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Why Disney loves these designs by signwriter Dave Smith
A Torquay’s designer’s glittering work has won acclaim from the world famous Disney. David, who lives in Torquay, is one of the few remaining traditional signwriter, gilder and embossers. His passion for reverse glass decoration and ornate gilding has already won him followers around the world including American band Kings of Leon who commissioned him for their Beautiful War cover art and American singer-songwriter John Mayer for his Born and Raised album.
Through social media, his reputation has spread far and wide and the current trend towards retro has brought a new appreciation of the traditional skills and artistry involved in ornamental glass and gilding at which David excells.
David was invited to Disney World Florida to talk to over 100 Disney Imagineers about his philosophy on design across Europe and Victorian style lettering. He explained: "Unbeknown to me, Disney has been watching what I’d been creating in the design world. Disney were interested in how I designed the cover for John Mayer and Kings of Leon, and were also interested in other projects I have worked on such as the Jameson Whiskey bottle that I designed in 2012 for St Patricks Day.
"I spent over three hours presenting my work to the designers at Florida’s Disney world Epcot park. It was a little nerve wracking to start with, but after five minutes I really got into presenting my career and my life’s work so far. I had some help putting the 168 slides together from a friend, Kevin King, who lives locally and runs an internet business in Torbay called Creatnet." "Kevin is a friend of the family and a huge fan of Florida’s Disney World. He spent a few months with me putting a presentation together. It was great to have him on board as he is used to presenting his work and offered great guidance."
"When I arrived at Disney, they presented me with a welcome poster; this made the event instantly so special. It was such an honour. The Disney crew also gave me my own personal tour of the Magic Kingdom and other parts of the park before opening hours!" "It felt strange to be in this park with nobody in it, it literally felt like some sort of VIP treatment, which was amazing. Next time people go to the resorts, you will possibly start to see my influence on the shop signs and lettering throughout the parks. It has been the biggest honour of my career so far."
"I decided to take with me on this trip a curved glass sign to show the techniques of my work, along with the pencil sketch that I had drawn. It reads in the monogram, ‘W.E.D Walter Alias Disney. Making Dreams Come True’." "I would just like to say thanks to the people of Disney World that made our holiday so special, my family loved it! I have to say it’s probably every designers dream and my dreams came true that day."
For further information:
David Smith Decorative Glass Artist
5 Shiphay Ave
Torquay
TQ2 7ED
01803 613753
http://www.davidadriansmith.com
chapman_and_smith@btinternet.com.
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3 Replies
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All that talent and quite a nutter too. Glad we finally met.
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Agreed, met Dave a few times now. really nice guy and funny.. and a bit nuts too. 😉 :lol1:
Always great to see his work, he has certainly spread his talent globally now with huge names paying for the privilege of having a piece of it. Well done Dave! :appl: -
What a great story ! and what a talented guy he is.
I wonder if the artist Roger Dean ( one of my heroes ) ever had an influence on David, I know this is more lettering but has that feel about his work 🙁
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