Mesa Lane

Behold, my latest display font Mesa Lane is here! It’s the 10th font of the Damn catalog and was inspired by lettering on a 1904 Austrian art exhibition poster by Friedrich König. Slowly, over two years, I built out the complete letter set and the end product is bold, beachy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

In 2017, I moved to Santa Barbara and lived in a tiny apartment on the Mesa. I left behind a demanding area manager job, I was happy to be a bit closer to home and excited for a new adventure in a new place.

I was within walking distance to Mesa Lane Beach and frequently strolled there with a knapsack strapped to my back that held some pens, sunflower seeds, and a notebook. I’d take long walks along the beach, stopping occasionally to swim and draw. It had been a while since I picked up a pen, and it felt good to start routinely drawing and lettering again.

I was free. I made some fast friends and reveled in play. Among these newfound friends, one later introduced me to my wife. Flash forward a few years when we signed our marriage papers at the SB courthouse, we held a mock wedding on that same beach in front of some friends and some driftwood.

Mesa Lane serves as a reminder that no one knows what the ‘morrow will bring. I’m a big butterfly effect guy, and in a way, the Mesa was the catalyst that set me down this path into design. It’s the path I always wanted to take but didn’t know how to start. It’s as if the universe herself gave me the gentle nudge I needed! I like this path and these letters, and I hope you do too!

*Good for personal and commercial use*