The Farm Chicks Show poster holds a special place in my heart. A tradition started on the very first little sale in my friend, Meegan's barn, across the prairie from my house, more than a decade ago. The first two flyers were made by my sister and printed on 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheets of paper.
My love for beautiful signage and advertising began long ago, when my parent's incorporated it into pretty much every area of our life. You can say I was born this way. Old signs adorned the outside of our gypsy wagon home.
Inside, the walls were covered in more signage and advertising, and my dad made a part-time living as a sign painter, painting signs and cars as a way to supplement his income. It was his true passion, honed by all the years he spent interning with Tommy the Greek in his hometown of Oakland, California.
The posters and signage created for the show are more than just promotions for the show. They are artful creations steeped in a rich history that pays homage to my roots.
As the years have gone by, the posters have evolved and become more poster-sized. And for the last few years, I've begun to tie the theme of each year's show into the poster - a fun foreshadowing of what's to come. This year, I commissioned artist Isabel Reyes Feeney to create both the poster and postcard flyer.
I chose Isabel because there was a certain look I was going for, which I thought she could capture, and I love her soft vintage, yet current color palate that she works in. We discussed different ideas and elements that I wanted to make sure and include. And then Isabel began to sketch and eventually came to this which we were both really happy with:
And then, Isabel brought the sketch to life:
Which resulted in this, the poster:
Now you know, when you're looking at a poster for The Farm Chicks Show, you're looking at a little piece of my heart.
P.S. I'm hosting a Pop Up Poster Release party this Friday, in Spokane. Pop in for some flyers to pass out to friends, family and customers and I'll treat you to a cupcake! You can find out more about it here.
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Tomorrow I'm going to take you on a little trip to the printer to watch how my posters get made.
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The Farm Chicks Antiques Show is held just once a year in my hometown, Spokane, Washington, the first weekend of June. This year, the show falls on June 1st & 2nd. You can find out more about the show here.
The images of Isabel Reyes Feeney and her work are courtesy of Isabel Reyes Feeney.
You can find more of Isabel's work and products for purchase in her Little Atae Etsy Store.
You can read more about my childhood history here.
