Remembering Tee
Tee Hamilton was simply ahead of her time. She exuded creativity and she was unapologetic about who she was. She spoke excitedly and she wore her heart on her sleeve. She wrote poetically long emails and her phone calls rarely lasted less than two hours. She challenged people and she even frustrated some people, as some people frustrated her.
She was a badass. She IS a badass.
Tee spread the gospel of creativity to anyone who would listen. Her illustrations were gorgeous. Her designs were original and cutting edge, and she was a pioneer for pushing creative boundaries in the promotional products space. She didn’t see logos, she saw brand stories, and she helped the rest of us start seeing brands instead of logos, too.
Tee was also instrumental in the launch of PromoKitchen in 2011. Her passion and creative drive guided PK through its early years, and she contributed an incredible amount of educational content on how to be creative in an industry that was so used to selling out of a catalog. She stood against all of that and it was her mission to help the rest of us understand why and she inspired us to stand against it, too.
Tee had a fierce determination to break barriers and she led with creativity, courage, and authenticity. She didn’t want to just be better, she wanted to be different, and the Tee Hamilton Creators Award honors her spirit by supporting bold, creative thinkers who refuse to settle for the status quo. This scholarship isn’t just about financial support. This scholarship is a call to action for the next generation of misfits, dreamers, and boundary-pushers in the promotional products industry.
So…. What are you waiting for?!
Her Industry Impact
Tee’s impact can be felt throughout the Industry, even today. She created many of the logos we know today.
Commonsku skubot
MIPPA Tom Cat
Artwork for marketing campaigns like this one from 3K Promotions
And our very own PK logo!