Steve Davidson

Back in the mid-eighties, Steve Davidson, now 56, started taking night classes in the sign program at Los Angeles Trade Tech, where his brother Allan was already attending classes. They planned to go into the sign business together and in 1986, they did. Brothers being brothers, they went separate ways after about six months. Steve bought a Gerber Signmaker IVb and began making signs in his mother’s garage. “In the same year,” Steve says, “I went into business, got married, and we had a child. It was crazy.”

Experience and exposure I’ve had successful times and very lean times over the years. When I first started my business, I would do anything that came my way—plastic faces, hand lettering, cut vinyl, sandblasted signs. I like murals and airbrush work, too.

I worked at a few other sign shops over the years and got some great experience there. I just always preferred painting signs and gold leaf on glass to the other aspects of the business. There’s always been a lot of great work being done in my area and it was an inspiration. Pat Smith is not far away, and he’s one of my heroes in the trade. Rick Glawson taught me a lot. Bill Hueg, David Butler and Tom Zorbas have really inspired me, too. These guys have been in SignCraft and their work is incredible.