President's Message
June, 2005

Hi all,

Have you ever tried to do a convincing painting of a fireworks display?
It's way harder than it would seem. We've all seen firework displays countless times and voiced the obligatory "aaaaahhhhhh" at the proper moment in time. Fireworks, by their very nature, are always in the process of evolving and changing, then they're gone, a little puff of smoke in the sky illuminated by the next fleeting display, and so on.
It's hard to convey the fleeting nature of the experience in a still image.

July 4th, the mother of all reasons to light up the sky, is upon us. It marks the passing of time - the approximate passing of half the year, the days starting their journey to shortened daylight, most school kids using one third of their summer vacation, and you've added another six months to your career. But the fireworks are about the celebration of one of the greatest events in human history - the birth of a nation based on the premise that people, when free, can create the most significant society in the history of mankind. And despite the naysayers, this idea has worked pretty well these past two hundred and forty some years.

The promise of freedom comes with responsibility, just like any gift.
You are free to pursue your happiness and your dreams; you are not guaranteed that you will find them. Art flourishes in this kind of environment, but that doesn't mean that the business of art necessarily does the same thing. The USA is awash in creativity, the choices are endless, and for this Eden of riches, business now pays less for creative services, and writes even more restrictive contracts to make sure that they keep a tight hold on their purchased pieces of the creative pie. Great for business, not so great for graphic artists.

Now why has this happened, you might ask? Apparently those who are free to create as they like are not being responsible with their gift.
Pursuing your craft is a time consuming pastime, no doubt about it, but sometimes we loose sight of the fact that our careers are like those firework displays - big flashes, evolving and changing, but when it's all over, mostly a little smoke and that funky smell. After every firework display, the money can comes out to solicit funds for the next one. After you finish a job, do you take out the can and put a little effort into insuring that your profession is alive and healthy so you can pursue your dreams and happiness doing what you do best? Making those big flashes happen is an ongoing process and they don't happen in a vacuum.

If you're a graphic arts professional, spend a little time this Fourth of July thinking about how a bunch of guys in bad, powdered wigs, frilly cuffs, and knee pants with silk stockings, signed their names to a declaration that changed the world forever. Remember, that was a piece of paper, no designers or illustrators were involved to my knowledge, but it had a great impact on the world. Imagine how great that document would have looked with a good layout and some great illustration (I personally think it looks great just as it is).

Notice if you will, that a group of signers made the difference in that declaration, not just one. The Guild is your group that can make a difference. It is made up of graphic artists who together have the power to make our business work. So start planning some fireworks with your fellow Guild members. Get together and send out a declaration or two telling the world how you want to make this a better place for graphic artists and businesses alike. And make sure everyone signs them!

John P. Schmelzer
National President
Graphic Artists Guild
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Click here to visit John's March President's Message.

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