Case Study: Building a Brand Through Art with Gray & Son
When you enter The George V. Palmer Building, you are greeted by a larger-than-life painting of the building’s namesake. A smiling George welcomes you to Gray & Son, Inc., a construction company and site contractor in Timonium, Maryland. Beyond the late owner’s portrait lies a larger art collection, containing pieces ranging from historic documents and plant images to awards and family photos. The result is deeply personal and unique. Their corporate art collection is a visual representation of Gray & Son’s essence; it is branded art.
New Space, New Vision
Founded in 1908, Gray & Son is an award-winning, family-owned construction company and site contractor specializing in asphalt paving, concrete, excavation, sediment control and stormwater management services, soil stabilization, snow removal, and utilities. Twenty years ago, they relocated their Butler, Maryland headquarters to a large commercial office in Timonium, Maryland, with plenty of blank walls waiting for art. “We had this big new building. We were at Butler operating out of a house, and it was just exciting to be able to start fresh,” said Katie McInnes, executive vice president at Gray & Son. “There was a lot of white space, and there still is.”
This was by design. McInnes’s mother, Barbara Webbert, was initially in charge of their art collection. With a strong eye for interior design, Webbert had a specific vision for the aesthetic at Gray & Son. At their previous location, employees hung random pieces of art using tack. It gave a cluttered appearance. Their new headquarters offered an opportunity to regain control of their look. “[Webbert] even had a rule for a long time that no one was allowed to hang things in their own offices. She put big bulletin boards up so people wouldn’t put holes in the walls,” explained McInnes. “She wanted everything to look more professional.”
Mixed in with the professional are a few personal pieces. One of their favorite projects is a wall of the founder, Oscar Gray. This collection hangs just outside their main conference room and the elevators to the second floor. McInnes explained that Mr. Gray founded the business. Her grandfather, George Palmer, his brother, and his brother-in-law purchased the company together before Palmer became the sole owner. The collage wall features a mix of framed corporate and personal photos and artifacts, including an original invoice, one of T. F. Gray’s Black Rock Mills flour bags, Oscar Gray’s 1955 Patapsco River Power Squadron award, and an article about the rescue of a buried construction worker.
The opposite wall conveys how much the company has grown. The wall features documents and images such as company newsletters, citations from the Maryland Assembly and the Governor, family photos, and ribbon-cutting photos celebrating their new headquarters with former Governor Erlich. “[Webbert] wanted personal touches,” added McInnes.
Art with Meaning
While Webbert and McInnes worked on a few projects together, McInnes took over the art about eight to ten years ago. Curating and maintaining the branded collection has been an organic process. “[Webbert] had these huge horse pictures in the conference room. I swapped those out [for] an older picture of a plant [and] a piece of equipment,” explained McInnes. “I’m always looking for stuff that is actually about us and who we are—not just a picture of a horse. I don’t want random meaning.”
For many of these projects, McInnes partnered with Coyle Studios to restore artwork, enlarge photographs, and custom frame their pieces. For one display, Coyle preserved original Gray & Son signage found in the rafters of their mill house. Coyle cleaned, mended, and framed the signs to preserve them for future generations. These signs helped inspire the logo wall, a visual representation of Gray & Son’s branding progression over the years. The display starts with logos from the ‘50s or 60’s through their recent rebranding.
However, branding is more than a logo; it’s about the company’s story and purpose. Photos of plants, job sites, employees at work, their families, award ceremonies, and more decorate their hallways. Old ledgers, citations, awards, letters, and more highlight their history and successes. Showcasing their longevity is an important goal for McInnes. “I think the biggest part of our brand is family, connections, people, and…the number of years we’ve been around. I think you can see that walking through here,” she said. “I always get great feedback, which makes me want to do more. It’s never been bad feedback.”
Collaborating with Coyle
Despite the positive responses, curating a branded art gallery is not without its challenges. McInnes faced physical limitations in the buildings. Objects like fire alarms sit in the middle of some displays. She was excited to find art for their new training room, only to be thwarted by soundproofing panels. Custom framing and other art displays can be expensive. Choosing photos and designing a concept takes time. One project that has bothered McInnes for years is the kitchen. “It’s horrible. I know every time I walk in there, every single time,” laughs McInnes. “Again, it’s taking the time out of your everyday work schedule to make time to do this. It’s not the top of my priority, even though I think about it every day.”
Working with a professional like Coyle can help navigate some of those challenges. For a history display, Coyle mocked up a few framing hanging options, complete with photo sizes and framing designs. They kept Gray & Son’s branding in mind and curated framing selections that highlighted the art and complemented their existing frames into a cohesive design. McInnes and her team could easily make choices without leaving their offices or meeting in person.
Overall, employee feedback is engaging. “We just had employees in here the other day for training, which they don’t usually come to the big conference room, and they were employees that have been here for 30+ years,” said McInnes. “They’re like, ‘Wow, look at these older pictures.’ They really like seeing the older ones. So that is definitely a reward, which is why I know if I do the newer ones, that’s going to be a reward for any of the newer employees coming in.”
Creating and maintaining a branded art collection takes time, effort, and resources. It is an experience McInnes enjoys and finds fulfilling. “It’s so rewarding to see it once something does come together,” she said. “You always think about what a customer thinks when they walk in, but I think it’s just as important for the employee to have that feeling too. Without them, our customers aren’t happy. So just making it welcoming and warm, people can feel what we’re about when they walk through the doors.”