Roderick Laine Treece

Roderick Treece is the owner of Custom Glass Signs, located in Encinitas, California. He is a fifth generation Californian, descended from the pioneers of the infamous Donner/ Reed party who attempted to cross the Sierra Nevada at Donner pass in the terrible winter of 1849.

Roderick’s father was the director of the graphics department at the world famous Knott’s Berry Farm, which was also one of the first amusement parks in California. Roderick would accompany his father to work, arriving there at 6:30 in the morning, which gave Roderick plenty of time to wander around the park unsupervised. It wouldn’t take long before he was picked up by security guards, and dragged back to the sign shop where his father was working. For the rest of the day, to keep him out of trouble his dad would have him repaint perfectly good signs, under the guise that they needed a color change. Getting into trouble, or rather staying out of trouble, was why he learned to paint signs.

It seemed natural to become a sign painter like his father, but in high school Roderick discovered photography, and that evolved into an interest in the broader fine arts. It was while studying art and photography at Orange Coast College that Roderick realized he could make a life of commercial and fine art.

From those auspicious beginnings was born Studio Zero, which for the past twenty five years has been providing clients all over the world with hand painted signs, TV news cast back drops, trade show booths, and interior and exterior decorative finishes. Working in a wide variety of mediums has enabled Roderick to develop the capacity to design and create an almost limitless array of unique products. Completed projects include sculpting an eight foot tall cell phone out of high density foam for a Boost Mobile display. The phone included illuminated buttons and a functional LED screen. Gotcha sportswear commissioned a giant harlequin head for a trade show booth. The model was sculpted in clay and the booth was constructed of plywood, chicken wire, sculpted foam and fabric. The mouth of the harlequin was a full size entry way to the booth.

Despite all the different mediums Roderick worked in, he always had a special affinity for working with glass. Perhaps it was his father’s influence, who taught Roderick an appreciation for guilding and having respect for the disappearing arts of the old sign painters. His travels to Europe, Indonesia and Mexico deepened this interest. The back painted glass of the Café Florin in Venice, the guilded signs of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, and the reverse back painted glass of Bali, inspired him to research these glass techniques that were in danger of becoming obsolete. His search led him to the master craftsman, Rick Glawson, who was willing to share his knowledge and expertise in the art of glass signs. Rick was one of the founders of the Letterhead Society, a group of sign artist who are dedicated to rediscovering and preserving long lost techniques and materials. Nurtured by these relationships, Roderick has dedicated himself to the art of glass signs and reverse back painted glass art.

Roderick has exhibited his fine art throughout the United Stated including the Newark Museum , Newark NJ , San Diego Museum , San Diego CA and the La Jolla Contemporary Museum La Jolla CA

Roderick Laine Treece

Roderick Laine Treece
CUSTOM GLASS SIGNS & MIRRORS
www.customglasssigns.com
789 Orpheus Ave