Patience
by Alison King
title
Patience
agency
Ligature LLC
client
180 Degrees Design + Build
Submission by
Alison King
Project Lead
Alison King / Designer and Calligrapher
Contributors
Samuel Ybarra, Commercial signage design portion Airpark Signs & Graphics, Sign fabrication Noah Harrenstein, Aerial photography
After converting the vintage Banner Bakery building into an office for their architectural design/build firm, the client wanted to repurpose the enormous outdoor signage in a sensitive manner. We just don't make marquee signs like this anymore, and it was worth salvaging, so special permission was sought from City of Phoenix to convert the billboard-sized display space into an eye-catching art installment in the high traffic Melrose on 7th District at Camelback and 7th Avenue. Lettering artist Alison King illustrated the theme of Patience, fusing one of the firm's brand values and a personal mantra of her own, to make a "prayer in the air" that makes drivers look twice and smile during their urban commute. The chartreuse color echos the hue of the surrounding palo verde trees that bloom in the area, offering cheerful encouragement of hope during turbulent times.
Alison King
My environmental signage concept "Patience" was originally conceived in 2019, which we all know were much simpler times than today. As a professor, patience is a virtue that I often practice— but as 2020 walloped our country with blow after insulting blow, the timeless mantra helped me through some very tough times. Waiting for this message to finally get installed in 2023 was a meta-exercise of practicing the mantra itself. Now the virtue seems as relevant as ever, and I hope it inspires all who stumble upon it to be just a little more patient and a little more kind.