Signs...

Have you ever considered signs? No, I don't mean those which lead you down your own path in life, but the ones which lead you around the world. If you remember when I was in Vermont, I showed you some signs I thought were really fun and interesting. Where I live now, signs are not all that interesting, but in some places they are a peek into history. Vanessa Thorpe wrote a short article talking about the need to save the vanishing pub signs in the United Kingdom. These signs are so interesting, colorful and insightful. They are not only full of humor, but they are also full of history as Thorpe describes. I like taking photos of various signs from time to time and thought I would share a few with you here.This sign gave information about a trail we hiked (through a sheep pasture) in the Pen-Y-Fan area of Wales. Go ahead and click on it to read it in the Queen's English as well as in Welsh. The Welsh language is being revived (as it was close to being lost) and a most interesting language to be sure. So this simple sign gives a lot of information about the land conservation.
This is the sign over the door of the Sally Lunn home in Bath, England. Of course Sally is best known for her delicious buns. Note how this sign really catches the eye next to this simple architecture. Also note the height of the door.
In England we lived near a town called Barton-on-Sea which sits on the Channel Coast. We would go there to walk along the sea a lot, and we came across this sign used as a simple warning to keep people safe. Here is the catch...we had just come off the path and did not see a sign on the other end before we began!
This was the sign giving the name of our cottage. We did not have a house number, but a cottage name. It was lovely and quaint. I felt very special living in a home with a name.
This last sign is clearly intended to inform people to please clean up after your pet. While this was not a huge problem, apparently this home owner had some issues to contend with. My son thought this was the greatest sign, although art was clearly not a part of the plan.

So please read the short article, because signs really can be a huge part of art, I think. If you do an image search for English Pub Signs, you will find some of the most amazing photos of some fabulous art. Oh, and if you come across "The Hare and Hound" in Sway, our little cottage was just a short distance behind that pub.

So do you have artistic signs in your area? I am sure you do if you are in Europe...even the Metro Stations Signs in Paris are amazing. And if you live in New England, US...there are some wonderful signs there, as well. Let me know of sign art which has caught your eye!

Have a Beautiful Day!