Mr. Sign: When Montreal’s main streets become a canvas for artist Dave Arnold

Dave Arnold is now synonymous with the art of hand-painted signage in Montreal. However, when he first began approaching local businesses in 2009 under the name Mr. Sign, he didn’t realize he was preserving something old and irreplaceably human in the city.

Armed with a toolkit of brushes and developing skills, his early efforts earned him $200 and a steak dinner. That’s since evolved into a 15-year career, during which he has designed many of Montreal’s most iconic signs, defining modern-day institutions through the time-honoured craft of hand-painted signage.

Today, Mr. Sign designs join the annals of artists and their works which visually represent the city’s identity. Dave may not put it in these grandiose terms, but: His works distill complex cultural, historical, and social elements into single, recognizable images that convey meanings beyond words.