Event: Hallmark LIVE
Hallmark Live is for all audiences! We invite you to stop by the Hallmark Visitors Center for this special program.
Free Entry.
NEXT UP: Friday, August 14, drop in 10:30 AM – Noon
Meet the creative minds behind Hallmark’s innovative Paper Wonder® cards!
Hallmark Senior Designers Mike Merkle and Jen Katheiser combine artistry, storytelling, and inventive paper engineering to transform greeting cards into interactive works of art that delight people of all ages. Join them as they share the inspiration, creativity, and craftsmanship behind some of Hallmark’s most extraordinary Paper Wonder® creations.
About each designer…
Mike Merkle is a Senior Designer who loves bold illustration, fun lettering, and bringing ideas to life on paper. Mike has been part of Hallmark’s Paper Wonder team since its launching in 2019, helping create pop-up cards with immersive storytelling and 360° experiences. He’s worked on some fun formats and even won a couple of awards including card of the year!
Jen Katheiser is a Senior Designer who loves designing Hallmark greetings and gift products of all kinds. Jen has been part of the Signature team since 2015 and has contributed to the expansion of the team to include Paper Wonder and Innovation product. She loves bringing products to life knowing that people will love, give and keep them for years to come.
Hosted on the second Friday of each month at the Hallmark Visitors Center
Our Hallmark Live series is on! Step into our world of inspiration and insight at the Hallmark Visitors Center on the second Friday of each month from 10:30 AM to Noon.
This vibrant exchange invites our visitors to engage with wonderfully talented Hallmark artists, designers, writers, and product engineers in person as they share current projects, their creative passion, and the technical artistry behind their skillful craft.
This free event is part of our Hallmark Live series, our drop-in program showcasing Hallmark creatives in action.
Follow us on Facebook for more information, including details about each month’s featured artist.
Our most recent Hallmark Live event:
Friday, July 10
Keepsake’s 2026 Ornament Premiere is here! Join us to welcome Ramon Olivera, Senior Artist of the Keepsake Ornament Studio. Ramon will take you behind the scenes and share how these creative ideas come to life— from concept sketches to digital sculpting, collaborating with engineers, and preparing final designs for production.
June 12, 2026
Hear the story behind the new outdoor “Soccer Celebration” mural in Crown Center Square. Learn from the crafty team who brought this vision to life: Ashlee Smith, Visual Studios Director; Mike Merkle, Senior Designer; Matt Gowen, Editorial Director.
April 10, 2026
Senior Artist Jack Pullan has spent 20+ years at Hallmark dreaming up ideas that make people laugh in the card aisle. A lifelong Kansas Citian and Hallmark nerd, Jack has been drawing since childhood and now for the Hallmark Shoebox card line. This month, Shoebox turns 40, and we get a look at how Jack brings humor to life at Hallmark.
March 13, 2026
Hallmark writer Jake Gahr has composed with the brand for over 20 years and thinks it’s the funnest job ever (even if funnest isn’t a real word). Join him to talk about some of the favorite things he’s written— greeting cards, kids’ books, Hallmark articles.
(Hibernation Hiatus: No LIVE program in January or February 2026.)
December 12, 2025
Since 1973, Hallmark’s Crown Center has hosted the Mayor’s Christmas Tree. Learn about the tree’s history from Tina Luckett, and peek at the creative process behind this year’s vintage-inspired ornament designed by Hallmark artist Sheyda Best.
November 14, 2025
Meet Senior Designer Jaye Wiley, who is part of the creative team behind the Buffalo Bills Santa ornament – the very ornament that kicks off the story in Hallmark’s new Christmas movie, Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story!
October 10, 2025
Meet Hallmark’s Senior Artist Charlie Hadley for a behind-the-scenes look at our creation of PEANUTS products. Since he was a kid, artist Hadley has loved Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the whole PEANUTS gang. Now he gets to make with them every day!
September 12, 2025
Cory Say — Senior Lettering and Licensed Illustration Artist
What makes Cory’s lettering stand out? His designs are crafted to visually echo the emotion behind the message, making every piece feel personal and powerful.
