Newsletter 007
In the fall of 2020, we began collaborating with Marion General Hospital as they embarked on their rebrand project to become Marion Health. We are thrilled to finally share the visual brand we created!
The brand has been months in the making. We began with thorough research, visiting MGH sites, and exploring the ways they used their past branding to represent their company. We talked with staff members, conducted company and community stories through surveys, and investigated other healthcare imagery in the region. These methods, especially the surveys, ensured the resulting brand carried the voices of the community and was true to who Marion Health has been and hopes to become. We created hundreds of sketches, each encapsulating elements of what makes Marion Health an integral part of the City of Marion and Grant County. In total, fourteen Marion Design Co. designers touched the project throughout its various stages, making it a truly collaborative endeavor.
Our final design embraces Marion Health’s established presence and continual growth, as well as its intentional care. Not only has this project stretched us creatively, but we have also grown in our appreciation for Marion Health’s positive imprint on our community. We look forward to watching the brand come to life as MGH transitions to Marion Health!
We are excited to announce that we are now operating out of the historic Jay House on W 7th Street! Over the past year, Lark’s Song has been incredibly gracious to us as we shared space with them. We are sad to leave, but are excited to activate another space in Downtown Marion while at our next temporary studio. As we continue to look for a more permanent location, we are thankful for the generosity and hospitality of our downtown Marion neighbors.
As we’ve worked with a multitude of interns, we have loved catching up with each individual, as we swell with pride when we hear how they have grown since working with us. This week, we are highlighting Grace Woodard, who interned with us first in the summer of 2018, then in summer and fall of 2019, and worked with us into 2020.
Grace shared with us that the most valuable thing she learned from working with MDCO was “how to lead well and how to follow well.” She said that, during her time at MDCO, she was given many opportunities to lead and guide others, but an equal amount of opportunities to follow and learn from others. She said she saw this modeled by leadership, as well, “being intuitive enough to lead and grounded enough to follow.”
She says that her time at MDCO impacts her work today because it taught her how to work with and for humans. Her methodologies and ways of thinking that she learned with Marion Design Co have made her a more empathetic and considerate designer. Today, Grace works as a full-time designer for Ramsey Solutions in Nashville, Tennessee. She stays inspired by most things, including (but not limited to): Heidi Harner, Studio Matthews, Kehinde Wiley, Holly Warburton, clouds, the feeling of fuzzy sweaters, Lorde’s newest single, patchwork bikinis, and Olympic female skateboarders.
Why is Marion so special? A question I ask myself as someone who grew up in Marion. Many of you may not know me in regards to my role at MDCO. I tend to stay in the background and work behind the scenes. My role is primarily to support the efforts and planning of our designers and the projects we have. I wasn’t a part of MDCO when it first started. I heard about it through my mom and Co-founder as she and her team worked tirelessly to make MDCO what it is today. Only in the past 2 years have I worked with MDCO and what a pivotal time it was to join!
The train is moving. Big things are happening. The Lord continues to provide and bless our efforts. What started 5 years ago and what it is today is vastly different ... but in a good way. MDCO in a way reflects the city of Marion. It consists of a team of people who have committed to pour their lives into the city. A team of people who have ebbed and flowed throughout the years as we celebrate the process of growing. And it’s a team of people that has partnered with many other teams to come together to build something beautiful in this city.
We wouldn’t be MDCO without this community. If you’re reading this newsletter and are inspired to hear more or join our team, reach out to us at www.mariondesign.co or on Instagram @mariondesignco.
Brittany Long,
COO & Project Manager
