An important element of Sierra Art Trails is the signage that guides visitors to the artist’s locations during the event. These signs indicate artists catalog numbers, and also feature directional arrows that indicate where to turn left or right, or keep going. During the event weekend, these signs are placed at important intersections and along lonely stretches of road to help guide visitors to each location.
In order to have a consistent and recognizable theme for the signs, the planning committee provides orange poster board sheets and the Sierra Art Trails Logo to the artists. These materials will be distributed when you drop off your work for the Preview Exhibit.
The planning committee is responsible for placing a number of large signs at critical highway intersections in communities participating in the show (For example in Oakhurst signs are placed at the Highway 41 and 49 intersection, the Highway 41 and Road 426 intersection.) The committee places similar signs in Coarsegold, Mariposa, North Fork, and Yosemite Lakes Park. These signs feature groupings of numbers and directional arrows that guide visitors toward major groupings of sites.
Other than the large signs placed by the committee, artists are responsible for placing their own signs, and are encouraged to coordinate with other artists in their area in the creation and placement of effective signage.
Signs should go up on Friday morning before 10 AM, and need to come down on Sunday evening. Signs should not be put up early or taken down late or Cal-Trans will confiscate them. Signs cannot be attached to public signs or highway fixtures (like guardrails ). They will be removed by the Highway Department, and they hate working on weekends! Artists may also want to check their signs on Sunday morning, in case they have been knocked over, torn down, or blown over on Saturday or during the night.
SIGNAGE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
These recommendations are provided to participating artists when sign materials are distributed before the event.
Numbers should be written in heavy black marker as large as possible on the blank part of the sign, with arrows indicating a right turn, left turn, or straight ahead. Do not waste space with descriptions or written directions, just numbers and arrows written as boldly as possible in the space provided.
Please take a look at the map provided with the tour catalog to determine where signs should be placed, and how many you will need. Signs should be placed at the viewing location, and at all important intersections leading from main roads to your location. Don’t forget to account for visitors coming from either direction!
Drive your route in advance if you can, and note where signs should be placed. If there are good locations to nail or tape signs go ahead and use them, but attaching the signs to wooden stakes, wire stands, or something similar will give you more flexibility if there is nothing around to attach them to.
It is also a good idea to embellish or upgrade your signs if possible. Some ideas include:
Building simple sandwich boards, which will make placing signs easy and will help to insure they will stay secure throughout the weekend.
Laminating signs or coating them with clear tape to make them more durable and water resistant.
Adding colorful balloons or ribbons to help guide visitors to your site. The color theme is ORANGE, so if you do custom signs please use orange backgrounds and include the Sierra Art Trails LOGO whenever possible.
The most impressive custom sign was created in 2004, and consisted of a large plywood billboard placed at the entrance of Cedar Valley guiding people to the sites of Calvin Lyster and Putt Putman. Way to go guys!
Other ideas are welcome and encouraged. Please share your ideas with the committee and other artists.
We recommend that artists within a “region” on the map to cooperate with each other to put up signs that guide visitors on to the next location or locations. Please contact the artists near you to coordinate placement of the signs.
Your signs are important, and can dramatically effect the number of visitors you have over the weekend. Make sure they are large enough, clear, and well placed!
Good Luck and Have a Great Show!