NEWS
bylee design . art that speaks life
Welcome. This page is a living archive and collection of over 15 years of industry experience spanning San Francisco and Sydney. It tracks the creative journey deeply rooted in human-centred design, market research, intentional visual communication and sustainability across multiple mediums.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVES & Book Design for Press Freedom Feature
The Legacy of the Yuyitung Brothers: Redesigning a History Book for the Modern Library
Every piece created by bylee design is born from a slow, deliberate immersion in truth. The redesign of The Case of the Yuyitung Brothers: Press Freedom Under Siege represents far more than a standard book project. It became a profound exploration of shared human principles, integrity, and generational honour.
- The Evolution of a Design: Having designed the original book cover in the 1990s under the constraints of limited digital and photographic resources, Bernee Lee was recently asked to locate the original source files for a modern reprint. Recognising how the landscape of visual storytelling has evolved, she chose instead to entirely redesign the book cover, intentionally crafting it to hold space within the modern library.
- The Immersive Process: True to her human-centred design framework, Bernee read every page of the text before sketching design ideas. To capture the living pulse of the narrative, she interviewed the children of journalist Rizal Yuyitung, gaining an intimate understanding of the family. This engagement led to a profound personal experience of generational alignment in principle and honour across the seas—a reminder that though we may be separated by land, our values live deeply within us.
- An Unrequested Collaboration: Though it was outside her official brief, Bernee took the initiative to involve the family directly in the creative approval process—a deeply meaningful step, particularly given that Rizal’s widow, Veronica L. Yuyitung, is herself a distinguished national artist. The process resulted in the synopsis being authored by Rizal and Veronica’s grandson.
- The Symbolic Cover: The resulting cover deliberately utilises precise, symbolic colours that represent the Philippine flag, historical political alignment, and colour psychology.
Book Cover Design v.2, reprint 5, by Bernee Lee
Behind the scenes. https://canva.link/gyzoqj2d45wtlye
DIGITAL STRATEGY & MARKETING INSIGHTS
The Evolution of Novateck
For bylee design, true success is not only measured on the impact of the initial launch—it is found in the continuous momentum and growth of the businesses we partner with. We are always deeply excited when clients reach out to re-order uniforms and business cards, or ask us to design custom brand-aligned vehicle wraps for their growing need of company service vans. To us, these requests are the tangible, living evidence of their business expanding and the absolute effectiveness of their branding in the real world.
Our holistic identity revamp for Novateck completely transformed a small company with big ideas into a dynamic, highly respected market leader. By engineering a distinct visual system that spans from everyday print essentials to high-impact mobile van wraps, we gave them a concrete presence that granted them a true competitive edge.
What the Client Says:
“Novateck is a small company with big ideas. I want to create a brand that exemplifies quality work and fast turnaround time that clients can remember and identify with. Bernee gave me that and more when I hired her as my branding consultant. Her work was beyond my expectations. Her branding gave the company a perception that I was searching for. Her branding gave my company a competitive advantage against my competitors. I can’t thank her enough for the great work she did.”
— Daniel M, Novateck CEO
“I couldn’t ask for a better designer. Bernee has been instrumental to my business success. Her design and marketing insight is phenomenal. Her creativity on the revamp of my company’s identity has transformed into a dynamic and respectable perception. She is a hard worker and she is easy to work with. I can’t say enough about her and her quality work.” — Novateck
MEMORIAL
In Honour of Dr Elliott Schwartz: The Legacy of the Northern California Institute for Bone Health, Inc.
We hold a profound appreciation for the visionaries we have the privilege to support. It was with deep sadness that our studio learned of the passing of Dr Elliott Schwartz on 27 November 2021—the week of his birthday—following a sudden diagnosis that gave him six months to live.
Dr Schwartz was the brilliant founding mind and heart behind the Northern California Institute for Bone Health, Inc. (NCIBH). As a long-standing partner and client of our studio for nearly a decade, it was our distinct honour to help build his dream of launching the Institute’s digital infrastructure, securing its place as an enduring research and resource hub for the medical community, and improving their payment process system.
Dr Schwartz initiated NCIBH as a vanguard for clinical excellence, ensuring the latest in bone health research was made accessible through specialized lectures attended by physicians, fellows, and medical professionals. To support ongoing research and provide critical resources for the orthopaedic community, the Institute launched its first digital infrastructure to serve as a long-term resource hub.
His life was a testament to pure integrity, high intellect, and a heart for service. To honor his remarkable impact amongst his colleagues and patients’, the studio is re-sharing the Oakland A’s community tribute to Dr Schwartz, celebrating a man who gave so much to his community.
May his legacy and profound dedication to clinical advancement continue seamlessly through his wife, Patti, and archives of the Institute. We remain deeply grateful for the decade of collaboration, trust, and shared vision Dr Schwartz extended to our studio.
Multi-Cultural Markets
Working within Asian-American markets presents an environment that is both fulfilling and subtly challenging. Utilising my multi-cultural background, broad life associations, and consumer insights has been a deeply rewarding process and it has been incredibly delightful to have ones lived experiences and insights valued.
Did you know about the immense commercial power of the Asian-American market? According to the Nielsen report below, “Asian-American buying power is nearly 4x larger than that of the highly-coveted Millennial group.”
The 4x Buying Power Gap: A Nielsen study tracked Asian-American buying power at $770 billion, compared to roughly $200 billion for the millennial demographic at the time. [1]
Exponential Multi-Generational Growth: A primary driver behind this immense buying power is household composition. Over 29% of Asian Americans live in multigenerational households (homes with two or more adult generations). This translates to a concentration of multiple wage earners under one roof, elevating overall household wealth and diversifying retail needs. [1, 2, 3]
Current Economic Scale: Updated tracking by the Selig Center for Economic Growth and Nielsen places aggregate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) buying power at $1.4 trillion. [1]
https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2025/breakthrough-roi-investing-asian-american-audiences-media
https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2026/new-nielsen-report-shows-the-profound-impact-of-asian-influence-on-sports-and-pop-culture/
ART & HERITAGE EXHIBITIONS
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EXHIBITION. The Oakland Makers Inaugural Multi-Disciplinary Exhibition
Bridging the lines between craftsmanship, innovation, and physical form, Bernee’s unique collection of sustainably designed, locally die-cut, and pressed eco-friendly books—which originally began as hand-cut and glued prototypes—was selected to be a part of the inaugural exhibition for Oakland Makers.
Hosted at Omi Gallery at Impact Hub Oakland, this multi-disciplinary showcase ran from June 2 through August 2014. The group exhibition brought together a curation of local designers, makers, and visionaries pushing structural boundaries across the Bay Area and global design scene.
Representing the studio as a sustainable book designer, Bernee Lee exhibited alongside a diverse circle of innovative voices—including digital sculptor Andrew Werby, industrial designer Joshua Jakusd, sustainable craft innovator Emily Winston, landscape architect Jennifer Ivanovich, textile designer and activist Hiroko Kurihara, fiber and tapestry artist Aiko Kobayashi Gray, fine woodworker Jeff Goodwin, designer Vanessa March, knitwear artist Caroline Stern, soft-sculpture designer Aimeé Baldwin, landscape designer Gail Robinson, artisan Bill Evans, photographer Jeffrey Gomez, and architectural pioneer Rael San Fratello.
The Gulangyu Heritage Society Inaugural Art Exhibition
To explore heritage is to look at the ancestral roots that shape our contemporary expression. Bernee was invited to be a part of the inaugural art exhibition hosted by the Gulangyu Heritage Society at Robinsons Galleria, a landmark showcase bringing together ten contemporary Chinese-Filipino artists who share deep, direct ties to the historic island of Gulangyu (Kolongsu) in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.
The connection behind the exhibition ran exceptionally deep: the founders of Robinsons Galleria, who generously sponsored the entire exhibition space, shared ancestral roots in Gulangyu as well. Exhibiting alongside distinctive voices—including founder Rudy Yu, Patricia Yu-Vanasse, Margarita Lim, Addie Cukingnan, Janice Liuson Young, and multi-generational sculptors Seb and Kylo Chua—the collective used their mediums to celebrate a shared geographic and familial lineage with oral histories passed down by their grandmothers and grandfathers.
Gulangyu is internationally celebrated as “The Piano Capital of China” due to the legendary Music Hall of the Gulangyu Piano School. For Bernee, this showcase was deeply personal. Having physically travelled to the island, she had walked the streets of Kolongsu, explored the grounds of her grandmother’s and great-grandparents’ ancestral home, and immersed herself in the history of the local Piano Museum.
As she painted the collection, she listened to music about Kolongsu, imagining herself walking along the cobblestone pathways of the island while hearing the distinct sound of pianos drifting out from different homes. Paying direct homage to this unique musical heritage, Bernee Yu Lee beautifully translated the island’s auditory soul into a striking visual landscape, creating a series of abstract paintings that depicted enormous piano keys.
Oakland Art Month: Botanical Pop-Up Gallery
Temescal Works | Oakland, California
Bernee Lee was part of a botanical-themed group exhibition celebrating Oakland Art Month. Running throughout May and the first week of June 2019, the co-working space at Temescal Works was transformed into a public pop-up gallery space.
Presented by the Temescal Artist Community, the inaugural exhibition spotlighted the work of 13 local Oakland artists including Anjelica Colliard, Bernee Lee, Deborah Samia, Elaine Miller Bond, Fernanda Martinez, Kathy Goss, Katie Chin, Tami DeSellier, Caroline Stern, Aimeé Baldwin, Gail Robinson, Bill Evans, and Jeffrey Gomez. The showcase officially launched with an opening reception on May 3, 2019, as part of the neighborhood’s First Friday celebrations, and welcomed participants during the Temescal Art Walk on May 18.
- Size: 11 x 17
- Medium: Ink, graphite
 |  |  |  |
Design Inspiration & Mentors. Design is never just about aesthetics—it is a critical response to human behavior, culture, and instinct. Years into an established career, Bernee continuously revisits the lessons of the creative mentors who initially shaped her trajectory:
- Ken Cato | The Spark of Scale and Prominence: “I recall vividly sitting in the very last row of an Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) event, listening to his fascinating talk. Watching the absolute prominence and profound cultural footprint of his branding works across Australia completely mesmerised me. Decades later, Ken’s lesson remains my compass: to make a business strategy visible through powerful, unmistakable visual means.”
- Lucille Tenazas | The Awakening of Aspiration: “Before Lucille arrived as a guest speaker at our Alma Mater—a small, private Catholic college in Manila—the Dean of the Arts Department commissioned two students to design her publicity poster. I was one of those two students. Lucille was the first professional designer I ever met who inspired me to look beyond simple form. Her postmodern exploration of typography, language, and culture—now residing in MoMA’s permanent collection—taught me that it is equally important to leave things out, allowing the viewer to actively complete the message. Meeting Lucille inspired my ambition in design.“
- David Carson | Trusting the Intuitive Rebel: “David Carson fundamentally revolutionized the visual landscape of the 1990s through his unconventional, grid-breaking art direction for Ray Gun magazine. As the godfather of ‘grunge typography,’ his iconic book, The End of Print, remains one of my most treasured design possessions. Carson’s work stands as a continuous studio baseline, reminding me to bypass slick, forgettable norms and trust my eye to capture the gut-level emotion of a story. As Carson taught: ‘Never mistake legibility for communication.'”
Meeting Kit Hinrichs. Bernee had the incredible honor of meeting Kit Hinrichs, widely considered one of the world’s most influential graphic designers and a long-standing partner in the iconic global design firm, Pentagram. Beyond his legendary corporate and editorial design portfolio, Hinrichs is a deeply passionate archivist, housing a stunning collection of more than 3,000 historic American Stars and Stripes artifacts. Living and creating in San Francisco, his philosophy directly mirrors the studio’s belief that great design is not just seen—it is felt, collected, and remembered. (Source: Penguin Books)
Mentorship at the Homeschool Co-op: Cultivating the Next Generation
Teaching a diverse, multi-age group of pupils at the Homeschoolers Creators Club was an incredibly enriching experience that brought our core philosophy directly into the classroom.
Over an intensive five-week timeline, these young creators embraced the challenge of project-based learning. They tackled dual courses covering the structured geometry of “What is Origami?” alongside a comprehensive workflow in T-shirt Design, Production, and Marketing. To bridge high-level industry practice with youth education, I adapted the renowned Shillington College design teaching methodology and utilised the minimalist ethos of Ugmonk as our primary design inspiration.
True to the practical application of design thinking, the students learned exactly how to navigate a client brief, implement minimalist design aesthetics, curate a visual lookbook, and direct and film their own 2-minute advertising commercial. From there, they brainstormed real-world marketing and pricing strategies, culminating in building and launching their very own functional online storefronts.
Working together as a team to create their own clothing design, put together an online shop, and experience design thinking firsthand was a fun learning milestone for this group of homeschool co-op students. As a mentor, I am very pleased on the outcome they have completed.
Let us support the hard work and creative integrity of the next generation. You can view and purchase their custom shirts directly at: Project Limitless
PURPOSE-DRIVEN BRANDS
Missio Dei Oakland Identity: Designing from the Streets
Missio Dei Oakland’s heart is to reach out to the marginalized youth in East Oakland, meeting and connecting with kids directly on the streets, in local neighborhood restaurants, and outside school campuses. They organize engaging activities, provide a safe, loving place for the youth to hang out, and offer transformative one-on-one mentorship.
Grounded in her core belief that real insight requires true immersion, Bernee chose to physically walk the streets, visit some retailers of East Oakland, and join one of the outreach groups—observing, engaging with the youth activities, and social listening. Witnessing the profound need and the loving fruit of Alex Schweng’s heart, vision, and efforts among the underprivileged youth firsthand, she channeled that raw, transformative purpose into creative directing a striking, deeply protective brand identity for the organization.
It was profound to see their mission in action, translating the literal heartbeat of street mentorship into a cohesive visual anchor that welcomes both the youth and the extended community who cares for them.
The BizWorld Revamp (San Francisco, CA)
When the San Francisco non-profit BizWorld needed a visual shift, bylee design was consulted. We delivered a rapid redesign on their logomark colours, tagline, and web extension. The clean strategic vision was so clear it was approved in the very first round by the board of directors and immediately rolled-out across all communications.
Case Study: Maria Health
Maria Health is an online healthcare platform in the Philippines designed to simplify access to medical networks, doctors, and tech-driven HMO plans. The brand case study developed for Maria Health synthesizes their market positioning by mapping the customer journey from plan selection to HR enrollment and telemedicine deployment. For more information, visit mariahealth.ph. [1]
https://issuu.com/home/published/maria_health
ART DIRECTION
AARP: “Member Stories That Inspire” Multi-Cultural Campaign
Working as the Art Director alongside a brilliant creative team at DAE Advertising, Bernee shaped a powerful multi-cultural narrative that went on to win the prestigious 3AF Silver Creative Campaign of the Year award. On the client side, the deep resonance and cultural impact of this historic project helped secure AARP as Marketer of the Year on a global stage.
A Vision in the Big Apple.
To create art that speaks life often means stepping forward with nothing but a clear vision and a mission in your heart. Armed with that exact certainty of purpose, Bernee traveled to New York City—a fast-paced landscape where creativity defines the city—to launch a brand-new publishing initiative at a major international wholesale trade show.
Manufactured entirely locally with a strict “Made in America,” eco-friendly framework, the collection was intentionally designed to support mental and emotional well-being, delivering a daily dose of positive thinking to spark hope, inspiration, and intentional action.
The response was an absolute blessing. In a massive showcase featuring nearly 1,000 global vendors and over 50,000 distinct product designs, the studio’s work was hand-selected by editors as a Top 100 Must-See vendor. The collection was featured by design journalists and lifestyle influencers, across major and indie design platforms such as Sunset Magazine, Apartment Therapy, Stationery Trends, DesignSponge* and Babiekins.
From there, the line were distributed to gift boutiques, museum shops, and was even selected as a gift for the USA Presidential family at that time. Yet, beyond the business, the most gratifying milestone remains its deep spiritual and positive impact on individuals. The true success is measured in the moments when fellow creatives, dreamers, and doers stop, take in a message, and find themselves moved to tears—reminding us that intentional design is a force that catches and inspires the spirit.
Community & Craft: Bernee Lee Joins “Women in Green Careers” Panel at SF Green Festival
At bylee design, we believe sustainable progress is built on community and shared knowledge. We are incredibly grateful that our Principal Creative Director, Bernee Lee, was invited to join with several other women who are trailblazers in green business at the 10th Annual San Francisco Green Festival.
Lee will take the stage in the Green Business Pavilion for a panel titled “Women in Green Careers: Tips from Trailblazers”. Curated by Green America and Global Exchange, the festival remains a premier platform for sustainable business and eco-conscious living in the Bay Area.
The panel features a diverse group of female leaders redefining traditional industry frameworks through sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, and ethical business design. Bernee is honored to share the stage with women trailblazers:
- Jeanine Cotter (Co-founder & CEO of Luminalt Solar Energy Solutions)
- Yin L. Yin (Representing smart-grid technology leaders Silver Spring Networks)
- Yvette Ervin (Founder of holistic eco-wellness brand Sol Therepe)
- Marianela Mendoza (Representing the Women’s Initiative for Self Employment), championing financial empowerment for diverse entrepreneurs.
During the discussion, Bernee will explore the powerful intersection of design thinking, local manufacturing, and environmental stewardship.
 Image courtesy of Raja Vidhun. |
 |
Rather than viewing sustainability as a creative constraint, she will share how deliberate, eco-conscious choices actually enhance and push innovation. Her talk will focus on actionable strategies for modern brands—from utilizing green printing and alternative post-consumer fibers to architecting layouts that mathematically eliminate trim waste, prioritizing zero-emission networks, and reducing carbon footprints.
Real change happens through these small, invisible, and highly intentional choices. We are proud to keep learning and evolving alongside our client partners.
To learn more about the event or to see how we weave these low-carbon and zero-waste principles into our daily work, feel free to consult us for Sustainable Design Strategies.
Airbnb San Francisco Hosts Community Dinner at Temescal (Oakland, CA)
Bernee was one of four local Rockridge-Temescal district Airbnb Superhosts invited to an exclusive community dinner to dine alongside two visiting Airbnb corporate staff members. Sitting around the table in Oakland’s vibrant Temescal district, the evening revealed a profound commonality among the local invitees. Beyond managing spaces, each host shared a distinct entrepreneurial mindset, a natural spirit of high-level hospitality, and a deep, intuitive understanding of the creative use of design to foster safety, comfort, and human connection.
 |
 |  |
BRAND MARKETING STRATEGY
SEEDS Creative: Pioneering Multi-Lingual Branding & Market Strategy
An Analysis of Evolution and Global App Architecture
True design is a balance of deep market intelligence, global foresight, and human connection. Serving as the strategic lead under the studio’s collaborative lab, SEEDS Creative Agency, Bernee partnered with a global team of international advertising agency creatives—Nancy B, Eloi A, and Sam T—to create a well researched I Speak Fluent campaign.
The Challenge & Market Positioning
The project demanded an analytical framework to position the brand against a rapidly shifting global educational landscape. While the initial operational model focused on a traditional, localised hourly student schedule, SEEDS Creative looked far beyond suburban borders to identify a massive, underutilised market share across Sydney for language acquisition.
It was incredibly exciting to discover through our research what a campaign like this could truly do and tap into. We uncovered the immense potential of a deeply rich, multilingual Australia built by immigrants from all over the world. Rather than auditing only immediate local competitors, the team conducted intensive market research spanning established multi-lingual frameworks in Australia, China, and the USA, while directly evaluating the disruptive user journeys of modern AI application architectures.
The Strategic Architecture
Through thorough customer interviews, customer journey mapping, and precise target audience segmentation, Bernee defined the school’s Unique Value Proposition (UVP) across four distinct, comprehensive strategic proposals. Moving past basic language instruction, the strategy was engineered to promote the experiential, holistic, long-term cognitive and cultural benefits of language learning on a national level.
From this deep research, SEEDS Creative created a tagline, a comprehensive marketing campaign deployed across both digital platforms and physical print collateral, discovering the right customers and proposing a collaborative, sustainable and scalable customer experience and strategic language learning.
- The Core Concept: Multi-Lingual Australia: Connecting Through Language & Culture
- The Launch Campaign: Give It A Go!
 |  |
At the Facebook and Instagram Boost Conference California
Getting the latest updates and tools in social media.
Sustaining a forward-facing studio means constantly stepping into the spaces where the future of digital connection is being built. Bernee traveled to California to attend the Facebook and Instagram Boost Conference, gaining direct access to the emerging social media tools and technical updates deployed by Meta’s engineering teams.
The summit provided an essential masterclass in advanced digital infrastructure—focusing on leveraging next-generation business suites, optimizing audience analytics, and implementing seamless mobile commerce integrations. For bylee design, this technical anchor ensures that the visual identities, brand architectures, and cross-continental marketing campaigns engineered for our clients remain sharply optimized, highly scalable, and positioned firmly at the cutting edge of global industry standards.
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Slides to Digital: Two Decades of a Hand-Drawn Legacy
 |
Design of true substance stands the test of time. During a recent archival studio project, Bernee had a series of her original 2″ x 4″ film slides meticulously converted into modern digital formats.
Among the archive was a beautiful, entirely hand-drawn typographic logo she meticulously crafted for her advertising degree. Two decades later, this exact digitized logo remains the active, unyielding representation of the company—serving as concrete proof that authentic, hand-wrought visual foundations never lose their relevance, their power, or their communicative edge.