THE HISTORY OF ART & SIGN COMPANY
Upon graduating from the University of Utah, Deral went to work for college buddy, Dennis Phillips, who had recently acquired a sign business. Dennis taught Deral the art of sign painting, which in those days was all done with a brush and paint. Fine art in Utah was mostly at a stand still, but the sign business was flourishing and, having just acquired a new addition, it was a good way for the young artist to help support himself and his family. As time went by, Dennis met and married a talented and charming young lady, Bonnie Gile, they together decided to open an art gallery, Phillips Gallery, one of the first official professional art galleries to open in Salt Lake City. The new gallery took up much of Dennis's time and so in 1968 he sold the sign business to Deral. Over the next few years, Deral worked hard to build up the sign business. In '68 most of the work was paper grocery store signs and show cards.
Today Art & Sign Company is known for large window splashes, full-color banners, car body wraps, and custom logos, along with countless specialty commissions. Deral has done everything from sculpting a scale-model car to illustrating a book cover. The requests are not always simple. And over the years Deral has fulfilled many a tall order including: a 50 gallon drum sized replica of a Phillips 66™ oil can; a 10-foot crescent wrench and car muffler; models of Godzilla and King Kong to be used in the making of gigantic balloons familiarly used as props to advertise car dealerships; he was even commissioned to custom paint an airplane. No matter how large or unusual a project, Deral has encountered and actualized them all. After 45 years, Art & Sign Company continues to be a sustained source of pride, creativity, and commitment for Deral. No job too big or too small. Please call today with your inquiry.
