posted
Hello All, well, it's about time for me to try and relate some of my experiences over here, re: signs and lettering.
My wife, Lyn and I have done a house exchange (for the month of August) with a family from the Village of Denmead, outside Waterlooville, near to Portsmouth,don't you just love their addresses!!!
I made contact with a Signwriter in Midhurst, Wayne Osborne. We noticed his work in the village the first day we arrived. I met with him last week, spent 3 hours talking/listening nonstop about lettering/signwork in his area. He's a brush only man, buys the occasional vinyl, and keeps very busy, from straight forward work to pub signs, to restoration work on Carousels, vintage farm equipment.....
I looked at some work in his shop (no more than 18' x 18'!!! He does vehicles next door in a car dealership, and lots of on site work, shop fronts.
I asked him about the small inch and half gold leafed roman letter with the tight black shade, no tape, BEAUTIFUL, but commom among the Signwriters here, "what brush did you use". Next thing I know, I've ordered a double set of these puppies, 0 to 5, long red sable, it's gonna make my Coke Machine restoration work SO MUCH BETTER!!! Remember, Brushes make the Man/Woman!!
I'm Hopin'
I have still to meet with Derek J. Pennicott in Chichester, and Bob Perry, over on the Isle of Wight. Soon, tho.
I've got Handovers and Wrights of Lymm catalogues, and some money in the bank, could be some good times ahead!!
Regarding OLD STUFF, we've been into some very old churches, from big to tiny and the graveyards surrounding, seeing 15th/16th/17th/18th/ century carving, toll road signs handlettered, what else, 150 years old, it's very humbling.
Also have seen some beautiful vinyl / digital work, design is really there, driving thru towns and villages is hard, trying to scope the work, and keep on the left, wheel on the right, pushing a 5 speed Peugeot Wagon 406 thru the 5 speed gearbox.
Well, we've got til the end of the month to be here, Isle of Wight coming up soon, then it's off to Scotland for 10 days, then home to Burnaby, counting the days til SPLASH IN THE PACIFIC in Nanaimo.
btw, we saw some woodcarving in the Carved Room in Petworth House that is beyond belief, by Gibbons.
Last week i rode bicycle to the village of Southwick, had a couple of Real Ales at the Golden Lion Pub, Eisenhower and Montgomery worked out the plans for D-Day in the pack room of this small pub in the late time of the War.
Around every bend is History here!
John Lennig / SignRider / Out of Town
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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Good for you!! To say I’m jealous is a mild understatement!!
Hope the record setting heat isn’t getting to you over there. Was really hoping to make the trip across the pond for Signology in Cork, spend a few days visiting some contacts in the area, then head down to see some of our UK based “mates”, but it wasn’t meant to be this time around. Perhaps for Sign UK next spring (largest UK based sign show)?!
If you have time and are heading north up towards the Oxford area, try to spend some time with Mike “The Sign” Brown. He has a great following over there and does some “museum” quality designs that are normally executed in all vinyl. This is in addition to teaching others, newbies and established alike, in classroom style sessions throughout the year. If you care to find out more about him, check out his own “sections” on the UK Sign Board website. Again, great, great, guy to converse with. If you do talk to him, be sure to tell him the “Yank from Pennsylvania” says “Howdy”! (Actually, just spent two hours on the phone with him this past Saturday evening)
His actual location is near Faringdon, just to the Southwest of Oxford.
EDIT; corrected above link for proper URL
[ August 19, 2003, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: Bob Gilliland ]
-------------------- Bob Gilliland InKnowVative Communications Harrisburg PA, USA
"The U.S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself." Benjamin Franklin Posts: 642 | From: Harrisburg, PA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
How I envy you John...aren't those Handovers to die for?
Sounds like you are having a wonderful time ...enjoy every minute you're there...but please don't forget to send us the skinny on the Cork meet the minute you get home:)
Looking forward to your return (even tho you're not).
Be safe and enjoy!
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
To say I’m jealous is a mild understatement!!
Was really hoping to make the trip across the pond for Signology in Cork, spend a few days visiting some contacts in the area, then head down to see some of our UK based “mates”, but it wasn’t meant to be this time around. Perhaps for Sign UK next spring (largest UK based sign show)?!
This is in addition to teaching others, newbies and established alike, in classroom style sessions throughout the year. If you care to find out more about him, check out his own “sections” on the ![[FYI]](graemlins/fyi.gif)
His actual location is near Faringdon, just to the Southwest of Oxford.
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