Since celebrating our grand opening with so many members of our community on May 5, we have been amazed by the number of visitors who have stopped by Marion Design Co. and  Kennedy Art Center. We’ve had people set up appointments to get advice on leading teams, running small businesses, using effective design in marketing, discerning when to take risks, and more. We’ve also had the chance to conference with individuals about creative endeavors that sit close to their hearts. 

Keep it coming! Our doors are open for you and all your ideas and questions.

Do you have an idea for a design project, a spark of inspiration about how to bring our Marion community closer together, or a vision of how we could help your brand flourish? Visit the Contact page on our website to book an appointment to discuss how we can serve as a consultant or advisor for your great ideas.

After a full year without a cohort of interns, we have been excited to welcome three new interns in the past month: Danielle Hembrock, our interior design intern and a rising senior at Ball State University; Anna McCreary, our graphic design intern as well as a Ball State senior; and Emily Dexter, our copywriting intern and a recent graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. Over the past couple weeks, we have enjoyed settling into our new downtown space and beginning to collaborate on a variety of projects together.

We have much to look forward to in the coming months! Danielle most looks forward to gaining more hands-on experience in her field. Anna is excited to keep learning and meeting new people. Emily looks forward to expanding her skill set and further engaging with the Marion community. And we at Marion Design Co. are excited to share our new space with an incredible new team!

How do you design a space to be welcoming, educational, and inspiring all at once? Designing our new home at 326 S. Washington St. has been several years in the making, and our partnership with Chris Kennedy has produced great results.

The next time you stroll through Kennedy Art Center, take a look around you at the layout, the furniture, and the design elements that make the space feel cohesive and energized. We are proud to have partnered with Kennedy to develop the interior and exterior design of the studio and gallery as well as Kennedy Art Center’s visual brand identity. 

Together, these two design processes resulted in both a space and a brand that reflect the legacy of the Kennedy family in Marion, bring energy and inspiration to our corner of downtown, and encourage the community to come together in new ways.

Kennedy Art Center and Marion Design Co. are excited to announce the opening of Kennedy Art Center’s second art exhibition: A Story in Stills: A Conversation Through Photographs on July 28th. This show will feature work by local photographers, highlighting pieces that ask us to consider the stories coming into focus around us. What do the scenes of everyday life have to tell us, and how does the everyday relate to more glamorized images? 

If you are interested in submitting your work to be featured in A Story in Stills, contact kennedyartcenter@gmail.com. We especially hope to feature the work of photographers local to Grant County!

As a child, my morning wake-up call was always filled with the sound of my mom’s transistor radio blaring classical music and the clanging sound of her baking or the quiet presence of her painting wood or fabric. She was a maker. She didn’t know it, but I was inspired. 

Now, as I work from a studio filled with art, next to other makers, pleasantly interrupted by spontaneous visitors, I’m inspired. Working from home was efficient, but it could lack the inspiration that comes from collaborative work. While working in a downtown building that peers through large picture windows toward other buildings revitalized by faithful risk takers, I’m constantly reminded of the long view toward empowering our community to do good for all, not just a few. We all need inspiration. And our greatest source of inspiration is each other. I feel blessed to get to work in a place where collaboration thrives — a place of inspiration transaction.

- Wendy Puffer, Chief Executive Officer

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