The old Butterfly mural in Old Town
"Joe Erceg’s mural
For 14 years, the back of the Fleischner was notorious for a huge arrow pointing across the street at Import Plaza. In 1976, the Naitos replaced the ad with a mural of a butterfly. It was composed of large dots, so that the image of the butterfly was only visible after moving back from it. It was the result of brainstorming between Joe Erceg, a graphic designer whose office was in the Merchant Hotel. Bill considered the image of a trolley car or the Skidmore Fountain, but ultimately, the two decided on a pointillism style butterfly."
From: naitomemorial.pbworks.com/w/page/9697177/Art%20and%20Craf...
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"Joseph Erceg Graphic Design—roots in Old Town
In Old Town, the longest continuous tenant of the Bill Naito Company is Joseph Erceg and his son Matt. Located on the second floor of the Merchant Hotel Building since 1970, Joseph Erceg Graphic Design has been in business since 1955, making it the oldest design firm in Portland. The space has become a landmark in the building due to a vintage bumper car and gas pump that Joe Erceg purchased and installed in the lobby in the mid 80s. Hundreds of young grade school children on field trips have enjoyed a history lesson while getting to sit in the bumper car and learn how gasoline stations worked in days gone by.
A graduate of the University of Portland and the Museum Art School (now the Pacific Northwest College of Art), Joe has been a freelance designer in Portland for the past 56 years. He designed the butterfly wall which adorned the north wall of the Fleischner-Mayer Building for over 30 years, and the light pole banners in the Old Town Chinatown Historic District. His designs for an airline company included the painting scheme on the planes to the luggage carts. Joe has designed the limited edition books for the Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver that were filled with the art works and writings of northwest artists; the massive three volume history of the Collins Companies; and “Touching the Stones – Tracing One Hundred Years of Japanese American History”, a book which features the Japanese American Historical Plaza in Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
In addition to his design career, he and his son are avid collectors of vintage neon and other eclectic objects, some of which he keeps in his design studio. Stop by and say hello! Joe Erceg Graphic Design, 123 NW Second Avenue, Suite 201, Portland, Oregon 97209. 503.227.5915."
Text from the PDF document of Summer 2012 issue of The Old Town Chinatown Crier
("A Publication of the Old Town Chinatown Neighborhood Association")
located at www.phlush.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SU2012FinalPrin...
The old Butterfly mural in Old Town
"Joe Erceg’s mural
For 14 years, the back of the Fleischner was notorious for a huge arrow pointing across the street at Import Plaza. In 1976, the Naitos replaced the ad with a mural of a butterfly. It was composed of large dots, so that the image of the butterfly was only visible after moving back from it. It was the result of brainstorming between Joe Erceg, a graphic designer whose office was in the Merchant Hotel. Bill considered the image of a trolley car or the Skidmore Fountain, but ultimately, the two decided on a pointillism style butterfly."
From: naitomemorial.pbworks.com/w/page/9697177/Art%20and%20Craf...
----
"Joseph Erceg Graphic Design—roots in Old Town
In Old Town, the longest continuous tenant of the Bill Naito Company is Joseph Erceg and his son Matt. Located on the second floor of the Merchant Hotel Building since 1970, Joseph Erceg Graphic Design has been in business since 1955, making it the oldest design firm in Portland. The space has become a landmark in the building due to a vintage bumper car and gas pump that Joe Erceg purchased and installed in the lobby in the mid 80s. Hundreds of young grade school children on field trips have enjoyed a history lesson while getting to sit in the bumper car and learn how gasoline stations worked in days gone by.
A graduate of the University of Portland and the Museum Art School (now the Pacific Northwest College of Art), Joe has been a freelance designer in Portland for the past 56 years. He designed the butterfly wall which adorned the north wall of the Fleischner-Mayer Building for over 30 years, and the light pole banners in the Old Town Chinatown Historic District. His designs for an airline company included the painting scheme on the planes to the luggage carts. Joe has designed the limited edition books for the Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver that were filled with the art works and writings of northwest artists; the massive three volume history of the Collins Companies; and “Touching the Stones – Tracing One Hundred Years of Japanese American History”, a book which features the Japanese American Historical Plaza in Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
In addition to his design career, he and his son are avid collectors of vintage neon and other eclectic objects, some of which he keeps in his design studio. Stop by and say hello! Joe Erceg Graphic Design, 123 NW Second Avenue, Suite 201, Portland, Oregon 97209. 503.227.5915."
Text from the PDF document of Summer 2012 issue of The Old Town Chinatown Crier
("A Publication of the Old Town Chinatown Neighborhood Association")
located at www.phlush.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SU2012FinalPrin...