Back in Ilinois (part TWO)…

Over Thanksgiving Break, I was able to visit and catch up with a few people in Peoria and Chicago.

On Monday, November 23 I was in Chicago visiting one of my favorite printmakers David Jones. David founded and directed Anchor Graphics in Chicago since 1988. David is now the Director of The Center for Book, Paper, and Print at Columbia College and the current President of SGC International.

For some unknown reason, David has been extremely kind to me since the day we met in 2002. I was interviewing for a job at Anchor Graphics, a job I was extremely unqualified for at the time. And since that moment, David has always been generous with his time and insights with me. We collaborated in 2009 on the SGCI Board of Directors as we changed the name and tax status of the Southern Graphics Council to SGC International. David was an integral part of that transition.

David’s new digs at Columbia College.

Columbia has been taking over more and more buildings in the South Loop of the city, and one effect has been more public art.

David showed me around the papermaking and letterpress studios.

Heidelberg press, run by former Nexus Press Director Brad Freeman. It was an incredible surprise to see Brad on this day. I haven’t seen him since I was a graduate student at the University of Georgia in 2001. The WVU/Artists Image Resource internship program is designed after my experiences with Nexus.