Hermitage World — Website Redesign & Visual Identity Development
The Hermitage is a contemplative, interfaith center rooted in Franciscan mysticism and the life's work of Friar Justin — a meditation teacher, spiritual guide, and builder of community whose ministry reached Catholic parishes, independent seekers, and interfaith practitioners across the United States, Europe, and Australia. At the core of his teaching was a simple but enormous mission: help as many people meditate daily so we can have world peace.
With Friar Justin's passing and the Hermitage's upcoming transition out of its physical building, this project marks a pivotal moment — a distillation of 40 years of community and teaching into a digital home capable of reaching the world. The organization is simultaneously rebranding from HermitageIndy.org to HermitageWorld.org, signaling a deliberate shift from a local Indianapolis presence to a global, digitally-native ministry.
What We're Building
Iris Cocreative is partnering with Garry Chilluffo (Chairman, Hermitage Charitable Foundation) and Samuel Robinson (Program Director) to create a comprehensive website, brand identity, and digital presence for Hermitage World. This is a full Package 3 engagement — 19 weeks from March 1 through July 15, 2026 — encompassing brand strategy, visual identity, copywriting, Webflow development, e-commerce, email marketing integration, and a phased launch.
The site will serve as the primary "front door" of the organization: a place where isolated spiritual seekers can feel less alone, discover cherished belonging in a community that transcends any single tradition, and find a gentle, living path toward inner awakening. It will welcome people of all backgrounds — Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Christian, secular — united not by doctrine but by a shared human seeking.
Design Philosophy
The digital experience is being designed as architecture, not a surface. James is approaching the site as a space people are invited into — with intentional geometry and proportion, a unified visual language that resonates with the teaching, motion and aliveness through Webflow animation, and a sensibility that feels sacred without being heavy-handed. No rainbow angels. No new-age clichés. Something that earns its spiritual quality through form, restraint, and coherence.
Key Features
The build includes up to 12 unique page designs, up to 18 custom graphic assets, full e-commerce (physical products, digital downloads, class registration, and recurring donations via Stripe), a meditation library, an events calendar, and integration of Justin AI — an AI avatar built on Friar Justin's body of work (books, homilies, recordings, and writings) that allows visitors to engage personally with his teachings. Legal clearance on likeness rights is being pursued in parallel; a symbolic friar avatar is the fallback if needed.
Phase One establishes the foundation. Phase Two — scoped separately — will layer in a membership system, online learning platform, community features, and deeper AI integration.
The Team
Hermitage World — Website Redesign & Visual Identity Development
The Hermitage is a contemplative, interfaith center rooted in Franciscan mysticism and the life's work of Friar Justin — a meditation teacher, spiritual guide, and builder of community whose ministry reached Catholic parishes, independent seekers, and interfaith practitioners across the United States, Europe, and Australia. At the core of his teaching was a simple but enormous mission: help as many people meditate daily so we can have world peace.
With Friar Justin's passing and the Hermitage's upcoming transition out of its physical building, this project marks a pivotal moment — a distillation of 40 years of community and teaching into a digital home capable of reaching the world. The organization is simultaneously rebranding from HermitageIndy.org to HermitageWorld.org, signaling a deliberate shift from a local Indianapolis presence to a global, digitally-native ministry.
What We're Building
Iris Cocreative is partnering with Garry Chilluffo (Chairman, Hermitage Charitable Foundation) and Samuel Robinson (Program Director) to create a comprehensive website, brand identity, and digital presence for Hermitage World. This is a full Package 3 engagement — 19 weeks from March 1 through July 15, 2026 — encompassing brand strategy, visual identity, copywriting, Webflow development, e-commerce, email marketing integration, and a phased launch.
The site will serve as the primary "front door" of the organization: a place where isolated spiritual seekers can feel less alone, discover cherished belonging in a community that transcends any single tradition, and find a gentle, living path toward inner awakening. It will welcome people of all backgrounds — Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Christian, secular — united not by doctrine but by a shared human seeking.
Design Philosophy
The digital experience is being designed as architecture, not a surface. James is approaching the site as a space people are invited into — with intentional geometry and proportion, a unified visual language that resonates with the teaching, motion and aliveness through Webflow animation, and a sensibility that feels sacred without being heavy-handed. No rainbow angels. No new-age clichés. Something that earns its spiritual quality through form, restraint, and coherence.
Key Features
The build includes up to 12 unique page designs, up to 18 custom graphic assets, full e-commerce (physical products, digital downloads, class registration, and recurring donations via Stripe), a meditation library, an events calendar, and integration of Justin AI — an AI avatar built on Friar Justin's body of work (books, homilies, recordings, and writings) that allows visitors to engage personally with his teachings. Legal clearance on likeness rights is being pursued in parallel; a symbolic friar avatar is the fallback if needed.
Phase One establishes the foundation. Phase Two — scoped separately — will layer in a membership system, online learning platform, community features, and deeper AI integration.
The Team
Organization and assembly of all Friar Justin digital assets into comprehensive knowledge base to support website content, AI avatar training, and ongoing content development. Includes books, homilies, YouTube videos, recordings, mission videos, Facebook mission statements, and all written works currently under Hermitage copyright. Assets are being collected in cloud storage for centralized access. This archive serves multiple purposes: content for website development, training corpus for AI avatar, reference material for brand development, and preserved digital legacy of Justin's teaching. Garry providing mission videos and access to collected archives; Samuel coordinating intellectual property and copyright documentation.
Organization and assembly of all Friar Justin digital assets into comprehensive knowledge base to support website content, AI avatar training, and ongoing content development. Includes books, homilies, YouTube videos, recordings, mission videos, Facebook mission statements, and all written works currently under Hermitage copyright. Assets are being collected in cloud storage for centralized access. This archive serves multiple purposes: content for website development, training corpus for AI avatar, reference material for brand development, and preserved digital legacy of Justin's teaching. Garry providing mission videos and access to collected archives; Samuel coordinating intellectual property and copyright documentation.
Complete website rebrand and development for Hermitage World, transitioning from local HermitageIndy.org to global ministry vision HermitageWorld.org. Project includes sophisticated web design balancing accessibility for beginners with depth for experienced practitioners, sacred geometry implementation, custom LMS integration, shopping cart/registration functionality, email marketing automation, and phased rollout approach. Design philosophy centers on architecture as space rather than surface, with intentional geometry, unified visual language, motion and aliveness through Webflow animation, and anti-new-age aesthetics that feel sacred without heavy symbolism. Must convey sacredness while being inviting and inspirational. Launching alongside organizational rebrand, serving as digital 'front door' for evolved global ministry. Phase 1 focuses on free content and core teaching access; Phase 2 adds membership tiers and deeper engagement features following Stephen Dinan model.
Development of comprehensive brand identity and unified visual language for Hermitage World rebrand. Includes design exploration of sacred geometry principles, harmonic proportions, intentional use of arcs and archways, and creation of icon system and visual codes that resonate with contemplative teaching. Brand must feel sacred without new-age aesthetics - sophisticated, accessible, and spiritually grounded without heavy-handed symbolism. Work includes tailored branding questionnaire for Garry and Samuel to complete, collaborative visual direction sessions, and establishment of design system that will guide all digital and communication touchpoints. This foundational work must be completed before website design can proceed in earnest, as it establishes the visual vocabulary for the entire digital presence.
Development of comprehensive brand identity and unified visual language for Hermitage World rebrand. Includes design exploration of sacred geometry principles, harmonic proportions, intentional use of arcs and archways, and creation of icon system and visual codes that resonate with contemplative teaching. Brand must feel sacred without new-age aesthetics - sophisticated, accessible, and spiritually grounded without heavy-handed symbolism. Work includes tailored branding questionnaire for Garry and Samuel to complete, collaborative visual direction sessions, and establishment of design system that will guide all digital and communication touchpoints. This foundational work must be completed before website design can proceed in earnest, as it establishes the visual vocabulary for the entire digital presence.
Development of comprehensive brand identity and unified visual language for Hermitage World rebrand. Includes design exploration of sacred geometry principles, harmonic proportions, intentional use of arcs and archways, and creation of icon system and visual codes that resonate with contemplative teaching. Brand must feel sacred without new-age aesthetics - sophisticated, accessible, and spiritually grounded without heavy-handed symbolism. Work includes tailored branding questionnaire for Garry and Samuel to complete, collaborative visual direction sessions, and establishment of design system that will guide all digital and communication touchpoints. This foundational work must be completed before website design can proceed in earnest, as it establishes the visual vocabulary for the entire digital presence.
Development of AI-powered avatar of Friar Justin that allows visitors to engage personally with his teachings and receive responses drawn from his extensive body of work including writings, books, homilies, YouTube videos, and recordings. The avatar is central to the digital experience vision - enabling seekers to have conversational access to Justin's wisdom even after his passing. System will use Claude AI to process the comprehensive digital archive being assembled in cloud storage and generate contextually appropriate responses in Justin's voice and teaching style. Legal clearance on rights to use Friar Justin's likeness is being actively pursued; fallback option is a symbolic friar avatar rather than direct Justin representation if likeness rights prove complicated. This feature exemplifies the organization's commitment to using technology to extend spiritual teaching and create felt connection for isolated seekers.
Development of AI-powered avatar of Friar Justin that allows visitors to engage personally with his teachings and receive responses drawn from his extensive body of work including writings, books, homilies, YouTube videos, and recordings. The avatar is central to the digital experience vision - enabling seekers to have conversational access to Justin's wisdom even after his passing. System will use Claude AI to process the comprehensive digital archive being assembled in cloud storage and generate contextually appropriate responses in Justin's voice and teaching style. Legal clearance on rights to use Friar Justin's likeness is being actively pursued; fallback option is a symbolic friar avatar rather than direct Justin representation if likeness rights prove complicated. This feature exemplifies the organization's commitment to using technology to extend spiritual teaching and create felt connection for isolated seekers.
Design of membership tiers and community engagement architecture for Hermitage World digital platform. Following Stephen Dinan's consultation, developing Phase 2 membership model that creates graduated pathway for deeper engagement while maintaining Phase 1 free access to core teachings. Must address the three core visitor experiences: helping seekers feel less alone in spiritual longing, experiencing cherished belonging to shared human seeking across traditions, and seeing a gentle path of stories, practices, gatherings and companions. Architecture must support the vision of being explicitly non-Catholic and interfaith while rooted in Franciscan mysticism - welcoming Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, and seekers of all backgrounds. Includes defining membership benefits, pricing strategy, engagement touchpoints, and how community features integrate with LMS and broader platform experience.
Design of membership tiers and community engagement architecture for Hermitage World digital platform. Following Stephen Dinan's consultation, developing Phase 2 membership model that creates graduated pathway for deeper engagement while maintaining Phase 1 free access to core teachings. Must address the three core visitor experiences: helping seekers feel less alone in spiritual longing, experiencing cherished belonging to shared human seeking across traditions, and seeing a gentle path of stories, practices, gatherings and companions. Architecture must support the vision of being explicitly non-Catholic and interfaith while rooted in Franciscan mysticism - welcoming Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, and seekers of all backgrounds. Includes defining membership benefits, pricing strategy, engagement touchpoints, and how community features integrate with LMS and broader platform experience.
Development of AI-powered avatar of Friar Justin that allows visitors to engage personally with his teachings and receive responses drawn from his extensive body of work including writings, books, homilies, YouTube videos, and recordings. The avatar is central to the digital experience vision - enabling seekers to have conversational access to Justin's wisdom even after his passing. System will use Claude AI to process the comprehensive digital archive being assembled in cloud storage and generate contextually appropriate responses in Justin's voice and teaching style. Legal clearance on rights to use Friar Justin's likeness is being actively pursued; fallback option is a symbolic friar avatar rather than direct Justin representation if likeness rights prove complicated. This feature exemplifies the organization's commitment to using technology to extend spiritual teaching and create felt connection for isolated seekers.
Organization and assembly of all Friar Justin digital assets into comprehensive knowledge base to support website content, AI avatar training, and ongoing content development. Includes books, homilies, YouTube videos, recordings, mission videos, Facebook mission statements, and all written works currently under Hermitage copyright. Assets are being collected in cloud storage for centralized access. This archive serves multiple purposes: content for website development, training corpus for AI avatar, reference material for brand development, and preserved digital legacy of Justin's teaching. Garry providing mission videos and access to collected archives; Samuel coordinating intellectual property and copyright documentation.
Setup and integration of email marketing automation for Hermitage World. Currently using Constant Contact with ~3,300 active email addresses. Project includes evaluating alternatives like ActiveCampaign or Gmail-based automation, implementing behavior-triggered messaging (course completion, milestone achievements), and creating tailored communication sequences. Will support phased approach with basic functionality first, then sophisticated automation features. Integration with new LMS for automated course-related communications. Must work within existing Constant Contact infrastructure while building pathway to more sophisticated automation capabilities.
Development of custom Learning Management System for Hermitage World, being built in parallel with other clients to create shared feature benefits. Core features include shopping cart functionality, membership signup, profile creation and editing, course delivery, progress tracking, and integration with email marketing. System must integrate with existing Constant Contact email list (3,300 active users) and support registration/payment processing. Designed to be tailorable to community needs while maintaining shared development roadmap. Will support phased rollout: Phase 1 with free content and core teaching access, Phase 2 with membership tiers and deeper engagement following Stephen Dinan's suggested model. Prototyping scheduled for end of January 2026.
Design of membership tiers and community engagement architecture for Hermitage World digital platform. Following Stephen Dinan's consultation, developing Phase 2 membership model that creates graduated pathway for deeper engagement while maintaining Phase 1 free access to core teachings. Must address the three core visitor experiences: helping seekers feel less alone in spiritual longing, experiencing cherished belonging to shared human seeking across traditions, and seeing a gentle path of stories, practices, gatherings and companions. Architecture must support the vision of being explicitly non-Catholic and interfaith while rooted in Franciscan mysticism - welcoming Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, and seekers of all backgrounds. Includes defining membership benefits, pricing strategy, engagement touchpoints, and how community features integrate with LMS and broader platform experience.
Deliver detailed proposal with design approach, technical features, phase breakdown, budget ranges and timeline
January 21, 2026
Proposal should outline different possibilities, budget ranges, and complete process from design/strategy through technical implementation. Break down components to help team understand options and make informed decisions ahead of board meeting. Referenced at 28:36 in meeting. Gary expects investment 'way north of $20,000' based on project scope.
Review proposal with Samuel before broader team discussion
January 23, 2026
Gary will review the proposal with Samuel first before presenting to board. Mentioned at 28:50. This review will help prepare for board meeting discussion and decision-making on scope, timeline, and investment levels.
Coordinate social media cleanup and consolidation for True Happiness course launch
January 25, 2026
Continue coordinating social media cleanup ahead of True Happiness course launching January 25th. Some channels being retired, new ones established under Hermitage World identity. Course running 5-8 weeks every Sunday with fewer than 10 of 19 capacity signed up. Mentioned at 06:52. This represents immediate opportunity to test social media marketing strategies.
Implement permission-based email list cleanup campaign
February 15, 2026
Clean up Constant Contact email list (~2,000 addresses with estimated 25-50% inactive) through permission-based campaign to remove inactive contacts and reduce costs. Mentioned at 10:31. This will improve email deliverability and reduce platform costs while maintaining engaged subscriber base.
Evaluate CRM and email marketing platform recommendations
February 1, 2026
Review and evaluate recommendations for CRM and email marketing platforms to integrate with new website. Gary expressed openness to changing platforms based on team recommendations and wants proactive guidance on capabilities. Discussed at 10:15. Options include ActiveCampaign or Gmail-based automation for behavior-triggered messaging.
Set up shared digital workspace and invite Garry and Samuel
James to set up a shared digital workspace and send invitations to Garry and Samuel to facilitate project collaboration. Referenced at 01:33:10.
Create and send tailored branding questionnaire to Garry and Samuel
James to create a branding questionnaire tailored to Hermitage World's spiritual identity, audience, and visual direction, then send to Garry and Samuel for completion. Referenced at 01:33:10.
Schedule follow-up meeting next week to review questionnaire responses and begin visual direction exploration
James to schedule a follow-up meeting with Garry and Samuel for next week to review branding questionnaire responses and begin exploring visual direction together. Referenced at 01:33:10.
Share Friar Justin's mission videos and Facebook mission statement with James
Garry to share Friar Justin's mission videos and Facebook mission statement with James to support design research and brand development. Referenced at 01:20:53.
Provide access to collected Hermitage digital assets and archives for design research
Garry to provide James access to the collected Hermitage digital assets and archives including books, homilies, YouTube videos, and recordings to support design research and AI avatar knowledge base development. Referenced at 01:32:16.
Follow up with legal counsel regarding rights to use Friar Justin's likeness for AI avatar
Garry to follow up on legal advice regarding the rights to use Friar Justin's likeness for the AI avatar development. Legal clarity on likeness rights is the open variable for the avatar project. If likeness rights prove complicated, fallback is a symbolic friar avatar. Referenced at 01:32:41.
Share foundational mission videos of Justin discussing Hermitage's purposes with James
Samuel to share foundational mission videos of Friar Justin discussing the Hermitage's purposes with James to support design research and understanding of the spiritual vision. Referenced at 01:20:18.
Complete branding questionnaire with insight into spiritual messaging, audience, and community goals
Samuel to complete the branding questionnaire James will send, providing insight into spiritual messaging, target audience, and community architecture goals. Referenced at 01:33:10.
Continue refining Hermitage's spiritual path and program content as input for site architecture
Samuel to continue refining the Hermitage's spiritual path structure and program content to serve as input for the website architecture and membership model design. Referenced at 01:07:42.
Coordinate with Garry on legal and copyright clarification for Hermitage intellectual property
Samuel to coordinate with Garry on clarifying legal and copyright status of Hermitage intellectual property including written works, recordings, and likeness rights relevant to AI avatar and digital content strategy. Referenced at 01:32:10.
