The AAPA 2010 Convention page has been updated to include information from these blog entries and more.
You can also visit Gary Bossler's ChicagoCon2 album, which has over 200 pictures from the convention.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday Afternoon Auction and Saturday Evening Banquet
The first combined NAPA-AAPA auction went very smoothly. The work of eliciting bids from the audience was alternated between NAPA auctioneer Dave Warner and AAPA auctioneer Sky Shipley. Alice Brosey and Johanna Shipley assisted, while Kay Schrader, Bill Boys, and Ken Faig ably kept the records of bids and accounts payable. A great amount of historic journals, some of them in bound hard case covers, went up for bid, and some bidders got some real bargains. On the other hand, some bidders ended up paying dearly and against strong competing bids for the objects they were determined to have. A couple of typewriters were sold, a couple of miniature presses, a framed print of every printer's friend Benjamin Franklin, a hard bound copy of Mac McGrew's authoritative volume, American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century, a number of fine press books; they all added up to an interesting and successful auction.
After a photo session, in which the combined group stood for a portrait, then the NAPA group had their portrait, and finally the AAPA had their chance to be shot. By the time the photo shoot was finished, it was about time for the banquet to begin. Barry Schrader kicked off the banquet by calling on Bill Boys to give the outcome of the auction; and Bill announced that in excess of $1900 had been raised!
The food served at the banquet was outstanding, and the occupants of each of the tables seemed to be enjoying their conversation.
Starting the formal portion of the banquet, Barry Schrader noted that our speaker for the evening, Ray Gibson, had a strong interest in the Civil War era; and therefore Barry presented him with a page of the 1860s edition of the Chicago Tribune. The subject of Ray's talk was the practices of journalists: how they worked with each other, the changing customs and dress code throughout the years, and some examples of political shenanigans that have been exposed by investigative journalism.
Closing remarks were delivered by the presidents of both associations, Jack Visser and Mike O'Connor. Thus concluded the main part of another very successful convention. Hearty thanks are due Barry Schrader and his wife Kay, and Bill Boys and his wife Ruth. The hard work of them all have paid a bounteous dividend to everyone who attended this year's convention. The location of the 2011 convention has not been settled yet, so stay tuned to announcements from Pres. Mike O'Connor on that subject.
After a photo session, in which the combined group stood for a portrait, then the NAPA group had their portrait, and finally the AAPA had their chance to be shot. By the time the photo shoot was finished, it was about time for the banquet to begin. Barry Schrader kicked off the banquet by calling on Bill Boys to give the outcome of the auction; and Bill announced that in excess of $1900 had been raised!
The food served at the banquet was outstanding, and the occupants of each of the tables seemed to be enjoying their conversation.
Starting the formal portion of the banquet, Barry Schrader noted that our speaker for the evening, Ray Gibson, had a strong interest in the Civil War era; and therefore Barry presented him with a page of the 1860s edition of the Chicago Tribune. The subject of Ray's talk was the practices of journalists: how they worked with each other, the changing customs and dress code throughout the years, and some examples of political shenanigans that have been exposed by investigative journalism.
Closing remarks were delivered by the presidents of both associations, Jack Visser and Mike O'Connor. Thus concluded the main part of another very successful convention. Hearty thanks are due Barry Schrader and his wife Kay, and Bill Boys and his wife Ruth. The hard work of them all have paid a bounteous dividend to everyone who attended this year's convention. The location of the 2011 convention has not been settled yet, so stay tuned to announcements from Pres. Mike O'Connor on that subject.
A Busy Saturday
The Saturday morning session of the convention got off to a good start as Bundle Stimulus Czar Joe Diachenko reviewed the campaign to stimulate bundle activity. The results have been very encouraging as members heretofore unrepresented in our bundles--and some who have been silent for a long, long time--have caught the spirit, and had interesting journals in the bundles. Joe's presentation also stimulated interest among those present, and an active discussion ensued. Prevalent subjects were: topics that might spark more bundle activity and how to best assist some in the organization for whom printing a journal is a new and completely unfamiliar activity. Joe made the point that if we have a word processing program--and who with a computer does not--it is not that big of a project to put some words onto a paper. This does not need to take the form of a "Gator Growl" or "Oregun." A new journal does not need to pass a qualifications board. Get it started, and it can pursue its own evolution, if the publisher so desires, to something more involved.
The next presentation was by former AAPA President Schuyler ("Sky") Shipley. Sky gave a brief background of the manufacture of metal type, the machines that cast type, the foundries that have been leaders in type casting, and the foundries active in casting today. From that, his discussion turned to his own venture in casting: how he got involved, the current status of Skyline Type Foundry, and the future outlook for type casting. In a nutshell, the future looks very encouraging to keep the art of letterpress alive, and in fact, it is growing.
President Mike O'Connor then took the podium to announce the two winners of the Marge Adams Petrone Limerick Contest. Only one of the winners was present at the time to receive his award: the limerick submitted by Tom Parson took second place. More details to be given soon. Then Mike called on Johanna Shipley, chairman of the Laureate Committee, to give this year's Laureate Awards. More information on this will also be forthcoming.
Following a brief break, the partition between the NAPA's meeting room and the AAPA's room was folded back, and there was a discussion among the combined group. The theme centered largely on the feasibility of having concurrent conventions. One foremost concern seemed to be that with AAPA and NAPA sessions being conducted concurrently, those who hold membership in both groups are forced into a decision as to which sessions they will attend. Both groups could have benefited from being present in the other group's sessions; however, it obviously is not possible to attend two sessions at the same time. From that came some suggestions for "staggering" the sessions--alternating between NAPA and AAPA. (There did not seem to be any serious consideration given to Sky Shipley's suggestion to hold the sessions in the bar so that all would be staggering.) Members of both groups participated in the discussion, and it is hoped that this year's experiment and the resulting discussions will be a significant step toward achieving greater coöperation between the two groups: the NAPA, founded in 1876, and the newer AAPA, founded in 1936.
The next presentation was by former AAPA President Schuyler ("Sky") Shipley. Sky gave a brief background of the manufacture of metal type, the machines that cast type, the foundries that have been leaders in type casting, and the foundries active in casting today. From that, his discussion turned to his own venture in casting: how he got involved, the current status of Skyline Type Foundry, and the future outlook for type casting. In a nutshell, the future looks very encouraging to keep the art of letterpress alive, and in fact, it is growing.
President Mike O'Connor then took the podium to announce the two winners of the Marge Adams Petrone Limerick Contest. Only one of the winners was present at the time to receive his award: the limerick submitted by Tom Parson took second place. More details to be given soon. Then Mike called on Johanna Shipley, chairman of the Laureate Committee, to give this year's Laureate Awards. More information on this will also be forthcoming.
Following a brief break, the partition between the NAPA's meeting room and the AAPA's room was folded back, and there was a discussion among the combined group. The theme centered largely on the feasibility of having concurrent conventions. One foremost concern seemed to be that with AAPA and NAPA sessions being conducted concurrently, those who hold membership in both groups are forced into a decision as to which sessions they will attend. Both groups could have benefited from being present in the other group's sessions; however, it obviously is not possible to attend two sessions at the same time. From that came some suggestions for "staggering" the sessions--alternating between NAPA and AAPA. (There did not seem to be any serious consideration given to Sky Shipley's suggestion to hold the sessions in the bar so that all would be staggering.) Members of both groups participated in the discussion, and it is hoped that this year's experiment and the resulting discussions will be a significant step toward achieving greater coöperation between the two groups: the NAPA, founded in 1876, and the newer AAPA, founded in 1936.
Friday Afternoon Tour of Chicago
Twenty-five AAPA and NAPA tourists braved the heat and toured the downtown Chicago area Friday afternoon, July 23. The first stop was at the Chicago Tribune building, where we were welcomed by Ray Gibson, who will also be the banquet speaker Saturday evening. The impressive "Trib" building has on its exterior bricks from famous buildings around the world.
A short continuation of the bus trip brought the tourists to the Navy Pier Park. Anyone who strolled through that area without finding anything to buy had to have his eyes closed!
The final stop was a view of the Chicago skyline, then back on the bus for the trip back to the hotel, with thanks to the intrepid bus driver for braving the traffic, and the narrator who pointed out the sites as we drove by.
Members of both groups gathered informally in the hospitality room during the evening for relaxed visiting, typesetting, and to view two videos. The first one was an extensive presentation of the Hamilton Wood Type Museum of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, including a little bit of history of the Hamilton Wood Type Company. The second video was of excerpts from the movie "Seven Pounds," specifically some clips featuring the presses in that movie, and Mark Barbour giving some information about those presses and other machines in the International Printing Museum in Carson, California.
Friday night and Saturday morning featured an impressive "power and light show" that lit up the entire sky and rent the heavens with sound. As we look out the hotel windows this morning, we are presented with a rainy outdoors. Good thing today's activities are indoors!
A short continuation of the bus trip brought the tourists to the Navy Pier Park. Anyone who strolled through that area without finding anything to buy had to have his eyes closed!
The final stop was a view of the Chicago skyline, then back on the bus for the trip back to the hotel, with thanks to the intrepid bus driver for braving the traffic, and the narrator who pointed out the sites as we drove by.
Members of both groups gathered informally in the hospitality room during the evening for relaxed visiting, typesetting, and to view two videos. The first one was an extensive presentation of the Hamilton Wood Type Museum of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, including a little bit of history of the Hamilton Wood Type Company. The second video was of excerpts from the movie "Seven Pounds," specifically some clips featuring the presses in that movie, and Mark Barbour giving some information about those presses and other machines in the International Printing Museum in Carson, California.
Friday night and Saturday morning featured an impressive "power and light show" that lit up the entire sky and rent the heavens with sound. As we look out the hotel windows this morning, we are presented with a rainy outdoors. Good thing today's activities are indoors!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday Morning AAPA Session
Convention Chair Barry Schrader welcomed delegates to the opening session of the AAPA 2010 Convention at 9:06 am on Friday morning. After noting several administrative details (including the 25 cent fine for any cell phones that either ring or are used), he turned the podium over to President Mike O'Connor.
Mike asked each of the 19 persons present to give a brief introduction. He then asked the officers present to come forward and give a report.
First VP Mike Coughlin described his efforts to recruit new members, including a poster printed by Mike O'Connor that Mike C. then distributed to about 50 book arts organizations. He encouraged all members to share recruiting ideas with him.
Secretary-Treasurer Ivan Snyder distributed and then commented upon a 3-page report on AAPA finances and membership statistics.
Mike read a report from Official Editor Dean Rea, who promised to have full-color 40-page issues of AAJ during AAPA's 75th year. Dean will cut costs by making the volume available on-line.
Board of Directors chair Lee Hawes noted there would be a special award during The Fossils' luncheon at noon.
Webmaster Dave Tribby noted one glitch during the year -- a report by a hotmail user of receiving spam from AAPA -- was successfully dealt with.
Mike handed out the results of a survey he took of opinions on changing the AAPA logo. One of the responders turned in a logo drawn by Michael Silberman in 1971, and a number of delegates thought it looked like a good alternative.
Ron Hylton gave the first featured presentation of the morning: ETAOIN is my love. After learning how to run a Linotype in high school, he was a professional printer until the late 1980s. At that point he went into the mortuary business (he had done printing for 14 funeral homes and was comfortable with the business). He kept Intertype and Ludlow casting machines and two Heidelberg presses for his own printing needs. A few years ago he found AAPA on the Web, and then after he met Ivan Snyder in nearby Portland, he knew AAPA was the place for him. It gives him a reason to compose essays on the Intertype keyboard, just like old weekly newspapers. At the conclusion of his talk, he played a ten minute video showing his print shop.
For the second featured presentation of the morning, Susan Petrone went on-line and showed ten different Web sites that allow you to do things that you cannot do on paper. There are a lot of new tools available for communication, so she urged members to take advantage of these in addition to the ones we already use.
Since there was a little time available in the morning session, Ivan Snyder got on the computer and showed how to access the AAPA 2010 convention photo album and blog, plus the online membership directory.
Mike asked each of the 19 persons present to give a brief introduction. He then asked the officers present to come forward and give a report.
First VP Mike Coughlin described his efforts to recruit new members, including a poster printed by Mike O'Connor that Mike C. then distributed to about 50 book arts organizations. He encouraged all members to share recruiting ideas with him.
Secretary-Treasurer Ivan Snyder distributed and then commented upon a 3-page report on AAPA finances and membership statistics.
Mike read a report from Official Editor Dean Rea, who promised to have full-color 40-page issues of AAJ during AAPA's 75th year. Dean will cut costs by making the volume available on-line.
Board of Directors chair Lee Hawes noted there would be a special award during The Fossils' luncheon at noon.
Webmaster Dave Tribby noted one glitch during the year -- a report by a hotmail user of receiving spam from AAPA -- was successfully dealt with.
Mike handed out the results of a survey he took of opinions on changing the AAPA logo. One of the responders turned in a logo drawn by Michael Silberman in 1971, and a number of delegates thought it looked like a good alternative.
Ron Hylton gave the first featured presentation of the morning: ETAOIN is my love. After learning how to run a Linotype in high school, he was a professional printer until the late 1980s. At that point he went into the mortuary business (he had done printing for 14 funeral homes and was comfortable with the business). He kept Intertype and Ludlow casting machines and two Heidelberg presses for his own printing needs. A few years ago he found AAPA on the Web, and then after he met Ivan Snyder in nearby Portland, he knew AAPA was the place for him. It gives him a reason to compose essays on the Intertype keyboard, just like old weekly newspapers. At the conclusion of his talk, he played a ten minute video showing his print shop.
For the second featured presentation of the morning, Susan Petrone went on-line and showed ten different Web sites that allow you to do things that you cannot do on paper. There are a lot of new tools available for communication, so she urged members to take advantage of these in addition to the ones we already use.
Since there was a little time available in the morning session, Ivan Snyder got on the computer and showed how to access the AAPA 2010 convention photo album and blog, plus the online membership directory.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Attendance at Charlie Bush Chinese Supper
The numbers are increasing here at the convention. More members arrived after my post last night, and others were already here of which I was not aware at the time of my post.
There were 38 present at the Peapod Restaurant for the Charlie Bush Chinese supper this evening, according to my count. In no particular order--except how they were seated at the tables: Dave and Liz Tribby, George Hamilton, Mike O'Connor, Jiyani Lawson, Leland Hawes, Harold Shive (NAPA), Sean Donnelly, Tom Whitbread, Jack and Maurine Scott, Stan Pekala, Ron and Liz Hylton, Bill Justice, Stan Oliner (NAPA), Jack Visser, Guy Miller, Susan Petrone and daughter Ella, Jon Peters, Arie Koelewyn, Jon McGrew (NAPA), Sky and Johanna Shipley, Jake and Leah Warner (NAPA), Dave and Melody Warner (NAPA), Gary Bossler, Tom Parson, Bill and Ruth Boys (NAPA), Barry and Kay Schrader, Michelle Klosterman (NAPA), Lisa Brandstetter Holt (NAPA), and yours truly, Ivan Snyder.
The link to the 2010 convention photos is at the left of the blogs. There is just a start, but more will be added.
There were 38 present at the Peapod Restaurant for the Charlie Bush Chinese supper this evening, according to my count. In no particular order--except how they were seated at the tables: Dave and Liz Tribby, George Hamilton, Mike O'Connor, Jiyani Lawson, Leland Hawes, Harold Shive (NAPA), Sean Donnelly, Tom Whitbread, Jack and Maurine Scott, Stan Pekala, Ron and Liz Hylton, Bill Justice, Stan Oliner (NAPA), Jack Visser, Guy Miller, Susan Petrone and daughter Ella, Jon Peters, Arie Koelewyn, Jon McGrew (NAPA), Sky and Johanna Shipley, Jake and Leah Warner (NAPA), Dave and Melody Warner (NAPA), Gary Bossler, Tom Parson, Bill and Ruth Boys (NAPA), Barry and Kay Schrader, Michelle Klosterman (NAPA), Lisa Brandstetter Holt (NAPA), and yours truly, Ivan Snyder.
The link to the 2010 convention photos is at the left of the blogs. There is just a start, but more will be added.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Start of the 2010 AAPA - NAPA Concurrent Conventions
THE 2010 CONVENTION, the "NAPA - AAPA Concurrent Conventions" is unoficially underway as of Wednesday, July 21, 2010. Most of the activity thus far has been in the hospitality room. AAPA members that have arrived at this early date are Gary Bossler, George W. Hamilton, Arie Koelewyn, Guy Miller, Jack and Maurine Scott, Tom Whitbread, and yours truly (Ivan Snyder). Various NAPA members who do not also hold membership in the AAPA are also in the hospitality room.
It appears that the Chicago-Elk Grove Sheraton Suites (a very large hotel) will be a very suitable venue for this convention. I have a room somewhere on the edge of Cook County, but I was eventually able to find my way back to the lobby--and without a GPS, too!--just in time to connect with Jack and Maurine Scott, who graciously invited me to accompany them for a bite to eat in a nice Italian ristorante.
Tomorrow (Thursday) forenoon the NAPA business sessions begin. The AAPA, whose By-Laws forbid conducting official business at the conventions, has its first activity tomorrow evening: the Charlie Bush Chinese supper at the Peapod Restaurant.
Subsequent events start Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. with introduction of members present, Officer reports, announcements of the Marge Adams Petrone Limerick Contest, and a couple of presentations: Ron Hylton gives a presentation on the subject "Etaoin is my love," and Susan Petrone has one on "Things you can do online but can't do on paper."
More updates tomorrow--and hopefully a few photographs to help members match names with faces and places.
It appears that the Chicago-Elk Grove Sheraton Suites (a very large hotel) will be a very suitable venue for this convention. I have a room somewhere on the edge of Cook County, but I was eventually able to find my way back to the lobby--and without a GPS, too!--just in time to connect with Jack and Maurine Scott, who graciously invited me to accompany them for a bite to eat in a nice Italian ristorante.
Tomorrow (Thursday) forenoon the NAPA business sessions begin. The AAPA, whose By-Laws forbid conducting official business at the conventions, has its first activity tomorrow evening: the Charlie Bush Chinese supper at the Peapod Restaurant.
Subsequent events start Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. with introduction of members present, Officer reports, announcements of the Marge Adams Petrone Limerick Contest, and a couple of presentations: Ron Hylton gives a presentation on the subject "Etaoin is my love," and Susan Petrone has one on "Things you can do online but can't do on paper."
More updates tomorrow--and hopefully a few photographs to help members match names with faces and places.
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