President's Letter
(Archived version from January, 1999 - click here for current)

Good news! An advisory committee for the 10th Anniversary celebration has been formed. Past presidents Sam Peters, Phyllis Wright, Ed Smith, Linda Harrison-Parsons, Richard Hellman and I met for a lovely luncheon prepared by Sam Peters and his wife Carol. Some great ideas are in the works for this event which will take place in Baltimore, in October of 1999. More details will be announced soon.

It was great for me as your new president to meet with the original founding fathers and mothers of the Maryland Printmakers and I believe we need to generate some of that old fashioned camaraderie which was so evident at this meeting. Being part of this type of organization is not only about showing one's work, but more importantly it's about exchanging ideas and experiences and building personal relationships that can sustain one's commitment to the professional choices and directions we take in pursuing artistic careers.

I attended the Mid-America Print Council Conference this past month which was held in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kristian Spagenburg, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Cincinnati Art Museum, organized an exquisite exhibit entitled "200 Years of Lithography" featuring 189 works from the museums permanent collection. It was a fabulous historical account of lithography. The conference was beautifully organized and keynote speaker June Wayne was a true inspiration. Her force as an artist, printmaker and educator has made not only an impact on the past but well into the future. She warns artists not to sit back and allow new technology to make a dinosaur out of hand printmaking techniques. Ms. Wayne's emphatic plea is that we need to take our heads out of the computer screens and wake up to the real issues that society is facing. We must protect the legacy that has been put in our care. I couldn't agree more. So, as Maryland Printmakers, let's take charge!!!

Sincerely,

Susan J. Goldman