Offering “wise designs for wraps, murals, and signs,” Sage DesignWorks provides a plethora of products to help make your artistic vision a reality. Boasting more than 20 years of combined experience, husband and wife team, Jeff and Tory Schmidt, create custom images for both businesses and individuals.

No job is too small for these enterprising artists whose printed products range in size from business cards, stickers, labels, and magnets to posters, banners, and signs. Other printed projects include fliers, brochures, pamphlets, canvass prints, promotional products, merchandise, menus, and more.

Do you want to go big? Sage DesignWorks’ large-format offerings include vinyl wall wraps, temporary or permanent floor decals, and hand-painted murals.

The couple is currently painting a custom mural inside the Historic Central Hotel in downtown Burns.

Blending old and new, urban and rural, the mural puts a colorful, modern spin on a historical image of the Edward Hines Lumber Mill. Tory said the hotel’s owners, Jen and Forrest Keady, have an affinity for graffiti and urban pop art, but they wanted to pay homage to local history and scenery.

“I digitally altered this historical mill photo where I took the background out, and then, in the background, I Photoshopped Steens Mountain,” Tory said.

For a pop of color and some urban flair, she added a psychedelic sunburst that looks like it came straight out of The Beatles: Yellow Submarine.

The finished mural will be like a Where’s Waldo seek-and-find adventure, as pop-culture icons and imagery that’s specific to the Keady family and Central Hotel will be hidden throughout the hand-painted piece.

“We’re going to add a bunch of fun, little things for people to find,” Tory said. “On the light tower, we’ve got the Bat-Signal. I’ve got an ostrich head in a window over there. There’s a T. rex skull. It looks really serious, but there’s a real fun part to it, too.”

Tory noted that the Keadys plan to host a party at the Central Hotel once the mural is complete.

By exploring options available through vinyl, Sage DesignWorks can also adorn the outdoors. Jeff explained that vinyl wall wraps are basically huge, high-performance stickers, and any quality image can be converted to this format.

“It looks like it’s painted because it’s essentially seamless,” Jeff said. “There are seams, but they’re very subtle, and they can even be hidden.”

Tory noted that vinyl images are much less time-consuming to create, and the material is weather-resistant and temporary (if it’s removed within five to seven years).

Jeff noted that, in addition to outdoor murals, vinyl images could be added to traffic-control or electrical boxes to decorate downtown.

Since moving back to Burns in December 2018, the Schmidts have been active in downtown revitalization efforts.

“To personally be able to help benefit the community has been really a positive thing for me,” Tory said.

Tory grew up in Harney County and graduated from Burns High School in 2008. Jeff grew up in rural Minnesota, but said he appreciates Harney County’s recreational opportunities, especially rockhounding.

The couple met at Montana State University where Tory received a bachelor’s degree in architecture, and Jeff studied architecture, graphic design, and religion.

Jeff joked that their move back to Burns was an early Christmas present to Tory’s mother, Wendy Bull, who has enjoyed spending time with them and their three-year-old daughter, Sawyer.

“It’s been nice to be near family again, that’s for sure,” Tory said. “It was nice for me to be able to bring my degree back home.”

Jeff, who has experience in vehicle design, is also bringing a special set of skills to the area. With options including full-vehicle color change, large-format advertising and business logos, printed window perforation, window and taillight tinting, pinstriping, protective film, and custom decals and bumper stickers, Sage DesignWorks will have you riding in style.

Although the company is based in Burns, Sage DesignWorks uses “the power of the Internet” to reach customers throughout Eastern Oregon and beyond.

Jeff is currently working with a customer in Eugene to wrap a semi truck in custom camouflage print. Sage DesignWorks also completed a mural inside a local residence and designed a logo for a Harney County start-up. The Schmidts can also digitize, update, or incorporate existing logos into new designs.

“We believe in purposeful designs and simple, yet beautiful solutions,” Sage DesignWorks’ flier states. “Our unique ability to cater to individual business styles helps us create something spectacular for any job.”

Examples of the company’s work can be found online at www.sage-designworks.com.

Some of the Schmidts’ long-term goals include obtaining a lift or scaffolding so they can take their projects to new heights, acquiring an enclosed trailer so they can take their show on the road, and securing a shop space.

Anyone who is interested in getting creative with Sage DesignWorks can call Jeff and Tory at 507-272-6093 or email sagedesignworks@gmail.com for a free quote. The couple will come equipped with a sketchbook to help bring your vision to life.

“Don’t be afraid to email us because we will literally think about any project,” Tory said.

Jeff added that customer satisfaction is key.

“If you aren’t happy, we aren’t happy,” Tory said.