It’s that time of year… Sled Island!!! Calgary’s annual music, film and arts festival inspired by Pop Montreal and the street life that was activated by that festival. Sled Island is an effort to step past barriers that can exist among different businesses, different fans of different forms, and different age groups. The goal is to open up as much of the downtown core as possible and fill it with as many types of people as possible-combining music, art and film.

SIGN PAINTERS (OFFICIAL TRAILER) from samuel j macon on Vimeo.

Sign Painters

Presented in Collaboration with the Glenbow Museum,and sponsored byUppercase Magazine

Dir. Faythe Levine and Sam Macon, 90 min, USA, Colour, 2012, Blu-Ray- Alberta Premiere

“A documentary about the craft of hand-lettered sign making, a once widespread trade that has come close to obsolescence thanks to the proliferation of computer designs, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers. In 2010 Directors Faythe Levine and Sam Macon, with Cinematographer Travis Auclair, began profiling two dozen sign painters dedicated to preserving this time-honoured tradition.” –Sled Island

Sign Painters was a very creatively made documentary, showcasing the skillful artisans who make a living as Sign Painters throughout the United States, categorized by city. I found specifically the way the film addressed “typography” versus “font” interesting. I had never thought of the distinction before. Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible, whereas font refers to the characteristics of a typeface. It became very apparent from one Sign Painter to the next, that in the past, this was a sort of accidental profession that someone fell into, and then fell in love with the profession. Now-a-days in Brooklyn, one can apprentice with shops like Colossal Media to learn the art of hand painting signs, but this art takes a long time to hone.

This film addressed a cycle, that is coming around in many other industries as well… Domestic quality services traded for cheap and fast services does not equal longevity. Signs made of vinyl on laser cut printers tended to fade and fall apart, looking unprofessional and illegible. Sign painters are starting to be in vogue again because of the quality and longevity of the signs.

The film got me thinking about graffiti as an ancient art form (not vandalism). The skilled graffiti artists, are somewhat like Sign Painters, but with a different motives. I wonder how many Graffiti artists end up working at shops like Colossal Media because they love conveying a message to the streets?

Image: http://skyhighmurals.com/#!/post/50817709037

After the film screening, there was a Q&A period with a successful Sign Painter in Calgary, Rick Janzen. Rick owns a company called Streamline Studios Inc. that specializes in traditional hand lettering and scenic painting work established in 1987. Rick has done a lot of the coolest signs seen around this city lately such as: Model Milk Restaurant, John Fluevog Shoe Store, The Canadian Pacific Railway Car on 9th Ave down town, Village Ice Cream…and many more. It was really cool to hear from a local talent who does this sort of work and get some insight into Sign Painting. Rick has a blog detailing all of his projects and is a very interesting read: http://www.streamlinestudios.blogspot.ca

Photo: Streamline Studios Inc.

Photo: Streamline Studios Inc.

Photo: Streamline Studios Inc.

Photo: Streamline Studios Inc.

Director’s Bio:  Faythe Levine is an artist, photographer, filmmaker, and curator based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is the founder of Art vs. Craft and curates Sky High Gallery. Levine’s first film and book, Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design was published by Princeton Architectural Press. Sam Macon is a Milwaukee-born, Chicago-based filmmaker, photographer, and writer. He received his BFA in film from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and directs music videos, commercials, short films, and documentaries.