I’ve been privileged to travel far and wide through the years to paint more than 110 historical murals. Most were done on my own or with family help at most. There have been a couple of notable exceptions.
I am proud to call myself a Letterhead. Letterheads are a group of sign folks who still love painting by hand and wish to preserve and pass on these time tested skills to others of like mind. There is no formal organization, we pay no dues... and yet there are meets planned around the world on a regular basis to continue this tradition. We travel at our own expense from time to time to learn and also share. While we come with a common interest in painting and signs, we soon find we have lots more in common as well. Some of my very best friends are Letterheads I’ve met from all around the world.
One such meet was held this past June in Pontiac, Illinois. I was asked to jointly design and co-lead the painting of a mural to celebrate the Chautauqua gatherings which were held there around the turn of the century. My co-leaders for the project were David & Susie Butler from Syracuse, Indiana. I’ve known David for many years, having met him and Susie at previous Letterhead meets I had attended, both in Canada and the United States. David looks like a mountain man with his full bushy beard. He and Susie are among the kindest and most generous people I know. David loves and is world renowned for his ability to design in the ornate and flowery styles of yesteryear. Over several weeks we designed the mural which was approved by the folks in Pontiac. Then it was time to paint!
Our mural along with 17 others were to be painted in only four days. Helping us were more than 150 other Letterheads from around the world who converged on that little city in those few days. David & I didn’t know exactly who would help us until we started painting. Amazingly the murals were all completed with plenty of time for visiting with our friends who I see only occasionally. In those three busy days our scaffold was always full of talented folks who were painting long hours in the hot sun. There was plenty of joking and teasing along with the occasional practical joke. But it was also serious business of teaching newcomers. Even the old ‘walldogs’ learned plenty as we rubbed shoulders and painted with the very best in the business from around the world. The murals were all done on time as a thankful community watching enthusiastically. Never has working been so much fun!
-grampa dan