Signwriting Sunday event welcomes everyone
Joby with a sign he painted saying ‘traditional skills in a digital age’ (Image supplied by Carters Steam Fair on behalf of Joby Carter)
On Sunday 17th December 2023, Joby Carter, decorative artist and owner of Carters Steam Fair will be inviting the public to join him in his White Waltham workshop for his first ‘Signwriting Sunday’ event.
The aim of the event is to showcase the traditional skills of signwriting to anyone with an interest in the traditional skills or who loves letterforms and typography.
Joby has always been keen to encourage more people to have an interest in the craft of traditional signwriting: the more that learn or value it, the more likely the skills will be passed down to future generations. With over 30 years experience in the field, he has become a spokesperson for traditional signwriting and he has given talks on signwriting and its place in folk art at universities and art schools.
Joby said: ‘Through my workshop courses and online courses, I’ve taught thousands of people to signwrite over the years. I think it’s important that people learn the traditional techniques that have been passed down through the generations and which I have been lucky enough to learn. That means no masking tape for straight lines, no vinyls to cover surfaces and no airbrushing. I’m a stickler for people learning the proper way!
Although there are not as many professional signwriters as there were 50 or 100 years ago, I’m delighted that the artform is still popular and that people are able to find work creating hand painted letters, or they can enjoy it as a hobby.
The Signwriting Sunday event is for anyone with an interest or appreciation of hand painted lettering to drop in and say hello and chat to likeminded people.‘
The event runs from 10am to 5.00pm with free entry for all. Visitors will be able to watch live signwriting demonstrations from Joby and other signwriters and can also bring in their own painted signs and items for discussion and critique. There are plenty of photo opportunities around the workshops and yard with a huge variety of hand painted signs featuring different styles and hand painted letters by Joby and other signwriters.
Joby will also be available to sign copies of his latest book, All the Fonts of the fair which features fairground lettering styles found at traditional British fairgrounds up until the 1960s. Many of these styles are missing from graphic design manuals and typography archives. Fairground art was listed as ‘endangered’ on the Heritage Crafts 2023 Red List and this book helps continue their legacy and gives them a new lease of life with 26 reference alphabets included.
Visitors can also stock up on signwriting supplies from Joby’s signwriting shop which stocks a range of enamel paints, professional brushes, palettes and mahl sticks. Joby’s fine art prints and hand painted letters will also be available to buy, making a unique Christmas gift.
Further information is available by following Joby Carter on Instagram @joby.carter or on his website jobycarter.com or in this post https://jobycarter.com/signwriting-sunday-a-free-event-to-showcase-traditional-signwriting/.
*Source of article : Press release from Joby Carter.
