Simple Signage

Dana Tanamachi 'Live a Quiet Life and Work with Your Hands' © Spencer Heyfron for The Wall Street Journal.

Dana Tanamachi is a graphic designer and custom chalk letterer who hails from Texas, but currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating in 2007 with a BFA in Communication Design from The University of North Texas, Dana moved to New York City to design Broadway show posters at Spotco—a leader in arts and live entertainment branding. In early 2010, she took a job working under Louise Fili at Louise Fili Ltd, specializing in the design of restaurants and food packaging.



Currently, Dana works full time as a custom chalk letterer in a type font reminiscent of 1940s-era signage. She has been commissioned by clients such as West Elm, Rugby Ralph Lauren, Google, The Ace Hotel, Adidas, EveryDay with Rachael Ray, Lululemon Athletica, and Garden & Gun Magazine.

She has been interviewed and featured on popular blogs such as Design*Sponge, 100 Layer Cake, Apartment Therapy, and Kottke.org. In 2011, Dana was named a Young Gun (YG9) by the Art Directors Club and a Young Creative to Watch by HOW Magazine. Most recently, Tanamachi had the honor of creating O Magazine's first entirely hand-lettered cover for their February 2012 issue. Read the article in the Wall Street Journal.