Artfully crafting the Run Proud Collection

Artist, illustrator, writer

Lisa Congdon has built a career as a fine artist and illustrator that has led to partnerships with major brands and earned her a global following. Her trajectory is remarkable when you consider she didn’t even pick up a paintbrush until she was 31 years old. Without any formal artistic training, she developed a unique style that is bright, playful, and inspiring.

In addition to her artwork, Lisa has also authored 10 books and spends time teaching and mentoring on creative entrepreneurship.

A proud member and advocate of the LGBTQ+ community, Lisa lives with her wife, Clay, in Portland, Oregon.

The collaboration

Lisa cites running as an early love that ended when she developed an arthritic knee. These days, she’s an avid cyclist and when we approached her about collaborating, she saw Brooks as an ideal partner.

“I have dreamed of working for a really long time with a sportswear brand, especially one that cares so deeply about the world,” said Congdon.

We felt the same way about working with her. For Brooks x Lisa Congdon, she created the designs for the recently released apparel.

Lisa integrates written messages into much of her work. Graphics include phrases like: “Every mistake is progress” and “Consider everything an experiment.” For the apparel in the Brooks collab, she incorporated a bold rainbow and sun mosaic with the message: “Freedom to Be You.”

The vibrant Run Proud design also reflects her own outlook as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

“It really was an honor to create a design that speaks to queer joy,” said Congdon.

Going further together

We wanted to take our partnership with Lisa a step further and asked her if there was a charitable organization she was interested in. She suggested Camp Brave Trails, a camp dedicated to building the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders. Stay tuned for updates on the amazing event we held with the campers and ways you can help too.