Before we get into the meat of this week's adventures in sign painting, a reminder that our next BLAG Event is just one week away: The Fairground Painters with Amy Goodwin is free and online on Thursday, 8 May.

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Register here for The Fairground Painters with Amy Goodwin on Thursday 9 May.

Dotted around the world are sign painters whose work lends a particular aesthetic to their locales but is rarely, if ever, seen online. Montreal's Claude Dolbec is one of them, and in 2016 his story was captured by film director Bruno Boulianne in the short feature Claude n’est pas mort (Claude is not dead); it premiered in 2018.

The film can be watched below and, although there are no subtitles, there is lots to enjoy for non-French speakers. I was made aware of its online release by Max Bourgeois (@signs_and_crimes) who has kindly written this introduction for BLAG readers.

Claude Dolbec: Montreal's Elusive Sign Painter

"A couple of years ago, a documentary was made about Montreal's most prolific sign painter, Claude Dolbec. The full version is now available for free on Vimeo so I think it's worth sharing with the whole community. Sadly it's only in french, but even without subtitles it's worth a watch for any sign enthusiasts. For better context, here's an article summing-up Claude's story and what's depicted in the documentary.
The Survivor: Claude Dolbec
Google translation of La Presse article about Claude Dolbec by Michèle Ouimet.
The-Survivor-Claude-Dolbec.pdf • 234 KB
"Claude is a mysterious character. You can't really reach him or set up a meeting with him; you have to find him. No business card, no social media etc. You'll most likely bump into Claude as he's walking up and down 'The Main' all summer, either roaming, slinging paint and/or having a cold one. During this walk, you'll come to realise how much his work stands out in quantity and quality, especially around the Plateau and Mile End neighborhoods.
"I think it's important to share his story as he is hands-down our city's most important sign painter and one of the (very) few old-timers still active. His work is the most widespread and recognisable in Montreal, which literally only has a handful of active painters. I hope I'll be bumping into him and his work for many years to come!"

Claude n’est pas mort

  

For more Claude Dolbec, there is an English-language profile here on the Brigitte Schuster's blog.

Thank you to Max at Signs & Crimes for sharing this film with me, and for sending a pack of stickers all the way from Montreal to add to my sticker album!

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