Community.
I launched Good Ink Missions as a way to use my privilege and resources to support our community. Initiatives range from designing/printing shirts focused on current issues, donating youth workshops to create a dialogue about using art to support others, and creating/running events to raise money for local non-profit organizations.
A portion of my commercial project fees fund the Good Ink Missions including shirts, paper, inks, etc.
2024 was busy with the election but also many other areas. Throughout the year Good Ink Missions included designing, screen printing, and donating 600+ shirts, 1,500+ posters/prints, 50 yard signs that raised $1,000 for a local non-profit, 50+ shirts that raised $800 for a struggling small community business, and more than 200 hours working with youth and community.
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Privilege with Purpose
The following areas show how I choose to use my business and resources as a way to support others and the issues we face as a community. I am fortunate, that as a single-person studio, I have a certain amount of financial success that allows me take on all these missions. Ink Lounge was also recognized in Westword's Best of Denver 2022 issue for Community Service. Read Article
A War of Words 2022
I've been printing free shirts for social issues but I decided to try a pre-sale of one of the shirts I had designed with profits going to the International Organization of Immigration that was supporting Ukraine and immigration around the world. In the end I also decided to donate the shirts & materials.
$1,250 International Organization of Immigration
$200 donated shirts/printing supplies/ink/film/etc.
15+ hours design/printing
Good Art for Sale 2022-23
For 2022 I donated a minimum of 50% of all exhibit sales to non-profits. I also created a LemonAID stand for our 15th Anniversary and the youth donated their sales ($170).
$570 JeffCo Eats (Includes LemonAID sales)
$325 Access Gallery
$165 Center on Colfax
$800 went to others including the Woman's Bean Project, Headwaters Protectors, New Era Colorado, Ukrainians of Colorado, BLM5280
Talk is Cheap 2022
I found out that a country musician I screen printed a poster for was filmed using racial slurs. So I donated 100% of the fees to various causes to support the Black Community.
$500 The Black Opry
$500 Color Me Country Artist Grant Fund
$1,000 I commissioned Juliette Hemingway, a local illustrator, to collaborate on a poster that I screen printed and donated to the local Juneteenth Festival to sell.
$600 donated shirts/printing supplies/ink/film/tubes/etc.
20+ hours design/printing/coordinating
Youthful Ambition 2022-23
I worked with about 10 youth organizations and schools this last year including Anythink Libraries, Boys & Girls Clubs, DPS SPARK program, IIYC, and others. Time is all donated including the design and shirts for their print projects
$15000+ covered shirts/printing supplies/ink/film/etc.
50+ hours design/tour/print activity
Abortion is Healthcare 2022
July of 2022 I designed and pre-sold 725 shirts where 100% of sales, ($14,500) was donated to support abortion rights. I also purchased/donated shirts. Thanks to 9News article!
$6,500 Patient Assistance Fund for the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains
$2,000 Cobalt Abortion Fund / $2,000 COLOR Latina
$2,000 Colorado Doula Project / $2,000 Soul 2 Soul Sisters
$2,800 donated shirts/printing supplies/ink/film/etc.
40+ hours design/printing/coordinating
Protest-Ink 2022-23
I continue to design and and screen print mini-posters to give away at marches to give those in attendance something to wave in support. My main goal is for them to take home as a reminder on why they were there that day and find ways to use their resources to support these causes.
$2,500+ donated paper/printing supplies/ink/film/etc.
100+ hours design/printing/handing out
CommuniTee Shirts 2020-Present formally know as LiberTee-Shirts
Over the past 4 years I host events where people can screen print social issue designs for free / more details
Past Mission Summaries
A few of the more ambitious community initiatives from recent years that show how I use my resources.
It’s Not Black & White...
MISSION TO GIVE COLORADO ARTISTS A CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES / $6,400 Raised and Donated
I created an exhibit where the artist's piece represented a social issue that matters to them. I also secured 3 curators and donated all the screen printing. $3,650 sales went to the artists, $1,375 to Headwaters Protectors, $1,375 to the Black Loves Mural Festival, and $600 went back to Ink Lounge to cover event materials, muralist costs, and shipping.
Signs of the Time
MISSION TO GET IN THE WAY / $1,300+ Raised and Donated
I created a first amendment event and voter registration drive with the help of great volunteers. For the exhibit I designed, screen printed, and fabricated 12 6ft signs to form a sculpture garden and 200 standard size to sell. 50% of sales benefited BLM5280 and Future Coalition. My wife and I also completed the tests to receive our Voter Registration Drive certificates.
Home. Hope! Exhibit
MISSION USING MY PRIVILEGE TO HELP OTHERS / $1,500 Raised and Donated to Non-Profit, $7,500 to Artists
During the stay at home order, I created an online art exhibit to benefit 25 artists and Access Gallery, a local non-profit. For each artist I printed 100, CMYK screen prints at 50% my normal rate. I donated the printing to the 4 Access Gallery artists and with the exception of shipping fees, all sales went directly back to the artist with a portion also benefiting Access Gallery.
It's Not B&W... Exhibit 2021
Signs of the Time 2020/2021
Home. Hope! Exhibit 2020
