I’ve only been an exhibit designer at Taylor Studios for a short time. Prior to this, I designed scenery for theatrical productions. While my environment may have changed and the scope of work is a little different now, the similarities between these two worlds are, without a doubt, abundant. From the process of storytelling to the technical aspects and attention to detail, the transition from one to the other has been pleasant and even familiar at times. However, there is one similarity that I think defines both me as a designer as well as the companies I’m a part of. In every instance we want nothing more than for the audience to feel appreciated, educated, and inspired.

I once had a professor tell me that “Theatre must be something you really love because you give so much of yourself to it.” Those words stuck with me because I’d never stopped to think about the sacrifice of putting on a great show. Those finishing touches on a model at four in the morning, the feeling of frustration when an idea falls through, a few cuts and bruises because you were tired and not paying attention all just felt like a part of me. None of that mattered because I was accountable for giving whoever was going to sit in that audience an experience that they would enjoy and savor.

Without the people devoted to experiencing the story you’re telling, there is not a play to perform.

Likewise, without the people devoted to experiencing the story you’re telling, a museum exhibit does nothing.

Consequently, we at Taylor Studios have a responsibility to produce stunning work to satiate our clients, absolutely. But more than that, I think our greater purpose is to serve those who will come to experience the exhibit. That’s the whole reason as to why we exist as a company.

To paraphrase one of my design idols Mimi Lien, ‘The reason that we do theatre (or in this case exhibits) is to be able to see something different and to see something differently.’ In other words, why would you intentionally bring yourself to an exhibit or a production just to look at something you probably see every single day? Instead we want to congregate at the place ready to tell us a story that we’ve never heard before.

When an audience has given me their time, money, and attention, I want to give them an experience that they can only get from this exhibit. They’ve already purchased the tickets to get through the doors, they want to be transported. That’s a reason why in all of my design work I try to express visual elements creatively and in unique ways. It’s at our foundation that an audience will come and see things in a new light. They willingly come and we welcome them into the special world of our story for a while.

I could rant on and on about this. But maybe instead of reading about my passion for you, our audience, you’ll be able to experience it in the exhibits being produced here at Taylor. I hope that you’ll come to an exhibit and allow us to tell you a story in an interesting and visually exciting way. And I hope that when it’s all over, you’ll walk away feeling improved and inspired.