Jul 18, 2025 - Culture

Meet the artist reviving sign painting in Dallas

Gregory Castillo

Dallas artist Jaclyn Le stands in front of a hand painted mural with the words climb as you are. — Jaclyn Le stands in front of one of her murals at Movement Climbing Gym in Dallas. Photo: Gregory Castillo/Axios

Dallas artist Jaclyn Le is helping revive the beauty of hand-painted signs, keeping an old-school art form alive in a modern city.

Why it matters: Most signage today is machine-printed vinyl. Le's handcrafted work stands out. It's personal, tangible and undeniably human.

Her work adds visual character to Dallas spots like Hudson House, Lochland's Irish Pub, Bar Sardine, Goodwins and more.
She's also a muralist, having painted large-scale pieces for Movement Climbing Gyms and the city of Garland.

Catch up quick: Le, 36, left her role as an exhibition designer at the Dallas Museum of Art in 2022 to go solo. Since then, she's become one of the city's most sought-after sign painters, known for her gold leaf work and custom lettering.

What they're saying: "When things are done by hand, people can feel it," she tells Axios. "It's someone's energy. Someone's soul is part of it."

The big picture: Hand-painted signs are seeing a revival across the country. Artists like Koysun have racked up millions of views online, drawing attention to a craft that blends nostalgia, skill and visual storytelling.

🎥 Worthy of your time: Watch Jaclyn create a hand-gilded sign on our Instagram.

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Meet the artist reviving sign painting in Dallas

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