This project was commissioned by the business owner for placement on the outside of the building where the business is located. The large sign is about 30 X 50 inches (horizontal image). The logo (tree, moon, sun) was provided by the owner and was her creation. I used a large cabinet door for the sign. I used a CNC router to carve the logo and the textual information. The owner wanted a script font and approved the ones I chose and were also shadowed fonts. I then handpainted the entire project. The specific colors were my choice although owner stipulated I include purples in the text. I used basic acrylic colors for the logo. I used a dark purple for the business name with a blue shadow. The other text was painted using pearlized acrylics, darker and lighter shades of purple or blue. The sign faces vehicular traffic on a one-way street so the headlights will produce a reflective flash at night. The background color of the text is a light buttermilk. The smaller sign, 10 x 18 inches, is doublesided and will hang on the entry way door about 9 ft. up on a metal bracket another artisan is making for her. Shadowed fonts were used here, with colors similar to those on the larger sign. All were gloss enamels. The owner intends to add a weather protective cover to both signs and against vandalism for the larger one. I received $250 for both signs.
A Maker who has been a valued part of this community for several years.
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This Maker has consistently demonstrated excellence in craftsmanship and customer service.
About Me
I'm a 70 year old guy, retired in 2007, after 30 years of college teaching. I wanted to a good teacher, certainly better than most of the schmucks who taught me. I did OK but wasn't the "great" teacher I wanted to be. Then health issues forced an early retirement. I had always been interested in woodworking of the carpentry type, which I still do for personal projects. But I also discovered "creative" woodworking of a more artistic kind that I describe below and that's what I've been doing for the past 8 years.
My "Business"
I don't really have a company nor am I really in business. I'm a one-man hobby operation. I just use "The Old Man's Woodshop" on my non-business cards. I do rustic, simple wood projects: walking sticks and canes, small signs (house numbers, welcome, business, etc.), artistic wood carvings (can be hand-painted), small furniture, among other things. I also grow and decorate gourds as bowls, vases, birdhouses, animals, little people, creatures). What I do is not my livelihood and I'm not trying to make a lot of money. Mostly, I just want to make things that will please my customers. So far, so good. People seem pleased with the results of the 5 CustomMade projects I have completed. Similarly, that holds true for other people I done things for, e.g., several small business signs.
(To be continued)
Cheryl Jones
For Gourd PersonI named him Delbert. Awesome gentleman to work with
Edward Miggins
For Celtic Knot CarvingsMike Lovett
For House Number SignsMichael was excellent from start to finish - couldn't be happier with the end result.
Alexander Van Berg
For House Number SignsCan't really think of any negatives. It was very easy to work with Michael. He was interested in getting the product done the way I envisioned it, and he was eager to hammer out all the fine details. I was even able to provide a custom font for use in my project. This definitely exceeded my expectations. The amount of time he spent on the project was very reasonable. Last but not least, the final product I received in the mail is great.
Kevin M
For Wood Carvingjohn
For corner shelvesVery difficult describing the exact dimensions that we needed; Mr. Olson did a fine job with the workmanship and choice of wood and stain
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