Design Lecture Series w/ Marisa Bohlmann

The PNCA Design Lecture Series welcomes a broad range of creatives who are breaking expectations of what design can be and do in the world. On 12/23, join us for a special hands-on workshop with Creative Director Marisa Bohlmann exploring the threads between who you are and the work you create. Through guided prompts, you’ll design tarot-inspired cards that reflect your values, desires, and creative voice — creating a personal artifact to inspire your practice and help you attract the kinds of projects and people you desire across your life.

Marisa is passionate about helping creatives connect more deeply to their work and themselves — this workshop is less about “getting it right” and more about making space to discover what’s already there.

Join us!

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THROUGHLINES: A workshop connecting personal + professional practice***FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!***

PLEASE REGISTER so we can be sure we have enough space for everyone to work comfortably together.

Pacific Northwest College of ArtIn the first-floor Mediatheque511 NW Broadway, Portland, OR 97209

This will be an in-person event only!

What to bring:

• Any analog sketching materials or media you enjoy working with
• Yourself

Our 2025-26 Design Lecture Series explores, loosely, the theme of neighborhoods, and Marisa strives to build timeless brands that reflect the impact and connection they want to create within their communities. We invite you to take a closer look at the communities around you, whether mapped by shared interests or geographies, in all their wild variation: the intersections between us, the ways we differ, and how design builds connection.

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Marisa Bohlmann (she/her) is a Portland-based freelance Brand Design Lead and Creative Director. Her approach is rooted in curiosity, conversation, and play. She brings strategic thinking into projects to understand how every touchpoint, story, and experience fits together — ensuring brands feel cohesive and expansive. Marisa writes, "I see myself as a translator, turning the heart of a story into visuals and experiences that feel alive."

Marisa has grown into her practice by working with agencies like Studio Mega, Fine, Lippincott, and EPAM Continuum. Today, she is building relationships in the food & beverage and wellness spaces through her own business as a solopreneur. Along the way, she has helped brands like Nike, Jamba, and Eat Real bring their stories to life in ways that feel intentional. Whatever the scale, her goal is to create work that makes people pause, notice, and connect.

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Hosted by the BFA Graphic Design program at Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) since 2016, and co-founded with FISK, the PNCA Design Lecture Series welcomes in a diverse range of creative folks to explore the broad and vibrant potential of design. For more than 100 years, the Pacific Northwest College of Art has served as a dynamic creative center for emerging artists, designers, and creators. PNCA is part of Willamette University.

See more from Marisa at marisabohlmann.com or on instagram @marisabrands.

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Learn more about the PNCA Design community, including more about our program, inspiring student work, alumni, and faculty, at https://pnca.willamette.edu/academics/bfa/graphic-design/ or by following us on instagram @PNCADesign.

Event posters by Nico Bakh '25. All other images courtesy of our guest.

Host or Publisher Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies at PNCA