This article originally ran in the Cleveland Daily Banner on January 16, 2019
Eric Boston, a graphic designer and businessman, is one of a multitude of board members working toward seeing the Christian, interactive museum Trek thru Truth become a reality.
Originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia, the 48-year-old attended Ohio University moved to Cleveland, Ohio, as a vocal performance major in opera. When he realized his interest wasn’t solely in singing, Boston moved to Cleveland, to attend Lee University in 1993. This was during a time the institution was still Lee College.
Boston is the managing partner for Boston Uncommon, a company which manufactures creative architectural signage and displays with mixed media incorporating laser and rotary engraving, CNC milling, wide format media printing and traditional woodworking equipment. These items can be used in churches, theme parks, schools, healthcare facilities and senior living centers.
One of the most noticeable projects Boston Uncommon has worked on is a verse from the Gospel of Matthew, which stands over the massive rendition of the Ten Commandments located in Murphy, North Carolina, at the top Fields of the Wood.
“They originally had painted the letters on this giant, open Bible [representation] in 1944, so we carved the letters into panels and pieced it all together to reinvigorate it and make it legible from a great distance,” Boston said.
The Lee Centennial also brought an entirely new portfolio of orders from the university, with Boston responsible for crafting the logo for the event.
One thing he says sets him apart from other designers is he genuinely wants to incorporate himself into projects, as opposed to simply taking a project from a list.
After working for more than 20 years in post-acute healthcare and senior living services, Boston often finds himself creating signs, stickers, maps and countless other graphics for such facilities.
“I ran facilities in five states — nonprofit and for-profit — and in the post-acute world, differentiation is important. We want people to be impressed by the craftsmanship of something as simple as our menus or directional signs, because they’ll know if we pay that much attention to these small details, we’ll take great care of their loved ones as well,” he said.
While serving as CEO at St. Barnabas Senior Living Center in Chattanooga, Boston started woodworking occasionally and thought how exciting it would be to open his own business one day. These thoughts eventually led him to open Boston Uncommon in late 2016.
“We aren’t just a manufacturer of products; it’s about incorporating missions and intents behind things,” Boston said. “We want people to cock their head at something and think, ‘That’s unique.’”
Boston Uncommon services numerous states around the country, expanding as far west as Idaho. Boston said he always tries to make individualized products for each location, if a unique design is requested.
As a Christian business owner, he hopes to increase biblical literacy through his projects – an easily obtainable goal when working with various churches and religious organizations.
Boston was introduced to Trek thru Truth president Doug Caywood through his friend and fellow Trek thru Truth board member, Joe McCullough.
“This perked my interest, because I was immediately excited about starting on a project like this at its beginning,” Boston said. “It’s also a great opportunity to put my stamp on this wonderful museum created for spreading the Gospel.”
Due to his background in nonprofit management, he felt he could lend a hand from a creative as well as developmental standpoint in seeing Caywood’s vision realized.
“Things like Trek thru Truth don’t really exist. There’s only a few biblical museums in the entire nation, and to know you have the opportunity to walk through the entirety of Scripture in a tangible way is amazing,” he added.
In addition to the Fields of the Wood monuments, Boston has worked as a corporate/conference speaker and consultant, and spoken on various topics like leadership development and synergy. He also created a leadership program called “SOUP!” that he hopes to see developed into a book in the future.
For more information on Boston Uncommon, check out its website at www.bostonuncommonsolutions.com or call 423-284-5313.