Early Signs

My interest in signage dates back to the 80′s when I headed the graphics group at RRM Architects in San Luis Obispo. I recently used the magic of Google StreetView to to return to SLOtown to see if any of my early work survives and found these two installations.

The first is at the entry of condo community Woodbridge on South street. The project logo was flame cut steel, held off the adobe block wall for a shadow relief. It appears to have been painted in the last 30 years.

This second one is a small monument directory in cast concrete, that uses embedded back lighting to highlight the cast aluminum letters. The shapes duplicate the architectural massing of the professional office complex it fronts. I worked with the architect to develop site views, construction documents, permits and interfaced with the subcontractors.

And on a smaller scale, I designed the graphics for cafe Chocolate Soup in San Luis. It was a fun gig, and the client allowed me my first neon sign commission. I built the platform, hand painted the type and worked with the fabricator to bend and install the neon. And yes, they served an addictive concoction of brownie chunks and warm pudding called chocolate soup.