If and when you enter Yosemite National Park you’re likely to see an iconic painted sign welcoming you to the park. I’ve passed by this particular sign at the northwest entrance numerous time. The difference on my last trip was that it was getting a fresh coat of paint and being restored by artist Mark Switlik. I should clarify, while technically it was being restored, it was also being transformed to have a much warmer, more realistic and colorful look. You can see how the sign used to look at the end of this post.
I consider myself quite lucky to have met Mark and had the opportunity to talk with him albeit quickly. He had been working on the sign for sometime before my trip and I had seen early photos from others of its transformation. I wasn’t sure if it’d be done by the time I made it to the park back in April. I don’t know about you but I like Mark’s take on the sign versus the old. It’s a bit more welcoming. What do you think?
If you don’t remember what the old sign used to look like here is a photo I took of it in a snow storm several years ago. It has a much more stark appearance.
