The Letterheads Go Large at the 1982 Oklahoma Bash

Versus previous issues, the bonus content for BLAG 07, the Letterheads special, is spread across a series of posts. This third instalment looks back at the legendary Oklahoma Bash meet hosted by Mike Jackson in 1982.

The scale of this event was a major step up from what had come before, and introduced a whole new cohort to the Letterheads ethos, including two that travelled from New Zealand to attend. The format provided a template for many of the meets that followed and it was a catalyst for the advance of the movement.

While seeking points of view for the article on hosting a meet I reached out to Mike Jackson who kindly shared his insights. Then, a few weeks after the magazine had gone to print, he sent me the following reflections on the experience of hosting that monumental meet, including a selection of photos from the event.

Before getting into that, I should add that Mike sadly wasn't able to attend the Letterheads 50 celebrations in June. However, the organisers did conspire to get him on a surprise video call and he also sent this project panel to Cincinnati for guests to marvel at.

My Early Letterheads Experience

By Mike Jackson

The 1982 Boise BBQ, hosted by Noel and Lucy Weber, shaped much of my future in the sign business. The mid-summer meeting was where I met the original Letterheads group, along with another dozen or so talented sign artists. They travelled to the event mostly from the Western states and the Boise area. As talented as each was, I found them to be soothingly humble, yet they were intensely motivated to share their skills and knowledge.

That small gathering changed my trajectory in a major way. I naively volunteered to host the next meeting at my shop in Moore, Oklahoma, in late October of the same year. The 'original group' seemed a bit baffled that a newcomer would take on the challenge, but collectively said, “Okay, do it!”

Building the Bash

Raymond Chapman shared the flight with me back to Oklahoma. Together, we mapped out the plan for the meet. Steven Parrish, a master gold leaf sign painter, was one of the first people I contacted. He replied, “Yes, I’ll drive down for another ‘bash’ in Oklahoma”. Thus, the name: Oklahoma Bash.

For those that don't know of Steven Parrish, he specialised in lettering and gilding for banks, travelling across the central plains states to do this work. He had developed a method of vertical screen printing, along with inventing a few jigs for holding the screens, but was always very secretive about his process. He usually worked at night and, if necessary, put up blinds during the screening process to hide his techniques. After getting a dose of the 'Letterheads Spirit' in Boise, he offered to show and share his full technique at the Oklahoma Bash.

Raymond and I envisioned an even larger meeting that could bring in talent from across the United States. I started combing the trade magazines for anyone doing top quality work in a variety of sign mediums and the editors at Signs of the Times and SignCraft helped me with addresses and phone numbers.

I sent mailed invitations to all of them, followed by phone calls and even more letters. As my list of “Yes, I’ll be there” responders grew, it became easier to name drop to entice others to invest time and money for a weekend in Moore, Oklahoma.

In Full Swing

The meeting ran across three days, 29–31 October 1982. During this time, the three bays of my shop, and the big top tent outside, were constantly filled with craftspeople eagerly sharing their skills. The 'vibe' from the event’s unstructured nature was contagious! Impromptu demonstrations included gold leaf application, screenprinting, calligraphy, showcard writing, wood carving, sandblasting, pinstriping, gluechipping glass and, of course, brush lettering.

Although he looks cool, calm, and collected in the photo, behind the shades, Dusty Yaxley was extremely nervous delivering his surface gilding demonstration. He was applying loose leaf to a carved mahogany sign and, with so many experts watching, he told me that his shaking hand could barely keep the leaf on the tip.

Later on, Dusty saved the day when someone knocked the table where Mike Sargeant had laid out his chisels. They landed tip first on the concrete floor and Mike was almost in tears. However, Dusty stepped up, gave an impromptu demonstration of his quick sharpening technique, and Mike was back to carving in no time. Moments like that epitomised the event.

Another guest was Mike Stevens, who I didn't know much about at the time. He was quiet and seemed a bit shy, but the the showcard he brought with him illustrated his mastery of the brush and design. Not long after the meeting, he started The Mike Stevens Journal (newsletter) and later compiled much of those into his influential book, Mastering Layout. The Oklahoma Bash gave him a quick-start audience.

The Aftermath

In short, it was an amazing event! The registration board listed around 135 attendees from all corners of the US, plus several that came from overseas, making the Oklahoma Bash the first ever international Letterheads meeting.

The three McIltrot brothers from SignCraft covered the story, along with Tod Swormstedt from Signs of the Times. The articles and photos that followed set the wheels in motion for many future events around the country. I will always feel extremely honoured that people trusted me enough to make the trip.

Over the months, and even years, following the Oklahoma Bash, I collected a large binder chock full of handwritten letters telling me how the Bash changed their lives ⏤ much like the Boise BBQ changed mine. Many of the attendees of the Oklahoma Bash went on to do great things, and several of them hosted even larger meetings of their own.

Good times!

Written by Mike Jackson

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