Colorado Wall Dogs showcases 54 photographs of vintage advertising signs called “ghost signs” that were painted on brick buildings from around 1880 to 1940. This book is Laura’s effort to preserve and catalog this important part of Roadside Americana. While searching out and photographing these hand-painted signs Laura nicknamed the signs “wall dogs” in homage to the itinerant men who painted them. Her three-year effort to photograph ghost signs all over the state of Colorado was an incredible exploration of our graphic and architectural history. Be sure to click on the preview button to see a sampling of "wall dogs."
Laura Russell is a photographer and book artist currently based in Portland, Oregon. Her work incorporates photographs of urban landscapes to tell a story about our culture and our communities. Museums, libraries and corporations collect her work. See her handbound artist books at www.LauraRussell.com.
