Celebrating Lincoln as a Designer

The evening was a sublime anchor to a eventful and lengthy process of design for the 2009 Bicentennial Celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday at the Abraham Lincoln Association Banquet.

Over 800 people packed the room to hear President Barack Obama, Governor Jim Edgar, Senator Dick Durbin and Author Michael Burlingame.

The President spoke of Lincoln determination and hard work; he drew comparisons to inheriting a troubled nation; and he left us with the theme, “we are the last best hope on Earth.”

Humbled, I realized my part was insignificant to the task before us. The need to enrich the world we live, the need to keep mindful of the larger fight and not our daily peeves. What can I do to push the world around me to become a better place? I’m not sure the program I designed for the event was it, nor was the commemorative book Creativille designed for the event attendees.

Inspired, I believe I certainly shouldn’t diss the work that I do. The products of a designers labor have the power to evoke change, summon empathy, and inspire action. If I can pass along any wisdom that I absorbed from the speech by President Obama in the light of Lincoln’s legacy, is that its our duty as designers to step up to the challenge of transforming our times to a positive era as influencers of commerce, culture and community.

If you can, please share what you can do to improve the community in which you live and work.

AIGA share’s a few ideas

Filed under: 02 Be Passionate. (Inspirations), Recent Projects, 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Edwardsville Design Firm, Influencer

Abraham Lincoln Cookbook Design. Plus Recipe.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Volunteers have created this top-selling fundraising cookbook using Lincoln Era Recipes paired with recipes from the volunteers’ and staff’s own cupboard.

Creativille Designed Cookbook Goes on Sale to Raise Money for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Volunteers.

Take a pinch of history, sprinkle it with historic artifacts, mix well with recipes from staff and volunteers, and prepare to enjoy a new cookbook from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM).

The A. Lincoln Cookbook:  A Cookbook of Epic Portions is available in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum Gift Shop. The $39.99 cookbook features 623 recipes contributed by staff and volunteers, and includes a section of Lincoln era and Lincoln family recipes.

The dividers feature photographs of dining-related artifacts from the Library and Museum’s Lincoln collection.  Sections include appetizers and beverages; soups and salads; vegetables and side dishes; main dishes; breads and rolls; desserts; cookies and candy; and this & that.

Proceeds from the A. Lincoln Cookbook will help support programs for our volunteers, including continuing education, our volunteer resource library, and special tours.

There is a distinct stereotype of the fund-raising cookbook. If you are a collector of this genre, this is a must have. “We did not sacrifice the quality of work that we do for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, or any other client,” Steve Hartman states, “just because of what you think a fundraising cookbook should look like. The Volunteer’s Group didn’t want that. What we gave them was a museum-caliber design that eclipses the genre of non-profit volunteer cookbooks.”

The following recipe was adapted from “A. Lincoln Cookbook: A Cookbook of Epic Portions.” It was previously printed in The Ladies’ Home Journal of May 1923.

Mary Todd’s Pecan Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 eggs, separated
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 pound pecan pieces
1 pound raisins, chopped
1 cup orange juice
1/2 nutmeg seed, grated

Cream butter lightly and cream in the sugar. Beat egg yolks until frothy and add to sugar mixture.

Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Dredge nuts and raisins in 1/4 cup of flour mixture.

Alternately add orange juice and flour mixture to sugar mixture. Beat well.

Add pecans and raisins. Add nutmeg.

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Pour into greased and floured pan (tube or fluted) or two smaller round cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.

Buy the cookbook for $39.95 online at the Museum bookstore.

Filed under: Book Design, A. Lincoln Cookbook, Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Cookbook Design, Creativille, Fundraising Cookbook, Steve Hartman, Volunteer Cookbook