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A sign artist's cross-country journey inspires
By Steve Aust
Craftsmanship is dead. That refrain is probably uttered, or at least thought, multiple times on a daily basis by many. In a social-media and cyberspace-dominated world that rewards knee-jerk decisionmaking and instant gratification, it’s easy to assume that automation has choked the life from artistry.
I’m not an uncompromising Luddite; I can appreciate that more efficient production equipment and new-generation materials and components often yield better quality, more durable or more-energy efficient signage and graphics. However, I also appreciate the patience, precision and passion required to fashion a sign entirely from one’s own imagination and hand.
Thus, you can probably imagine my excitement when I heard about the travels of Derek McDonald, proprietor of Golden West Signs (Berkeley, CA). He traveled more than 5,000 miles through 10 states, handlettering signs along the way. His ultimate destination was the Walldog meet, which took place in late June in Plymouth, WI, but he also embellished tattoo parlors in Wyoming and Wisconsin and a high-school football stadium in Minnesota with handpainted signage. A gallery that chronicles Derek’s adventure (his girlfriend and fellow lettering enthusiast, Tina Vines, accompanied and assisted) will soon be posted on www.signweb.com.
When friends and family ask me what I write and edit at ST. I tell them I write about signs. They then often ask, with a quizzical stare, “Highway signs?” Patiently, I respond, “No, the government usually handles those. I mean signs that identify and promote any type of enterprise imaginable. Everything from sandwich-board signs on the sidewalk to electronic-display spectaculars in Las Vegas. Think about it. How would you know a business existed without sign? They’re the unsung heroes of commerce.” Then, they say, “That’s cool. Never thought about it that way.”
You know. You live and breathe it every day. Sometimes, it difficult to get others – especially others with authority, such as city planners – to understand signs’ importance. Sometimes, a human-interest story such as Derek’s can provide inspiration and help laypeople understand that signs inform, direct and educate.
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