Celebrating 50 years of the Letterheads

It began as seven young sign painters getting together to share what they were learning and to swap ideas in Denver in the mid-1970s. In the 50 years since, it mushroomed into a brotherhood and sisterhood of sign makers around the world, all under the umbrella of the nickname that first group gave itself: the Letterheads.

On June 20 through 22, over 450 sign makers from around the world gathered to mark 50 years of the Letterheads at the incredible American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio. Like so many Letterhead meets over the previous five decades—whether large or small—it brought enthusiastic sign people together for a long weekend of camaraderie, enthusiasm, and respect for the trade.

Much more a movement than an organization, the Letterheads spirit has promoted preserving traditional techniques, sharing ideas and information and promoting connection among creative sign makers. With sign makers in attendance from Belgium, England, Australia, New Zealand, Wales, Scotland, Canada, Netherlands and more, it was a very international gathering.

It’s impossible to capture the energy and experience of a Letterhead meeting in words and photos. There are veterans with a lifetime in the trade, enthusiastic newcomers who are just learning it and everyone in between. The atmosphere is electric (and even more so among the classic electric and neon signs of the museum).

Old friends reconnect, new friends are made. All sorts of techniques are shared in both structured formats and on the fly: how to design and letter everything from trucks to chalkboards to script to walls, how to do gold leaf, vertical silk screens, sandblasted signs, faux wood graining, dimensional signs, pinstriping…the list goes on.

The stunning surroundings of the American Sign Museum—over 40,000 sq. ft. of displays of just about every aspect of creative sign work stretching back well over a century—was the ideal venue. It holds hundreds of classic and vintage signs: hand-lettered signs and showcards, giant electric displays, plenty of neon and a Main Street of storefronts that show almost every type of sign craftsmanship. It all created the perfect setting for the event.

The museum opened its doors in 2005 and hosted its first Letterheads International meet in 2006. Then in 2015, it hosted the 40^th anniversary meet, drawing over 200 sign people, including several from outside the US. As the museum celebrates 25 years, it welcomed nearly 500 sign makers from around the world to help celebrate 50 years of the Letterheads.

Noel Weber and Mark Oatis, members of the original Letterheads, were there, along with countless other sign people who had been a part of Letterhead gatherings over the past 50 years. Tod Swormstedt, creator of the American Sign Museum, headed up the team of Letterheads and museum staff that made the event happen—and happen so smoothly.

“For me,” Tod says, “it was three very busy days. I was running around so much that the only seminar I was able to watch was Noel Weber’s. It was pretty cool to hear him go through his career. But it was good to connect with so many people.

“I wasn’t sure whether the event would draw mostly people who had been to past Letterhead gatherings or if it might bring in some new people. When I asked for a show of hands of those who were at their first Letterheads meet during the opening remarks, it was a pleasant surprise to see about a third of the hands go up, and a lot of them were young people.

“The international attendance was impressive, too. There hasn’t been an international meet in the US since the 40^th, but there have been internationals in Australia and Western Europe—which is really amazing. I credit Mike Meyer for that to a large degree. He has done hand lettering classes all over the world and turned people on to the Letterheads movement.

“The purpose of a Letterhead meet has always been that, after working alone in your shop, you get together with others just like you to learn and swap ideas. It rekindles your enthusiasm for the craft and you make new friends. That’s what this was about. Social media has certainly helped connect like-minded sign people. But there’s nothing like meeting face-to-face to cement a relationship. It’s the human connection.”

Perhaps the most gratifying part of Letterheads 50 was the large number of young sign makers who attended—sign painters and designers who are continuing the tradition. As Ross Hastie, an outstanding 26-year-old sign painter from Scotland, said, “It’s so good to be a part of this and what the Letterheads are all about—sharing ideas and learning more about the craft.”

Here’s to the next 50 years of Letterheads!

David Kynaston [North Wales, UK] shares how he does his incredibly precise hand lettering.

Lane Walker [Solo Signs, Reno, Nevada] outlines his approach to the design and execution of truck lettering, step-by-step.

Gary Anderson [Bloomington Design, Bloomington, Indiana], shown here, and Raymond Chapman [Chapman Sign Studio, Temple, Texas] explained how they developed their design styles over 50 years in the sign business.

David Smith [Torquay, England], left, and David Butler [Syracuse, Indiana], center, created the six-color silk-screened poster that was given to each attendee.

Here’s the completed poster.

From left: Ace sign painters Sam Pitino, Lane Walker, Bob Behounek, and Paul Martin

Many who came did “project panels” for the event, including this one by Mike Jackson [Loveland, Colorado].

Here’s just a glimpse from inside the stunning American Sign Museum, which hosted the event. Special thanks to Kurt and Natalie Gaber, Gaber Signs, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, for these photos :