invites users to uncover the story in digestible layers, much like the scientists did during the excavation. As the creative lead on the project, I helped pitch, present, and align multiple stakeholders, including the Village of Snowmass, Aspen Science Center, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and a third party branding team.
What We Did:
Working with a small, dedicated team at BLKDG, my primary focus included:
- Leading art direction and visual storytelling for the Snowmass Ice Age digital ecosystem
- Designing UX and UI systems that transformed scientific discovery into an interactive journey
- Collaborating on a custom WordPress build to support long term storytelling and scalability
- Conceptualizing and presenting interactive timelines that showcase high resolution fossil photography, highlight key excavation moments, and deliver detailed information through intentional hierarchy and architecture
- Structuring clear, cross site navigation to seamlessly guide users through The Discovery, The People, and The Fossils
- Helping conceptualize and design an AR mobile experience that allows users to place a full scale mastodon anywhere their phone is pointed
The AR app became a personal highlight of the project, transforming streets, parks, classrooms, and living rooms into Ice Age landscapes and reinforcing the idea that discovery can happen anywhere.
Results:
The final website and AR experience transformed the Snowmass Ice Age Project into an energetic, public facing destination that celebrates curiosity and wonder. Visitors can explore how the discovery unfolded across Snowmass Village, dive deeper into the science behind it and even place a full scale mastodon into their own environment with a simple tap on their phone.
