Hand Painted Signs

Midway Video from Best Dressed Signs on Vimeo.

We don't know about you, but 2017 was a DOOZY for us—in mostly positive ways!! We traveled, painted, drank, sweat, shivered, and came through with a body of work we're pretty proud of. 

2017 took us to Provincetown, Oslo, Syracuse, Chicago, Westerly, and back home to Boston and we're happy to share our year in review with you, along with a hint at what's to come in 2018!

2017 began with another radical sign for the awesome folks at Contents Preserved in Kennebunkport, ME. The owners gave us free rein with the design and Josh went down the rabbit hole for this carnivalesque teaser of an A-frame. 

In May, we had the opportunity to paint the windows at the famous Cabot's Candy Factory on Commercial Street in Provincetown, MA. The shop and factory have been operating out of this location since 1927! It was a great honor to design two new front windows and repair the side windows on this historic location. We'll be back next next spring to paint some more! See you in P-town! 

In June, we traveled all the way to Oslo, Norway for the annual, international Letterheads meet! What a blast!! I took a gold leaf class with the eminent Dave Smith and Will Lynes and Josh took a layout class with the legendary Bob Behounek. We also had a bonfire on the summer solstice and it was magical. To view more photos of this incredible trip, click here. 

In September, we painted a commemorative mural at the Walldogs Bricks and Murals festival in Westerly, RI. This mural celebrates the historic Westerly, RI and Stonington, CT high school football rivalry and is painted on the side of the local sports bar (in Bears territory!). The Westerly-Stonington mural was designed by Josh Luke and painted in four days with the help of Hot Rod Jen, Jennifer Konanz, and Kurt, Jessie, and Erik of the Stender Brothers Sign Company. 

The Rise Above mural was painted in late September and is located in the WeWork office in Boston's Back Bay. Inspired by the location in an elevator lobby and the curved surface, we wanted to create an uplifting mural that makes you stop and look. By focusing on the dimensional qualities of the letters, Josh's design considers the various ways that space can be conceived in a 2D medium. The phrase, Rise Above, is inspired by the classic Black Flag song about going high! 

The Made in Dorchester mural was our last outdoor job of the season! It's located at the South Bay Center in Dorchester, MA on the side of the new AMC movie theater, which also happens to be right around the corner from our shop at Humphreys Street Studios! 

A highlight of 2017 was our Always Advance mural in Syracuse, NY! After several years of anticipation, we finally completed this public art commission in July!! The mural references the history of typewriter manufacturing in Syracuse and its role in advancing the careers of women at the turn of the 20th century. We had a blast hanging out and painting in the Salt City for three weeks! It was really great meeting and getting to know Cayetano Valenzuela of The Black Rabbit Studio--a fantastic artist and a fine gentleman. Thanks for hanging out and being rad! 

My greatest accomplishment of 2017 was co-curating The Pre-Vinylette Society: An International Showcase of Women Sign Painters in Chicago. This photo of (only some of!) the Pre-Vinylettes doesn't do justice to this experience. The week-long event commenced in September, with over 30 women sign painters from 8 countries painting three murals on the facade of the Chicago Art Department gallery. The murals were designed by Tone Emblemsvåg, co-curator Shelby Rodeffer, and Anna Frederick. A huge opening night, a mimosa-fueled, two hour panel discussion the following afternoon, a group photo and the Pre-Vinylettes were an official coven. Stay tuned for more magic!! 

Coming up for 2018: we're jet-setting off again next summer to the annual, international Letterheads meet in London, England! In addition to participating in the general hijinks of such events, I also have the great honor of curating The Grand Exhibition of the Pre-Vinylite Society: An 18th Century Revival at the Oxo Bargehouse alongside the London Letterheads event, August 16-19, 2018. This exhibition references the first known sign painting exhibition, which took place in London in 1762, and presents a contemporary take on this unique event in the history of sign painting. 

Josh and I will also be painting signs locally all year so get in touch soon--we book fast! 

[email protected]

Always Advance mural in Syracuse, NY from Best Dressed Signs on Vimeo.

18th Century Signs and the Pre-Vinylite Society from Best Dressed Signs on Vimeo.

Okay, I know it’s been WAY too long since I’ve posted any updates here. I don’t really have an excuse except that 2016 was totally crazy for us (in a good way!) and things just got away from me. But fear not, there are plenty of projects in the works and I plan to keep you updated from here on out! In the meantime, here is Best Dressed Signs’ 2016 year in review! 

Soon after the new year, we travelled down to Hartford, CT to gild the door at Veritas Tattoo. Jake, the shop owner, provided us with his logo and Josh worked with it to create this beautiful glass gild on the front door of their tattoo shop. Click here for more photos! 

In February, we headed out to West Concord, just about 45 minutes from Boston, to paint some signs at the new Pure Barre studio. The client provided the logo and asked us to design some lettering for the concrete column in their reception area. The result is this hip script, designed by the one and only Josh Luke! 

In addition to painting lots of signs this year, Josh also contributed to several art shows in the Boston area and beyond. This piece, titled “Yellowbook #1″ is inspired by Aubrey Beardsley’s Art Nouveau style. The painting is painted in gouache on paper and features a handmade frame made by Josh and me! 

I guess yellow was a popular color last winter while we waited patiently for spring! This is one of two double sided signs for a cool little antique shop called Contents Preserved (we’re currently working on a third sign for them--a double sided A-frame). These signs were a lot of fun to make and we can’t wait to visit them next time we’re in Kennebunkport, Maine! Click here for more images of their signs. 

Soon after the weather got warm, we headed up to Salem, MA to work on two giant murals and the exterior signage for Notch Brewery & Taproom. We had a blast bringing these designs to life and we’re even more excited now that the taproom is open! It’s a must-visit next time you’re in Witch City! 

The Bulletproof Tiger Tattoo signs were some of our favorite signs to paint this summer! We were honored to design, paint, and gild all of the signs for this new Manchester, NH tattoo shop’s storefront and we’re thrilled with how they turned out. Click here to see the gilded signs, here for the painted projecting sign and here for other assorted signs for Bulletproof Tiger Tattoo!

In September we completed the main sign for Arborway Auto, our (very) local auto shop--located just two doors down from our apartment! A neighborhood staple since 1971, Arborway Auto now boasts some brand new signs designed by Best Dressed’s own Josh Luke! Click here for some detail shots! 

The highlight of 2016 for us was our amazing trip to London and Amsterdam for the 41st annual Letterheads Meet! In London we saw so many historical signs and sign-related things (I got to research some nerdy 18th century sign stuff at the British Library!!) and in Amsterdam we taught a workshop on gold leaf techniques. We also hung out with so many of our sign painting friends from all around the world--to say this trip was incredible is a huge understatement. More like the trip of a lifetime!! 

Another highlight of 2016 is the publication of my Faux Ghost Signs chapter in the highly anticipated Advertising and Public Memory: Social, Cultural, and Historical Perspectives on Ghost Signs, edited by Stefan Schutt, Leanne White, and Sam Roberts (of Ghostsigns and Better Letters fame!). This book is the first scholarly collection of academic writing on ghost signs and offers many varied perspectives on this intriguing topic! 

We recently got back from a week long adventure to and from the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati to paint a mural as part of the Letterheads 40th Anniversary. The experience was amazing and we got the chance to meet dozens of new and old friends--most of whom we only knew virtually before this meet! 

We were completely overwhelmed by the spirit of cooperation and camaraderie that we experienced--so much so that I felt compelled to write all about it when we got home. Now that I am home, of course, I’m finding it really difficult to put into words how affirming and important it felt and can only say that we won’t be forgetting it anytime soon. 

When we arrived on site to get started, we immediately met Chris Brunk Deshazo, owner of Spectrum Graphics in Murphysboro, IL., who was more than happy to help us get the pattern up and get painting! 

It wasn’t long before we had a steady stream of helpers, facilitated by Nancy Bennett, Walldog Mural Coordinator Extraordinaire, and the Fashion Frocks mural slowly started taking shape. 

Here’s our new good friend Seann Glaspy of Pleasanton, CA painting a level above Chris. 

At one point we did have more women working on the mural than men (which was a personal goal of mine!). Here’s Chris, Lydia, Deb, Mark, and Alan working away! 

Here’s a couple of like-minded fellas: Josh Luke and Mark Oatis bringing the vision to life! 

Smellby herself, Ms. Shelby Rodeffer of Chicago, IL on the Cincy lettering! 

Miranda Ensink of Amsterdam Sign Painters working alongside the one and only Damon Styer of New Bohemia Signs! 

And when you need a beautifully illustrative face painted, who do you call but the talented Debra Styer of Blue Hour Studios and New Bohemia Signs! 

I called dibs on the skirt. 

We never could have gotten this thing done without Christian Cantiello of Keystone Sign Company in Philly! Christian lettered the Letterheads 40th inscription and the Pre-Vinylite Society signature, signing us off after 4 long and super fun days of painting! 

Mark Oatis and Josh Luke shaking on a job well done! 

The Fashion Frocks mural was just one of six murals painted on the American Sign Museum and the building adjacent to it, all of which are beautifully rendered and executed by some of the best sign painters and muralists in the world. We were lucky enough to be sandwiched between the NexGen mural, designed and painted by the Diaz brothers of Pontiac, IL., and the Avenue Grounds mural, designed and painted by Tom Siebert and his crew from California. 

On the other side of the Avenue Grounds mural is the Crosley Empire mural, designed and painted by Jay Allen of Machesney Park, IL and his team of crazy talented painters.  

Elaine Wallis from Niagara Falls, ON and her team created this beautiful trompe l'oeil mural on the side of the American Sign Museum building. It’s a reproduction of the cover of the first issue of Signs of the Times magazine in May, 1906.

And finally, Andy Goretski of Tomahawk, WI and his crew painted the Letterheads 40th anniversary logo, designed by David Butler. 

We can’t even begin to express how appreciative and honored we are to have a mural included in this company at the American Sign Museum. We’re forever grateful to Mark Oatis for giving us the opportunity to make a mark in the Letterhead arena and represent the Pre-Vinylite Society among some of the best sign painters around. 

There is so much more I could say about our experience at the Letterheads 40th meet but I think the biggest takeaway for Josh and me is an understanding that the camaraderie we felt there extends beyond the mere mutual interest in signs and lettering. I think there’s a certain way of looking at the world that the Letterheads (and Pre-Vinylites!) share that bonds us in a profound way. Many, many, many thanks to everyone who helped us paint the Fashion Frocks mural--many more than made the photos here. Hopefully we’ll see you all again next year, in AMSTERDAM!! 

We’re heading off to Cincinnati next week for the Letterheads 40th Anniversary Meet at the American Sign Museum! As part of the event, six murals will be painted on the exterior walls of the museum and adjacent to it. Mark Oatis, one of the original Letterheads, asked Josh to design and lead the project for a mural centered on the theme of Fashion Frocks---a clothing manufacturing company that previously occupied the building that the American Sign Museum currently occupies. Fashion Frocks made women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing from the early 20th century through the 1970s and they employed women exclusively as their salespeople. In an era when opportunities for women’s employment were few and far between, Fashion Frocks offered a way for women to earn their own money. 

As Christine Engels of the Cincinnati Museum Center explains in the video below, Fashion Frocks utilized a catalogue that featured illustrations of the clothing options and fabric swatches to help the saleswomen market the clothes to their friends and family. The catalogue and other sales ephemera such as business cards and postcards were used as promotional tools to help the saleswomen sell as much as they could. 

According to the May, 1971 issue of Cincinnati Magazine, Fashion Frocks was founded in 1908 and reached its peak success during World War II. After the war, sales declined until the “party plan” sales method was conceived. This merchandizing concept is similar to the Tupperware Party, where saleswomen, or “hostesses” invite friends and family over and sell the clothes directly to them in the comfort of their home. 

In addition to its great success as a clothing manufacturer during the war years, Fashion Frocks also doubled as a manufacturer of parachutes for the war effort, employing women in a different capacity than sales alone. For their contribution to the manufacture of war equipment, Fashion Frocks earned an Excellence in Production, or “E” award, from the Presentation Program of the Army Navy in 1944. 

In designing the mural for the Letterheads 40 Meet, we considered Fashion Frocks’ history and its significance in the advancement of women’s rights. The first draft, pictured below, featured images of WWII parachuters, interpreted from a wartime Fashion Frocks advertisement but the American Sign Museum wanted to keep the focus on the clothing rather than the war effort. 

The final design utilizes imagery from Fashion Frocks’ advertisements, catalogues, pamphlets, and promotional memorabilia. The accordian-like background shape is meant to mimic the fabric swatches included in the catalogues and also allude to the pamphlets that Fashion Frocks used to solicit women for employment. The woman inside the circle vignette (and even the circle shape itself) is derived from Fashion Frocks advertisements from the early 1950s. The tagline "It's Fashion-Wise to be Thrifty" was included on almost all their advertisements below the Fashion Frocks logo.

The image in the top right corner is a lapel pin that Fashion Frocks gave to their sales associates to wear when they sold merchandise. (We actually purchased one of these pins from Ebay. It’s tiny! Only half an inch wide by about an inch tall. I’ll be wearing it while we’re painting in Cincinnati so come check it out!) The image on the pin was also prominent on a lot of the literature that Fashion Frocks produced to engage potential and new employees. The "E" badge on the bottom is the official seal on the "Excellence in Production"award given to Fashion Frocks its contribution to the war effort during WWII.

Because this mural is very female-focused and Fashion Frocks, as a company, offered employment opportunities for women in a time when most women relied solely on their husbands or fathers, we wanted to include as many female sign painters as we could to help paint it at the Letterheads Meet. If you’re going, come on by and say hello!