Hello Printmakers, Friends, and Cohorts,
I promised I would attempt to clear some things up about the panel discussion on Saturday at SGC. I want to say that if I did not care about the SGC conference that I would not show up every year. I would not be pouring as much energy, personal money, and time into throwing events and projects for students/everyone to participate in. I also wouldn't be encouraging all my students to go.. which I do. Many of the people I go to see every year I consider family.
I think Eun Lee has done a lot of hard work and has put tons of energy into SGC and I was not commenting on her contribution to the organization. She is very passionate about the organization.
However, I do think the structure and organizing of the conference needs to to be reconsidered. This mold of over priced venue needs to change. The cost of the conference continues to increase every year. I am starting to see a lot of students who want to go to the conference to participate and can not because of the cost. I'm seeing some having to sleep 10 deep on floors of studios or where ever they can ......or stay far out from the conference itself in not the safest of places. I am also seeing a lot of kids going anyway without registering and having to feel as if they are sneaking around to participate. For what the catering of coffee and donuts cost in the lobby of that hotel could have paid for nearly 400 students to register for the conference. Something is wrong there and the priority should focus on the students in my opinion. There are alternatives to holding these in swank hotels that lock you into overpriced rooms, catering, and venue.
We (Starwars, Driveby, DPA, Huck, Fick, Cannonball, Hancock Brothers, and myself) have been doing events (at a smaller scale mind you) for years out of pocket and with no budget at all. Theses events have been well attended, created a true sense of community, have been open to anyone, collaborative, energetic, and students have been able to be involved with them 100%. Again, these events have been completely free to the community of printmakers and paid for by us. This shows that things CAN happen on a much smaller budget.
During the publishers fair I do not think it was a coincident that Cannonball and Driveby where stuck in back area next to the bathrooms, Sean Starwars was stuck in the darkest room in the world away from site and I was stuck in with the vendors. There is nothing random about that.
Swoon is a friend of mine. I don't appreciate that her name and work was referred to as a trophy accomplishment of the host school. I've know her for several years and she would come to visit and share with anyone if asked. They should feel privileged she agreed to go and not through the weight of her name around when they probably do not even know where her work is coming from.
I do care about this conference (or at least my people, printmakers, and the next ones coming in) and want it to continue but not down the same road. The focus needs to shift to these kids in my opinion. They make the conference.
Thank you and remember breathing is good,
Dennis McNett
