By An Uong Worn-down signs adorning factories and buildings may be wondered about from time to time, but rarely are they looked into for their meaning and history. Not much thought is given to those who have painted these signs, nor to the meticulous work that the painters have put into them. Sign Painters, directed by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon, gives depth to the long-standing tradition of sign painting. “It’s only a fucking sign,” or, “I.O.A.F.S” as sign painter Keith Knecht (to whose memory the film is dedicated) and his community like to say, because, despite whatever fascinations stir around sign painting, the painters are aware that their product is still a commodity for clients. Though there is a sense of humility attached to what admittedly is a service done for the benefit of others, it doesn’t mean that painters can’t be proud of their work. In one scene, John Downer … [Read more...] about Sign Painters: a Sign of the Times