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Josh Ryan, my friend

I see that many people have been searching the blog for information on the sad story of Josh Ryan. Here is what I have for you:

A few weeks back I posted an excited rant on the new screen printing business my friends and I were working on. Josh Ryan, the guy who brought us all together to get excited about the project ended his life last week, Tuesday the 24th of February. Josh was one of the nicest, most out going and personable people I have ever had the pleasure of calling friend. We met in high school and got to know each other on the wrestling team. We were the same weight so we had to wrestle off for the varsity position every week.  We lost connection (like I did with most people) when we parted ways for college. We reunited when we both moved back to Tuolumne County. He would always ask me about graphic design and screen printing and propose the idea of working together. It wasn’t until recently that we really started working together and setting up the business plan with our partners. We had met with potential clients, attended community meetings and signed up for volunteer work together. He was always talking about the future and setting up plans for us and the print shop. The last day I saw him I had brought him to the print shop I use for my relief printing. He was really excited to learn the craft and start a new painting. We made plans to meet the next day to work on a project together. The next day came and I couldn’t get a hold of him. I didn’t think much of it because Josh didn’t have a working cell phone. Later that night Calen called me and told me of the news. I was in a state of disbelief and denial for the rest of the week. It is still hard to believe that my friend, someone whom I had been working so closely with, could be feeling how he did without ever showing the slightest hint of depression, distress or angst. Know that nothing is so bad that you need to end your life. Attend his memorial and you will see the hundreds of people loved Josh and would have done everything in their power to keep him here with us today.

A memorial will be held in Josh’s honor this Sunday, March 8th at 1:30pm at the Sierra Bible Church.

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Great News Everybody!

In spite of the recent economy I have been invited to become a founding member of a new, youthful, energetic, kick ass screen printing shop with my two friends Josh Ryan and Calen Davidson. We have resolved to destroy our competition by concentrating on the artwork that goes into each piece we create, weather it be a t-shirt, sticker or poster. Most of the graphic design and illustration applied by other screen printers consist of run-of-the-mill clip art that can be selected by anyone out of a book. The results are boring, lifeless and dated images that have been over applied by the world over. We promise to create unique, original art for each and every customer because that is what the world needs, not more clip art.

Company president, Josh Ryan, is a fantastic fine artist/illustrator who has been honing his talents for over a decade. Zac Calbert, our art director, received his degree in Studio Art with an emphasis in graphic design and visual communication from California State University Long Beach in 2006. He has been hired on several occasions to create the art for multiple print shops and small businesses in the county. Both Calbert and Ryan have been dabbling in printmaking for several years. Calen Davidson majored in marketing at Chico State and has been a recreational cartoonist for well over a decade. He has the business knowledge and selling power to acquire large accounts throughout the region.

The point to all of this being that these three individuals have a passion for the art behind the trade and seek to better the appearance of their community while upholding the tradition of printmaking. Our competitors can only offer a barely acceptable solution to the small business needs of our extended community. Hopefully we will be elbow deep in business by the end of the year.

{Stay tuned for information on our SECRET WEAPON}

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Support or Die

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This is my latest line of shirts. Over the summer I volunteered a lot of time to my local Arts Council and our Foothill Farmlands Arts Festival and I designed these shirts with our struggling arts community in mind. I designed and printed them all myself right here in ol’ Tuolumne County. They are a very limited run (especially the yellow ones) and are going fast. If you want to snatch one while they’re still available email me at tuo_cou@yahoo.com with the size and color you want along with your address and I will let you know what’s available. They are $20 a piece.

Here is an image created by friend & satisfied customer April:

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