Herb Martinez just emailed me with this sad news. I'm sure there are many who remember Tommy as " Tommy Teardrop " an innovator to the pinstriping crowd and famous for his teardrops. Tommy was in his late 80's.
God bless him!
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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There has always been a long-standing argument among the old-timers like myself as to who had the most influence in starting the pistriping craze back in the 50s.....TOMMY the GREEK or VonDutch. It hardly matters now that they're both gone, but each one has a solid place in history representing the very beginnings of custom car decorations. Anyone out there that puts a graphic or a line on a car or truck, whether it be paint or vinyl, has these two GIANTS to thank.
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Several years ago there was a travelling exhibit of von Dutch's art. I went down to Laguna to see it and the next day that side of Laguna burned down. I wonder if there will be displays of Tommy memorabelia?
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6806 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Tommy and my dad are now partying at the never-ending Letterhead meet... Have a blast guys! Send us some rainbows and cool looking swirly clouds.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3723 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Those not familiar with Tommy may enjoy reading a Profile on him. This was an article donated to us back in 1997 by the former AutoGraphics Magazine.
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A few years ago,Mike Fredericks,Harry Malicot and myself were fortunate to meet "Tommy" at his shop in "Oakland". He immediatley welcomed us with opened arms. I had sent him a couple of my Xcalibers a few months earlier,and asked him what he thought of them. His reply, "oh yeah ther're real cute' I got them sitt'in on my mantel at home". Well that wasn't what I wanted to hear. I thought the great "Tommy the Greek", was going to say that he threw out all his other stripers in favor of mine. No way, when we aked to see his stripers, he unvailed a plank, covered in dust, with about 10 stiping brushes plastered down with axle grtease. The sizes of the stripers ranged from a #6 to a #8. We shook our heads in disbelief. How a guy that can lay down such exquisite lines, use what seemed like the equivelent of a "Louisville" slugger to pull these lines? Tommy explaned that it was the paint that did all the work. We left "Tommy" that day doing the two things he loved best, painting a car and feeding the stray dogs in the park near his shop. I feel very fortunate to have met agreat artist and an even greater gentleman. "Tommy",we all miss you.
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Hello out there in cyberland. Just got back from Tommy the Greek's memorial. Great turnout . The cream of gezzers of hot rodding. We only missed one of the protege's, and that's Neil Averil. He proably didn't know that Tommy had passed. Cary Greenwood, Tom "Itchy" Ottis, Art Himsl, Rory Pentecost, and, as I said a lot of luminaries from the Bay Area hot rod world were on hand. What a great memorial. We will all miss him for sure, but remember one thing, we all contribute to our craft, be it signs or striping. We all should be proud of what we do. This "who influenced the striping thing more" is not really as important as who will influence it now and in the future. Be aware that there are great stripers in Japan, Europe, and here. We are all brothers of the brush. Please don't forget that. Love ya all.
-------------------- Herb Martinez Pinstriping & Signs 2642 Fifth St. Livermore, CA Posts: 6 | From: Livermore, CA 94550-3206 | Registered: Feb 2001
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