There has been a new development in Pontiac, IL. City officials were so impressed by what the Walldogs accomplished in Pontiac last summer that they want to open a museum in honor of the Walldogs this spring. They came to us shortly after the meet and have been working behind the scenes looking for a building and also trying to determine what a Walldog Museum should be about. It is because of the Dog's involvement in the event that it became such a success. My family and I want to thank everyone attending once again for the beautifully designed projects that were left behind. We will do our best to see that these projects are well preserved.
After much debate a name was chosen for the museum. It will be called the "International Walldog Mural & Sign Art Museum". This museum is the idea of some of our city officials and is not intended to compete with the National Sign Museum in Cincinnati, so the emphasis will be on wall painting.
The building they chose is across the street from the courthouse. It will be renovated and staffed by the city and will include historical information, pictures and examples pertaining to commercial wall advertising murals and signs. It will have sections dedicated to the heritage of the craft, the current Walldog movement from Allerton, IA on, as well as wall crafted signs along historical Rt.66. There will also be a gallery section available for any Walldog who may want to exhibit artwork for sale. This may include hand painted signs, pinstripe panels and other artwork. The duration of the exhibits and any consignment has not been decided and any input as to how that should be set up would be appreciated.
There has been interest in showing videos of past events. There is a room in the building that could be used for this. Our business has many videos and pictures to contribute and we could sure use any others that you feel would be an asset.
There is no cost for the Walldogs, and we hope that your thoughts about what you would like such a museum to represent would be welcome. Any work and photos that Walldogs would like to donate or lend to the museum would be VERY much appreciated. A dollar amount could accompany a donation so that we could document the contribution for your taxes.
The city has also obtained a 32' x 20' barn wall with a "Mail Pouch" advertisement on it. It'll eventually be installed when a proper space becomes available.
We feel the museum will help promote what a special experience it is to have a Walldog festival in a community. We hope that as time goes on the museum will be a success and that Walldogs and Letterheads will visit often and think of it as a place to call home. You will always be welcome with the same friendly enthusiasm that was exhibited by the good folks of Pontiac during this past summer's event.
Since we have no prior experience with being involved with a museum and the city does, we will assume an advisory posture and hope that we will be able to convey any thoughts and wishes that Walldogs may have about this venture.
The city council was informed of the museum at its last meeting and the funding particulars are being set up. Renovation of the space will begin soon. The building has approximately 2,400 sq ft. available for the museum. Painting, track lighting, tearing out a wall or 2 and installing some brick wallcoverings have all been mentioned. This space had been rented by a travel agency.
We now have a database set up to help communities interested in having a Walldog festival. This information will allow us to introduce communities to Walldogs who live close to them. Also if a community does not want a Walldog festival, but instead wants a mural or two, we will have a list of Walldogs that those communities can contact to get the projects completed. We hope it will provide work for those interested.
Although there have been Walldog festivals sprinkled throughout, the majority of them have been in the heartland of the U.S. Illinois has had the most. It would be great to see other areas call on the Dogs. It would be even better to have more Walldogs so that there could be more festivals, because they are FUN, FUN, and more FUN! Let's get it going and we hope that everybody can drop by to visit this new museum.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Talk about being embrsed!!!! Pontiac (& of course the Diaz cllan) ROCK!!! Glad I was there!
-------------------- Catharine C. Kennedy CCK Graphics 1511 Route 28 Chatham Center, NY 12184 cck1620@taconic.net "Look at me, Look at me, Look at me now! I't's fun to have fun, But you have to know how!" Posts: 2173 | From: downtown Chatham Center, NY | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
A Walldog museum will be pretty cool. I have a ton of photos from several past meets if they will help. If there is anything I can do along the way let me know. Thanks again Bill, Jane and Family!
posted
What a great idea. Gotta love the city of Pontiac.
-------------------- Eric Elmgren ericsignguy@comcast.net A & E Graphic Signs Park Ridge, IL "The future isn't what it used to be" -Yogi Berra Posts: 192 | From: PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS | Registered: Aug 2009
| IP: Logged |
Perhaps a hall of fame could be included based upon the book, Ghost Signs?
Both of the people and signs.
[ January 26, 2010, 02:35 PM: Message edited by: Kent Smith ]
-------------------- Kent Smith Smith Sign Studio P.O.Box 2385, Estes Park, CO 80517-2385 kent@smithsignstudio.com Posts: 1025 | From: Estes Park, CO | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
For years it's been a dream of mine to start a hall of fame for pinstripers, this is wonderful news for walldogs...kudos....
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hi, everyone! It’s Ellie from Pontiac Tourism. I just want to say how excited we are about the potential of the new museum. Of course, we are thrilled to be creating a place which will preserve memory of the men and women, the techniques, and the accomplishments of the early Walldogs. But, at the same time, we are equally pleased to have the opportunity to work with the modern Walldogs to promote their goals. We hope that you will all share your professional histories, personal stories, and artwork with us. We envision a museum & gallery which not only entertains the visitor, but serves as a reminder of the art and artists who helped make outdoor advertising such a vital component in American commercial history. Please contact us if you have anything which you would like us to consider as part of the museum.
-------------------- Ellie Alexander Pontiac Tourism 115 W. Howard St. Pontiac, IL. 61764 Posts: 17 | From: Pontiac Illinois | Registered: Jul 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
Pontiac continues to amaze - it's easy to have a "big idea" but it takes people with the knowledge, skills, and energy of Ellie, Bob and the fantastic citizens of Pontiac to make things HAPPEN.......
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's AWESOME!! Congratulations to the Diazes!! If you need any help, let me know. You live in a fine town, Bill. A perfect spot for it.
-------------------- David C. Petri Flying Peach Custom Paint Green Bay, WI 54302 cell 920-246-7821 Posts: 79 | From: Green Bay, WI | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
BUMP......thought something really worthwhile deserved another go...
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I just finished up a logo for the museum. Next step is to add some color. Dad plans on hand-painting this on the windows of the building. I'm hoping he will do some gold leaf
Then here shortly, I want to post some of the ideas we have been talking about at the meetings. If you guys have any ideas for displays or exhibits, let us know.
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
Have you ever considered putting up a post showing us the process you go through in creating your designs? The museum logo is top notch. I'd love to know what you go through (as I'm sure we all would) in arriving at the final design.
posted
Nice Logo Joe....can't wait to see it in color!
One of the questions I hear most often at Walldog events is "how do you transfer the art up to that large scale"?
It might be nice to have some examples of how the layout process takes place....here is one that I had to go back in and nail down the details on.....1/2" on art = 1'-0" on wall......just thinking out loud here?
posted
What an extraordinary affirmation of what you good people did there!! I know I enjoyed all the pictures, and must admit, wished I was there helping. It looked like such a cool thing to be part of. Congratulations on the positive impact you made within your community - something to be very proud of.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
We didn't want it to be one specific person, and even though the design was kind of based on a photo of Bill becuase we had a bunch of photos of him to work from (at the right angle, at the right placement) we tried to make it vague enough that it wasn't TOO obvious who it was. And we flipped the photo in honor of my brother. He was an oldtime signpainter that a few of you have met at some of our mini meets but he died unexpectedly a couple years ago. He was mainly a lefty but I have seen him start a line of copy with his left hand and finish it with his right! Sadly we didn't have any photos of him painting that we could work from. But he's the one in OUR vision of the painter. I miss him.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
Tom and Kathy Durham had an idea where we would collect all of the T-shirts from every event and string them up in the building on a clothes line.
There is room in the back of the building where we plan on projecting movies including the documentary from last summer on to the wall. And creating a small little movie theater.
Since we have so many photos, we also plan on utilizing a few flat panel TVs that will have photo slideshows on a loop.
I had an idea of setting up a full scale diorama of an actual project. We would set up a heavely used scaffold and place mannequins wearing walldog clothing with brushes in hand and paint cups next to them.
Anyway, more ideas to come.
Here is the logo in color:
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
Dale, looks like you did some studying to achieve your project, I remember seeing the finish of it...
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Kent Smith Smith Sign Studio P.O.Box 2385, Estes Park, CO 80517-2385 kent@smithsignstudio.com Posts: 1025 | From: Estes Park, CO | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
So, Tom and Kathy, seems like a bed and breakfast with Pontiac auto theme would fit right in! I also really liked the Victorian themes they have in the beautiful homes there too. What a cool town, now a museum for walldogs, nice.
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Great logo Joe. I'll be down in Chicago for a week at the end of March. Think I'll see if I can drag my dad down there for a little mural day trip.
-------------------- Carole Bersin Carole Bersin Painting 3527 24th Av S, Minneapolis, Mn 55406 cbersin@visi.com Posts: 211 | From: Minneapolis, Mn USA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
Great work and ideas all around! May I add to Dale Minor's idea to include an educational display about how the work is done, past and now. I was just reading a book on Leonardo DeVinci, and it was obvious the author was unaware how he had transfered his image to the surface of the wall mural.
Mark,
-------------------- Mark Baty Mark 1 Studio 1980 SE Leeann Drive Waukee, IA 50263 Posts: 45 | From: Waukee, Iowa | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic