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But this is nothing new for the lad who â€" having completed his ‘A‘ level exams â€" left home, and went to work before the age of 16. Born in Tonbridge, Kent, he was raised in the Village of Coleford, Somerset, with three younger siblings. His parents were hardâ€"working selfâ€"starters who established successful small businessâ€" es, first in printing, and later in caterâ€" ing â€" delivering frozen foods to many of the pubs in southwestern England. Artist has pragmatic view of profession (Continued from page 3) anybody," he said matterâ€"ofâ€"factly. "I‘m creating it." Simon had helped in the family business over the years, but he was eager to make his own mark in the world. He soon discovered that expeâ€" rience was a good teacher â€"â€" though an unforgiving one. His first job was in a weightâ€"training factory at 45 pounds a week. Unfortunately, his modest rooms in the Village of Midsomerâ€" Norton were costing him 40 pounds a week to maintain. Clearly, this was not going to do. Besides, the teenager knew instinctively his real talent was somewhere in the artistic field â€"â€" even though his mother, a frustrated artist, had cautioned him against it. After six months of factory labor, the lad noticed a newspaper advertiseâ€" ment for a "Poster Writer." This is how he met Tony, his mentor, and learned the art of sign writing. It seems Tony and his wife had a small business providing poster writing serâ€" vices to a chain of hardware stores. "I went to him and said, ‘This is what I want to do; I can learn to do this.‘ For six months, I worked withâ€" out pay," Quennell explained, "learmnâ€" ing the craft." On weekends to make ends meet, he earned cash painting chassis numâ€" bers on railway cars. He had a way with paint it seems _ but not only paint. In his career, he has rarely turned down a commission. A portrait in pastels for the Marquis of Bath? Certainly. A hot air balloon for the Bath Balloon Festival? No problem. Well, of course, sometimes there were problems, but none were insurâ€" mountable. He learned to touch up the gilt architraves in old ancestral manâ€" sions and the steeples of ancient catheâ€" "In business, you can‘t afford to turn down jobs," said the energetic artist. "I do pen and ink, water colors, acrylics, oils, gouache, whatever â€" all selfâ€"taught." Still, it was old Tony who gave him his start, introducing him to 750â€" odd typefaces. Quennell now reproâ€" duces them all freehand. And it was Tony‘s business that Simon took over when the older man‘s marriage fell "I opened my own workshop in Bristol, bought some highâ€"tech equipâ€" ment and really went to town," said the sign writer. "I turned over about $720,000 of business that year, by myself." Corns Calluses Warts Nail Disorders Infection (Fungal/Bacterial) Senior‘s Foot Care For appointment, call 2368 LAKESHORE RD. W., (Across from Eastgate Square) (1/4 mile west of Dorval Rd.) EALL SALE 20% OFF ENDS GCL. 31 Pn J 40 Centennial Pkwy. North _ 490 Speers Rd. OAKVILLE, ONT. L6L 1H5 573'6030 8 42_5222 JUST SOME OF OUR PAIN RELIEVING TREATMENTS: (905) 825â€"0510 Unfortunately, he was too ambiâ€" tious for the hardware company; they wanted to put him on a flatâ€"rate retainâ€" er. Quennell balked and walked. Meanwhile, Courage Brewery became his next major customer. The young businessman landed a contract to maintain the pictorial signs inside and outside the many Courage pubs in the country. He‘d reasoned, "If you have a 15th or 16th century inn, you can‘t really slap a modern sign on it." He was right and business boomed for a few years. He bought a house, a couple of trucks for the business, and hired two boys to hang the signs. Then, in 1990, the recession cast a pall over England. Courage implemented a number of costâ€"cutting policies that severely impacted on the sign painter. He was receiving only a fraction of his previâ€" ous fees and getting stiffed left and right by pubâ€"keepers going out of business. He was working 18â€"hour days and still losing money. It‘s a common story of the period, but nonetheless, sad. Quennell finally threw in the towel, sold his house, his workshop, his trucks, and headed for the colonies. He was resourceful, a little arroâ€" gant, and seemingly fearless. He‘d been in the Territorial Army (weekend army) and performed survival exercisâ€" es in the Cumbria Hills. It kept him fit, he said, and he learned to box. He has two tatoos to show for it. He also travâ€" eled around the continent painting signs on the Grand Prix racing circuit. Sign painting, he allowed, can be a great little moneyâ€"maker. FALLâ€"ING PRICES! «:2 20% e * es I se ECTION se m HAMILTON ENY "_ and planning consultations, also delivery and installation by our own onâ€"staff professionals. c‘“ON We offer a wider selection of designs and finishes, in a range of price brackets to fit any budget. 10| "I can buy a tin of paint for $10," he said, "and earn $10,000. Materials are nothing. Time is the thing." (And energy and talent.) He is encouraged by the lively craft scene in this country, and his business in sign painting has "started to kick in the past three months." The truck he is currently painting for LeDome will bring in a healthy commission. One thing leads to anothâ€" er. Realistically, he said, for any artist to survive, he must also be a good businessman. "I don‘t want to be rich," he said, "but I do want to be known. I want people to appreciate my work â€" and read about me in 500 years time." 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