Life at Starr Studios: Recent Episodes
Sean Starr
Previously known as Coffee With a Sign Painter, Life at Starr Studios is a weekly video show with new episodes every Friday, hosted by sign painter and designer Sean Starr, filmed at Starr Studios in their historic 1869 studio building located in the Central Texas town of Calvert. Come along as Sean showcases projects, shares tips and tricks of the trade as well as occasional visits from other artists and clients to the studio.
Come along as we paint a vintage style wall mural in our tiny town of Calvert, Texas. Sean’s apprentice Tristan joins us on this project that was executed during our annual Main street Festival.
Website: https://www.starrstudios.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starrstudiostx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starrstudiostx/
An explanation of how we get an engine turned finish on gold leaf as demonstrated on this 1930s Sprint race car Sean painted at a private car collection in Texas.
Website: https://www.starrstudios.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starrstudiostx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starrstudiostx/
Taking a hand carved wooden statue of the Hindu god Hanuman and applying an antiqued finish of paint and a gold leafed backer before hanging in the yoga studio of Shadow Mountain Yoga.
Website: https://www.starrstudios.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starrstudiostx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starrstudiostx/
Sign Painter Sean Starr explores the idea of the Metaverse to see what effect it might have on craftsmanship in general.
Website: https://www.starrstudios.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starrstudiostx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starrstudiostx/
A step-by-step of making a hand painted wooden sign for Nielsen Barber Co. in Taylor, Texas with sign painter Sean Starr of Starr Studios More info: https://nielsenbarbering.com/
A behind the scenes look at the John Lennon Rolls Royce inspired hippie Volkswagen Beetle painted by sign painter Sean Starr for Amie and Jolie Sikes of Junk Gypsy of HGTV fame in Round Top, Texas More info: https://gypsyville.com/
Sign painter Sean Starr heads to the Bishop Arts District of Dallas to execute some gold leaf on glass gilding work for Clyde Greenhouse of Kessler Baking Studio. More info: https://www.kesslerbakingstudio.com/
Come along with sign painter and designer Sean Starr as we tour Starr Studios in Calvert, Texas. More info: https://www.starrstudios.com/
Sean talks with Jakob Engberg of Copenhagen Signs in Denmark, a conversation about addiction, meditation, and redemption while painting signs.
Sean talks with The Gentleman Racer founder Mike Satterfield about the over-politicization of modern life and the much-needed death of our culture of consumerism.
Sean and English Gypsy Wagon painter Sarah Harvey talk paint and design, working for the occasional celebrity client, living free outside the confines of the "norm" and Frank Zappa.
Sean and globe-trotting sign painter and instructor Mike Meyer catch up and discuss the trade as well as sitting with your own mortality, paying it forward, and Polka music.
After a world-changing year, Sean Starr is in relaunch mode with the podcast and looking towards the unknown future with a focus on talking with other sign painters on where we all go from here.
Join Tom and Sean, The Cranberries Noel Hogan and Fergal Lawler, Singer Sarah Jaffe, Van Morrison's guitarist Dave Keary and a dozen other Limerick, Ireland based musicians and artists as they say farewell and share memories and music of Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan who passed away earlier this year.
Interview with Houston Center for Contemporary Craft Curator Kathryn Hall. We talk about the current exhibit “For Hire: Contemporary Sign Painting in America”
Sean and Tom catch up after a crazy January and Tom interviews the creative heavyweights of Piquant Media in Limerick.
In this last episode of the year, Tom and Sean say fare thee well to 2016, roast Chris Dobell and discuss the current state of affairs of sign painting.
Tom does some rogue reporting with the folks at Canteen, a music centric cafe in the heart of Limerick Ireland.
Sean answers all sorts of questions in Cleveland Ohio at the Weapons of Mass Creation Fest #7
Sean and Laura and Dave from Cleveland's Triple Threat Press talk letterpress, Denton life and the challenges facing working creatives.
Sean and Tom go on a roller coaster ride of neurosis in this episode as they discuss the ups and downs of working as a creative, with a pop in by sign painter Cole Bridges.
Sean and Tom get into the mechanics of operating their sign studios and the need to adapt to changes. Niki pops in on the last few minutes of the show to roast Sean and Tom (as usual).
Sean and Tom take each other on in GoMedia's Designer Face Off and talk about the upcoming Weapons of Mass Creation design extravaganza coming up in Cleveland in August where Sean will be hosting a workshop and talk. Tom interviews architect Manuel Smalis.
Sean and Tom kick the podcast into high gear with this new episode which includes a tour from Charlotte at A.S. Handover in London
Who hangs out with the Cranberries and co-directs short films with seasoned film makers at 11 years old? Seth Collins, that's who, and he's cool as a cucumber.
Sean and Kayleigh interview English signwriter Ashley Willerton at the Red Hen Bar in Limerick, Ireland and talk about painting signs and how Tom Collins should seriously consider running as Mayor of Limerick.
English Signwriter Jack Hollands and Sean go deep in this existential episode conducted at the Red Hen Bar in Limerick, Ireland.
An interview with Colin Thickbroom, a retired English Sign Writer who started painting signs back in 1937. Interview at the Red Hen Bar, Limerick Ireland.
John drops into Starr Studios while on a trip through Texas and talks to Sean about his many years as a sign painter, hanging with gold legend Rick Glawson, Chris Craft boats, David Smith and Gary Martin.
Sean reads an excerpt about painting with his Dad from his book "You, Me and Morrissey" which was made an Official Entrant for the Pulitzer Prize in Letters in 2008.
Sean and Kayeligh have left the building and are landing in Limerick, Ireland as this episode goes live! Updates on the project in Ireland as well as a brand new music feature from the archives of Arhoolie Records.
Sam Roberts talks about his work archiving ghost signs from around the world on his website: http://www.ghostsigns.co.uk/
Canadian Sign Painter Cal Trauter and Sean talk about moving around like Gypsies and the constant artistic challenges posed by the trade and how that has kept them both moving forward over the years.
More Irishy updates for the Elemental Arts Festival this September in Limerick Ireland as Sean talks with Limerick sign painter Tom Collins and family.
Irish Sign Painter Tom Collins joins Sean for some updates on the Elemental Arts Festival in Limerick, Ireland in September.
Vanessa talks about how she got into sign painting, life as a "girl" sign painter, the help she's received from other sign painters and the upcoming Elemental Arts Festival in Limerick, Ireland. More info: https://instagram.com/signsofpower/
The Toadies' lead guitarist Clark Vogeler and Sean talk about the artwork Sean created for the new Toadie's album Heretics, vinyl records, the movie Sign Painters, Limerick Ireland and how Clark was at one of Sean's music gigs in Austin back in 1987. More info: http://thetoadies.com/
Sean talks with the band about life in the 80s, Morrissey & The Smiths, Sign Painting and the upcoming screening of the film Sign Painters at the Elemental Arts Festival in Limerick this coming September.
Sean gets to interview film maker Nathaniel Day who has shot several documentaries on Starr Studios including "Keepers of the Craft"
Sean talks with Limerick Signwriter Tom Collins and Dublin/New York Signwriter Simon Robinson about the upcoming project in Limerick, Ireland that will include a screening of the movie Sign Painters, an art exhibit showcasing sign painters from around the world and the project Sean is designing and will be executing in Limerick with some help and inspiration from the band the Cranberries.
In this second part of the interview with Derek McDonald of Golden West Sign Arts in Berkeley, CA Sean and Derek discuss lots about music, Ireland, the upcoming Letterhead Meet and living as broke sign painters.
Sean talks to Derek about his experiences with sign painting madman Mike Meyer, the movie Sign Painters and Jimmy the Saint. Part 1 of 2. More info: http://www.goldenwestsignarts.com/
Sean fields a listeners question about the behind the scenes sign painters of Trader Joes grocery stores.
Sean does his first client interview with long time customer and patron Josh Hall of J. Hall & Co. Gentleman Tattooers in Dallas, Texas. Sean and Josh talk about some of the similarities of the two trades as well as vegan diets and some other weird stuff. More info: http://tattoosonlamar.com/
Roderick and Sean talk signs, surfing, "Big Daddy" Ed Roth and Sean gets schooled on planning for the future.
Sean answers a listeners question about the ever changing quality of materials including the new One Shot Low VOC formula.
Sean talks to Alex about his experience going through the Los Angeles Trade Tech Sign Painter's program and what motivated this young newcomer to the trade. More info: https://instagram.com/smart_alex_signs/
Gibbs and Sean discuss all sorts of things sign painter (and non sign painter) related in this episode, including Volkswagens and the Smithsonian screening of the movie Sign Painters. More info on Gibbs: http://www.gibbsconnors.com/
Sean and Ken (a.k.a. @coolhandken) complain like two old grandpas about technology, social media and why painting signs is awesome.
Sean gives some ideas on what has, and hasn't worked over the years in keeping the studio schedule managable.
Sean and John talk coffee, sign painting, the vinyl years, world travel and paint brush choices.
More info on John Lennig: http://www.bigtopsignarts.com/
Sean talks about the ever changing reality of life and how change should be accepted as a sign painter (but not everyone's version of change)
Colt Bowden talks about getting into sign painting after studying as an Illustrator and has some tips for newcomers to the trade.
More info: http://coltbowden.com/
Meredith fills us in on what the Pre-Vinylite Society is, how it came about and how you and other lovers of painted signs can get involved. More info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/previnylitesociety
With a couple years under his belt, James is a relative newcomer to the craft and has a lot of helpful insight for others entering into sign painting.
More info on James and Bluejacket Sign Co. at http://bluejacketsigncompany.tumblr.com/
Sean talks about how the models of franchising, corporate greed and materialism are incompatible with a dude who just wants to paint signs and live his life.
Sean and Mathew discuss Mathew's history as a designer while working for the behemoth ad agency Wieden+Kennedy, his role as co-founder of Portland's Official MFG Co., their shared passion for motorcycles and daily life in crazy Los Angeles. More info on Mathew: http://www.mathewfoster.com/ and http://radicalco-op.com/
Director Sam Macon talks to Sean about working on the film Sign Painters, the effect the film had on them creatively as they went through the process and the adventure of getting to know the dysfunctional family of sign painters as a community. More info on the film Sign Painters at: http://signpaintersfilm.com/
Sean and Bob talk about the cost of living and doing business in San Francisco, living in cars and Airstream trailers, hippies and the new 1 Shot paint formula.
More info on Bob: http://www.signlanguagesf.com/
Sean tackles the topic of whether old school sign painters don't like the newcomers to the trade, or if its just a social disconnect.
In this episode Sean and Tom talk about their shared ignorance of sports, Morrissey, 1980s New Wave and, oh yeah... sign painting.
In this episode, Sean talks with 2nd generation Australian sign painters, the Dobell brothers. Some of the topics are the newcomers to the craft as well as what Chris and Stu think about working in tiny studio spaces. Fun stuff.
In this second episode Sean conducts his first interview with Josh and Meredith of Best Dressed Signs in Boston. Subjects include social media and its affect on the craft as well as San Francisco and its influence on the modern sign painting movement.
In this first episode, Sean discusses the mindset of sign painters and how creating self imposed rules can limit sign painters and designers as artists.