Grand Canyon National Park Centennial Posters

Gouache, watercolor, and ink, 2018

From January through April of 2018, Claire Loon Baldwin worked as a full-time volunteer with Grand Canyon National Park's Creative Media Department to create a centennial poster series.

Claire refined the proposed themes and developed the design, then created each poster entirely by hand. Mediums include ink, gouache, and watercolor. A million copies were distributed around the park and state of Arizona.

To learn more about the centennial poster themes, head to Grand Canyon National Park's website.

Services

Multimedia illustration
Image digitization
Poster mockup image creation
Social media design

A person stands at the edge of a rocky overlook in the Grand Canyon, holding a large vertical sign commemorating "100 Years of World Heritage" for Grand Canyon National Park, 1919–2019. The sign features a painted depiction of the Grand Canyon with stylized lettering. The dramatic canyon landscape stretches out in the background, with rugged red cliffs and the winding Colorado River below under a partly cloudy sky.

A vibrant watercolor illustration celebrating "100 Years of Starry Skies" at Grand Canyon National Park. The artwork features a silhouette of a person gazing upward at a dazzling, star-filled night sky surrounded by canyon cliffs and white flowers.

A colorful watercolor illustration titled "100 Years of History" showcasing the iconic Desert View Watchtower at Grand Canyon National Park. The tower stands tall amidst dramatic clouds and rocky terrain.

A commemorative watercolor illustration titled "100 Years of Shared Reverence" honoring Indigenous presence at Grand Canyon National Park. It features a circular emblem with tribal motifs, surrounded by canyon landscapes.

A watercolor illustration celebrating "100 Years of Exploration" at Grand Canyon National Park. It depicts a person paddling down a vibrant green river, surrounded by towering canyon walls.

A watercolor illustration titled "100 Years of Stewardship" celebrating Grand Canyon National Park. It features a California condor being released into the wild, soaring above a scenic canyon backdrop with a bold yellow sky.

A watercolor poster celebrating "100 Years of World Heritage" at Grand Canyon National Park. It features a dramatic aerial view of the canyon's geological formations from space, set against a black background.

A watercolor illustration titled "100 Years of Wonder" celebrating Grand Canyon National Park. It shows a silhouette of a person meditating on a cliff edge during a vivid, dreamlike sunset with colorful canyon formations.

A detailed watercolor illustration titled "100 Years of Learning" for Grand Canyon National Park. It depicts hands surrounding a central flowering plant with a bee, fossil, and various natural elements symbolizing the park's biodiversity and history.

A person holding a "100 Years of World Heritage" sign in front of the Grand Canyon's majestic rocky landscape under a soft, cloudy sky. The sign features an illustration of the Grand Canyon from an aerial perspective, highlighting its natural beauty and celebrating its World Heritage status from 1919 to 2019. The image sits within a frame of an instagram post from the Grand Canyon National Park.

A hand holding an open sketchbook with a watercolor painting of a lush waterfall surrounded by moss-covered rocks. Behind the sketchbook, the actual waterfall flows gracefully against a backdrop of red canyon walls, capturing the artist's inspiration. The image sits within a frame of an instagram post from the Grand Canyon National Park.

A close-up of a purple heart-shaped cactus pad adorned with sharp white spines. This vibrant and natural Valentine’s-themed image is paired with a caption mentioning the Grand Canyon National Park’s unique beauty during the winter season. The image sits within a frame of an instagram post from the Grand Canyon National Park.

A watercolor illustration of the Grand Canyon at sunset, featuring a silhouette of a meditating figure in the foreground with flowing hair. The vivid canyon landscape showcases layers of red, orange, and purple hues, with dramatic white steam or mist rising against a vibrant yellow and pink sky, emphasizing a sense of wonder and tranquility.

Capturing Grand Canyon

The centennial poster series was the culmination of Claire's two seasons working as an environmental educator and interpretive park ranger at Grand Canyon.

Creating these images was the project of a lifetime, a love letter to Claire's favorite place in the world. Claire created the artwork in hopes of inspiring people to continue supporting the park for centuries to come.

Read the blog

A Hands-On Approach to Illustration and Design

Claire drew from her lived experience in Grand Canyon to create each centennial poster entirely by hand. Each design was imbued with her experience backpacking through the canyon and along the North and South Rim.