Other Commentary
By Stefenie Harris
I'm still high from the natural rush of attending a social sign event. PSS held it's
Harvest Moon '99 this October 9th in Sacramento, California, US. OK, maybe some it is
residual paint fume exposure, but none-the-less… I HAD A BLAST!!!
After trying to enter the PSS warehouse my usual way, through the front door, I realize
the party starts in the back! It's OK though, I'm a natural blonde- I have a good cover
for that rookie move.
As I walk through the delivery truck size warehouse garage doors I am awestruck to see
so many people in my favorite local supply shop. Tables for munching and sharing tall
tales are set up to the right, and food tables to the left. "If you feed them they
will come.", PSS.
Straight ahead are project areas for carving, gilding, airbrushing, and pinstriping.
Just to the left of that artistic pulsating area are two vendor tables, Application tape
and supplies and the wild StyroSigns guy promoting his hot-wire foam cutter. Next to them-
BroFrog's booth! I'm home!
The Frog's pad is always my 1st stop. The faux anxiety attack I have while walking to
these events disappears once I reach their booth. Could be the comfort in knowing someone
in such a large crowd of new faces. I'm still so new to being exposed to so many
incredibly talented artists that these events are intimidating, but you'll see how I get
over that fear real quick.
Rod & Butch have a natural talent for not only teaching cool sign art techniques,
but also a knack for diffusing that ticking bomb of insecurities that take over your mind
and leave you paralyzed in the "I can't" zone. You cannot make a mistake at
their booths. I also think that Rod's sense of humor, being so cut & dry has something
to do with it. When Rod & Butch are together- LOOK OUT! At PSS San Jose they could
have given Laugh-In a run for their money. Yes, it's all entertaining and educational
comedy central with the Frog boys.
Rod was solo for this event and at his booth he had 6 people, including me, working on
projects at one time. This commotion was all on 2- 8' x 10' tables. It was so fun working
side-by-side with people I didn't know, but had so much in common with! Rod, while running
from one novice to the next helping us on what he had just taught us, was a promotion nut.
He promoted not only Frog Juice and it's new colors, but also Rapid Tac, the Fontry- which
could be found on letterhead.com's website or SignCraft.com, the WeberMade Application
Tape dispenser- with gusto, and the fact that he would tell you where he thought the best
place to get particular supplies were or what the best brands were, again in his opinion.
For an example of this he used me, I turned red, and my quest for plastic bottles to
hold One-Shot in. I had seen a box of bottles with FFN's logo on it at PSS and since I had
an "in" for that place I asked Rod what he thought of them and how they stood up
to collapsing power of enamel. He told me those particular bottles were for airbrush paint
and the bottles I needed were through Hassle Joey Madden Fiasco at Inflite. (And the list
grows for my order from Inflite- I still want one of those Killer Karts!) All this
promotion was just in the time I spent at his booth!
I completed my project and realized, "My gawd, it's been two hours since I've had
a cigarette! What a great way to quit smoking!" I don't think my husband will go for
that excuse though- to go to every Sign Meet in the US and Canada, just to "quit
smoking".
With my cool new sign in tow, I ventured bravely into the land of talent- the project
area!
Marlon Moss, with his Hot Rod Sign/Stripe Kit on wheels, was set-up for an airbrush
lesson. He literally gave Mickey Mouse the ability to JUMP of his aluminum confinement.
What talent that man has! Unfortunately, I didn't make it there in time to get in on the
class, all 10 of the Mickey panels were in progress, but I did get to absorb some tips by
hanging out in the background. What an awesome artist! Although I didn't get to spend one
third of the time at that lesson that I had wished to, I did get the chance to observe
Marlon at Rat Fink's Reunion in San Carlos, California, last month.
Marlon was sitting on his Hot Rod Sign/Stripe Kit painting the smallest flies around
Rat Fink the cartoon on his project for what I assume was for the auction held that night.
The detail and tight curves were truly amazing! Whew!
From the airbrush area I was drawn like a magnet to Richard Bustamante's demonstration
of "wet-on-wet". Oh yeah! By this time I had the creativity surging through me!
If there were any room I would have dared to try this out right there! But alas, there
wasn't even enough room for him; it was a packed house at PSS SAC. So, I'll have to wait
until tomorrow to accent my driveway with over spray!
Richard made it look so easy- I just know I'll go through at least a 10-pack of boards
before I get something that looks remotely close to his creations. …and he is going
into the computer biz! Ugh.
After the demo Richard introduced me to his girlfriend- what a sweetie! Richard
mentioned dinner plans to me while he and Rich Stebbing were catching up. I was honored
but had to decline, teasingly I said, "Especially if you guys are going to the Raw
Fish places! After a few fish bait jokes and memories of their last Sushi Bar in San Jose
we all were back to shop talk and our own histories. I showed them my catalogs and told
them of my "day job" doing graphics and Rich shared with me stories of the brush
times. Tools and technique were the theme.
I wandered through the pinstriping demos and panels feeling a twitch in my hand. I
wanted a Mack OO and blank panel bad! Shannen from PSS had convinced one of the Pinheads
to do something "creative" on a toilet seat for her house. She has three sons.
It was a hit later when he had finished the rhyming tale. What did it say? Let's just say
it got the point across to the little tykes, or so we hoped so for Shannen's sake!
Outside for some fresh air (remember the fumes) and another smoke- 2 hours again! I've
gotta market this! (Just kidding!) Richard Bustamante, his better half, Ron Percell and I
found a small patch of shade and talked computers and laughed about Ron's pre-vision of
me. The Moon: 60's hippy chick with piercings and tie-dye accents. What a hoot! So to
disappoint any others out there thinking this- I was born in the 60's, but I look stuck in
the 80's, short and tiny, and the only thing pierced are my ears! LOL We do develop mental
images of what we think people look like here on the BB don't we? Wouldn't that be a fun
thread- visions of BB personalities!
Back in the warehouse for one more round I began to feel like I was caught in a tornado
of excitement. I couldn't absorb enough and everything was going on at ONE time.
Rick Sacks, who had earlier captured me in digital format for the site, sat down with
me at the tables and there I learned some valuable history of the Harvest Moon,
Letterheads and the Sign Associations. It was truly moving to hear Rick speak of the past,
the values and the goals of the sign artists from the brush era. "I got it." I
saw through today's technology and politics that have dusted the true Letterhead movement
in spirit. My conclusion; if you teach us we will learn! I can read the books and read the
pages telling of this era, but to hear from someone who's been there- well, it's
enlightening and humbling. If you're under 35 or new to this trade- find an experienced
sign maker that has run their brush through the 60's and later and ask them how it was!
While sitting there with Rick, Jim Ingram came by and shared some history of the
associations. Then Dave Simpson, Crazy Jack Wills, and more! Their wisdom, talent and
their history surrounded me. Wow!
At the tables, when the pack broke up to wander and play, I met Adrienne
"Splash" from Rainkatt Studios in person. What a nice lady! We spoke of the
cookbook that's winding down and of the meets we've both been to and missed each other.
She was prepping for a window splash and had to go to work. There just wasn't enough time
to do all I wanted and talk to all I've become acquainted with through this site and the
PSS meets.
Shortly after my shopping spree- I was at PSS mind you, I headed for home. What's scary
is that I don't even remember the hour-long drive! My mind was a little pre-occupied with
visions of signs and stripes to come!
Until next year!
The ozone side of the Moon!
P.S. Corrections to spelling (duh!) and facts made on this "edit".
By Robin Sharrard
Just a thanks to the folks that put all the effort into the 11th Annual Harvest Moon at
PSS of Sacramento, California, as well as all those talented professionals that put on
such great demonstrations and hands on training. It's great to be able to see the things
you read in books, demonstrated right befor your very eyes. Sure was impressed with the
talented PinStripers and LetterHeads that demonstrated their talents on panels and toilet
seat covers, KOOL stuff! See ya all nest year. Robin
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