21 March 2008
The venerable band Earth Wind & Fire held a worldwide Design Contest for their World Tour 2008. Out of more than 250 entries, one winner was chosen along with four Runners-up. TWO of Don's designs were among the four Runners-up. Don used his concert tickets and bakstage passes to thank the band and discuss the finer points of design at WolfTrap, Vienna, Virginia on 16 July 2008.
See Don's MySpace for EWF photos and more.
2 October 2007
This was the release date for for a 2-CD set entitled The Best of Chicago — 40th Anniversary Edition. The venerable band broke new ground in the Summer of 2007 when they held a worldwide design competition for the cover of this landmark package. Each entrant was permitted to submit only one design, yet more than 400 entries were received. Although Don's design, above, didn't make the front cover of the CD, it was selected as one of the 10 finalists and appears in the endpapers of the CD booklet along with his name in the design credits. When his autographed copy of the CD arrived, along with an autographed 10X15" glossy, it was a great way for Don to celebrate one of his favorite bands for the last four decades.
You may visit Chicago online at their Official Website and their Official MySpace Page.
Falcon Statue::Sampson State Park, NY
The
site that is now Sampson State Park — on the shores of Seneca Lake
in the world-famous Finger Lakes region of New York — once served
as a US Navy and US Air Force base. more than 311,000 men passed through
those portals in preparation for service to their country. Nearly all of
the original buildings on this vast campus are now gone. But the centerpiece
is the old brick Stockade, with a central courtyard, that now serves as
a lovingly-maintained museum dedicated to the seamen and airmen who trained
and served here.
In the mid-1990s, Don was approached by the Sampson Air Force Base Veterans Association to design a monument that would be an appropriate permanent tribute to US Air Force veterans everywhere. Because the SAFBVA is a private non-profit organization operating on state park lands, all funds had to be raised privately.
Don, a master falconer in addition to being an artist, seized upon the fact that the falcon is the official mascot of the USAF. His initial conceptual renderings were used to raise awareness and funds and, after nearly a decade of donations, blood, sweat and tears, metal and marble, the statue was finally ready for unveiling and an official dedication at the SAFBVA annual reunion around Labor Day 2006.
Don
was privileged to attend the ceremony with his father, (Don Sr. Flight 2913,
1953). When asked on-the-spot to address the more than 400 in attendance,
Don hesitated, but delivered a respectful salute with anecdotes about his
father as well as the inspiration behind the concept for the falcon statue,
of which every airman is justifiably proud. When Don finished his brief
impromptu remarks, there was scarcely a dry eye in the courtyard, including
Don's. An honor and a privilege to salute our veterans! Now that Don and his wife have a son in the US Army Infantry and a Son-in-law
in the US Marine Corps, it is especially meaningful. God bless America.