When Watermark partnered with Friends of Cville to brand Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, we knew the logo was only the beginning.
A place this loved needed an identity that lives where the community does. So we built a full system around it: a custom illustration suite drawn from the mall itself ( the lampposts, the café tables, the storefront arches, the mountains in the distance), a palette inspired by its lively energy, and an anniversary lockup marking 50 years since 1976.
Now it’s out in the world, from banners down the brick-paved strip, to storefront windows, utility boxes, merch and more. The new Cville brand doesn’t just represent this place, it lives here now.
For the 2026 Virginia Theatre Festival, Watermark developed a show art series built on a single tension: Momentum & Misdirection
Every story this season moves fast, but never the same way twice. Newsies surges on collective force. Frida races on emotion and identity in flux. Moriarty advances through strategy, traps, and the slow click of a puzzle clicking into place.
The throughline? Forward motion under pressure, where the stakes climb and the pace tightens.
The Virginia Theatre Festival runs on exactly that kind of range, drawing artists from across the nation alongside the local talent that keeps Virginia`s stages alive. #theatre #theatreproduction...
It`s been a minute since we`ve shown our faces on social, so we thought we`d re-introduce the humans behind Watermark and the work you see on this feed.
First up: our Founder, Darcey Lacy.
Since 2007, Darcey has been growing Watermark into the national presence it is today, driven by the belief that great design drives sales. Her daily goal is simple — improve our clients businesses through great design. While we work across a wide range of industries, we found a natural niche in beverage, thanks to an early love of wine tasting that evolved into a wide range of libations over the years. Her current passion lies in helping shape places and products.
Outside of Watermark, Darcey loves traveling (travel sports included 😉), the beach, all things Philly and a good candle. When she`s not in downtown Charlottesville, you`ll find her on the farm with her husband and two boys....
A few days of inspiration, connection, and creativity at FAB 2026. ✨
We loved spending time with so many talented women shaping the future of food, beverage, hospitality, and design. From thoughtful conversations and fresh ideas to new friendships and familiar faces, we left feeling energized by the passion and innovation within this incredible community.
Thank you to everyone who shared their story, struggles and successes to make this year`s conference so memorable....
For Motherwell Distilling Co., every detail begins with a sense of place.
Brickwater Bourbon draws inspiration from Alexandria, Virginia`s rich history of craftsmanship, industry, and community. At its center, a custom copper-foiled badge features the iconic Hooff`s Run Bridge—a nod to the city`s roots and the enduring connections that helped shape the neighborhood around it. Paired with bold typography and architectural forms, the label celebrates the character, pride, and local heritage that define both the brand and the spirit inside the bottle....
Every great brand starts with a story worth telling. For @sunora_bacanora that story is rooted deep in the Sonoran desert – its cracked red earth, its agave fields, its untamed wildlife. Watermark built a brand identity as wild and intentional as the land it comes from.
The illustrated iconography at the heart of the system – a desert eagle, flowering agave Pacifica, and a coiled snake – captures the spirit of Sonora in a single scene. From there, every element of the packaging was designed to match the same intention – from the custom bottle to a hand-stamped wood cap and metallic seal medallion, the kind of details you notice the moment it’s in your hands. El espiritu de Sonora
