By signcraft
Posted on Friday, October 1st, 2021
Jay Szczoczarz: 1971—2021
Jason Scott (Jay “Z”) Szczoczarz, 50, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, passed away following a brief illness on September 16, 2021. A second-generation sign artist and pinstriper, Jay grew up around his father’s sign business. Together they opened Countryside Signs in Seekonk, Massachusetts, in 1989. Their work was featured many times in SignCraft Magazine, including a profile in the November/December 2017 issue.
When Mike retired last year, Jay took the reins, continuing to turn out great-looking dimensional, flat printed and hand-lettered signs and vehicle graphics. Like his dad, Jay’s roots were in hand lettering, pinstriping and airbrush work, and he was equally at home designing digital print graphics.
Along with being a skilled sign maker and pinstriper, Jay was known for his big-hearted, enthusiastic attitude. He enjoyed spending time with his family, being outdoors and riding his motorcycle.
Jay is survived by November, his wife, and his four children, Ashley (23) and Kazzie (11) Szczoczarz, Seven Stott (21), and Matthew Allard (28). Memorial donations to Kazzie’s College Fund are greatly appreciated. Checks may be made payable to Kazzie Szczoczarz and sent to 120 Agricultural Ave, Rehoboth, MA 02769.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help with medical and funeral costs.
Sold with a napkin sketch
Dear SignCraft.com,
Last week I ate at a new restaurant which had no sign. I had already sold them a sign based on the sketch I had drawn on a paper napkin. I wonder how many thousands of ideas have been conceived on paper napkins?
After the sale, I ordered a cheeseburger with onion rings. The burger was great but look how it was served—in a little country cafe near a small town.
As I cut and painted the 5-by-15-ft. sign back at the shop I remembered how they had embellished my simple burger meal so I went ahead and added the convex accents. Just for fun on my personal walk down memory lane, I did a complete hand layout. No projector. No computer. No technology besides my own sign making skills.
When I was finished I could see several things that could have been made
better. But overall I liked it and the customer loved it. Regardless of anyone’s thoughts or observations this is a completely hand crafted sign painted by a dinosaur!
Steve Hodgin, Dynamic Signs, Washburn, Missouri
Cancelled: Sign Exchange 2021
After much deliberation, the USSC Foundation Board of Directors have cancelled the 2021 Sign Exchange trade show at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. The event had been scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving. Concerns related to the pandemic and its effect on attendance factored into the decision. The Board is looking forward to the return of the Sign Exchange in 2022.
