Signs of Excellence
Home Gallery About Carver A Sign is Made Testimonials Ordering a Sign Contact
Home Gallery About Carver A Sign is Made Testimonials Ordering a Sign Contact
Malcolm carving a sign Malcolm Wall carves signs in his studio in the Tottenham area, just north of the city of Toronto in Canada. He is now on his third career, after 22 years in the Canadian Navy and a further 14 in the Canadian Public Service where he worked as a naval architect in charge of shipbuilding projects. Bubbling in the background during his first two careers was an enduring fascination with wood. He has always enjoyed designing and creating projects in this gorgeous and treasured material. The woods he uses range from ash, butternut, teak, mahogany and maple to fruitwoods such as cherry. Malcolm has designed and built furniture, but over the past ten years he has developed a keen interest in signmaking. He most enjoys the challenges of lettercarving: the interaction between lettering and other visual effects can create signs which are striking, beautiful, and functional. And today, wood signs are durable. Even in Canada’s harsh climate these signs will now last for many years, thanks to tough finishes. Malcolm uses traditional tools, including double-bevelled carving chisels in British and Swiss steels. He strongly believes that these signs, carved in the time-honoured artisanat style, have an attraction which can never be matched by modern creations in plastic and neon. By the way, in addition to signcarving, Malcolm also plays the piano and twelve-string guitar, sings tenor, writes poetry, skis, skates, and plays tennis and golf.