I was always real good at colouring, drawing and basic art related things as a kid. Aced art classes right up thru Junior College. Made a few signs, the long hard way, (not really knowing how) for folks here and there. Then I went to work for my friend Joe Rees, who really rocked my world with regards to the whole sign scene. Bought some of Joe's equipment when he moved, and I went out on my own in 1990. I'm still pluggin' away at it.
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Well, I got into it because Bill was sooo busy he couldn't keep up! He had already been in the business for quite a few years but was still building a customer base. I was working parttime as an art teacher in a catholic grade school, raising 3 kids, (well maybe four if you count Bill), and doing the books for the sign business. A couple time a week I would come to the shop and type up invoices and pay bills. His filing system consisted of a nail upright thru a board that he would stick the paper work on. The work orders were strung up on a clothes line with clothespins. (Bookkeeping was NOT his forte!) It was in one bay garage building that had no running water or bathroom. If we wanted to "go" or have water to wash something down, we had to run down to the gas station on the corner or drive 1 & 1/2 miles to our home. We learned that the building we were renting was up for sale, so worried we would lose our shop, we looked into buying it. When we did, we found that the rental property next door was part of the deal. We signed a mortgage for the whole thing, had it all rezoned commercial and were thrilled to be paying about the same $ for the mortgage payment for the 2 building that we had paid for the rent before! AND we had a bathroom & water! (...seemed like a big deal at that time!) We went to look at plotters and computers at some shows and shopped for that for about a year till we decided what we wanted. I was still doing the bookwork in those Dome books (Remember those?) When I first started, I got alot of calls asking for Bill. They didn't want to talk to me, even if it was to ask if the truck was done. That used to make me mad. I really had to be here quite a while before some customers considered me "worthy" to discuss their work with, but now most can see that there is a real division of labor and if they need this they talk to me and if they need that they talk to Bill. He does what he is good at and I do MY thing. I think it really has worked out well, we work together very well, and when we do have the occasional day when we p*** each other off, we have two buildings! It helps that we are both very proud of each other and are each others best friends. I LIKE the sign business. It is hardly ever boring, plenty of variety, some times challenging, and ALWAYS interesting! AND I always try to learn something new! I've been working here about 15 years now.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Was born in Brooklyn in 66 Lived in Baldwin NY till 71 when my parents Bought a Campground In Canon City CO (5000 People at that time) So I grew up in the middle of Nowhere so when I wasn't raking or Picking up Cigarettes Butts or trash I built Models and I mean Lot of them. My first Business was when I was 8 I talked the owner of the local cider mill in to putting up a building on our campground (or maybe My Dad had talked to him to but never told me... But this is my story and I'm sticking to it) to sell his cider so he did and I ran it every summer till 1979 when we sold the Campground. (Try doing that today they would look at you like your crazy and 8 year old running a business) While in school I was so Athletically Challenged that I still built Models and took 4 years of drafting and won numerous awards in design and Drafting. So I thought I would go and make a career of that... So I had my Mom sign for me to join the Army Reserves at 17 so I could hopefully pay for collage. In 1985 while working my great career choice as a waiter in a local Hotel a recruiter for DEVRY was there I signed up and Moved to Phoenix in 85 went to one Trimester there and Hated it so I left and went to ITT Tech.. I tested out of the first year and half there and ended up hating that also then went to another school called Plaza 3... Received a degree in Photography ok now My career path had changed I was going to be a great Photographer for Time, National Geographic or freelance Combat Photographer.. Well best job offer I received was from Olan Mills sooo... I was devastated and took a job for a small Home Improvement Company that was moving to Phoenix... You might have heard of them Home Depot. While working for them I met my first wife and started building models again. Then that’s when it hit... I was darn good at this model thing so I thought hey instead of building other people stuff I'll start designing my own. So after work that’s what I started doing. I opened my Garage Company called Panzer Concepts. I made resin Model kits and Accessories. Quit Home Depot in 95 and took my stock and did the models full time. Did quite well for a year or so designed some kits for Major Model companies and was pretty happy wasn’t rich but doing OK... Then the bomb shell... Divorce... Put me off the Deep edge... Drugs Drugs and more Drugs let everything go to hell... Buisness went Kaput and I was in my small apartment Spun out of my mind with my Computer. So sitting there broke and trying to get my next fix I started Counterfeiting Payroll Checks. Well worked pretty well for 8 mos then got caught (Thank God Probably would be dead if I didn't) I was released on OR and was living on the street. Hit rock bottom then I decided I better clean up or go to Prison. So I swallowed my prided and called home and got a bus ticket back to CO. While staying at the Homeless Shelter I checked into Rehab starting going there 3 times a week and had to find a job... Ran into a Gentleman that was opening a vinyl shop but didn't squat about computers but was Sign painter. So we talked he taught me Painting and I taught him Computers. We built the business up and worked real well together for 6 years then we decided to go our separate ways. Sold the business along with 13 employees and my Current wife and I moved to NE and that where I opened my Shop there 3 years ago. In August we both hated Nebraska so decided move back to Colorado since the people who bought the shop moved 50 miles away I wasn’t violating the Non compete and open this shop Jan 1st Back where it all started Canon City CO... Been clean now for 11 years and doing signs for 11 years and never been happier. I hope one day I will be on the caliber of persons on this Board and be able to share my experiences with others as some of you have with me... Sorry this is such a long post. (More of a Biography) but needs to get things out once in awhile.
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Enjoyed art at school but didn't pursue it- more money in engineering & the higher maths subjects. Restored a few horse drawn vehicles as a hobby & wanted to learn to stripe & scroll them. A retired bicycle shop owner gave me his dagger-liners. Lots of mess later, many hard learnt lessons and the work gradually became easier, and I was entranced by some beautiful lettering, blended shading & ornate fine striping I'd seen done bey a few old coach painters. Bought volume 25 of Signcraft, and most of the back issues and decided that if they can do it, so can I..., goodbye Engineering studies, register a business name, and have a lot of faith in oneself, plus luck along the way, and some helpful local signwriters who were happy to invite me over for some tips. Determined not to go the computer & vinyl stream, , hand drawing, tracing enlarged letraset catalogue pages, using an opaque projector, patterns for everything, etc. I later gave in after buying a few linyl letters at a time as needed, and one big job paid for the plotter & software, (but nobody told me about the learning curve!) I used Draw Perfect in the early days, then Corel 2, then Microsoft Publisher 95, then Corel 7.23456whatever it is & started with Photoshop 5, and on and on we go, getting gradually better in each, and upgrading as we could justify & afford the cost.
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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My freshman year of high school in 1974 my art teacher was a great sign artist. He did a lot of show card type work. He would always be lettering something during our art class and the more I watched him the more I became hooked. He saw the interest that I had shown in class so he surprised me by buying me 3 lettering brushes. The rest is history. After high school I studied Graphic Design in college for 5 years. I hope George Perkins doesn't get the big head over this, (haha) but he has probably been the biggest inspiration for me in the sign business. Back in the late 80's I used to stop by George's shop from time to time on my way home from work and watch him. I know I worried the crap out of him but he would always answer any questions I had and didn't seem to mind. I tried to get out of the business one time but could only last 3 weeks before getting back into it. It's in my blood. Now with a wife who runs the business full time and 2 children, it's a family affair!
-------------------- Eddie Kitchens Eddie's Custom Signs 8248 Campground Rd Drummonds, TN Posts: 30 | From: Drummonds, TN, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Dave, that's interesting. Care to elaborate any? Was it a course the institution was offering? Something learned from other inmates? Or maybe a fierce interest of your own that drove you to learn it.
Of course, "in prison" could actually mean you were one of the "correctional officers", and that's where you got interested.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Right after high school, I was cleaning up a Mercedes {I had a pretty good biz detailing cars at the time). As I was wiping the wax from the decklid, I noticed a signature -- "Frisky" in a tiny script. I asked my Dad what "Frisky" meant, to which he replied, "some guy in Clemmons who pinstripes". I was intrigued enough to chase down as much info as I could. It turned out, he was 'trained' by my uncle Jack and had really developed a knack for it all. So I decided to try it too.
All through college, I lettered windows, license plates, whatever I could. Honestly, it took 4 or 5 years to get 'good enough' to think I had a marketable talent.
I did a stint with Spevco, a large events production company. It was there I was introduced to vinyl. In just a little over a year, I learned as much as I could about the materials, the software, the equipment and all that it entails...
In 1997, I started my own shop. I was custom painting anything and applying vinyl to everything else.
My shop has produced show-winning paint jobs, stripes and lines on anything imaginable, signs of all sizes and types, just short of electric and sandblasted, lettering, logos and other graphics for racing, commercial and personal.
Now in 2004, we are giving it up. I sold the vinyl equipment and all that goes with today to my local competition. I hope to sell my paint and paint equipment tomorrow.
I told someone today, all that will be left are the striping brushes and the bicycles. Just can't let go of the swords and daggers.
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Of course, "in prison" could actually mean you were one of the "correctional officers", and that's where you got interested. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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