Last week, the Seattle Kraken released its newest crop of artist-designed jerseys, each one coinciding with special-themed game nights happening all season. Launched during the team’s inaugural season, the partnership with local artists has evolved into the Common Thread Project, which aims to increase diversity in hockey appreciation and get a wider range of fans into the seats at Climate Pledge Arena.  

“We launched Kraken Common Thread last year as our own evolution of the NHL’s former jersey design program, to further demonstrate how the Seattle community is tied together; we’re all here for our love of hockey,” says Ali Daniels, SVP of marketing for the Kraken. “This program and our theme nights give us an opportunity to expand our reach and highlight historically underrepresented communities.”

The themed nights, which include Hispanic Heritage Night, Indigenous Peoples Night, Pride Night, AANHPI Night, Black Hockey History Night, Women in Hockey Night, and Green Night, each have a corresponding jersey designed by a local artist. While players are not permitted under NHL rules to wear the jerseys on the ice, they do sign them, and after each game the jerseys are auctioned off. 

“[Auctioning them off] gives us an opportunity to raise funds for both One Roof Foundation, our charitable arm dedicated to expanding hockey access, and for local nonprofits focused on bettering the communities we are celebrating,” Daniels explains. 

The season’s artists include: Esmeralda Vasquez (Hispanic Heritage Night presented by Modelo, Oct. 28), Amber Webb (Indigenous Peoples Night presented by Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Dec. 16), Vegas Vecchio (Pride Night presented by Symetra, Jan. 8), Kenji Stoll (AANHPI Night presented by Alaska Airlines, Jan. 29), Damon Brown (Black Hockey History Night presented by Amazon, Feb. 28), Dasha Medvedeva (Women in Hockey Night presented by PitchBook, March 10), and Jess Phoenix (Green Night presented by Boeing, April 2).

Seattle magazine had the opportunity to chat with three of this season’s artists to get the scoop about the inspiration behind their designs. 

Amber Webb for Indigenous Peoples Night presented by Muckleshoot Indian Tribe

Seven years ago, artist Amber Webb started focusing on Yup’ik art forms, stories, and teachings, using them as a platform to bring attention to issues impacting Indigenous communities, such as the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, suicide, and the long-term effects of trauma from colonization. “That quickly led me to community wellness work,” Webb says. “My work is really inspired by my love for my people and my homelands.  Since then, the work I’m most proud of is the work I’ve done with my community.”

Webb, who was raised in Dillingham and Anchorage, and lives in Aleknagik, admits to feeling a little nervous, but also honored, when asked to design a jersey for the Kraken. “I really wanted to make a design that would resonate with fans but also one that would be authentic to Yup’ik design principles as well as who I am as an artist,” she says. The result, which includes a bird and four salmon, is a beautiful ode to the natural world, as well as Webb’s heritage. 

Jersey design by Amber Webb for Indigenous Peoples Night.

“I come from salmon people, and my first question was how am I connected with the indigenous people in the Seattle area?” Webb says. “ Indigenous people are stewards of our lands and waters and our relationship with the salmon and the many species of birds connect us.  All along the coast we have a personal investment in protecting the environment.” She hopes that her design is a reminder to Kraken fans, and anyone who encounters it, that we all have a relationship to the land, animals, and water that surrounds us in the Pacific Northwest, and should help steward it for the generations that come after us. 

“These animals have taken care of our people, and we also have to take care of the land and water for them,” Webb says. “Both of these animals are connected with hospitality and generosity, so I wanted to really highlight those two values as well because when we celebrate, we share foods and gifts. “

Indigenous Peoples Night is December 16. A portion of the proceeds from special ticket purchases will go to the Rise Above organization.

Damon Brown for Black Hockey History Night presented by Amazon

Seattle-based Damon Brown, known widely as Creative Lou, has been an artist as long as he can remember. Drawing, sketching, and painting since he was two, Brown developed a graphic style that can be spotted across town, from Outdoor Research’s Sodo headquarters to multi-family residential buildings in the Chinatown International District neighborhood. Like Webb, Brown felt honored at the request, even though he isn’t a longtime hockey fan. 

“The first part was just to get over the awe moment,” he says. “Like, oh, I’m actually getting an opportunity to do a jersey, and I’ve never done a jersey, right? So, once I got over the ‘ah-ha’ moment, I did a little bit of research on black hockey history.”

With that research as a guidepost, Brown designed a rhythmic, multi-colored logo that nods to the future and the past in one logo, where the iconic Space Needle stands proud under a celestial orb. 

Jersey design by Damon Brown (“Creative Lou”) for Black Hockey History Night.

“What inspired me were the Black players of the past,” Brown says. “And this jersey is kind of based off Afrofuturism and [looking] into the future…I hope it inspires any artists out there, and I also hope that it inspires those that want to get into hockey and to play the game.” 

Black Hockey History Night is February 28, 2026. A portion of the proceeds from special ticket purchases will go to support the Black Future Co-op Fund.

Jess Phoenix for Green Night presented by Boeing

A longtime designer and illustrator, Jess Phoenix hails from Massachusetts, the daughter of two creatives who were thrilled when their daughter decided to attend art school. After earning her B.F.A in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, Phoenix moved west, where she designed greeting cards, gift boxes, and other products for a local company for nearly 20 years. In 2016, however, Phoenix needed a creative outlet that wasn’t work. She started turning out the bright, floral illustrations she’s known for today. When the Kraken reached out, the artist was a little taken aback. 

“I was thinking, ‘do they know I draw flowers?’” she says with a laugh. “This is for a jersey!” It turns out, they did know, and that’s exactly why they asked her—because her designs were so unique. 

“Usually, when I’m making the floral art, I don’t reference real flowers,” Phoenix explains. “[But] for this one I really wanted to do some research, and I looked into endangered and threatened flowers in Washington.” The final design, which Phoenix first sketched by hand, includes golden paintbrush, checker mallows, and Northwest raspberry—10 native plants in all. Its pink blooms stand out against a dark anchor and teal-green background, with an almost Scandinavian flair. 

Jersey design by Jess Phoenix for Green Night.

“I want people to be curious about the design, drawn in by the graphic qualities of it,” Phoenix says. “Even though I’m from Massachusetts, I’ve been living in Seattle since 2007. I really consider this to be my home. I don’t know if I’ve been seen at large as a Seattle artist, but this opportunity really makes me feel like I’m a Seattle artist.” 

Green Night is April 2, 2026. A portion of the proceeds from special ticket purchases will go to support Stewardship Partners.