I am a photographer in Austin, TX and am working on a coffee table book about wall dog painters and the signs they created. I have been to over 20 states and driven nearly 20,000 miles to document these signs, but I have only met a handful of sign painters here in the Austin area.
Can you all suggest any painters who might be willing to talk to me and talk about the history of the wall dog sign painters? I want to cover the following topics:
- rise and fall of the wall dog - tools of the wall dog - day-to-day life of the urban vs. rural sign painters - lettering styles
Each painter I speak with can pick a topic and the interview will be in the book in a Q&A format. You will have final say on the interview before we go to print to make sure that I have not misinterpreted your answers. I'd also like to have a bio of each painter that participates.
The last think I want to do is include a section with a series of photographs of images of a wall being painted -- either a brand new one or a refurbished wall -- in a time lapse fashion so people can see the process at work.
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Have I got a wall dog for you. My friend and mentor, Bill Berberich. He worked for Pittsburgh Outdoor Advertising for 25 years. Here is an article he wrote: wall dogs His email addy is: BZRK52@aol.com He is quite a guy, and it is an honor when I get to paint with him. He was responsible for the Foodland mural at the International in 2002. Mars Meet Some of his work is posterized, others are photo-realistic. He has many pictures of his work, and is very interesting to talk to. Tell him I told you to email. Love....Jill
[ July 14, 2009, 07:29 AM: Message edited by: Barb. Shortreed ]
Posted by Nancie W. Phillips (Member # 3484) on :
Hey Will... You may get some informative leads from researching some of the past WallDog meets that are documented here on the board.(Look up 'past meets') I will put in a plug for the Diaz's...They tend to be prolific at organizing meets. Also, get in touch with Mike Meyers... There are many others, but that should get you started.
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
Algoma Walldogs 07 (check out posts from July 07)
Mr. Michael Clark-www.clarksigns.net Algoma Net Co. wall mural Mr. Miles Cullihane- (sorry for the spelling Miles!) Mr. Mike Meyer (of course) Mr. Dave Petri-Jag Signs in Algoma-Dave works for one of the nicest billboard companies in the area (WI) with one of the oldest histories in this area.
Sign Business Magazine (?? have to check my binder on this one) had an article awhile back on the original "snappers". Lots of info there. I'll see if I can get the info to you.
Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
Welcome.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
We will talk to you, anytime, anyplace! Walldogs are a great group of people!!! www.diazsignart.com Also you might want to talk to Nancy Bennett. She organized the first walldog that we attended in Allerton, IA. Her company is Dannco...I have a link somewhere...
Posted by Will Gallagher (Member # 8431) on :
Thanks so much you guys! This is a great starting place and I really appreciate your help. If you have any other contacts or information that might be helpful please feel free to call or email me. You can also see a few of my wall dog photographs at my website www.willgphoto.com Just go to the walldog section.
Thanks again, Will
[ December 15, 2007, 09:31 AM: Message edited by: Will Gallagher ]
Posted by Bob Gilliland (Member # 28) on :
Will,
Welcome to Letterville and good luck on your endeavor. I would be very interested in such a book, so please return with purchasing information once completed. Below is a list of only a few people, not all-inclusive by any stretch. IMNSHO, Nancy Bennett is an absolute “must” for any such publication.
David Butler, Butler Design Agency, Syracuse, IN; 574.834.7716
Jay Allen, ShawCraft Sign Co; Machesney Park, IL; 815.282.4105
Nancy Beaudette, Sign It Signs and Design, Cornwall, ON; 613.933.7447
Bill Masters, Golden Signs, Scranton, PA; 570.961.5403
Wayne Fettro, Elizabethtown, PA; 717.367.4353 (I think that number is correct, however, it’s been a few years)
Dan Sawatzky, Sawatzky's Imagination Corporation, Chilliwack, BC; 604.823.2216
Jeff Lang, Olde Lang Signs and current Publisher/Editor of “A Magazine About Letterheads”, Pittsburg, PA; 412.732.9999
Already mentioned above by Jill is Bill Berberich. Jane Diaz took care of herself and Bill. Not sure how many, if any, he has actually been part of, but William “Irish” Holohan from Marlboro has spent the last few years doing a lot of impressive research and investigating on the sign trade. He may or may not be able to contribute information and possible sources. Don’t have a number but think his email is “firemap (AT) aol.com”. I may add some additional folks and web links once time allows, or feel free to contact me direct.
Posted by Bob Gilliland (Member # 28) on :
Can’t forget Bill Hueg and William Cochran, but somehow I did. Gary Anderson, Steve Estes, and Eric Henn have been involved in a few as well over the years. All of these listed so far are from the more recent era, but then there is always Bill Bucks, Bill Hart, Ken Walkerman, Carl Wunelle, Maurice Zimmerman and Harley Warrick from the “Mail Pouch” days. More later, I really, really need to go before I get in trouble with the wife!
Posted by Carole Bersin (Member # 5710) on :
Beautiful photos Will.... and not just the walls.
You might want to consider coming to Minnesota/Wisconsin next summer to attend the Minneapolis Walldog meet and then the following weekend, the Hudson Hullabaloo Letterhead meet in Hudson, Wisconsin (40 minutes from Minneapolis) where there will also be a number of Walldog projects. Heck, you could head up to the headwaters of the Mississippi in between the two for some gorgeous "Place" photos.
Information on both meets is under Future Live Meets on this site.
Posted by Dale Manor (Member # 4858) on :
Hi Will,
I've been wondering when someone would do a good book on Walldogs. I too would be very interested in buying a copy once you get them published.
Not sure if you've been to any recent Walldog events organized here in Letterville and done by Letterhead members? It would be great if you could make it to one of the upcoming live Walldog meets. We paint as many as 12 murals in 3 or 4 days. It is something to see and a very rewarding experience. Might be nice to add a chapter on present day walldoggers.
I'll include a picture here of a mural that was uncovered in my hometown after being hid by a building for 60 years or so. Unfortunately they put another building up right next to it and covered it over again.....it is in Menomonie, WI
Take care and good luck with your project.
Posted by Will Gallagher (Member # 8431) on :
Wow Dale -
Great wall...sorry it has already been covered back up. I am planning on going to go to Hudson, Wisconsin this summer. I can't wait to meet some of you and take pictures.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Doing a book on WallDogz could go many directions. The walls I grew up on we'd go out with our tools and do a quick layout on the wall and get it done and be gone. The new genre of wall painters bring intricate patterns and much planning and use these scissor lifts and spend amounts of time that require compensation for works of art rather than competitive bids on signs.
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
Will
I would like to help you anyway I can with this book! I think a really good book somewhat related to wall dogs is "Ghost Signs" by Wiliam Stage,,published thru Signs of the Times about 12 years ago....worth a look thru. I ahve many pictures of walls that I have seen and done myself.
Please feel free to email me to further assist you...
mikemeyer@sleepyeyetel.net
Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
Ditto for what Mike said. Most Walldog events, and the majority of stuff I've seen published in the past (such as the Bill Stage book) has focused on the Midwest. There are a still a good number of ghost signs in the old brick mill towns of New England; if you plan on a photo trip out this way, let me know.
Posted by Will Gallagher (Member # 8431) on :
Hi Cam -
I have never been to New England and would love to do that. I will be in touch with you after the holiday. Again, thanks to everybody for your replies. I've read Bills' book and really like it. I would say that most of my signs so far are in the South, so I'm really glad to see that some of you are in places I haven't really explored yet. I already have about 60 or so walls that are good enough to make it into the book and it sounds like I'll be able to add quite a few more in the coming year. thanks again and take care.
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
Will,
Finally found the article I referenced above.
From SignCraft May/June 2007 pages 16-20 titled "A Signpainter's Story: Chicago in the late 1930s" by Denice Ryan Martin, Dousman, Wisconsin.
She culled her info from the Federal Writers Project at the Library of Congress Web site www.loc.gov. Search for American Life Histories.
It is more like a reprint of an interview vs theory...
Some nice B&W's too.
Posted by Stephen Faulkner (Member # 2511) on :
Cripple Creek, CO some great stuff here and in many towns of Colorado.
Steve the sign painter Colorado Springs, CO
Bisbee, AZ Alan Scott all around AWSOME sign dude works all over the So. West
Was wondering if anything become of this? Anybody ever interact with Will outside of this post or see anything published yet? Posted by Bernie Lohmeyer (Member # 2076) on :
Dont forget about the 3 Bernie's we are Famous.............no really this is great...I want a book when its done.........all the above that is said......... there spot on............
Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :
What Rick Sacks, said rings true. You would'nt have a job at most bulletin shops if were not a knock out artist. Making ice cubes look like they were floating in whiskey (no sharp edges on color breaks)had to be right. The client always inspected the sign to make sure it was kosher. If you were lucky the jobs were done on Tiffin panels in house and then installed.
Jack
Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :
OOPS....Jack
[ July 14, 2009, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: jack wills ]
Posted by Rick Chavez (Member # 2146) on :
