I was most pleased to be honoured once again with a first place finish in the Sign Invitational this year. My competitors graciously congratulated me and then without fail, each promised to give me a much tougher run for my money - NEXT YEAR. It was to be expected. The theme for next year was announced at the show - ‘Less is MORE!’ All entries will be table top displays, with a smaller footprint, measuring a maximum of 24” x 24”. The inevitable question I heard from everyone was how would I top this year’s effort. The answer wasn’t long in coming. During a quiet time soon after, I dug my sketchbook out of my backpack and began scribbling. In a short while I had my idea for next year’s entry nailed. It would be titled ‘The snapper’ referring to an itinerant sign painter of old, who travelled from town to town painting signs. The sculpture will feature a highly detailed Model T truck with the sign painter, dressed in his finest working duds and shovel in hand, leaning up against the tailgate. His latest masterpiece is freshly installed beside him. Today, referencing those first quick sketches I did at the ISA show, I worked up the concept art which will in turn inform the dimensional piece which I will sculpt over the next months. Of course, there will be many, many more fun details which will be worked into the final sculpt. Stay tuned for a whole lot of fun…
First in-place sculpting
It was exciting to see the first of the in-place sculpted concrete done on the Hazelnut Inn. There are quite a number of finished pieces already installed and a bunch more ready to lift into place but with the advent of the warm weather it is time, at last, to begin the work that needs to be done in place. The push is on to finish the front retaining walls so that we can do the landscaping before the hot weather of summer hits. While it will most likely be next year before the Hazelnut Inn opens to guests, our goal is to finish the outside during the good weather of this year.
Hat trick
It was another very busy day at the International Sign Association EXPO. The more than 800 ballots were cast by ISA show attendees and were sorted and counted this afternoon. Mo Flint, with an exceptional piece, won handily in the tabletop category in the Sign Invitational contest. My entry garnered a first place finish in the large category for the third year in a row. Mo is to my right, the chief editor of Signs of the Times Magazine, our primary contest sponsor, is to my left. The quality of entries in this year’s event was extremely high. We talked with so many great people during the busy three days of the event. Next year’s contest is a GO in Orlando with many more entrants already signed up and eager to start their pieces. I suspect everyone will be gunning for me next year. But I have no worries for by the time my plane lands in Vancouver this evening I’ll have my concept art for next year’s entry pretty much done. This is going to be fun!
