THIS IS OUR BLOG.
Newsletter 023
There’s no greater experience than to enjoy one another’s company over an elevated, intentionally prepared meal. Our leadership team, including spouses, met in January for an 8:30 pm dinner at Bongi’s in Perkinsville, IN. It’s a tavern that requires reservations months ahead of time, thus the Christmas party one month into 2023. Well worth the wait. With the hustle and bustle of Christmas deadlines behind us, we were freer to focus on celebration. Our waiter was so colorful, enhancing our experience. His ability to rattle off every scrumptious detail of the food pairings was impressive. His enthusiastic communication made every item on the menu feel like the best possible option, making it hard to select just one dish.
The combination of the company of our team and the rich and flavorful dining experience was a perfect example of something “made better than it was supposed to be made” because of one person’s full investment in the experience of dining. We expected a really good meal, but we didn’t expect the friendly character sprinkled over the menu descriptions and the humor perfectly placed during our interactions.
It’s with this kind of genuine intention that we work to approach the projects for our partners. We hope for delight when our approach to solving someone’s design problem is beyond their expectations. The solution has to tell the best parts of their story. It has to be genuine, creating something better than it was supposed to be made!
KENNEDY ART CENTER &
MARION DESIGN CO. GRAND OPENING
MAY 5, 2023
5:00 TO 8:00 PM
326 SOUTH WASHINGTON ST.
MARION, IN 46952
One of our greatest joys is utilizing design to tell the story of people in our community who are working together to do good things! We recently completed a brand identity for three Grant County Chambers who came together and agreed to work together as one organization rather than three separate entities. The Marion, Gas City, and Upland Chamber Directors, Kylie Jackson, Liz Adams, and Dianne Hovermale and their board members came together to agree on a unified new name, Greater Grant County.
From their vision, our hope was to create a brand that reflected their mission to be a catalyst for business growth, convener of leaders & influencers, and a champion for a stronger Grant County. Through the divergent and convergent research, synthesis, and ideation process we narrowed our concepts to present to the team of directors. After consulting their boards and reviewing their vision, they finalized their preference to reveal the final logo and brand guidelines.
Our proposal began with a question and concluded with a declaration of celebration. What does it mean to propel growth? To be a catalyst? To accelerate? Greater Grant County is the one stop shop that helps push people, community, businesses, and the economic growth from the ground up. Through an arrow that comes from the “G” it makes the corners of our square county expand and grow. What emerges is greater than what it was before. Ultimately celebrating the people of Grant County - we emerge connected, raising a rallying cheer, “Go Greater Grant!”
Ongoing relationships built on trust and vision are fundamental to our mission as a community based design studio. Layla was one of our first connections as we launched our work in downtown Marion. She advocated for us to the County Commissioners so we could work from the old Salin Bank on the corner of 3rd and Washington. This became our studio home for the first three years of our work. She continues to partner with us as we pursue revitalization of downtown Marion and work with clients to elevate the quality of design emerging from organizations and businesses.
AUDRA FRIEDEN
Magnolia Graphic Designer
Audra Frieden is a Colorado native with a passion for skateboarding, running (competed on the IWU women’s track team) and design that inspires. As a placemaking and graphic design intern at Marion Design Co. in the summer of 2021, she states that one of the most valuable things she learned from her time in Marion is how much presence changes perception. Before moving to Indiana, the narrative she would hear about the city of Marion were predominately negative. However, the more she became immersed in the city and community through her time at MDCO, her love for the city grew. Working with the MDCO team each day to stand shoulder to shoulder with other community members who were invested in the city inspired her and excited her to learn how much opportunity Marion really had to offer. Her time at Marion Design Co instilled a deep passion for human centered design, pushing her to always think about the core needs she’s trying to address and empathize with the people she’s designing for.
One of the projects she enjoyed the most was creating a set of postcards with illustrations of the city of Marion for the Christmas in July event. “I loved it because it felt like a tangible way to celebrate a place that is full of wonderful people & opportunities. I wanted to create something that inspired people to develop a deeper connection and new appreciation for their city,” says Audra. Her postcards are still available in shops around the city.
Audra is currently a graphic design intern at Magnolia in Waco, TX, where she’s designing for retail marketing and guest experience. She’s always been inspired by the design and content from their magazine, Magnolia Journal, so after graduating with her BFA in Visual Communication Design, she applied for Magnolia's internship program and was able to get connected to the creative team.
She’s currently finding inspiration from staying connected with friends in the creative world (many of whom are from her MDCO cohort!), observing historic architecture in the cities she’s spent time in over the last year and getting involved in community-based organizations in Waco such as Mission Waco.
Wendy Puffer, Co-Founder & Chief Design Officer
I have a love/hate relationship with imposter syndrome. My efforts to blend in with the crowd have often left me with the exact feelings I opposed. I recall hanging out with the smart kids in high school, carefully veiled by their reputation with my secret stash of average grades. I was an imposter of my own doing.
Now, as one who’s raised teens, I’ve embraced the imposter syndrome of risk. For me, the feeling has become a signifier that tells me I’m sitting on the right side of risk. I’ve shifted the title from identifying my need for approval of outside sources to embracing an innate intuition to meet people’s needs. In order to keep my intuition in check, I’ve discovered key disciplines critical to growth so I have the courage to shout a risky “yes" to the right things.
Top on my list of courage builders is reading. I read something everyday. Each morning, always with a cup off coffee in hand, my reading begins with the most effective text of courage, the Bible. From stories to anecdotes, it sets me on track for how to approach the day.
The reading I do throughout the day comes from diverse resources in order to leverage various blocks of time to take in inspiration or key insights for my latest interests. Thanks to technology I’m able to read in the dark, while exercising, in the car while driving, during work, or resting on my sofa. Currently I’m reading Hangry: A Startup Journey (written by the founder of Grub Hub), To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink, Good to Great by Jim Collins, Maps of the World according to Illustrators and Storytellers, Atlas of Cities by Paul Knox, An Incomplete and Subjective List of Terms and Topics Related to Art and Social Practice, Art is Life by Jerry Saltz, and The Gift of Failure by Ari Rategegar. I just finished Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi, Crying in H Mart by Michelle Auner, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett Graff, Dare to Lead by Brene Brown, and To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue.
The voices in these books include messages I agree with - don’t agree with, theories I resonate with - have no experience with, world views familiar - unfamiliar, and words that I embrace - or resist. I’m ready to continue teetering on the edge of risk. It’s where I belong and, I’m discovering from my reading, where many others choose to live.
Newsletter 022
Did you fail at something in 2022? What a depressing question to launch our 2023 newsletter, but here’s why we pose the question. Failure remembered indicates that you’re pursuing something of meaning. Failure leads to regret and regret leads to action. What’s critical to our response to regret is whether we choose to fail forward. What does it look like to fail forward? First, lets look at what it isn’t. Actions that cover up, hide, or disguise the failure are just attempts to downplay its impact. These neither right the wrong nor improve the situation. They only deepen the pain by adding a new layer of regret to your relationship to the event or person.
Let’s consider failure as the launching pad for goals in the coming year. Rather than creating a check list of ways to right the wrongs, how might we use failures as tools for growth. First, let’s clear up one important fact. Failing something does not make you a failure. It does not define you. In fact, it empowers you to act. It gives you something to aim for. The pain of failure creates a yearning for success. Failure is fuel to propel you toward your goals.
As entrepreneurs, artists, and creative thinkers, failure is expected. It’s a sign that we haven’t settled, that we’re willing to break things in order to build sustainable ideas. Efforts to build something great starts with a simple mark on paper. Some of the best ideas are birthed from sketchy marks on cheap paper (napkin sketches) over lunch with a colleague.
Here are a few examples that come to mind:
Chicago’s grid of streets: inspired by a tic-tac-toe sketch during a social event with Ebert and Burnham.
A Bug’s Life, Monster’s Inc., Finding Nemo, and Wall-E: sketches on napkins during a lunch conversation between Lasseter, Stanton, Ranft, and Docter.
Super Bowl trophy: Oscar Reidner (Tiffany & Co.) sketched on a napkin his trophy idea at lunch for Commissioner, Pete Roselle.
So, here’s an idea to get the year started. Sketch out your best failures on napkins. They don’t have to be fancy. In fact, the simpler, the better. When you’re finished, step back and take a look at your sketches. What do you see? Do the shapes remind you of anything? Do you see words repeated? Do the scribbles inspire feelings? These sketches are now a part of a piece of paper that is typically disgarded...who’s original purpose was to make something clean.
Next, grab another napkin. Image it’s December 31, 2023. What goals have you attempted to achieve during the year? How did you fail forward? What did you attempt that didn’t work the first time? How did you leverage that failure to try again until your solution met the problem head on? Glancing back at the first napkin(s), notice what you learned from 2022’s failures. How might you apply those fail forward lessons to your goals for 2023? Chances are, your success will be found in your biggest failures, so lean into them and launch this new year with a few napkin sketches full of insight so you’re free to fail forward toward success!
Through subzero degree temperatures, hurricane strength winds, rain, snow, and a few days of sunny weather, the Stagg’s team finished tiling the entire facade of the Kennedy Art Center/Marion Design Co. studio! Once the black and silver metal trim arrives, it will be installed above the tile between the first and second story.
The brick wall on the back alley has a new opening for an exit door. Currently a interior wall is being built that will separate the future interior back staircase from the kitchen to the basement. In the basement, concrete block walls that previously housed the old HVAC system have been cut through to make way for a pantry and hallway that will lead to the print/production area. The stone walls are being sealed on the inside to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls. Watch on Instagram and Facebook for updates!
A key part of our criteria for saying yes to projects is ensuring it fits our mission to empower community through sustainable design solutions. This top priority allows us to step into stories of so many great people doing good things in our community. One example of an ongoing relationship is with the Third Path Cohort Grant, led by Meagan Mathias at the Community Foundation of Grant County. She first approached us in 2020 to lead a day long design thinking session at the Marion Public Library with 40 individuals, all a part of different organizations in the community. The COVID pandemic forced the session to take place on Zoom. Our team of designers and interns pivoted the design of all of the materials for the digital screen. From that session, three combined teams emerged with successful grant applications for projects that brought groups together who had never worked together previously. The grantees were awarded the grant for three consecutive years to continue pursuing projects to improve life for the people they’re serving.
The following year, we lead the three combined teams during a second design thinking session at CoFo’s 505 building for a full day of face-to-face activities. From that work each team did during that session, Carey Services, Crippled Children and Adults, Hope House, College Wesleyan Church, Grant County Rescue Mission, and Thriving Mill Township created goals and initiatives to achieve their goals for the second year. From an outdoor community center to the restoration of a historic building to serve families, to services and training for those with accessibility needs, each of the three collaborative groups have been empowered to create meaningful projects for Grant County. To find out more or donate to the projects, go to https://givetogrant.org/third-path-cohort/.
We’re preparing for the third and final design thinking session to be conducted January 13th to help each team ensure their project is sustainable after the grant ends. We know that needs don’t stop when the money stops, so each team will work to structure their programming so it’s able to continue for years to come! We’re honored to partner with this important organization who’s strengthening families and individuals who call Grant County home and are excited to usher them into this final phase of the Third Path Cohort Grant!
Angie Thompson, Chief Financial Officer
How does a business tell its story? Is it in the numbers? Numbers show a side of business that tells part of its story. Financial statements tell us how a business brings in revenue, what the cost of doing business is, and how efficiently it manages their assets and liabilities. Numbers do measure progress, but do they really tell the whole story?
They don’t necessarily tell the story of the dream that starts a business. They don’t tell the story of the memories, the frustrations, the celebrations, and the life-changing relationships that are experienced and formed along the way. Most importantly, they don’t tell the story of the clients that the business serves.
Why is it important for a business to share its story? Sharing stories shows a willingness to collaborate, to show transparency and to be vulnerable. It connects people to the business’ purpose and furthers their mission.
How does Marion Design Co share its story? We focus on relationships and research ways to satisfy our clients’ needs. We then work with our clients to ensure our final product completely satisfies their needs and wants. Finally, we share those clients’ stories with others through the work we have done for them. A good story shows the heart behind the numbers and the idea. Look at the stories we are telling and let us help you tell your own.
Newsletter 021
What do numbers, flowers, dots and tittles have to do with Marion? In the same manner that marble, concrete, wood, and building materials comprise the landscape of the city, they tell a story. Objects are embedded with stories. Our own designers have created a series of postcards that reflect stories told through objects (available on our website to purchase). The postcards are simple white backgrounds with black shapes and forms to emphasize the simplicity and clarity of the embedded story without distraction. The simplicity makes room for the story. It may be as obvious as buildings named by their exact location or as illusive as an etching row of rectangles or concentric circles of lines that identify natural and manmade objects found on the streets of Marion. The story lies in the objects history, the person’s interpretation who drew it, and your response as you gaze at it. Objects are opportune for layers of stories over time.
This newsletter will introduce varying methods of intentionally curating objects in your life during this season. What stories might you discover as we introduce objects curated to bring joy and generosity to your closing of 2022 and welcoming of 2023?
The three key elements we consider as we select materials for our Marion Design Co. Store to sell are:
Beauty in the form. The object must reflect design principles that enhance the users visual and tactile senses when in use.
Classic in nature. While the object’s intent may be promoted as new, the function and form carries with it a classic human element that continues into the future. Whether it be the function of versatility (Baggu bags) or the proportion of balance (Baron Fig pen).
Design within reach. Good design should be available locally. While most of our items can be purchased online from a retailer many miles away, our intent is to bring those objects closer to home so you’re able to support Grant County’s local economy through your patronage and examine the objects before you buy. If good design is within reach, it’s more likely to become a part of your story.
The industrial revolution gets a bad rap. With the invention of manufacturing, machinery and the increased production process has been blamed for reducing the meaning of objects. Why do we blame technology? Technology brought us the electric hot pot! We’ve come a long way from the plug in metal hot pots we used to use in college (likely against dorm room policy). Technology also brought us the coffee percolator; that large metal and plastic decanter found at most church pot lucks that made industrial Folgers an important part of our stories.
Today coffee making is designed, through technology, to slow us down in our hurry up culture. The “pour-over” with its narrow, gooseneck spout and limited size curate a constrained, intentional cup of coffee. As the coffee slowly saturates the just-ground coffee beans, pauses are necessary to allow the water to seep at it’s own speed through the dense grounds. Every drip is saturated with smooth aroma and flavor. The perfect cup of coffee. We’ve selected the Fellow products with gatherings, conversation, and aromatic experiences in mind. With their beautifully shaped Move and Everyday mugs and the elegant Stagg and Clara series, we believe you’ll want to slow down for the moment to enjoy your cup of coffee with a friend.
Whether you’re eloquent or clumsy with words, we’ve curated books, journals and cards all geared toward bringing joy, gratitude, and balance to your relationships. What Do you Do with an Idea, a Problem or a Chance? These books by Kobe Ymada, Illustrated by Mae Besom are inspiring and empower the reader toward curiosity. Frank and Funny cards are written by two comedians. Their connection to the humor of everyday life send messages that feel impromptu with “ah ha” moments. True Gratitude, True Balance, and True Joy are inspirational activity books of encouragement and intentional care. We hope you’ll find something that will be an extension of the care you hope to pass on to others.
Our visible accessories on Zoom have been limited to what’s “above the shoulders.” We can sit at home in a top-level meeting with our pajama pants on and no one will be the wiser. The most significant fashion statement one can make might be what’s on the face!
Consider London Mole blue light blocking glasses. They meet our standards for beautiful form and function. Not only do they protect your eyes from the harming computer screen glare, but the fun styles will bring joy to the meeting! From red, to yellow, to tortoise, to clear rims and styles from aviator to scientist, you can literally have a pair for any mood or look you’re going for. We also carry some sunglasses, as well!
While we’re waiting for our new studio to be completed, we wanted to make these items along with many other available to you. Product lines we’re launching this month are: Frank and Funny greeting cards, Baggu reusable bags, Baron Fig journals, pens, and notepads, Newgate clocks, and of course, Our own custom designs, Fellow, and London Mole. We’ll add more lines when we open our Marion location, but in the meantime, buy local by purchasing online at mariondesign.co/shop and we’ll delivery to your home in Grant County. If you subscribe to our newsletter and live outside Grant County, we’ll arrange shipping with you.
We hope this list sparks a new way of approaching how you curate the objects in your life. Jump on our website and bring joy into someone life with an encouraging word or beautiful experience presented through an object gift! We’re grateful for your support of our studio!
We’ve been working in partnership with the City of Marion and Halstead Architects to gather the community’s input on developing green space for the public along Marion’s riverfront. This underutilized feature for the community is one that can improve the quality of life for residents significantly by providing gathering space, play and work space, recreation, event and performance areas once it’s developed. We’ve hosted two listening sessions, engaging design thinking methods to collect feedback.
We have one more session in January with the hopes of moving toward design soon after. We’ve been encouraged by the high attendance and significant conversations that are generating excitement about the future of the areas along Marion’s downtown riverfront from the downtown square to Ballard field.
We also just completed the design and manufacturing of 24 bike racks that will be installed in the spring around the downtown square. Inspired by the city’s branding (created by MDCO in 2016-17), the bike racks were manufactured by Diamond Metals (Marion) after a committee of local leaders including Riley (Tangeman) Sapp, Mikayla Mirazza, Michelle Doyle, and many others.
The tile installers are under the heated tent installing tile on the exterior as we speak. The gas is ready to be turned on and the dry wall installation has begun. While there’s still a long way to go, we’re seeing progress with the first floor renovation. Next time you’re downtown, let us know and we’ll give you a tour! Something new happens everyday!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!
Brittany Long, Chief Operations Officer and Project Manager
Last weekend my family celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas on the same day. Our day was so full. Each moment was filled with fun and anticipation for the next item on our holiday traditions list. It’s interesting being an adult celebrating Christmas. I remember as a child hardly able to sleep because I was so excited for Christmas morning.
We’d put cookies out for Santa before we went to sleep. My sister, brother, and I would camp out together. We’d start the day with stockings, cinnamon rolls, and the Nativity story. The anticipation for such a magical day was always worth the wait.
Anticipation is my word for this season. From a business perspective, MDCO is anticipating the opening of our new building. Each day something new is installed or delivered. Our excitement is growing as we watch our dream of this space become a reality. MDCO also launched our store on November 26! We worked hard to pick products that fit our mission. We sit in waiting to see how that will turn out. We hope that people will visit our site and purchase our products.
This season is also the anticipation of Jesus Christ. Advent comes from a Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival.” As followers of Christ, we are a people living between two advents: the coming of Jesus as a baby and His future triumphant return as the King of kings. During the Advent season, we remember that Jesus Christ came as the Light of the World. We also remember the life Jesus was born to live, the salvation He brings, and the ongoing kingdom work He invites us to join. During this holiday season and as we wrap up 2022, we invite you to join us as we remember the coming of Jesus Christ and what it means for our salvation. We also invite you to anticipate with us the joy of what 2023 holds for Marion Design Co.
“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1:9).
Newsletter 020
While this phrase of declaration carries a tone of fear, we embrace this phrase as one of our favorites! If we’re continually trying new things we’re in our happy place! Experience is over-rated, misunderstood. Experience doesn’t guarantee success. Experience just means you’ve done it before. The value of experience is in the individuals response to what they learned from “doing it before.” Experience provides a landing pad for discovery and improvement.
We’ve completed and are approaching some “never done before” opportunities. Over the course of the coming year, we’ll be stepping into new projects in new spaces to continue the mission we’ve carried since 2016. We’ve always hoped to carry products in a storefront available for the community to purchase. From our own MDCO product lines made by our own designers to vendors whose products we’ve carefully selected, we’re preparing to make these items available in our new location at the Kennedy Art Center!
Marion is full of amazing art learning opportunities from Tashema’s painting classes at Echo Gallery to dance and various art classes at CSA and other studios throughout the city. Learning environments have become so fluid the past couple years. Marion Design Co. and the Kennedy Art Center hope to compliment opportunities in the city through workshops and educational opportunities not yet available. From interior design to graphic design to design thinking and even cooking, we are creating workshops that will benefit our community. If you have a skill you’ve always wanted to learn, please let us know what it is and we’ll explore the possibility of teaching a class on it.
Email us at hello@mariondesign.co with your idea!
We’re grateful for the relationships of individuals and organizations who have entrusted their stories to us. We’re beginning to collect those stories and share them on our website. Take a look at two of Grant County’s most influential organizations who continue to do good things in our community! From brand story telling to design thinking, Marion Health and the Community Foundation of Grant County share their experiences working with us!
Imagine sitting across the street at Ashley’s Ice Cream in Ridley tower peering into the Kennedy Art Center/Marion Design Co. Studio. In the far east window you can see several community members sitting at our 20’ long table redlining plans for the downtown park while a team of interns are creating the next design thinking session from the conference room seen through the next bank of windows. Near the alley, the glass garage door is partially raised to allow fresh air to move through the kitchen where the team is preparing for a cooking demonstration. This is a glimpse of what we imagine as we wait patiently for construction to be implemented.
The ceiling’s been sprayed with insulating foam for acoustics. The main ductwork and HVAC units have been installed and are ready for the return air and fresh air branches. The conference room frame has been installed and the drywall is currently being hung. Next: electrical flooring, bathroom fixtures and cabinets, and the conference room glass walls.
Peter Troutner, Chief Creative Officer & Creative Director
Moving into something new can bring a fresh set of perspectives - it can be viewed with hope or with fear. What will the future hold - and yet the possibilities are exciting and endless. I think, however, there is something comforting in the unknown. Oftentimes in the new we are greeted with discoveries or glimpses that remind us of our past.
While attending a conference a few weeks ago one of the speakers said nothing we can create will be an entirely new idea - there is always a bit of recreation or co-creation going on. We as designers - or anyone who thinks - is working with a conglomeration or mash-up of existent ideas or things that have been done. When complete, something new emerges, but it’s built on the back of ideas we may be familiar with. When we think about it, would we actually ever want an idea so original that it has no relation to anything we have ever done? I think not. We as humans are drawn and attracted to a sense of familiarity and need some handle of the known to step into the unknown.
This idea plays into the way we direct conversations and inspire new ideas. We led a group of students this week in a design thinking strategy of object storming which allowed them to mash-up known objects to create a new and unknown solution. Their ideas were refreshing and inspiring - allowing us to see old problems in new ways and see them make connections they might not otherwise have made.
As we move into a new space, I am reminded of the various spaces we have been. I was telling a friend about the glass conference room wall that will be installed soon and their face lit up with excitement - “Just like the original Marion Design Co.!” I hadn’t thought of that similarity to our two small conference rooms down at 302 - but even there a glimpse of familiarity lies ahead in the unknown of inhabiting a new space.
Newsletter 019
Our work is often a story of connection. Perhaps a previous client has connected us to a new one or we have the opportunity to connect people, organizations, or ideas.
We had the immense honor of getting to work with Kalina on a project that held a close connection to her heart and her story. Now years after an event which made her feel like she had lost a beautiful connection in her life - she seeks to connect with teens who have experienced similar loss and grief. In addition to being tasked with designing a series of advent devotionals, Kalina asked us to name and create a brand for the work she is doing. Any time someone trusts us with their story we feel incredibly honored - especially when the work is so intimately wrapped up with a person’s individual story.
Kalina brought us a story of grief, loneliness, and loss - one of tears - like Mary’s tears at the foot of the cross. Lilies of the valley was the visual connection to a grief that still allows growth and beauty to arise from the heartache. Legend has it that as Mary’s tears fell from her eyes they took seed and in its place lilies grew.
The other phrase Kalina brought us was “the elephant in the room.” This phrase takes on a whole new meaning when one has experienced the close loss of a friend or family member and this absence becomes a hole in every room we wish they were.
Our team took the lily and the elephant and reconstructed it into li-el. Li-el takes the two words and puts them together with an absence in the middle representing the loss and grief. The L’s form two walls - a room in which beauty can grow out of. And in that room is i.e. subtly referencing a placeholder for people to place their grief and perhaps take seed like Mary’s grief and see what comes out of it.
We can’t wait for this project to begin making connections, showing people they aren’t alone, and allow grief to let some beauty in.
This month we added Raquel to our team! She’s a recent graduate of Ball State University who’s is a human-centered designer passionate about impacting people through innovative design. Born in Portugal, raised in Mozambique, and now living in the United States has challenged her to see people as unique pieces of the big puzzle that is life and has opened her eyes to the realities and stories of so many.
As a designer, innovator, and problem-solver, her hope is to design solutions that create a positive impact and improve people’s lives. Having completed a master’s in a unique blend of design thinking, human-computer interaction, and transmedia storytelling Raquel feels empowered by joining the Marion Design Co. team. She states, joining the team “allows me to see my passion and skills come together as I use design thinking to learn more about people and opportunities for innovation!
We just conducted our first Downtown Park Listening Session. With standing room only, through design thinking and discussion, we were able to hear everyone’s voice in some manner within a one hour gathering. This collaborative effort led by the City of Marion, Marion Design Co. and Halstead Architects was the first of several listening sessions we’re conducting as we empathetically apply what Marion and Grant County needs through our revitalization efforts.
We hope to see you at an upcoming session! Our next one is scheduled for:
4:30pm - November 14th
Obi’s Barbeque.
Wendy Puffer, Co-Founder & Chief Design Officer
This week I was watching the contractors pry the metal window trim from the decades old front windows on the storefront of our future studio and Kennedy Art Center in downtown Marion. The intentional care yet physical effort it took to pry and tug at the trim caked with paint and sealant was laborious.
But once the last piece was removed, the glass was easily removed from the frame, making way for new windows with more clarity and better insulation.
I was struck by the similarity this process is to our community’s efforts to make real change for a sustainable future. Strongholds serve their purpose for the time they’re given, but they have a limited life. The pursuit of relationships with unified vision take time and effort but, when accomplished, they free us to have conversations and cast vision with unprecedented creativity. We’re living in that time!
Newsletter 018
Where do you belong? As a new semester is launched post pandemic, many individuals are shifting to new or familiar places to make their mark for the next nine months. From preschoolers to college students, there’s a freshness that comes with a bit more confidence that we’ll be together face to face for the duration of the academic year. The walls of schools and universities are critical spaces for learning.
This month we’re in the middle of construction on a teaching kitchen for preschoolers. The I Have a Dream Academy, located in Marion seven blocks south of the downtown square, is a dual language immersion preschool that champions racial reconciliation among children by creating diverse learning spaces that expand a child’s worldview through experiential learning. Marion Design Co. designed a STEM kitchen that allows children to cook traditional Latino/a and African American foods utilizing naturally grown foods from a greenhouse.This specialized academic space ensures that every child and teacher has a place at the table, creating a sense of belonging. Here’s a peak into where we’re heading. When it’s all finished, we’ll send you photos of the finished space!
As we anticipate the opening of Marion Design Co’s studio in the new Kennedy Art Center, we’re anticipating a variety of activities for the community in the space. As we conduct daily design work for our clients and the community, we’ll also be hosting the KAC Art Gallery and workshops on topics that the community wants to learn more about in the area of design beginning in 2023. If you have a topic for a workshop you’d be interested in attending, send us a note at Marion Design Co. on the contact page and we’ll be sure and explore it!
Angie Thompson, Chief Financial Officer
Last month we moved our oldest daughter into her freshman dorm room and drove away with a flood of emotions. On one hand, there is a sense of accomplishment that we successfully transitioned a young adult into the next level of independence. On the other hand, though, there was a feeling of dread as we looked into a slightly panicked face questioning if she really belonged there.
I found myself affirming her several times saying to her, “You belong here. They chose you. You belong.” But I don’t know that she believed that….yet.
All across the country, campuses are welcoming new and returning students to their communities. You not only see it on campus itself, but also in the stores, restaurants, and yes the coffee shops! As I was in the store this weekend, I saw parents and young adults grabbing last minute items needed for their transition to their new homes. It was a familiar look on both of their faces of wonder, fear, excitement, and slight panic. I was secretly glad that it wasn’t me this weekend. It also made me ask myself what do we do to foster a sense of belonging in our community? How can we say to them “You belong here. Your child belongs here.”
Outside of a simple smile and act of kindness to those around us, there is also value in intentional connections and collaboration with the different organizations in our community. Making connections with our campuses and working alongside them builds a strong sense of belonging for those who are new and trying to find their passions. Collaboration does not mean that we each just do our part and live separately. Collaboration is truly coming together and building from each other’s gifts and talents. We have a new population joining us every fall. How can we connect and collaborate with them to help them feel like they belong and ultimately grow and better our community? Let’s all say it to each other and to those joining us. “You belong here. You chose us, so we are choosing you. You belong.”
Newsletter 017
What do bunnies, soil, and plants have to do with an innovation survey? Design has a unique way of bringing together partnerships of people, process, nature, and data to create a more inviting experience. We just wrapped up a project where design synthesis generated a combination of natural elements, rich colors, movement, and visual semiotics to bring about a more joyful experience of taking a survey.
Innovation Lab Center for Youth Ministry Training conducts a survey called the Innovation Culture Index with churches around the nation. This self-diagnostic tool measures a faith community’s outlook and attitude in key areas associated with innovative potential. This helpful tool reveals a groups collective perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes about these aspects of your community’s culture that influence innovative potential.
Marion Design Co’s challenge was to create a more inviting and joyful experience (keeping in mind sensitivities such as color blindness) for participants as they complete the online survey. We also partnered with Discipleship by Design’s Dr. Amanda Drury to create a follow up group discussion experience with leadership guidelines and group discussion materials that continued our custom design.
This survey and the group discussion materials will be available soon for church leaders ready to engage their congregation in innovative methods of reaching their communities. Marion Design Co. works to empower those doing good work to carry their efforts even further through good design. In this case, bunnies, soil, and plants became the elements to carry Innovation Lab’s vision to fruition!
We’ve all experienced visiting really nice restaurants or businesses whose main public areas are beautifully designed, but lacked luster and attention to detail in the restrooms. It’s easy to neglect the importance of restroom design for a business because only one person uses it at any given time. Actually, as a single use space, the individual using it tends to notice the experience even more. A poorly designed restroom can impact a restaurant patron’s appetite or a business employees motivation to work. The restroom may be one of the most important spaces to design!
We recently transformed six restrooms for a local manufacturing company whose original design dated back a couple decades. The design brief included utilizing the companies products (counterop laminate) to enhance the users understanding of how the laminate could be used. Through application on the wall and counters with undermount sinks, freestanding metal legs, and complimentary flooring and wall paper, we elevated the entire experience of personal care in these six restrooms. A key element to ensuring the user felt good in this space was the carefully designedl element of lighting. Selecting mirrors framed with clean-lit lines and sconces or pendants that acted as jewelry to the room, layers of light makes the experience richer. Employees feel cared for throughout the day and the client is able to show off their products through these unique applications. Enhancing people's experience as they work in a more human environment is an important goal for the work we do!
July marks the month we launched our company blog. As we continue the work with community, alumni, and clients, we’re learning so much that’s too good to keep to ourselves. So, go to https://www.mariondesign.co/blog to find out what’s inspiring us to do the work! Maybe it will inspire you, too!
Our alumni continue to make an impact in the design world. Here are just a few that we’re aware of this month. If you know of others who have recent news, share it with us so we can pass it along for everyone to celebrate! Send them an email to congratulate them!
Jenna Beemer (MDCO Intern 2019-2022 ) began a new career with Gensler in Baltimore. Of course, as a pioneer, they had to create a new job title for her, Strategist. Her email is jenna_beemer@gensler.com.
Yeabsera Tabb (MDCO Intern 2018) was awarded the Placemaking Residency at Big Car in Indianapolis. Her email is yeabsera@bigcar.org. Follow her @yeab_art and @bigcarpix
Michael Overbeck (MDC Team 2016) just became a dad! Leo Henry Overbeck was born six weeks ahead of schedule.
Peter Troutner, Chief Creative Officer and Creative Director
Collaboration is a little bit like preparing a meal - taking bits and pieces from diverse places and perspectives and making them work together towards a unified (and hopefully tasty) end result.
I learned this recently when my ever creative wife, Emily pulled together a decadent lunch from the remainders of our fridge. Some leftover rice, yogurt, and coconut were lovingly stirred together and made to collaborate. An unlikely trio - but one Emily had the instinct to pair together.
Just last night as we sat in our living room Emily and I talked about people in our community and outside our community who we wished could be put on a team to set the county on a new trajectory (like spices preparing the best dish possible) - as we talked we found not only were we collaborating on a vision - but we were learning about what these lists told us about what was important to the other person. I found it to no surprise that Emily’s list reflected kind and dedicated people and those you encounter in the day to day around the community and beyond. Her sweet and gentle spirit reflected in her choices as she welcomed those not normally part of the conversation (just like the ingredients in her rice dish) to collaborate on a stepping into an imagined future.
Collaboration is key to harmony - not elevating our ideas above others, but rather using collaboration to begin to truly know the other person. Who are the people you collaborate with daily? What have you learned about them through that collaboration that makes you sit back and marvel at the uniqueness they have to offer?
Newsletter 016
Grant County is home to several school systems that care deeply about students' education and wellbeing. Mississinewa School’s leadership has pursued excellence in technology, innovation, and quality for its students and wanted their website banner to represent that passion. Over the course of nine months, Marion Design Co. collected film footage at school and community events, places throughout the county, and in the classrooms that collectively tell the story of Mississinewa students and staff and the community that supports them.
This project highlighted the quality education our local college students receive, also. Two of our interns from Taylor University, receiving degrees in the Film and Media, were onsite for the majority of the project, interacting and directing the staff and students. Their production skills helped us create a cohesive narrative told through film. Go to https://www.olemiss.k12.in.us/ to view the entire video.
One marker of community impact is the course of time a story is told for the purpose of inspiration. Indy’s Pattern magazine reached out to us after connecting with us through our work with Indy Fashion Week. They became familiar with the Marion Made Fashion Shows we hosted in 2017 and 2019 and wanted to know more. We had the privilege of sharing our story and the ongoing community impact, partnering with many people to carry Marion’s story across the state. The article is in Volume 21 of Pattern magazine https://patternindy.com/magazine/ We’re looking forward to when we can continue the shows in our new studio gallery! In the meantime, check out the reel from our 2019 show here.
Throughout the history of Marion Design Co., we have been privileged to have many talented people work with us and we want to introduce you to the latest member of our team. Emily has been a part of the team for three months officially now in the role of Senior Graphic Designer and has been a major asset to our design and illustration offerings. She graduated in 2019 from Grace College with a major in Visual Communication Design and a minor in Marketing. Since then she has aided many businesses and organizations with her design talents. When you get a chance to meet her - you will find her asking insightful questions and delivering beautiful and on target work. She is a lover of flowers and little moments of whimsy in the world. Emily recently moved to Marion and married Peter Troutner.
Brittany Long, Chief Operations Officer and Project Manager
What do you remember about the 4th of July when you were a kid? Was it grilling hotdogs and hamburgers or having a watermelon seed spitting contest with your cousins? Was it the fireworks? Did you set off your own fireworks or go somewhere to watch them? Minus the mosquitoes, I love everything about the 4th of July. I remember as a kid going to Matter Park to watch the fireworks with the rest of the Marion residents.
I remember it being so hot and humid but the popsicles and food trucks and sparklers made it all worth it. I remember one year it felt like we were sitting right under the fireworks as they exploded above our heads. It was magical.
Working for Marion Design Co kind of feels like a firework at times. If you think about it, so much planning and preparation goes into a firework show. Planning for the event, ordering supplies, setting it up, prepping for everything. The anticipation. The details. The hard work. Is it going to be worth all the hard work in the end? Yes. Yes, it most definitely is. That’s how we’ve spent the month of June - planning, prepping, and organizing. We have a lot of exciting things coming our way this year - our “fireworks” if you will. One of which is our new building right in the heart of downtown Marion. We are currently working on those renovations and partnering with Marion-owned businesses to get the job done. Along with many other projects and partnerships we have in the works, we are excited to see what the second half of this year brings.
However you plan to celebrate Independence Day, I hope it’s magical, restful, and fun for you and your families. Happy 4th of July!
