Gibbs Graphics is a locally loved and family-owned, mural painting, sign manufacturing and three- and two-dimensional designing studio. Owners and founders Rusty and Amanda Gibbs set out with the goal of creating a studio producing all things creative in Leavenworth, Washington. They succeeded and Gibbs Graphics has now been operational for over twenty years.
To appreciate the significance of this milestone, it is essential to understand the company’s roots and their achievements which have established Gibbs Graphics as a trusted design studio, not only in Leavenworth, but nationwide.
“It all started in 2004, a family friend ask[ed] Amada and I if we wanted to help him paint some signs. We were just coming from art school and [had] recently moved back to Leavenworth. We said sure and helped him paint those signs and more signs and more signs, but as he retired, we kept going,” explained Rusty Gibbs.
After turning their passion profitable, the Gibbs family opened their first studio in the basement of their log cabin home.
The next big opportunity came when “a family friend asked us to help him paint a mural, and he said we did great, so we helped him paint another mural and another one until we went off doing murals on our own,” explained Rusty.
After ten years of operation in their small home studio, Gibbs Graphics moved into a new studio. The proximity to town and additional space opened new business opportunities and provided space for growth.
Today, the small two-person business has expanded to include nine employees. The work of the Gibbs Graphics team can be seen on every street in Leavenworth and on the walls of many buildings. However, they are no longer exclusively a local company and have created signs for businesses all over the country. Since the beginning of their journey, Gibbs Graphics has created over 500 signs around the Leavenworth area and over 1,000 in total around the United States.
Gibbs Graphics also has many achievements, including winning the 2020 National Sign of The Times sign-making competition and having their work featured in that edition of the Sign of the Times magazine.
“It has been so awesome to see Gibbs Graphics expand from just Rusty and Amanda working in their shop downstairs to becoming the great business that they are today,” said employee and eldest niece of Amanda and Rusty, Napiqua Gibbs (12).
Today, Gibbs Graphics is often sought out to provide mentorship to others, including students at Cascade High School. Each fall, Rusty Gibbs joins Publications students and gives a yearly lecture on graphic design. After his brief lecture, he spends a class period looking over student work and offering helpful tips and ideas. Gibbs, who never hesitates to give back to his community, has even gone so far as to create a webpage with resources for the students in this program: CHS - Gibbs Graphics.
The story of this iconic Leavenworth business is a story that proves with hard work and a passion for what one does, amazing things can happen. Gibbs Graphics is a classic example of the “American story,” making something that they love into a life and a job. To learn more about this business, visit their website: Home - Gibbs Graphics.
Comments