Around the age of 3 we we begin to draw.  Whether you were born in Stuttgart, Paris, Hooversville, Drummond Island, or even New Jersey(HaHa) you begin to tell your story with crayon and paper using the universal language of art images.

One of my early images told how much I would rather be out the door with bike, trees to climb and the flowers than practicing the piano.  .

As we become more global I think art will play a bigger role in signage.

I selected a few here to show you my sense of humor relative to signs, and to show you that sometimes you still need a specific language knowledge to understand the sign because it has words on it.

I know it is wheelchair accessible,  its number is 2750, and it has a NY Metro Authority license plate.  But the red sign in the middle requires a NYC language knowledge I do not have.

If you had a bad day, join the family at cocktail time for a few drinks – Actually the sign is to invite you to apply for a job at their company.   But, it struck me as a funny sign.

Now here is a food wagon near Central Park. I have no idea what the message on the lower left panel is saying? (The fingers and the grapes and the big “A” above the hand) – Maybe to understand it you need a young New Yorker’s language knowledge that I do not have.

Here in NYC where folks from around the world gather these food wagons are universal  – But, wait! –  What is HALAL FOOD ? and there is that “A” again – I am sure it is only my lack of  knowledge of young New Yorker’s that made it a mystery to me?  I did look up Halal, so now I know what it is.

If you mouth is big enough to fit around these sandwiches the menu is clear –  Can you imagine eating any of them – especially that upper right runny-egg sandwich.  They need a picture of the bib you should wear. Anyway, even if I did not know english I could order by pointing.

My favorite spot on the Island -The TeePee Ice Cream hut. –  Sitting in my truck eating an Ice Cream cone,  I see in the window under the “ORDER HERE” sign, a sign  that says “Speak up, its loud in here”. – Made me laugh even if it did not use art.

it made me laugh

This store is a speciality store!  How in the world did they pick only those three items to sell – made me laugh.

What is a finely tuned residents?  On second thought, I do live in a finely tuned residence.  How about your residence – Is it finely tuned?

This is one frame from a video I took to show how incomplete this sign is.   “NO PARKING” worked but where is the sign that says “NO DUMPING GARBAGE”?    It made me laugh.
Oh, I got caught taking the video.  YIPES, notice (on the next frame) the clear message sent by the one that caught me.

When she/he caught me photographing, they gave me  first a middle finger then a moon!  – a clear message to get the h… out of there and quit photographing  – I did just that!  But, take notice, the person walking by ignored the whole thing – they were busy on the phone sending messages about something else.

This Jewish Deli has a sense of humor but you need to know the language.
CHALLAH=HOLLER (Well sort of)

I laughed a lot at this – It has several attention getting messages – I really like the one that says  “Free Lunch tomorrow”                     

Yep, Somebody got the message – I did not.

Back to my Island, I assume this marks Blain Bailey’s sugar camp. I looked it up in the dictionary. BALIWICK is a person’s area of skill, authority, or work. (Can also be spelled Baileywick) – Local folks have the knowledge that Blaine is one of the Bailey family members.

I found these on the wall of a NYC art college  – Art pictures are a universal  language used in the many many advertisements you see sandwiched between segments of the evening news on TV.  The students are studying how to use art to send their messages.  In this case her message is “Guns are bad.”  In a future evening news programs, her art message may be that Buick Sedans are good or she may be promoting a Lawyer’s office that can help you sue the insurance company over an accident you had with the Buick.  All told with art pictures flashed on the screen.

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE -always go sign shopping.  It is a great pass time.  And, when you see an advertisement remember an artist studied a long time to learn to send you a message using the universal language of art in the sign.