IDEAS Art Studio

IDEAS Art Studio Custom Art of all kinds! Ambassador Sign Company of Excelsior Springs, Missouri was founded in 1991 by husband and wife team, Shawna and Troy Mull.

Shawna learned the sign craft from old time sign painters in Kansas City, who recommended her to the legendary movie director, Robert Altman. He wanted an artist to hand paint the signs for the historical look in his movie “Kansas City”. Shawna is included in the credits. Her ability to visualize, communicate, layout, and paint the signs is what sets her apart from most sign makers today. Troy Mul

l learned wood and metal fabrication early on from his father. He can take a drawing or blueprints to finished product with imagination and professionalism. These combined skills allow Ambassador Sign Company the ability to restore historical signs, design and fabricate custom signs from the smallest to the largest using all mediums to realize the vision at hand. Contact Shawna and Troy at 816-630-8168
Email: [email protected]

She came home. They do sometimes. Painted in 2007 for Jack Duncan. Thanks Jamie and Craig for gifting it back to me.
10/17/2023

She came home. They do sometimes. Painted in 2007 for Jack Duncan. Thanks Jamie and Craig for gifting it back to me.

Still got it! Magic metal manipulation!Ok, not magic. This was definitely a test of my very rusty skills. Cheers and hap...
02/12/2023

Still got it!
Magic metal manipulation!
Ok, not magic. This was definitely a test of my very rusty skills. Cheers and happy Sunday!

New work in digital painting. I call it, "here".
12/04/2022

New work in digital painting. I call it, "here".

Art is in the eye of the beholder!
05/29/2019

Art is in the eye of the beholder!

Can't wait to have a beer here! Just finished installing the signs today!
03/24/2018

Can't wait to have a beer here! Just finished installing the signs today!

01/11/2018

I was very excited to get the opportunity to design a couple signs for Dubious Claims, the new brewery going in on Thompson Ave here in Excelsior Springs. They went before the ES Historic Commission last night for approval of the signs. I attended the meeting with Neil the brewery owner. He had a heads up that there would be questions about how we would attach the signs to the building so he asked me to be there to answer those questions. I agreed.

When designing these types of signs in the historic districts I always try to make them feel historic and use old school "by hand" fabricating techniques that has become my thing or specialty. We start with knowing the size restaints that are set fourth in the City codes for the specific districts and fit our designs to those standards.
The commissioners have a set of guidelines that they use to determine if the signs are historic looking. They flat said "we do not recognize City Code in historic districts". However, their guidelines do not give size requirements or suggestions. Our design fit within the size parameters in the code. It was quite obvious that some of the Commissioners had already discussed this before the meeting and had already determined the direction they wanted to go. Their was a percentage of commissioners that were against one of the two signs that were being proposed because, in their opinion, it was too big and directed at automobile traffic. Their guidelines say signs should only be directed at walking traffic and not auto traffic. This might be ok for businesses on Broadway where you have plenty of time to see the smaller signs from an auto. The site and building the brewery folks chose to build in has a good amount of auto traffic in a very short viewing distance. I believe the choice to build their dream business in that location was easier due to the amount of traffic there. They are investing huge amounts of money to see their dream come true. When the people serving on The Historic Commission bring their negative opinions to the table they could kill the businesses opportunity to reach its full potential. Ultimately losing sales tax money for the city.

This is the first Historic Commission that I have attended since taking a full time job as Vineyard Manager at Fence Stile 2 years ago. I did not see any change in the way they do things. They basically have taken money from my business more than once while I was operating as Ambassador Sign Company by denying applications for COA. I am very choosy about the sign projects that I take on under the new name of my business, Ideas Art Studio. I am choosy mostly because of my time constraints with a fulltime job but it may be a very long time before I agree to take on the Historic Commission again if they do not change their ways.

I am happy to report that there are level headed people on the commission that could see the value of what was being presented and did support the project with their vote. It was a fiasco of a meeting tho. After much discussion and some raised voices there was a motion to deny the one sign. Fortunately the denial motion did not get the majority of votes. After that vote there was a motion made to approve the sign and a second with lots more discussion. Ultimatly it was approved with a 3 - 2 vote.

To the closed minded and overstepping commissioners.... You may be the sole reason people are apprehensive to spend money on commercial property downtown or any property falling under the control of the Historic Commission. Who would want to take a chance on having their dream controlled by folks that have no real interest or investment in the area or have never taken a chance on a dream.

Thank you to Dubious Claims Brewing Co. for being confident in our work. We look forward to warming a seat at your bar to enjoy your craft and dream!

03/03/2017

Poi spin on Storm Mountain in 2015 with mt brother Derek Jones. It was an artful day.

A bit of painting tonight. This is a snapshot from my mind. It is Bing (B**g) Crosby, doing downward dog! This kind of...
02/14/2017

A bit of painting tonight. This is a snapshot from my mind. It is Bing (B**g) Crosby, doing downward dog! This kind of an artistic study done on an Android tablet using my finger as the paint tool. Kinda want to do this one on black velvet with real paint!

Back in Lawrence today to finish up the School. Applied a couple of different kinds of decals. Some 2 color prints on ...
04/20/2016

Back in Lawrence today to finish up the School. Applied a couple of different kinds of decals. Some 2 color prints on opaque vinyl for walls and doors. These are color matched to Sherwin Williams palette.
The others were frosted crystal vinyl with dark grey also a S.W. color printed on and applied to glass doors.
Touched up and cleaned up to leave the place neat and tidy for their Kindergarten Roundup tomorrow!
The kids are gonna love this place!

Hand lettering way finding signs at an elementary school in Lawrence, KS.A very long day...up at 4:30am .... Lawrence b...
04/19/2016

Hand lettering way finding signs at an elementary school in Lawrence, KS.
A very long day...up at 4:30am .... Lawrence by 7:15am.... Lunch at 11am... leaving Lawrence by 8:30pm!
Could not have done all this without the help of Troy Mull!
I have to go back again tomorrow to finish some touch up and some vinyl decal application! Troy will be back at his regular County job! I will miss him.

Hand built! Hand lettered!
03/05/2016

Hand built! Hand lettered!

Ask us about your next lighted sign.
03/03/2016

Ask us about your next lighted sign.

Address

111 N Main Street
Excelsior Springs, MO
64024

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