# Letterheads

- Link: https://walldogpublicart.org/letterheads/
- Published: 2025-03-18T15:44:56-05:00
- Author: gradient9

# About Letterheads

### 50 Years of Craft, Community, and Hand-Painted History

Roughly 50 years ago, a talented group of Denver craftsmen formed a loose-knit collective
known as the Letterheads, sparking a movement that would permanently transform the
sign-making industry. What began as informal gatherings to swap stories and classic
techniques quickly exploded into a national phenomenon by 1982, fueled by landmark,
editor-attended events like the “Boise Bar-B-Q” and the “Oklahoma Bash.” Amazingly,
this vibrant community continues to thrive and grow without any formal governing
body, boards, or presidents. Built on a revolutionary willingness to openly share
once-closely guarded trade secrets, the Letterheads movement seamlessly bridges 
traditional skills like hand-gilding with modern computer technologies, uniting 
generations of artisans who gather solely to learn, teach, and celebrate their craft.

![Close up of man painting](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/
08/183105_murals_in_menomonie_2026_andreap_9-650x484.jpg "Close up of man painting")

![Wade Hand Lettering](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Wade-
Hand-Lettering.jpg "Wade Hand Lettering")

![Lane Walker Letters](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Lane-
Walker-Letters.jpg "Lane Walker Letters")

![Man showing letters](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Letters.
jpg "Letters")

## Letterheads History

### How a Denver Craft Collective Revolutionized the Sign Industry

 * [The Letterheads Beginning](https://walldogpublicart.org/letterheads/#10-years)
 * [A Movement](https://walldogpublicart.org/letterheads/#20-years)
 * [Letterheads Today](https://walldogpublicart.org/letterheads/#today)

#### 󠀁[The Letterheads Beginning](https://walldogpublicart.org/letterheads/#10-years)󠁿

![Original Letterheads Group](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/
06/Letterheads.jpg "Letterheads")

##### Meet the original seven Letterheads!

From left to right……Bob Mitchell, Mark Oatis, John Frazier, Mike Rielley, Noel Weber,
Earl Vehill and Rick Flores

Photo courtesy of Signs of the Times Magazine.

##### The beginning of Letterheads...

Roughly 50 years ago, a magical moment in sign history, a group of extremely talented
Denver craftsmen found each other and began having loosely structured meetings-get
togethers more like it. They may have gathered just to have a good time and swap
stories but eventually began intensive information and technique swapping. The old
sign painting books such as Strong’s Book of Designs became a cornerstone of their
learning. As their talents and craftsmanship sharpened, they began entering the 
Signs of the Times annual design competition and generally swept every category.
At the bottom of every entry, they wrote “member Letterheads”. After the Letterheads
were featured in a later Signs of the Times magazine, the rest of the sign industry
learned of the Letterheads, with much envy.

#### 󠀁[A Movement](https://walldogpublicart.org/letterheads/#20-years)󠁿

![The Letterheads Oklahoma Bash](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/
2026/09/Oklahoma-Bash.jpg "Oklahoma-Bash")

In 1982, Noel Weber hosted the “Boise Bar-B-Q” in which he invited additional craftspeople
from around the country. In October of the same year, Mike Jackson hosted the “Oklahoma
Bash” in Moore, Oklahoma and roughly 135 sign makers showed up for an intensive 
weekend. Both Signs of the Times and SignCraft magazines sent their editors. As 
the next issues hit the streets, their articles and photos enlightened the entire
industry. The movement was in full force with large meetings in Kansas City in 1983
and Memphis the following year. The rest of the growth is history. Literally hundreds
of meetings have just “happened”. The Denver group hosted the 10th and most recently
20th anniversary meetings. While there is usually one National meeting a year, there
are often four or five regional or area meetings a month scattered all over the 
country.

#### 󠀁[Letterheads Today](https://walldogpublicart.org/letterheads/#today)󠁿

![Man painting letters on a mural](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/
2026/08/731093476_1533814145199091_3378723921359619183_n.jpg "Man painting letters
on a mural")

Amazingly, the Letterheads thrive, grow, and evolve without a true governing body.
That’s right-no president, treasurer, or even board of directors. The basic rule
of thumb has been “if you want or have a Letterheads meeting-have one”. That person
or group decides the format, location, fees charged if any and all other variables.

At the center of the all the hoopla is the willingness to learn, share, and explore.
Prior to the Letterheads, many craftsmen closely guarded their hard earned knowledge.
Once, caught up in the movement, it becomes difficult not to want to share your 
knowledge, especially when even more experienced people are sharing theirs. While
the earliest meetings in Denver emphasized the noble craft of sign painting, gilding,
and designing, later meetings have acknowledged and accepted the introduction of
the computer age. Even today, the blending of the old craft and state of the art
technologies collect a crowd. Often, meetings have a theme, and attendees are encouraged
to make a project showing off some of the person’s talents or techniques.

![Person dipping brush into blue paint in front of a sign being painted](https://
walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/New-Zealand.jpg "New-Zealand")

 * ![Lane-Walker-at-Letterheads-50](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/
   2026/09/Lane-Walker-at-Letterheads-50.jpg "Lane-Walker-at-Letterheads-50")
 * ![Mike-Meyer-at-Letterheads-50](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/
   2026/09/Mike-Meyer-at-Letterheads-50.jpg "Mike-Meyer-at-Letterheads-50")
 * ![Noel Weber in front of a wall of sketches](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-
   content/uploads/2026/09/Noel-Weber-Workshop-4.jpg "Noel Weber in front of a wall
   of sketches")
 * ![Gold leaf letterhead work](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/
   2026/09/Golfleaf-Letterhead.jpg "Golfleaf-Letterhead")
 * ![Letterheads NZ workshop](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/
   09/Letterheads-NZ-2.jpg "Letterheads-NZ")
 * ![Woman working on craft](https://walldogpublicart.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/
   09/Letterheads-NZ.jpg "Letterheads-NZ")

## HOST A LETTERHEAD MEET IN YOUR TOWN OR SHOP!

### The basic rule of thumb has been “if you want to have a Letterheads meeting-have one”!

Your group decides the format, location, fees charged if any and all other variables.

[PAST EVENTS](https://www.letterville.com/meets/index.html)