| Introducing Rick Fell Fell turns signs into art and art into signsWe have always been proud of our banner and have enthusiastically told many people who is the man behind the banner. It is our desire to see Rick move up through the circle of artists to become recognized for his talent and abilities. Just as journalists are often judged by the standards of "writing" and found to NOT be writers per se, but merely reporters, thus not artists... Rick has had to battle the same prejudices with his art... being a 'sign painter' surely doesn't qualify one as an artist... but then, you haven't seen Rick's signs nor seen any of his 'fine art' creations such as the carved American Indian statue that he holds in his hands. If you'd seen a copy of the our Oregon Trail Number 8, Chief Joseph edition, where we carry Fell's hand drawn charcoal of Chief Joseph, Col. Miles and the unique map of the flight from the soldiers that the Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce Indian tribe in their now legendary path across the Montana country toward Canada. We photographed Rick at work on this original art which is stored in our archives. Our newspaper is very fortunate to have this magical banner that Rick created one Tuesday morning back in 1990 when he sat down to draw our banner. It is a pen and ink drawing on foam core board and can be seen above Rick in the top photo here on this page. It measures 4 feet by 3 feet and it is now stored rather than being subjected to more sunshine on our office wall.  We can never say it enough: Thanks, Rick! |   Fell and his wife [and high school sweetheart!], Suzie have operated Artistic Signs since 1980, first in Portland and now in Hebo, Oregon. They attended Park Rose High School in Portland, Oregon. |
Bridget E. Smith, editor & publisher
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Historical Gazette
Published in Portland, Oregon
© 1991-