I can barely describe how amazing the few hours I spent with Tod in the museum were. I was giddy with appreciation, excitement and awe for what he has collected and created. The museum is currently housed in an industrial type warehouse filled to the gills with neon, books, kits, supplies and all sorts of everything related to the history of signs.
Tod also took me to check out the new building that will be the future site of the museum once he raises the remainder of the needed funds. A few highlights from the new space are that it houses a neon shop for visitors to watch the process, a full side of a Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn, a sign repair shop and Tod even expressed interest in building out a sign painter shop if there was the right fit of someone to oversee it (hint hint if any of you are looking to relocate or retire to Cincinnati).
Here are a few images I snapped, I'll leave you wanting more. But don't worry, when we shoot there this next Sprint, the entire experience will be shared. Until then, if you happen to find yourself near Cincinnati don't miss this treat.
Panel reads:
The Signkit documents the 35 year signpainting career of Chuck Beauchemin, who retired in late 1998. Each Beauchemin worked for or owned is documented by a logo with a respective state and year. The kit was his everyday working signkit.
Blue kit Panel Reads:
Charles Stanely's signpainting kit (circa 1960) exemplifies the casual nature of the signpainter's work. Stanley had a shop in Cincinnati know as Stanley Signs, and was also Coney Island's (local amusement park, not in NY) resident signpainter from many years.
(Donated by Charlie Wheeler, Tattoo Charlie's Louisville, KY)
Museum Director Tod Swormstedt
One of my favorite things I saw was this hand colored envelope of a letter from a sign painter to his old shop saying how he missed working there.
Tribute wall to Rick Glawson & the Art of Guilding
Neon inside the new building
More images here and I also blogged about this visit on my personal site if you are interested in reading more.
What an exciting experience!/Hilarious! Delightful! True!/wonderful stuff! thank you!
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As someone who caught the tail end of the hand-lettered method of sign making, and as someone who still continues to hand-letter signs (now more as a paying hobby), I find this stuff fascinating and inspiring. Thanks for posting such great pictures from a wonderful museum!
ReplyDeleteI worked as a sign painter for over 17 years in the Cincinnati area and met Tod with the Sign Museum about six months or so ago. He was kind enough to take me through both museums and talked extensively about adding a sign shop in the new place. I would love to help out with that and still dabble a bit from time to time in One Shot colors.
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