About Signs by Van.
My father told me as I left home for the last time, "Son, the right "train" of thought, leads to a better "station" in life. And, I have found that to be true. But, you also have to be on the right track. Being creative and working with people has been that right track for me. I love them both.
My fledgling sign career started while I was in the 11th year of high school working part time during the summer for an old sign painter, (Jim Blunk), from Winslow Arizona. I never realized that all the "doodling with art" throughout my school days would actually pay off. (It beats standing on the corner in my old home town.)
After being drafted into the Army during the Vietnam era, my final duty station fortunately led me to the Monterey Peninsula in 1973. It was here that I fell in love with what most artists do when they come for the first time. When I finally got out of the service, I started working for Couroc of Monterey under the tutelage of Ronald Van Ruckevelt porcelain studios and ended up two years later in the Couroc bronze sculpture division. It was through this varied job experience that I earned, in my humble opinion, the equivalent of a bachelors degree in art.
I felt the desire to do something more with my talent, and I saw a local sign artist, Stan Silva, creating some amazing works of dimensional art that served as signs for businesses. Some of his signs are still in service today.
The wheels of destiny were grinding and I went out and sold my first gold leafed, sandblasted sign in Monterey to Larry Nordwicks' Creative Images photography studio. I didn't even know how to do gold leaf when he asked me, but I figured I could learn. The sign is amazingly still in service twenty five years later. How's that for getting your moneys worth?
-Phil VanderKraats
Owner and Operator
Recent Project: 6/24/09 Candy World, Monterey, CA
Candy World is a handcrafted masterpiece that can be found gracing Cannery Row, Monterey. There was a lot that went into creating this dimensional sign — click to learn more about Candy World.
