Dave left Maine in the early 1980's. The plan was to travel back and forth across the United States with friends who had been  traveling and doing signs for about 8 years sucessfully. They had serviced many businesses throughout the states. Dave's initial plan was to travel to the same towns offering  "Sealing and Striping of parking lots" to the customer base his friends had built.  In the beginning it seemed to work well. The first area of service on the trip was in small towns in Ohio. There were a few small jobs in Ohio done before moving on to Kentucky...around Fort Knox servicing folks in Elizabethtown and Radcliff.  They camped near the Ohio River and worked the area for several weeks.     
    Sealing and Striping was looking like a lucrative way for Dave to continue on this adventure. There was a large New/Used Car lot in E'town (that's what the locals called it) and the owner of the dealership liked Dave's work so much that he lined up several customers for sealing and striping. There were many weeks of lucrative work done before it began to get cold and a move toward the south was in order. Next stop was to be in the Florida Panhandle, in the Panama City Beach area.      
    Being the money had been so good in Kentucky, Dave, being still a little on the young side and a little more on the niave side, decided, like many a visiter to the Sunshine State, to not "push" too hard for work and "enjoy the Florida lifestyle" while he had some cash in his pockets. Little did he know that Florida was a land of opportunity for more than just him and his friends.  He relaxed and enjoyed the beachside towns with his friends and explored freely the "just off season" areas on his motorcycle, relishing the Florida sun and beaches.  Being that "season had just ended" there was not work readily available in this area and after a few weeks of fun and sun, they decided to move further south to visit friends and family in the Lakeland area. 
    With Lakeland being so conveniently close to the Tampa area it seemed that there was going to be plenty of work for the travelers. This thought proved to be incorrect when it came to parking lot jobs...sure there was a job to do here and there, but it wasn't long before Dave discovered that there are "transient Sealers & Stripers" that travel a circuit along the southern US with large equipment, large work crews and low prices.  It seemed that Dave could not compete with these others in the trade, and that the fact of the matter was, he just wasn't prepared for this eventuality.
    Several less than profitable weeks had passed and Dave's little traveling business was hitting the rocks hard.  What to do?  Where to turn?  How in the world is a 24 year old, wet behind the ears kid from Maine going to make his way in this big country?
    In the words of an old friend, Winnie The Pooh,  "Think......Think...Think..." ...and think he did. It wasn't long before one of his freinds suggested (because it was getting close to the holidays) that perhaps he could find a way to decorate storefronts for Christmas.
    Well...Dave was always pretty handy with a paper and pencil...so he got some drawing paper and began to sketch some cartoons and lettering ideas that he could show to store owners with the hopes of their allowing him to decorate their windows with his work. He worked the Lakeland area 'til about a week after Thanksgiving and it began to get cold...which, in traveler speak meant it was time to move farther south.
    Next stop...Okeechobee, where one of the traveling companion's parents had a place near the big lake. Dave, being low on funds and food was highly motivated to "go earn some cash" and set out to sell his wares.  After decorating a few windows in the Okeechobee area, he set his sites on the eastern coast (cause it was only 40 minutes away, and...) perhaps there was more spendable money on the coast than in Okeechobee...Not to mention the difficulty of trying to do business as "a local" with his strong Maine accent.  So he headed for Ft. Pierce, and continued painting and plodding.He found several very nice "local business owners in Ft Pierce who were willing to help him out for the holidays...and from there...well...HERE YOU SEE IT!  
    THANK you ALL for your many years of encouragement, support and mostly for being YOU!                                                                                               
                                                         
It seemed to Dave that once the Christmas season was over, he would be out of work and would need to figure out something else that he could do to make a living...but after looking at the calander, he saw that there are so many holidays that if he played the angles right, he could build a client list who may be interested in doing a different design for each month. His all time most consistent customer was Jan Ellwood, who was the owner/operator of "The Highliter of Ft Pierce."

     Once Jan had her first window painting done she was amazed at how much attention it had gotten her business. 
She had her storefront re-decorated every month for over 14 years...and when there was no holiday, she would create a reason to have her windows changed...a sale...a special local event...and more.  Jan was immediately more than just a friend to Dave...She had helped Dave in one of the most difficult times in his life by reaching out a helping hand when he felt there was no one who would help. Once the relationship was established, Dave discovered that Jan Ellwood had a reputation for assisting many people in her life...and in many ways.  It wasn't long before Jan and Dave had a more than friendship...they told many that Dave was her "adopted kid" (as Jan put it).    For those who knew Jan, you will agree that there are few people in the world like her.  We lost jan to complications of her life with diabetes...She will most definately be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        It was the beginning of a life for Dave in Ft Pierce. Before long more local businesses were callingfor his creative works...and it didn't take too many years before he was willing to stretch his skills to include painting with oil based paints on windows...which in turn lead to hand lettering signs, painting wall murals and 
designing banner, show cards, logos and more.  
    Dave has done work not only for small individual business owners, but also for large chains such as Publix, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken (now known as KFC), Winn Dixie, St Lucie Parks And Rec and the State of Florida.
                                
Dave no longer does "Hand Painting" but offers his craft and designs in 3M vinyl graphics designed on computer and cut with a plotter. With technology being what it is today, he also offers digital photos and design printed in Hi Resolution on not just signs, but on banners, windows, posters, and just about anywhere else you might imagine.
    If you need graphic design and want a high quality project designed with the kind of experince that only "Hands On" training can give...call, email or fax Dave TODAY!

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