The High Sign Solo Exhibition

“They deserve to be displayed high on the wall. That’s the elevation in which they live.”

I’m delighted to present this selection of pieces I’ve painted from street signage I’ve found across the country. Several of the pieces were discovered while strolling the streets surrounding the GALLERIA de FOX venue in Santa Ana, CA.

A trusted critic once said my work was “very pedestrian.” It took me several days to realize he wasn’t paying a compliment.

Regardless, I’ve always been attracted to the beauty and design of on-street signage and architectural marketing. Whether its a classic neon shingle, the face of an elegant clock tower, or an ornate lamppost – I enjoy capturing these wonders of spacial marketing in their natural environment.

I tend to paint in larger formats. Smaller compositions could …never allow me to fully convey the sense of gravity – the command of attention – that these signs invoke in me. I paint them from low angles to illustrate the way we pedestrians see them – like giant inanimate carnival barkers, shouting down at us to “come on in!” – James Gray

James is a self-taught artist with over 30 years specializing in acrylics. James currently lives in Atlanta, GA. Email gallerydefox@gmail.com for commission information.