The Power to Create

CREATIVITY WAS IN FULL view but behind closed doors last month at the American Sign Museum (Cincinnati). Dozens of sign artists, Letterheads and Walldogs lent their talents to creating and expanding the museum’s current “Main Street” exhibit, in which visitors walk down a “street” with storefronts, windows and walls on both sides filled with signs. Many are actual historical signs acquired by the museum and displayed in the same settings as they were originally.

Many more additional signs have been created by the sign artists themselves, using classic designs and techniques to allow their new signs to blend with the old. With the faux storefronts in place, the artists painted, carved, gilded and otherwise decorated every wall and window along the way, leaving behind, just for example, an amazing jewelry store, camera store, even a signshop. Let’s not forget that!

The entire process is even more stunning when one considers that the buildings comprising the American Sign Museum originally housed a manufacturing and warehouse facility. We used to store the old inventory of ST Books in part of where the expansion is taking place. No longer. If you haven’t visited, please do after mid-July when the Main Street expansion opens.

Our lead story also explores creativity — specifically, how you can become more and predictably creative. Not so much in your expressive signwork — but in your management, sales and other facets of the business not often regarded as creative. With a new idea or three, you too may soon be transforming the way you run your company.

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