/>
Hero Arts is celebrating 45 years in business this year! What an incredible journey it has been. YOU are a wonderful part of our history, and now that our anniversary is here, we'd like to invite you to celebrate this milestone alongside us! In the next several weeks, join us for fun, contests, behind-the-scenes content, lots of giveaways, new products, and more. Let's get this party started, friends!
The start of it all? Flashback Fridays. Over the course of five Fridays, we'll be sharing the story of our five decades as a company.
The setting: Berkeley, California, mid-1970s. Let's hear about the earliest days of Hero Arts from our CEO, Aaron Leventhal:
"Hero Arts was founded in May of 1974, near the end of the school year, when my mother (Jackie) decided she would try out her hobby at local craft fairs. Early designs included funky cartoon images, irreverent messages, and drawings from friends and family, including Betty Boop, cartoon monkeys, a cow by 4 year-old Aaron, and more. Most of the stamps were handmade in our bathroom, where our vulcanizer sat, that pressed rubber. The rubber was then cut and assembled in Jackie's bedroom, before being sent out via mail or sold at fairs."
Wondering what the first catalogs looked like? Well, they were actually fold-out posters...
Here's a closer look at the inside and back of the 1978 Hero Arts product poster.
Aaron even found this photo showing an early craft show booth from the late 1970s!
If you're interested in hearing more of the Hero Arts story, grab a beverage and enjoy this interview from a few years ago, when Aaron sat down for an Online Card Classes Crafty Chat. We think you'll enjoy hearing this story directly from him!
When did you start stamping? Let us know in a comment below and we will pick one winner at random to receive a $25 Hero Arts gift card! Comment by Thursday, April 25 at 11:59pm PT and you'll be entered to win.
Tomorrow we'll begin sharing peeks from our upcoming 45th Anniversary Summer Catalog! That's right, this year's Summer Catalog is one big anniversary celebration that we can't wait to share with you.
Thank you for joining us today!
I started stamping in late 1969 or early 1970, there was a large article in the LA Herald Examiner featuring, Kids Stamps, Leavenworth Jackson and
Stamp In The Hand. I went nuts sending for catalogs immediately….still got the bug. Seen so many come and go, owned my own stamp store for seven years and loved it. Glad to see Hero Arts continuing on, always made a quality product with a broad range of stamps to appeal to everyone.
Here’s to another 45!!!
I love, love , LOVE Hero Arts! your selections are unique, flexible, and priced fairly. when did I start stamping? i have a photo of me, about 8 months old, where i am teething on a wood stamp, it looks like a tree stamp. so i literally cut my teeth on them! My mom was a big crafter and her mom before that. I’m happy to say I passed it down to my daughter and my grandsons. they were thrilled with the Safari kit! happy anniversary to you all! xoxo
I started stamping in about 2007 or so. I was an acrylic painting teacher and we painted greeting cards but when I went to put a greeting on the card by painting it, my handwriting looked horrible! So I saw stamps with greetings and decided to use them instead. I started with sentiment stamps and they are my favorite still!
Huge congrats on 45 years!!
I started stamping about that same time! My first stamp was a little lined kit that I could spell out anything. It wasn’t until I became disabled about 15 years ago that I really got into stamping and card making, tho. One of my biggest stamp collections are my Hero Arts stamps!!! Love ’em!!😍
I started stamping in 1992 when I had my first job after finishing my training. I bought a set with 56 miniature rubber stamps mounted on foam cubes. I still use them! I have old Hero Arts stamps too, including A1228 Star Angel Postage and the set LL614 Musical Instruments (still in the decorative paper box). I love reading your blog for inspiration.
I think I was introduced to stamping in the 60’s when our art class did some simple cuts to explore various art techniques…but after a significant lull, I discovered a local craft store in the mid 90’s. So glad Hero Arts was one of the companies the store carried. Their wooden stamps are among my earliest purchases.
I started last year. I bought a cuttlebug an da few dies. Then i started watching youtube videos and saw some cards created by a hero arts kit. I though it was nice to have some direction since I didn’t exactly know what to do with what I bought. I got the October 2018 Christmas kit and I have been stamping and making cards ever since.
I started stamping over 30 years ago. It has always been a fun and creative outlet. I have made thousands of cards over the years and continue to do so.
I started stamping in 1999 with a few wood mounted stamps from hero arts and all night media ❤️
I started stamping about two years ago. Love Hero Arts and use it as a way to keep calm in a busy world.
Leave a comment