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Regina brought these photos of her Dad, by the shop this morning, to share with us. I will let her tell us about them when she visits the board.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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That van is pretty darn cool... even for the 70's. I'd like to see more of his work. Amazon doesn't have any copies of his notebook. Does anyone know where they can be purchased?
-------------------- Lee McKee McKee Studios Birmingham, Al Planet Earth (sometimes) Posts: 277 | From: Birmingham, Al | Registered: Jan 2003
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Thanks a bunch for posting the pics Wayne. I look forward to you posting the Mike Stevens Workshop pics and the other photo of Chester standing beside a van.
-------------------- Regina L. Wolfgang Auto Graphix 1417 Jackson Ave. Chipley, FL 32428 850-638-2999 Posts: 15 | From: Chipley, FL | Registered: Jul 2007
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Regina, I didn't see any of the workshop pics. I was especially interested in that certain pic we discussed...you know...the one with the MULLET.
My scanner has been offline most of the day with a software problem but I'll try to post more pics tomorrow.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Thanks for taking the time to join us here in Letterville Regina. I never had an opportunity to meet your Dad, but his work certainly influenced a whole generation of sign artists. Myself included!
I've been busy seeing doctors and having tests the last while, but seeing these photos make me want to dig out my own oldies. Mike Stevens remains one of my heros to this day. I was lucky enough to attend 2 of his mini-workshops. Sadly, he was booked to do a workshop in Stratford, Ontario the week he died. What a loss.
It's a real treat to finally meet you Regina. I hope you find a home and new Family here in Letterville. Growing up in a signbiz Family really has it's challenges at times. Barb and I raised 4 Children. They tell some interesting stories.
I have a question for you. Did you have any idea your Father was so important to so many around the World? The years continue to fly by, but the spirit and inspiration your Dad, Al Zanetti, Mike Stevens and many others planted continues to thrive. Now that's something!
-------------------- Steve Shortreed 144 Hill St., E. Fergus, Ontario Canada N1M 1G9 519-787-2673
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Regina...like so many others, Chet was one of the greatest inspirations in my career. Way back there I wrote a letter to him, much like a young boy writing to a baseball hero, and to my surprise I got a five page handwritten letter from him describing his past and those that influenced him...along with a stack of photos.
That began a long journey of letter exchanges and photos being sent back and forth. We talked some on the phone but mainly just traded pictures with each other. Even in his letters it was evident that he had a strong passion for what he was doing.
The last letter I received from him was after the accident and just prior to his move to Las Vegas. It is framed and hanging in my office. In it he gave me the ultimate compliment. He said, "You have arrived".
I have an album of the photos he sent that I cherish immensely. At one time I took the album to Letterhead gatherings for folks to drool over, but some of the photos began disappearing so I leave it at home now.
We talked on the phone once after the move to Vegas but he was having a rough time adjusting to the wheelchair. That was our last correspondence. He left a great impression on our craft and will be remembered forever, I suppose.
Regina, I hope that someday our paths will cross and I will get to meet the offspring of someone who helped shape who I am today.
Thank you for continuing your father's passion.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet? Who's that with the mullet?
His name is Joe.
I'm the one with the halibut!
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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I really liked seeing these pictures, being reminded about my beginnings in the craft is great. I was just learning when Chester was a prominent figure in the business and I tried to emulate his style, I still have his book. I think his influence is still strong with many who love signmaking.
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To those of you that keep Chester's memory alive I am ever so grateful. Each day I'm learning more about your personal encounters with him. I'm truly enjoying this site. For those of you that don't know... I am a love child made along his life's way. I never had the opportunity to see him or chat with him. In 1983 I started my first job in Dothan, Al. The name of the compnay was Designs In Signs. After working there only a few months I first heard the name chester. My boss Karl Winter backed away from the drafting table and suggested I do my own thing. It was that freedom that taught me I had found my niche. So at the age of 18 I was designing, manufacturing and installing signs of all kinds. Back then styrofoam letters were a hit as well as hand carved foam panels. From there I learned about sandblasted redwood signs to hand lettering. Again my boss showed me the basics and stood back to see where I would take it. After sharing several phots of my work with my mom, she sat me down to tell me the BIG secret she had kept all those years. For an hour or more she pored out all her memories of Chester and how proud he would be if he knew I had independently chosen the sign field. She said it was often haunting to look at me as I look so much like him. Then the first job thing threw her for a loop. She said that hearing me talk about signs and seeing me make signs in the yard and on my dining room table as well as projecting patterns on my living room wall drove her to tell me who Chester was and what he did for a living. It was a little uncanny. I began the search for him about a year or so later. Only to find he had already passed. You cannot imagine the disappointment I felt at that moment. As time went by I would ask around about the man Chester Cunningham and around each corner someone would share something for me to cling on to. Even now there is much to learn and your sharing is helping heal a loss for me. Thanks for sharing your memories it means more than you'll ever know.
-------------------- Regina L. Wolfgang Auto Graphix 1417 Jackson Ave. Chipley, FL 32428 850-638-2999 Posts: 15 | From: Chipley, FL | Registered: Jul 2007
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Mike Languein said Chet's sign kit was left at Emmett Morelli's place in Vegas when he died. He stopped in once to see Emmett and he showed it to him. Since Emmett is also gone, I wonder where the kit is - it might be kind of nice if Regina had the box . . .
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6714 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Emmett's son still has all of the contents of the shop the last I knew. He is a Vegas cop and my sister-in-law's neighbor. He expected to go back into the business when he retires. Haven't been there in a couple of years but will check. There were kits from at least 6 others there too along with lots of other memorabilia.
-------------------- Kent Smith Smith Sign Studio P.O.Box 2385, Estes Park, CO 80517-2385 kent@smithsignstudio.com Posts: 1025 | From: Estes Park, CO | Registered: Nov 1998
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Many years ago Emmett sent me a metal tool box. Not much in it as far as sign stuff. A few pencils, medicine bottles and a couple of paint brushes. He said it was Chester's and thought I should have it.
I've still got it. It looks as if it is spray painted gold. Sorta like a retro tackle box.
I wonder where his vast collection of sign photos ended up. His youngest daughter Ashlee now lives in Vegas. She said her grandmother left her some of his stuff and it is still packed up in storage. She has a myspace page loaded with pics. We have corresponded by email over the years but have not met in person. I did meet Amber back in 1985. I'm not real sure of her whereabouts now. She was a bit shocked when she saw me. She wrote me a few times and I haven't heard from her since. Ashlee said she doesn't hear from her either.
It seems as if the sign world knew more about him than his own family.
-------------------- Regina L. Wolfgang Auto Graphix 1417 Jackson Ave. Chipley, FL 32428 850-638-2999 Posts: 15 | From: Chipley, FL | Registered: Jul 2007
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It would be so cool if Regina could get her dad's sign kit. My dad died in 2005 and I have some of his old plows and all of his tools. I also have his hat. I would not take anything for them.
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Just logged in and found this little gem...welcome to Letterville Regina...your father was held in high esteem here too...met him thru his friend Ross Hurdle who was w/him up to time of his death, Ross was a good friend to your Dad...hope you get to meet him someday...I can inquire of him about boxes and such, we all know Emmett's son, will get ahold of him and see what he still has, if anything...I wouldn't go getting hopes up as signpainters aren't known for keeping a clean house, so his stuff could be as spread out as mine is at this point, I die tomorrow there will be alot of happy ppl. out there w/all my little treasures, lol....
Got to tell ya, here, we still miss Chester...he influenced so many...touched many a life...I was particularly taken by his natural use of color, also his style of layout was excellent, not to take anything away from Mike Stevens, Chester had his own touch which produced a certain look, you could pick out a Cunningham from a distance once used to the style nuaunces...
Again, welcome to Letterville Lil' Chester, hope you learn alot about your Dad here...and don't be to hard on him for the way things worked out,("It seems as if the sign world knew more about him than his own family."), alot of us old guys didn't exactly set a good example in lifes lessons, but we're great sign men, the only thing that mattered back then, family came second, alot of us fell into that pit, I've not seen my daughter since 1968 at age two, being fathers didn't equate, so go easy, down deep you know he loved you...
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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Frank I do remember reading an article where Chester stated that he loved pretty signs and pretty woman. He also noted and in that order. My point about the family thing was that the two other children that have his last name didn't have a close bond with him nor his parents. It seems I recall being told that his parents were not at all thrilled with him chosing the sign field. They never really accepted his lifestyle either. Drinking, drumming and women. He did however get to pick a new family for himself.The sign family. The friends he made throughout the years filled many voids I'm sure. I'm still amazed each time I get on this site at how close he was to so many. The generousity of his time being so well spent teaching others to reach higher. I find myself being much the perfectionist at times. Some people say it's a Virgo thing but then I hear about how picky Chester was so maybe it's a Chester thing. I do spend alot of time analyzing layout in all formats. From business cards to billboards. I've been doing it since I was a kid now I kno why. It's in the DNA.
-------------------- Regina L. Wolfgang Auto Graphix 1417 Jackson Ave. Chipley, FL 32428 850-638-2999 Posts: 15 | From: Chipley, FL | Registered: Jul 2007
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