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It seems as though over the past few weeks the world has changed faster than anything I can recall.  As a business, we are looking to the future to plan for how we can support our clients in moving forward to operate in this new reality.

Physical distancing is going to play a big role in how businesses are able to reopen while still helping to reduce the spread of COVID 19.  Graphics can be used as a tool to communicate a procedure to the public in an easy to understand way.  

Mito provides durable floor graphics to clients in the retail and service industries.  Our graphics department has been busy creating some standardized images that can be adapted to include branding or a custom message for each specific client or project.  Floor graphics are engineered to be durable in high traffic areas; featuring a heavy duty, textured laminate to protect the image from foot traffic.

Physical distancing between clients and front line staff is also a key consideration in operating over the coming months.  MitoGraphics can provide signage to communicate instructions for clients on how to interact with team members; as well as thanking them for their support and patience.  The key to successfully operating with new expectations is the ability to communicate with the client in an easy to understand way.  

Contact us today for help with planning and implementing your plans for operating safely throughout the pandemic.

Hello, my name is Felicity. I am currently a co-op student working at MitoGraphics, And I am going to be sharing my work experience here. My journey started during September my first impression of the place when I first walked through those doors it was so different from what I imagined it would be. First, the smell was really strong it smelled like an ink shop. I imagined there would be a lot of computers throughout the building but it turned out there were more machines than I expected to be there. I was extremely nervous and shy to be around everyone because I was not familiar with anyone, or to what I would be doing. I learned that day not everything will be like you imagined, as I have never been in a workplace environment like this before.

 Every task I do around here changes every day, sometimes I will put together a video. I have created some unique and entertaining pieces from when we do projects from start to finish. Like the job we had done that required the usage of a flatbed printer. This experience I enjoyed doing very much as well as experiencing new things as I was creating and learning how to make videos. I will also do some weeding, or even helping with sewing. I have gotten a lot of opportunities to watch a lot of cool machines and processes be done. Coming here has helped me understand what I wish to do in the future as a profession that is what I came here to do. My hope for a profession is to work for a graphic design company at first and make a good living and later on be a freelance graphic designer running on the experiences I have had. My time here has been enjoyable and fabulous as I am getting to experience a real workplace.

 Being a co-op student here is a great opportunity because coming here gave me a basic understanding of what I should be learning about to become successful. I am grateful for what I have been able to accomplish and learn from being here. As I now understand the importance of teamwork I can see that everybody here does their part to make sure everything is done as a team. I have been able to see what it is like to rely on everyone and cooperate. Everyone is excited to see new projects and appreciate what everyone else does for the company. I have gotten some useful work-life lessons from coming here, also some essential training on the basic information I did not understand before. Like how I was taught for the first time how to use a phone system, and how I learned how to use a new video editing program that I have not seen before.  and getting to see everyone who has been a great help in the career path I wish to pursue.

This is the video I have created https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGGzqAPvf9I

When I first came here I had no clue what I was doing or how to do anything, however, as time passed on everyone helped me learn in their own ways. When I first started to come to mito I was nervous but coming every day after I was not so nervous I had become comfortable here. I was able to come out of my shell and be myself as I had also gotten used to the smell of ink over time. Since September I have come a long way to becoming a part of this team which is nice to be with and it has made me feel welcome and included. As time is going on I have some laughs and giggles, also a lot of the time I needed help because at the time if I did not understand something or I was stuck. But now to all that help, I have gotten used to what I'm doing and I don't need as much help as to when I first started. So in the end when I am working at MitoGraphics as a co-op student it is a great way to learn and experience what work is all about. So overall working here for the short amount of time I have been here it has been amazing as I couldn't have pictured it any other way. So this is what it's like being a co-op student at MitoGraphics.

This year, I am feeling particularly thankful.

Being “thankful” is a complicated feeling; from my humble perspective at least.  I am aware of the day to day gratitude that I feel to those people in my realm that support and inspire me.  But there is a deeper level to being thankful that I am acutely aware of this year.

Over the past 20 years I have experience many highs in lows – both in business and in my personal life.

Upon reflection, I realize that the lows have been just as important as the wins in helping both myself, and our team to grow.  It’s easy look back and recall defining days where Mito has accomplished our goals, won new business, developed new technology.  However, as time passes I realize that the moments that truly define our company, and our team are the moments I can recall where we stumbled, struggled, became frustrated – and then came together and figured out what it took to move forward.

So, this Thanksgiving I am thankful for our incredible team at MitoGraphics.  I am thankful for their dedication to the “Whatever It Takes!” philosophy that defines how we do business.  I am thankful that they understand, and embrace the Small Business culture where we all pitch in to make this a great place to work and learn.   I am thankful that when we struggle, we turn to each other for help and rally around a problem with vigour and innovative minds.

On a personal level, I am thankful to work with a team that brings coffee for each other in the morning, shares rides to and from work, gets excited about an opportunity to be creative together, and in general takes the time to be good to each other.

Over time, teams change…..people join us and then move on to their next adventure.  I am thankful; and maybe a bit proud as well to say that our team of today is the best it’s ever been. 

Lastly, I am ever so thankful to our past, present and future clients for bringing us the opportunities that have allowed us to be challenged, inspired and to do our very best work.

On behalf of the entire team at MitoGraphics, I wish you a most wonderful Thanksgiving.

Larry Theobalds has been a member of our team since 2001.  He is celebrating his 50th year as a Screen Print Enthusiast, so we asked him to post his reflections on the evolution of his craft.  Enjoy!

50 years ago……… a long time ago when I first got involved with screen printing. It was the time of peace, love and flowers, the Hippie movement, a time of celebration and revolution, it was a great time to be young.

Everywhere there were these crazy posters popping up on walls, telephone posts and construction barriers. Some advertising concerts, other promoting social and political change.

Me, I was in high school, my favorited class…..ART. I was exploring the art of the day, finding underground cartoons interesting and wanting to know about these posters that were everywhere. My teacher in art showed me this frame with an image on it, he put some paint in it and with this strange board thing pushed it across the surface, then lifted the frame up and there underneath was an image on a piece of paper, a screen print!.

My teacher showed me how to take a drawing, cut out a stencil, adhere the stencil to the screen, put ink in and print the image with a squeegee, I was hooked!

I learned how to people like Andy Warhol and Peter Max would make their art with screen printed images, how art students in colleges and universities would design posters for rallies and protests using screen printed process, the social media of the day it was.

Over the course of my time in high school art, I worked in screen printing a lot, as well as a keen interest in fine art and cartooning. When the time came to go to college, I found myself taking cartooning and life drawing and screen printing.

I worked freelance for a while creating artwork for different clients, sometime working with printers to prepare artwork for press.

I found myself at a crossroads and was looking for more permanent employment where I ended up acquiring a position in a screen print hop as I already had the basics under my belt.

I learned how images were created and transformed to the screen using photographic process with light sensitive emulsion (or coating).

I learned the process of screen printing from beginning to the end, creating artwork, making screens, mixing inks to color specifications, printing and finishing for shipping.

It’s been 50 years since I first discovered screen printing and I’m sure it’s not over yet. I think that I’ll always dabble in screen printing as part as my exploration in art even after I retire as a printer.