The Pre-Vinylettes Podcast and More Burds on the Brush
Bonus content from Meredith Kasabian's BLAG 07 feature on women, trans, and nonbinary sign painters.
Versus previous issues, the bonus content for BLAG 07, the Letterheads special, is spread across a series of posts. This second instalment takes a deep dive into the work behind Meredith Kasabian's feature on women, trans, and nonbinary sign painters in the Letterheads movement, and the trade at large.
I'd previously tried, and failed, to get Meredith to pen pieces for BLAG — she's been on a hiatus from writing to focus on her sign business — so my approach last November felt like a long shot. However, I was surprised and delighted to find a 'yes' in my inbox the very next day, with the final result now in print.
In her reply, Meredith suggested that she might use her research interviews to rekindle the Pre-Vinylettes podcast. And so it came to pass. Below I've pasted the recordings from the new episodes, which are packed with nearly ten hours of sign painters sharing their journeys, experience, and expertise. After that are some of the historical references that Meredith refers in the opening paragraphs of her piece and small gallery of archival photos of women on the brush.
The Pre-Vinylettes Podcast: Season 2
The featured sign painters are: Remy Chwae; Tricia O'Neill; Liane Barker; Shelby Rodeffer; Rachel Millar; Juli Hirasawa; Sharon Manhart; Veronika Jørgensen; and Jess Marsh Wissemann.
Remy Chwae
In this episode, I speak with former sign painter and current book designer, Remy Chwae. Remy is graduate of the sign graphics program at LA Trade Tech and has a BA in political science from Columbia University. In this episode we discuss her experiences working as a sign painter in Los Angeles and her transition to designing books in New York City. Just a quick content warning, his episode does discuss instances of sexual harassment.
Tricia O'Neill
Today I’m talking to Tricia O’Neill (@triciao_photos_signs). Tricia is the owner of Signs Unique in Gloucester, Massachusetts and she is also a photographer. She is a graduate of the sign program at the erstwhile Butera School of Art and later earned a BA in photography from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. We talk about Tricia’s differing experiences at these two institutions, about her work for the Boston Red Sox at the historic Fenway Park, and about her experiences with community in the sign painting world, among other things (like her dad starring in a punk rock music video!)
Liane Barker
Liane Barker is a sign painter and world traveling workshop leader with more than 40 years experience in the field of sign painting. Her sign business, Barker Signs, operates out of Brisbane, Australia and her worldwide workshops are available on her Mastering the Art of Sign Writing Instagram page. In Part 1 of this two part podcast, Liane and I talk about her rise from apprentice to her sign painting father to owning her own business in the 1980s and the benefits and challenges that come with being a self employed woman sign painter.
In Part 2 of my talk with Liane Barker (@barker_signs) we start off discussing the unique (and envied!) relationship between Liane and her daughter, Kate and follow the story arc of Liane’s phoenix-like rise from the ashes of financial decline to the glory of her newfound love of leading sign painting workshops all around the world. Liane is so inspiring and fun to talk to! I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I did recording it. Here is Part Two with Liane Barker.
Shelby Rodeffer
Shelby Rodeffer, known on Instagram as @smellby, is an artist, illustrator, sign painter, and co-founder Finer Signs and the Pre-Vinylettes. In this episode we talk about her emergence as an artist in 1990s Nashville, the challenges of cobbling together a sign painting education, and her community-oriented approach to art and life. We also touch on our experience co-hosting the 2017 Pre-Vinylettes exhibition in Chicago together. Shelby is an absolute delight and I know you will enjoy this episode!
Rachel Millar
In this episode, I speak with Rachel Millar, a sign painter from Glasgow, Scotland, who runs Bungo Sign Co. with her partner, Hana Lindsay. We talk about Rachel’s emergence as a sign painter and co-founder of the Burds of the Brush, a women- and nonbinary-focused collective and event series. We discuss the importance of creating safe, inclusive spaces for marginalized groups in the sign painting community, the challenges faced by women in the trade, and how these gatherings foster connection, confidence, and skill-sharing.
Juli Hirasawa
Juli Hirasawa (@thesignpantry) is an aspiring sign painter currently finishing her first year in the Sign Graphics program at LA Trade Tech. In this episode, we talk about her decision to make a major career change while enduring a pretty scary health diagnosis and the new lease on life that she’s enjoying as a result. Juli also co-hosts a sign painting podcast called Sign Painters Club with a fellow LA Trade Tech student where they document their experiences and inspirations. It was really nice speaking with someone so new to the field of sign painting and with so much enthusiasm for her new path. Enjoy this episode with Juli Hirasawa!
Sharon Manhart
Sharon Manhart is a sign painter in Omaha, Nebraska who runs Arbor Street Studios. Sharon is also the administrator of the Pre-Vinylettes Facebook Group, which is an invaluable resource for its more than 300 members. The conversation touches on the balance of managing a creative business with personal life, including working closely with her husband (I can relate!) and finding fulfillment in both art and community engagement.
Veronika Jørgensen
In the final episode of Season 2, I speak with Veronika Jørgensen, aka @veronikaskilte from Copenhagen, Denmark. We talk about what got her interested in sign painting, her involvement in the Burds of the Brush movement, and the importance of safe community spaces for new sign painters. Veronika also discusses her experience as a trans woman in the increasingly dangerous times we’re living in. This episode is a can’t miss!
Veronika is on the cover of BLAG 06 which has a how-to for her 'pillow gild' effect as the issue's special poster insert. BLAG 06 is available alongside other back issues in the BLAG Shop.
Jess Marsh Wissemann
In this Season 2 bonus episode, I talk with Jess Marsh Wissemann of Hired Hand Signs in Turner Falls, Massachusetts. Jess was kind enough to come to Best Dressed HQ and speak with me in person about her unique path to sign painting, her work designing corn mazes, and her upcoming events on her family’s farm in Western Massachusetts. Jess’ story is truly exceptional and her ambition is unmatched in this field. Listen on to hear all about her trajectory from farm hand to social media manager to sign painting mogul! Here is Jess Marsh Wissemann of Hired Hand Signs.
Press Gang
In her research, Meredith tracked down references to women on the brush dating back as far as 1863. Here are some of the original press clippings and publications she mentions.
The Employments Of Women
A plain text version of the 'Sign Painters' entry from The Employments Of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work (1863) can be read at here on gutenberg.org, with digital scans available via archive.org and the Library of Congress.
The entry for 'Sign Painters' is sandwiched between those for 'Shroud Makers' and 'Snuff Packers'.
From Alabama to California
These pieces express the apparent novelty of seeing a woman on the brush in cities on both sides of the USA.
'An Old-Fashioned Girl' (1901) in The Times, Washington DC, and 'What seemingly was a woman…' (1909) in The Hattiesburg News, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Wall Cat
This is the tale of the traveling Chicago sign painter L.C. Cecil who was spotted on a wall in San Francisco. The Library of Congress page from the newspaper allows you to zoom in and read more easily.
Burds in Books
In L.C. Cecil's story (above), she talks about not belonging to the Union because "they won't let me in". In Meredith's article, she references the account of a woman trying to join the Union in Syl Ehr's Signpainters Don't Read Signs (1957) and the links between this story and another from John J. Hodgins' Snapper book (2001).
Gals Gallery
In the discussion with Meredith about the article, I gathered up a small collection of archival images I've saved over the years depicting women sign painting. We used the lovely Sylvia Pankhurst ones in the magazine, but here are some others for your enjoyment. (Pankhurst is one of our 'Celebrity Signwriters'.)
From top left: 1907 in Richmond, London; 1930s at the Leicester College of Art and Technology; c.1931 at the Manchester School of Art; 1937 vehicle lettering; 1939 at the Reimann School of Art and Design in Berlin; 'Wrens' training for new jobs during the Second World War in 1943.
Also check out the previous bl.ag online feature, 'A Fascinating Collection of Hungarian Sign Painting Photos, 1906–1976', which has a strong showing from the women of the trade.
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