Indianapolis designers support art education 1 button at a time

Buttons started with George Washington.

The year was 1789. On his inaugural jacket, Washington wore a metal button.

Almost 40 years later, pinback buttons started to pop up throughout the country, mostly in support of political campaigns.

But soon, they were everywhere. Politics, social causes, entertainment, events, advertising and bands were displayed on various sizes, pinned onto the shirts of people worldwide.

Rock and punk bands favored the 1-inch button. They were cheap, small tokens that could connect them to their fans and spread their music.

Now, buttons are becoming more popular than ever.

INCH x INCH, an Indianapolis-based monthly button club, decided to jump on the trend in October 2014.

The club sends 1-inch buttons to subscribers in 42 states and nine countries.

Each month INCH x INCH subscribers receive a small yellow envelope filled with buttons designed by graphic designers, photographers and other artists. Each month features a new artist and three new buttons.

INCH x INCH founders Bob Ewing and Drew Hill love them. They’re small, collectible and present a challenge to designers.

One inch.

A 1-inch circle, the size of a quarter, is all the space designers are given to represent an idea, group or event. They can’t rely on text.

“It’s a simplified message, which makes it a lot more wearable,” said Christen Carter, owner of Busy Beaver Button Company, which manufactures INCH x INCH’s buttons.

The buttons are small enough to be wearable, especially in combinations. Wearing a couple of big buttons looks awkward, but a couple of 1-inch buttons pairs well with most outfits, Carter said.

Ewing and Hill can be seen sporting the buttons from INCH x INCH on their shirts, hats and bags.

But for INCH x INCH, it’s not just about the buttons.

INCH x INCH gives 65 percent of its profits to two charities — 826Chi and Art with a Heart.

826Chi is a Chicago-based writing and tutoring center that assists children ages 6-18. The organization is volunteer-based and serves more than 4,000 youth each year, according to its website.

Ewing and Hill wanted to support youth art education in Indianapolis and Chicago to support the places where INCH x INCH is located.

In Indianapolis, they donate to Art with a Heart, which provides hands-on experience and art education to at-risk youth.

“They’re a fairly young organization too and we were surprised to see how much they’ve accomplished in such a short time,” Ewing said.

Alison Graham is a 2015 Arts Journalism Fellow. The fellowship, funded partially by a National Endowment for the Arts grant , is a partnership between the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the IndyStar.