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Christmas Displays In a Big Way

Gary Ray's Creative Signs & Displays
1756 Arledge Drive, Carrollton, Texas 75007
972-742-5195; Fax 469-464-3562
gary.ray@live.com

I have been owner and chief bottle washer for Gary Ray's Creative Signs & Displays since 1981. I started as a hand lettering artist and soon started building props for Christmas and Halloween. I worked with talented artists at Six Flags Over Texas sign shop for three winters in the late 70's while producing two shows in the park during the regular season. Prior to that I was boss Clown for thirteen years with two Shrine Circus producers and nine years with the Dr. Pepper Circus at the State Fair of Texas. I am a graduate of The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown College, 1972. Thanks for letting me introduce myself.

Here's some more pictures and a little about me. The three bears was my first attempt at carving animals in a big way. Using tools from Hot Wire Foam Factory was so easy and fast that I was able to build my confidence quickly. As you can see, the bear on the right has yet to have his face carved. The bears are a part of entryways for the Grapevine Vintage Rail Road's "North Pole Express". The city of Grapevine, Texas is known as the Christmas capital of North Texas, of which I build a lot of the displays.

The "North Pole Elf Patrol" Tree House is new this year for the Grapevine Parks Dept. This was my first carving experience using Hot Wire Foam Factory tools. Besides the snow, I carved the tree trunk and tiles used for the copula above the sliding pole.