Full Description
There was a time-as recently as the 1980s-when storefronts, murals, banners, barn signs, billboards, and even street signs were all hand-lettered with brush and paint. But, like many skilled trades, the sign industry has been overrun by the techno-fueled promise of quicker and cheaper. The resulting proliferation of computer-designed, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers has ushered a creeping sameness into our visual landscape. Fortunately, there is a growing trend to seek out traditional sign painters and a renaissance in the trade. In 2010 filmmakers Faythe Levine, coauthor of Handmade Nation , and Sam Macon began documenting these dedicated practitioners, their time-honored methods, and their appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. Sign Painters , the first anecdotal history of the craft, features stories and photographs of more than two dozen sign painters working in cities throughout the United States.
Contents
ANNOTATED TABLE OF CONTENTS; Acknowledgments; Foreword: artist Ed Rucsha (former sign painter)--to be confirmed; Preface: authors Faythe Levine and Sam Macon; Introduction: Glenn Adamson, deputy head of research and head of graduate studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A); 1. Rey Guise; 2. Steve Powers; 3. Caitlyn Galloway; 4. Justin Green; 5. Bob Dewherst; 6. Ira Coyne; 7. Sean Barton; 8. Jeff Canham; 9. Ernie Gosnell; 10. Norma Jeanne Maloney; 11. Keith Knecht; 12. Colossal Media; 13. Mark Oatis; 14. Rose Oatis; 15. Ralph "Doc" Guthrie // LA Trade Tech; 16. Nick Barber; 17. Gary Martin; 18. Bob Behounek; 19. Mike Myer; 20. John Downer; 21. Forrest Wozniak; 22. Phil Vandervaart; 23. Steve Powers; 24. Josh Luke; 25. Damon Styer; 26. Sean Starr; Illustrated Glossary reprinted from Wagner School of Sign Arts; Contributor Biographies: Faythe Levine, Sam Macon, Josh Luke, Ira Coyne, Travis Auclair; Resource Index.
