Best of Show - again!

Back in 1984 I found a copy of the annual contest issue of Signs of the Times magazine at our local sign supply shop. This event is the largest and most prestigious international contest of the sign industry. That dog eared copy of the magazine still sits on my reference shelf all these years later. The magazine featured the best of the best and I remember poring endlessly over those images, admiring the top quality of work and amazing designs. Every year since I would look for the contest issue to see the very best and be inspired. I made a promise to myself back then that someday our work would be good enough to appear there. It was an ambitious and lofty dream!

It was 2005 before I worked up the courage to enter the contest. We were pleased to be honoured with a first place and an honourable mention in two categories. Since then we garnered many wins in various categories through the years. The illusive prize was Best of Show and it wasn’t until 2022 we garnered that honour with the ‘Sprocket’ giant robot project.

This morning we were delighted to receive the announcement that the NEB’s entry project has been bestowed with a first place win in its category and Best of Show in the Signs of the Times annual contest. This was a massive effort by our entire team and the NEB’s crew who did the installation. Thanks!

Ready for the next level

Our entire crew is excited to finish the top level of the Copper Crown Suite of the Hazelnut Inn. Peter is over the moon that they are a day ahead of schedule. This afternoon, we finished sculpting and texturing the last figure for the ceiling arch bases. It will be the first to be installed, most likely tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be there to photograph the scaffold coming down. Stay tuned…

Counting down to taking down the scaffolding

Jay spent his day applying the glazes to the rock work of the upper walls and ceilings of the Copper Crown Suite of the Hazelnut Inn. At today’s planning and scheduling session, it was determined that a good portion of the scaffold planking would come down on Thursday afternoon. This will be a major milestone, for it will allow work to proceed on the next lower level of the tall room. This will include the installation of the statues we have prefabricated in the shop over the last weeks. Stay tuned…