Carlsbad Art and Culture

#3: Snyder Art and Design Sign Installation

One day in early April, while riding my bike along State St. into the village, I glanced over at a storefront neighboring an old plumbing store. I had ridden my bike past this building thousands of times while growing up in the village, but this passing was different. I noticed boxes through the window of a small room. I skidded to a stop and approached the plumbing store to inquire about the soon-to-be empty neighboring building.

After knocking repeatedly on the plumber’s front door, a short old lady hesitantly opened the door. She seemed a bit nervous; I only suspect my thick beard, sweating forehead and excited deep breathes caught her off guard. I asked if she knew the owner of the neighboring building. She seemed to relax and told me she, along with her husband, was the owner.

I introduced myself and shared my vision of a village based art studio where the public would be invited to see art, but more importantly, to witness the creative process. For the next hour we shared stories. She read me her poetry and I shared photos off my camera.

With my interest in the neighboring storefront very obvious, I asked her if I could rent it. She told me that she would love to have be as a neighbor, but it would be up to her husband. She gave me a card and told me to call him later that evening. After reading his name on the card, I knew I was in… Art Brown!

Like all my paintings, my sign was created in my signature drip technique. The brush never touches the paintings and wild and gestural streams of paint drip through a stencil and onto the chosen surface. Turquoise and terracotta colors dominated the drips to blend in with the paint job of the building at the time and solid black gloss paint was used in for the text to stand out and glisten in the morning sun. With the help of long time friend and talented carpenter Brian Cramer, my studio sign went up.

Every time I ride my bike down State and glance over at my studio, I think of that day when an old dusty storefront inspired my vision of a village based studio open to the public.

Thanks Alice and Art for providing the soil for my vision to grow from!

– Bryan Snyder