Images(4)

Sign, Advertising

Object number2023.3.2

Made by Jim Fedasz (died 2021)

OriginMcKeesport, PA

MediumGlass; Neon; Paint; Plastic; Metal; Adhesive

Credit LineGift of Anna Fedasz

DescriptionNeon advertising sign. Overall rectangular in shape. Colorless glass neon tube serves as border for textual neon sign that communicates humorous business advertisement. Bottom half of sign is yellow glass neon tube spelling text surrounded by colorless and white glass neon tube mimicking a billboard-style sign. Top half is white glass neon tube spelling text with a leg kneeling on the bottom half's "sign"; the leg is white glass neon tube with blue glass neon tube shoe/boot. Connector glass neon tube sections are painted gray.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 30.25 x 33 x 1.5 in. (76.8 x 83.8 x 3.8 cm)
MarksBlue neon glass forming the shoe/boot has black text "VOLTARC NEO BLUE".
Historical NotesNeon sign by local artist Jim Fedasz. Jim Fedasz had a neon shop on Walnut Street in McKeesport, Pennsylvania for over 50 years. He took commissions to fabricate predesigned signs for various local businesses as well as designed his own signs. Fedasz created neon artwork, wood carvings, plastic and bronze sculptures, and paintings for his own amusement, often referring to his Catholicism, animals, WWII, and the American southwest as themes. Some of his more well-known neon commissions are the “O” Original Hot Dog Shop, the green “M" on the Mellon building downtown, an American flag commissioned by Marlboro on parkway West, the McKeesport High School cafeteria and tiger mascot, and possibly the pouring ketchup neon sign that now hangs at the Heinz History Center Jim was a lifelong McKeesport resident and attended Carnegie Tech. He served in WWII and afterwards used the GI Bill to further his education at the North West School of Neon (now the Oregon Polytechnic Institute). He returned to McKeesport after school and opened his shop. Fedasz passed in 2021 at the age of 94,

Related institution Carnegie Mellon University

Related institution Oregon Polytechnic Institute

Related institution Jim Fedasz Signs

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