Going the Distance for Healing

The 25,000 runners in the 2010 International City Bank Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach, California, were able to take in not only Mother Nature’s sights and sounds, but also be inspired along the 26.2-mile course by artwork from local children, thanks to Iconography Studios.

Los Alamitos-based Iconography donated the printing and installation work of more than 60 pieces of art that were created by young patients from Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. Images of each piece of art, complete with the young artist’s name and age, were added to the 34 3 x 6-foot mile markers that adorned the race route.

Iconography used its 6-color Roland SolJet Pro III XC-540 with Roland inks for output of the various pieces of artwork, printing onto Grimco Brite-Line Duration self-adhesive glossy vinyl. Each 26 x 26-in. imaged piece of art was then adhered to the mile markers (front and back, different images for each) provided by the marathon organizers. No lamination was necessary, and the markers were then handed off to marathon staff for installation.

“We are committed to supporting our local community by making donations such as this. It is our small way of giving back to the organizations that work together to make our community a special place,” says Sarah Naccarato, Iconography’s co-president.

At a pre-race expo, race participants were able to bid on taking home a mile marker as a memory of their accomplishment via a silent auction. All proceeds went back to Miller Children’s Hospital as part of its “Artful Healing for Our Heroes” campaign.

The mile markers were an early preview of steps the marathon is taking to make the event a “26.2 Mile Art Exhibit and Performance,” race officials say. Beginning in 2011, with the help of the Arts Council of Long Beach, it’s expected that the entire course will be lined with art and performance experiences.

Iconography Studios
iconographystudios.net