Lincoln Highway mural number 3 . . . Oregon, IL

[Jay Allen]

1 installed (Aurora) - 3 painted now . . . 37 to go . . .



Bigger picture:
http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq14 ... nished.jpg

[joe cieslowski]

Aside from the excellent composition and colors, I always love it when an element or two "leave" the frame.....very powerfull.

Keep up the excellent work and thanks for sharing.

Joe,

[Bob Sauls]

Mr. Allen,
I have been watching from afar for some time now. Kudos!
Will you be taking part in the Wall dog event in Danville this summer?
I am making plans to attend this. It will be my first Meeting of any type?

[Jay Allen]

Bob . . . well, first, drop the 'Mister' . . . Jay is how I respond best!! (My employees may have other euphemisms less formal...but they probably mutter them under their breath...)

I must admit, I've noticed your work of late myself. Nice stuff . . . we seem to have similar offerings for our clients.

At this point Danville is a 'maybe' more than a '. yeah' . . . but if I do - and you do, let's connect while we're there. I love a good Walldog meet - and I like them best when I can work and not project lead. It's fun - don't get me wrong - but it is a real commitment of time to put out work that is worthy of some of the best from the past meets. A high water mark, for sure.

I need to restate how this project is being done . . . the Lincoln Highway murals are a collaboration between myself (well, technically mu business, ShawCraft SIgn Co.) and Bill Hueg. The beauty in any mural is directly related to the strength of the pictorial - and a great pictorial can even save a crappy design. Bill is certainly an expert in color and his pictorial skills are amazing. My job is project administration and design. My employees rout the panels and prepare the masks for the text and borders. We seem to have struck a good balance so far!!

It's easier when you're friends, though!!

Thanks for the kind words . . . we're all feeling very fortunate to have such a 'legacy' type project - especially in this economy.

[Mark Summers]

Amazing is the word for this project. I sit and look at these
pics and am just mesmerized. Thanks for sharing.

Mark

[Bob Sauls]

Jay then,
I will be sure to ask around when I arrive at Danville. I will attend unless hindered by events beyond my control. It is my hope to travel with Aaron Taylor of Pensacola and Mark Fair of Montgomery. Mark is planning to be a project leader, I'll probably paint with him on his project.
I am bouncing between forums and I am trying to get a feel for each of them. I really can cut loose and be quite folksy but I sense this forum is a little bit more serious in it's nature (am I mistaken?). That is why I was being a bit formal. Sorry, Bubba.

[erik winkler]

Noooo Bob this forum is not serious!
Well I am not
Why don't you come over to the Czech Republic also?
Well do some new interestig stuff and after work fool around:
http://www.youtube.com/user/erikwinkler ... zAtCAbswic

The one with the silly scarve around his neck is me after a beer or two.
Work before pleasure

Erik

[Bob Sauls]

Well, my mistake I just thought I was in the presence of greatness, and felt overwhelmed by being invited in for an audience.
Some of the names I see participating in this forum I have only read about in the pages of SignCraft. I have met so few of you. For me, anyone who was SignCraft worthy was the equivilent of "arriving." This is dang close to hero worship and that is silly both for the reader and more so if the one in the spot light believes it.
I have since discovered that it's about working hard, and being passionate about improvement.

These forums take a little of the fantasy away, slowly erasing the perception readers create for themselve's by being able to hobnob with real craftsmen, who are real guys.
I'll wise up.

I see a lot lately about glasswork, beyond the matte gild, water gild stuff that is typical.
is this just a passion or are you fellas being properly compensated for it?

[Jay Allen]

Bob . . . you actually are in the presence of greatness with respect to the broad range of talented folks who lurk and post here . . .

But (in my opinion) it is the greatness of their individual efforts that deserves the respect and admiration - not the individual alone. Ego - as best I can summarize it - seems inherently absent (and unappreciated) by true Letterheads. I suppose it is best found in the Letterhead acronym . . . IOAFS. It's only a f-ing sign . . . in other words, keep it real.

By nature we seem to be programmed to 'deify' our heroes in this world . . . but our 'heroes' are simple men like the rest of us. I hate to wax poetic . . . but it is the perception of another's 'greatness' that illustrates our constant comparisons to other people and their skills and abilities . . . We're measuring ourselves with the 'yardstick' belonging to someone else - and not our own.

My father always did that in comparing himself to his more financially successful friends - and before he died I chastised him for that . . . "Stop measuring yourself against your friends who were more successful. Your mark on life was left with your children, practicing and living with the 'moral compass' you instilled in each of us." How a man can forget what is truly important means he focused on the wrong things his entire life . . . it is in our desire to fulfill our own special destiny that defines us - if we want to - not in what you look like, your net worth or 'toys' or material goods (though, what the heck, buy it up if you have the cash!!).

Darn near everybody has more greatness in themselves than they think. Involved Letterheads just seem to be in a constant desire to improve and find that greatness - to constantly challenge themselves . . . and when you start out that really can be intimidating . . . until you figure out just how nice and 'normal' most of your 'heroes' really are.

You have no reason whatsoever to feel inferior to anyone here, Bob . . . Maybe you should go look at your website again with a more detached, objective and accepting eye . . . You may realize that you're one of those people you admire . . .

[Bob Sauls]

Jay,
that was a very pure insight to and about your Dad. Mine Died 17 years ago and there is not a day that I do not recall some word of wisdom he conveyed or whipped into me. Yes, very few wish that they had spent more time at the office when facing that great veil.
It really is amazing how complicated we try to make successs. Ultimately it boils down to
Did I love, was I loved, did I respond to God's love, and are the ones I loved well?