The Helves and Hallmarks of Collaboration project is a celebration of the individual contributions that make collective creativity so marvelous. “Big Innovation” wants you to believe that a sole leading genius is the mastermind of every outstanding collaboration and that the individual contributions are far less valuable than the grand creative total. Nonsense. Anyone who has served in the trenches of collaboration knows that the generative feedback loops between individuals amplify collective creativity to a level not possible by a single person, regardless of creative genius, emotional intelligence, and privileged funding access.

In a world of premium goods, arts, and crafts, hallmarks traditionally indicate the maker or fabricator as well as the quality of the product. In fact, the maker and perceived quality practically merge into “one” to become the “brand” over time. Hallmarks also designate the place and date of production as well as any additional background information that is deemed important by the creator, consumer market, or governing agency. A hallmark can be defined as a distinctive characteristic of a person or associated group of people. The Helves and Hallmarks of Collaboration project leans into this notion by highlighting the specific characteristics, background, and contribution of individuals in order to publicly appreciate their singular role within the larger plurality of creative cooperation.

Given the context of David Buckley Borden’s collaborations with his studio assistants, the Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes at the University of Oregon, and the Oregon State University’s College of Forestry, the vintage branding and advertisement of axes, saws, and other related forestry tools provided an apt contextual aesthetic for the project. Many of the project’s graphic identities were inspired, remixed, and yes, blatantly derived (ripped off!) from classic axe brands such as the Kleen Cutter, Stormking, and Vulcan, to name a few. The period-inspired graphics of turn-of-the-century vintage axe brands romantically recalls a time past when lasting quality and a job well done was essential to nearly everyone’s vocational aspirations, be it an individual craftsperson or collective profession.

With all this said, each sign of the Helves and Hallmarks of Collaboration series strives to evoke the individual spirit of a singular person who is essential to David Buckley Borden’s collective interdisciplinary work with the Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes and the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest from spring 2021 to fall 2024.

Helves and Hallmarks of Collaboration, commemorative sign series, ¾” AC plywood, milled pine, lasers, 3M blue tape, black ink, two-in-one primer, acrylic paint, and assorted hardware, bees wax, dimensions variable, 2023. Collaborators: David Buckley Borden, Adam DeSorbo, Ashley Ferguson, Michael Nelson, and Blake Schouten.

This collaborative work was funded by the Fuller Initiative for Productive Landscapes at Oregon University, the Oregon State University Foundation’s Andrews Fund, the Center for the Future of Forests and Society at OSU’s College of Forestry, and the sale of artwork on this website.