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Apologies for sending an incomplete draft earlier, y’all—technical difficulties!

In print in next week’s Fall Arts Issue, INDY freelancer Nick McGregor has contributed a beautiful read about sign painter Joseph Giampino. Think you’re unfamiliar with his work? Think again: If you’ve driven past Trophy Brewing, East End Market, Peel Gallery, Guglhupf Bakery, or countless other brick-and-mortars with careful lettering splashed across their exteriors, you’ve seen Giampino’s work. 

It’s not exactly a booming industry: this kind of work has been phased out by AI and vinyl sign printing, which are efficient but don’t have the human thumbprint or staying power of a hand-painted sign. 

“I love it here. To me, Raleigh feels quiet in a good way. I know how to talk to people. When they see me, they know who I am,” Giampino says. “I have a face—I’m not just a persona behind the screen. I’m involved in every part of the process: shaking the client’s hand when they hire me, making the patterns, chasing down the paint, looking them in the eye when the job is done, and calling it a day. There’s a little bit of me in every sign.”

One thing I love about Nick’s writing is the reverence he brings to each piece. I don’t know for sure how he was situated when he reported this piece, but I’ve got to imagine it was sitting on an upside-down milk crate, feverishly scribbling down paint color numbers. Here are a few of his past pieces I’ve greatly enjoyed: on a Music Maker Songbook, musician MJ Lenderman, and singer Skylar Gudasz. 

Thanks for reading! We have a LOT of arts reporting for you next week. More below.

There are so many good potential headlines for Nick McGregor’s story on Joseph Giampino that it’s hard to choose. Signs and Wonders? Sign of the Times? Read the story here. Photo by Matt Ramey.

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Speaking of people who are helping to keep the Triangle authentic, Ryan Cocca has a great interview (originally published on Super Empty) with Art of Cool founder Cicely Mitchell about the upcoming Missy Lane’s Block Party. Here’s what she has to say about festivals: 

“We need to be able to continue to support those kinds of local festivals that then become regional and national festivals. Because you lose the authenticity of the event if you just bring something from outside and plop it down. Durham is one of those cities where it’s just like, we really want to feel something authentic.” 

Here’s a fun piece on Carolina Roller Derby.

ICYMI: Duke has a new arts leader. And Durham will have a new arts cinema! Local movies to watch, and one forthcoming film about a trans trucker that is raising funds for production. Chatting with Vivian Howard about PBS and her new show.

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Durham’s very popular (and with Very Good Reason) Pizzeria Toro is coming to Raleigh (!). Transfer Co. Food Hall is for sale. The global Jaipur Literature Festival is coming to Chapel Hill in a few weeks. Durham’s annual CenterFest is also coming up in a few weeks. Eater Carolina has a  list of “18 new essential restaurants in Raleigh.” 

Want even more local arts and culture content? Support us by joining the INDY Press Club.

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Sarah Edwards is culture editor of the INDY, covering cultural institutions and the arts in the Triangle. She joined the staff in 2019 and assumed her current role in 2020.