Dean Tawwater stands as one of the most prominent artists in Kenosha, but even though thousands of people see his work every day you’ll be forgiven if you don’t recognize the name.
Dean Tawwater’s tool kit shows his hand-crafted effort. His custom signs show his handiwork all the way down to the individual brush strokes
He’s the steady hand behind the Tawwater Sign Company, which has made customized, hand-painted signs for many of Kenosha’s local businesses. In town, people can spot his work at Sandy’s Popper, East View Coffee, Modern Apothecary and more.
Tawwater’s workshop at 2214 60th St., of course with its own hand-painted sign, is a peek into the eclectic mind of a working artist who appreciates the historical; from vintage books of fonts and artwork for inspiration to antique work cases, its part art studio and part museum.
Tawwater Sign Co.
Sign painting has seen a resurgence in the last decade, but back in 2003 when Tawwater first stepped into the field it was far more obscure.
People are also reading…
Tawwater, who grew up in Kenosha, was living in Colorado at the time. His background was in fine art, including a stint at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.
“I was trying to find a more creative job than I had at the time,” Tawwater said. “There was a sign company that did hand-carved signs, and I got a job with them.”
He would later return to Kenosha to get an art education at UW-Parkside, getting a job at Creative Designs. It was around that time a documentary about sign painting was done, which helped inspire a new generation of sign painters, including Tawwater. He said he talked with the company owner about moving in the hand-painted direction.
“He said, ‘Why don’t you do that, start your own thing?’” Tawwater recalled.
Tawwater has been in his current workshop for about five years, but has been sign painting longer. His works, from murals to bar wall decorations, can be found around Kenosha and beyond.
There are not many people offering the type of work he does in the area, Tawwater said, and people seek him out when they’re “looking for something hand done.”
Until the mid-80s, essentially all advertising and signage had to be hand painted Tawwater said. Today, anyone entering the field has an appreciation for the long history and styles of hand-painted signage and advertising.
“If you’re doing it, you have a respect for that history and look back to it,” Tawwater said.
Dean Tawwater has been painting custom signs for over a decade in Kenosha.
Tawwater has collections of old design and font books that he flips through to find inspiration not available online, and his friends and family often send him books they find.
“It’s not what everyone has access to, not something you can Google,” Tawwater said. “I try to make it more unique.”
Brush marks
Vinyl prints and other technologies are far faster and cheaper, Tawwater said, with his projects taking many days of painting each. But he felt the time he takes with each project shows through in the final product.
“It’s not perfect, it’s not cookie cutter, I think you can see there’s a different energy in it, a warmth to it,” Tawwater said. “You see the brush marks. Each of those was my hand doing that.”
Compared to prints, paints also age far better, with inks tending to fade over time. Tawwater feels painted signs gain something with age, becoming worn with time rather than worn out.
Paints sit on a workbench in Dean Tawwater’s Uptown shop. Tawwater has been painting custom signs for over a decade.
Beyond its artistic value, hand-painted signs send a message to residents about a local business, he said.
“It makes a statement to people coming into the shop that you’re putting down roots,” Tawwater said. “You’re making the investment to paint something on the building. You’re going to be here for a while.”
Erin Merritt, owner of Modern Apothecary, is a staunch supporter of Tawwater’s work. He’s worked on both of the local pharmacy’s locations including painting and gilding work, as well as at her own home.
His works fit well with her aesthetic vision for Modern Apothecary, Merritt said, which has a vintage styling. Tawwater brings a “handcrafted touch” not really available anymore along with “uniqueness and authenticity.”
“I wanted something that didn’t feel new, something vintage,” Merritt said. “He does phenomenal work. It has a more personal touch.”
She praised working with him.
Dean Tawwater talks about hand painting signs at his Uptown shop on April 10. Tawwater has been creating custom signs for over a decade and is sought after throughout the state and region.
“Being able to talk to someone and share your vision, and him capturing that vision, it’s not something you can always get elsewhere,” Merritt said.
While he hasn’t taken on any trainees to take over the business someday, Tawwater said people have spoken with him about it, and he admitted he’s “getting older.”
His daughter has actually talked about doing sign painting when she grows up; in fact several of his kids’ artworks can be seen around the workshop. The business has been a blessing, he said, despite the challenges of the work.
“I love it. I feel super lucky to have a paint brush in my hand every day,” Tawwater said. “I do what I love. You can work 12 hours some days and not hate it.”
