Paint Town Signs
Lexington based sign painter, Mike Martinez, is keeping the art of hand painted signage alive in Central Kentucky.
How did you get started doing sign and large scale painting?
I was involved with graffiti and street art as a teenager so getting into sign painting seemed like a natural progression. I’ve always appreciated the skill and craftsmanship in painted signage and I like the idea of keeping it alive in an age where that is becoming more rare by the day.
Is there anything you wish you had known when you first started?
There’s no substitute for the proper tools and materials.
What’s your favorite part of the painting process?
I love the physical act of painting and pulling a wet brush against a surface- but seeing older signs that have become part of the local landscape, is a close second.
Is there anything you wish your customers knew about the uniqueness of your medium?
That there are a multitude of processes that go into producing a quality sign that are only obvious to the end consumer when they’re omitted.
Have a favorite tool to use?
A grey squirrel quill brush.
What’s the best advice another maker gave to you?
Don’t underestimate the value of handcrafted work by comparing it to digital and/or mass produced alternatives.
Do you have a morning ritual?
Hot coffee.
End of day ritual?
Cold beer.
What do you do for fun in your spare time?
Fly fishing and fly tying.
If you didn’t do this, what do you imagine you’d be doing?
Working in some type of craft adjacent field like production woodwork, commercial sign fabrication, fine carpentry etc.
