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than the white one. Syd, who has been fascinated
by letters for over sixty years, sees the future of sign painting within a larger framework. The future of signwriting as far as Syd is concerned lies with the design of murals. Andrew Greaves is also a self-taught signwriter. While travelling through India, he dabbled at signing a scoreboard for a pool table. Back at home he took odd jobs in signwriting for friends before determining to pursue it as a career choice. Andrew spends a lot of time researching the work done by his predecessors. He has numerous books on the subject. Andrew already had the skillset to do the job, but his patience in learning new fonts and methods through practice, have honed his skills to be one of the best in Dublin. The two examples shown demonstrate the traditional skillset involved in signage. Andrew is happy to engage in traditional methods like the shopfront for Coyle’s in Ballyfermot. Andrew has engaged in workshops with some of the leading signwriters in the world. Andrew aspires to match the detail and craft of the signwriters working during the Victorian age. He cites the sign of Brookes & Co on Baggot Street as a wonderful example of the craft of signwriting. It has been there for over one hundred years. The other photo that I have provided of Andrew’s work showcases his application on glass. Note the detail surrounding the letters. Such application to detail is reminiscent of similar work carried out in bygone years. However, I wouldn’t like to box Andrew into that ornate style. He is versatile and can adapt, bringing any vision to fruition. Vanessa Power started her career in signwriting in the traditional manner; up and down ladders, lettering for shops. Although Vanessa didn’t say it, other signwriters told me of the daily hassle of signwriting in the middle of the city. Every signwriter will tell you about characters telling you that you made a mistake. Whether trying to call your attention to a spelling error or kids shaking the ladder, signwriters have seen it all before. Vanessa is a self-taught mural artist who uses the tools of signwriting to showcase her work. That work is instantly recognisable with its pop art style and vibrant colours. Some of the work reminds me of those early 70s funk albums. Vanessa believes that the work she engages in allows her the space to be more creative. She has been commissioned for murals in the workplace, within hospitals, and street art like the one accompanying this article. Vanessa gets her inspiration from studying old books. Some of which are from Europe and largely made up of photographs of old signs. When I asked Vanessa to pick a photograph of her work in Dublin she had to think about it. She explained that she was trying to remember which ones had not been painted over. Me Aul Flower, her selection, is a statement of place. It couldn’t sit comfortably in any other city but Dublin. Due to the transience of the work, Syd Bluett reckons that a signwriter cannot get too attached to their signs and murals. The artist has no control over their work once the paint dries. It’s a job. There have been great signs and murals stripped from the walls of streets and facades of shops. Syd describes himself as iconoclastic when it comes to the tradition of signwriting. He thinks people who aspire to work within the craft shouldn’t get too bogged down on the traditions of the past. Syd encourages new signwriters to express their own ideas rather than lumber themselves with the ideas of the past. On the contrary, Andrew thinks that the ornate detail of signwriting during the Victorian era shows the possibility of creative expression within the craft. Andrew gives a nod towards tradition. Whatever way you look at it, these are craftsmen, grappling with an artistic vision. Both have infinite ideas of what is possible when painting with letters. As the years go by, cities in the Western world are all starting to look the same. The streets are dotted with the same signs that identify multinational shops and businesses. Dublin aspires to offer its tourists a unique visiting experience. Years ago, there was a Bord Fáilte poster that showcased pubs in the city. Most, if not all the pubs, had unique hand-painted shopfronts and signs. There is added value to the city by encouraging independent businesses to engage with sign painters to provide quality signage. Maybe in lowering rates or offering grants for such purposes, a way forward might be found for this wonderful craft to flourish. The city would benefit enormously from such a move. 18 Vanessa Power: signsofpower.com Andrew Greaves: agsigns.ie Syd Bluett: sydbluett.net Colm O’Connor: colmoconnorsignwriter.com