American Mutt Barks in the Yard

http://www.emigre.com/EMag.php?issue=68
http://www.davidbarringer.com/books___writing/American_Mutt/american_mutt.html

I am currently reading “An American Mutt Barks in the Yard” by David Barringer. He has so summed up my feelings on graphic arts and my passion about it. I’m only half way through his essay, so things could take a turn, but its nice to know there’s like minds out there. This is the second time I try to type my post, as when going to spell check on the blog spot page within Camino, my entire post was deleted.
The “graphics invasion” of my life has been a long journey. My mother won a small local hospital’s logo contest with my design when I was 10 (entrants had to be at least 18). I made tons of signs, announcements and newsletters. Every career councilor and kind aunt suggested it. A cousin is a graphic artist and the family thought I should follow in her footsteps. So when I went to college I generally stated a study in ART. It made them happy and myself, as it was not limiting. A dear college drawing teacher recommended a graphic art career. So when the tire met the road, I studied jewelry. And anthropology. My jewelry designs were often linear creations in metal with symbols. Anthropology gave me a chance to study the culture that I never felt like I fit into. Once out of college, I met my life-partner at a local foundry and was eventually laid-off due to lack of work. After six plus years of floundering from job to job, a need was present in my current employ for a graphic artist so I moved into the void while keeping my duties as engraver where I had been using Corel.
This was a homecoming. To use the irritating Americanism, “DUH!” I had found my niche. Fonts, computers, paper, art, culture, contrast, rules with freedom – all wrapped into one! I self taught myself all the Adobe programs, took a few local seminars, and have immersed myself ever since.
Now I wait, as my ibook shipment has been delayed another week by Apple. I float between the meager PC and imac at home and the fabulous G5 or work. I need to land. My planner is full of CDs with programs, fonts, fave clipart, and ideas. Augh.