Yesterday afternoon I sat in a little black church in very rural North Carolina among about 80 or so mourners who had a service for Fred Lovell, who died last week. I was the only white face in the building, and to them, I was an unexpected visitor they had not seen before, who was sitting with the tears rolling down.
Fred owned and operated Fred Lovell Signs in Winston-Salem for over 30 years. Three of those years I worked for him, absorbing all I could in learning while I scrubbed floors, and practiced lettering on my own time - scrubbed screens, and set them up while others printed - scrubbed vehicles, laid them out, while others lettered them. I cut amberlith, and water soluble, I “shot” rolls and rolls of prep from the positives I created with rub on letters or the letters exposed in the little machine, the name of which I long forgot, and my own version of it went into the trash many years later when I bought my first 4B. I learned how to use the overhead projector and made more patterns than I can fathom to remember. I stayed covered in all kinds of dirt. In Fred’s shop, on the wrong side of the tracks, in the moderately deep South, in the early seventies, except for the customers, I was the only white face who was a regular.
I had had solid German training as a draftsman for an Architect in Germany, and had passed all my apprenticeship courses and schooling. I had, in this country, three years under my belt drawing City Maps and working graphically in City Planning. But Fred put me on my first panel of lettering a “Real Job” only after about a year of scrubbing and watching and practicing. He gave me a black panel of masonite, a quill, white one-shot, and the work order and walked off. Later, when it looked terrible, he said: you’re not ready for the big time if you can’t pull off white on black.
I only regret not asking more questions. I thank Fred for his never ever bending his real self to accommodate my presence. I saw him rant, I heard him cuss. I watched him fire bread and butter customers in a rage. I heard him slam down the phone to the unreasonable. And yet he helped when he was needed, he lent money to the undeserving, he spent time settling arguments, and he adored his children and they all went to college. One a medical doctor, one a banker, one a teacher who is now teaching in Qatar, and one a sign maker like us. He did all that by lettering night and day, and OH Boy was he good. And fast. A wiry, little tireless machine. A wonderful layout artist. He instinctively knew all about negative space. I aspired to be like him all the time. Fred was the first Magician I ever got to know, and now that I think about it, the only one.
I loved Fred, and I did not like to have to say good bye to him. He was one of those roads taken in my life that made a really big, lucrative and gravid difference. I will always remember him with gratitude.
-------------------- Myra A. Grozinger Signs Limited Winston-Salem, NC
signslimited@triad.rr.com Posts: 1244 | From: Winston-Salem, NC USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm glad you got to work with a good one, Myra - I've worked for 36 different shops, so far. Those guys are few and far between.
Posts: 1859 | From: / | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mira, yes I know I spell your name the real way You sure were lucky to have had the opportunity to work with a real sign shop. In the thirty years now that I've been making signs I have never once worked for a sign company. I can only imagine how far I could have come if I didnt have to learn by all the mistakes I've made. Being self taught is an expensive way to learn this racket.
I did have the good fortune to make friends with a retired sign painter when I started out. I was but nineteen years old and he was eighty-six years old. He was never a good sign painter in his day but I loved listening to the stories of his life. I even indulged him and would smoke these nasty cigars with him while we would talk.
His background was printing but he picked up a little bit of sign writing. We stayed very close friends right up until his death at 99 years old. You see I had a bet with him he would make it to 100 years old and I think he died just to win the bet. I was a pall bearer at his funeral and I'm grateful for the years that we were friends.
He made a great impression on me and I was lucky to have met him.
[ March 21, 2003, 08:39 PM: Message edited by: Bob Stephens ]
-------------------- Bob Stephens Skywatch Signs Zephyrhills, FL
posted
Myra I was saddened to hear of the passing of your friend and mentor, Fred Lovell. We are lucky in our lives if we get to meet and work with and befriend one person who profoundly influences our lives. You were blessed and I think of all our "neighbors" in Letterville and I feel blessed myself. I have not met any in person but they share their knowledge and help without reservation. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
On a lighter note, hey Mike Languein, 36 signs shops? What's wrong can't hold a job?
posted
Myra, sometimes it seems like those memories are the real money in the bank. As time goes on, we see the value increase, and then after more time, we start to forget. Keep the details rolling, that's how we overcome depreciation!
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Sorry to hear about your loss. How fortunate we are to meet those in our trade who have the talent and experience before us. How fortunate we are to have those in our trade who have the talent and experience with us, and how fortunate we are to be able to pass the talents and experiences to those in our trade yet to come. It is obvious that we are all who we are by those we have known and will come to know in our short lives, and the beauty is that we can continue to be like those who have come before us by passing it all on. Best wishes and comfort to you, Tony
-------------------- Tony Segale Segale Fine Art & Gold Leaf Sign Co Lodi, CA www.tonysegale.com
""and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear" Posts: 216 | From: Lodi,CA,USA | Registered: Feb 2000
| IP: Logged |
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic