My Thoughts on Thanksgiving Weekend

Dear Friends,

I have so much to be thankful for this year, I don’t know where to begin. I’m thankful for those closest to me–my wife, my son, my best friend Steve Smith, my friend Charlie Athanas, my in-laws who have helped me out tremendously this past year, Colin Pritchard of Rocket No. 9, Kevin Sandstrom at Blick Art Supply, the 501st, (especially Chris Spice of top-rated Star Wars site Sandtroopers.com) the great art directors and editors I’ve worked with this past year, and also for all of you who take an interest in my art and are the reason I keep doing what I do. I am thankful for my U.S. military family, for USACares.org and  for The Dennis Miller Radio Show who has been kind enough to have me on to share my projects and my military art passion project, Project 52.

I especially thank all of you who have purchased my new art career retrospective and memoir book, ROLLING THUNDER: THE ART OF DAVE DORMAN, by IDW Publishing/Desperado Publishing, either for yourselves, or for a loved one as a holiday gift. Even if the book wasn’t mine, I would enjoy 4.5 pounds of art in hardcover to peruse over my mulled cider during the holidays.

Today I wanted to share another blog with you, written by my friend and fellow 501st member David Syczylo. David is the Snowtrooper who posed for me for this year’s Star Wars Celebration painting. He did an excellent job of explaining the poses, not to mention providing us all with a brilliant display he has created of my Star Wars Celebration prints:

http://www.djsyczylo.net/chronicles/DormanHoth/DormanHoth.htm

I hope you enjoy David’s blog as much as I did about how the Star Wars Celebration piece came about. The best part of this project? I have been very fortunate to get to know David over the past 6 months and he is a special person to me and my wife. You will never meet a kinder or more giving person. He drove all of the way to my home in northern Illinois from Indianapolis just to pose for me, and refused to take even  gas money. That’s the kind of guy David is. Ask him about his film career when you meet him. He has great stories.

Thanks for reading. More to come. I just did a Captain Marvel this past weekend for the very first time in my career, but I have to check with an editor first to see when I can post it.

Be safe this holiday weekend,

Dave.

P.S. I finally got to see “Walking Dead.” I’m hooked. What do you all think of it? Any of you watching? If not, check it out – let’s compare notes. My friend and fellow judge in the December 6th Chicago 10-minute horror play international competition Death Scribe 2010, Jay Bonansinga, is writing the novelization of the series and he’s an excellent writer.

The Most Personal Dave Dorman Project I’ve Ever Done: Project 52

Dear Friends,

Today is my 52nd birthday and today I’m giving myself a gift: giving back. I’m announcing my personal project, called PROJECT 52, which gives back to the brave military men and women and their families who sacrifice on behalf of our great country, the place I call home and still believe in my heart of hearts is that shining city on the hill.

I am painting 52 military paintings to be published in a fine art book, with a portion of the proceeds from the book going to USACares.org. I am also planning a Project 52 traveling gallery art show to be held at military bases throughout the U.S. Here are 2 paintings from Project 52, inspired by photos I’ve been collecting of our conflict in the Middle East – photos from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

Dave Dorman's Project 52, Painting #1

Dave Dorman's Project 52, Painting #2

Depending on the dollars you donate, you will receive one of the following:

VIP Perks

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Project 52 Supporter ($5 minimum)

You or the person of your choice will be listed in the Project 52 fine art book with your donation of $5.

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Dedicated Supporter ($25 minimum)

You may honor the special person or soldier in your life with a two-line dedication in the Project 52 fine art book with your donation of $25.

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Bronze Level Donor ($50 minimum)

You will receive a signed copy of the Project 52 regular retail edition fine art book when you donate $50 to the project.

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Silver Level Donor ($100 minimum)

You will receive a signed, dedicated copy of the Project 52 Limited Edition fine art book with your donation of $100.

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Gold Level Donor ($250 minimum)

You will receive a signed, numbered copy of the Project 52 Limited Edition Lithograph on acid-free, archival paper. This can be personalized if you so choose, as well as a signed copy of the Limited Edition fine art book.

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Platinum Level Donor ($1,000 minimum)

The first 52 people who give at the Platinum level will receive one of the actual Project 52 Paintings once the gallery tour of duty throughout the military bases is completed, plus the fine art limited edition lithograph, autographed and a signed, Limited Edition fine art hardcover book.

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I am humbled at this moment in asking you all reading this for this very huge favor. I’m unaccustomed to asking for money like this. I’m new to crowd funding, but I’m told for all of us artists, it’s the “new normal.” Basically, I’m asking everyone I know to donate at least $5 to fund this project. Even $1 would be helpful. Surely, I have 52,000 fans out there worldwide. Help me spread the word.

The goal is to reach $52,000, which will pay for me to take some time off from full-time commercial work, and to get this special limited edition fine art book published and distributed as well as the lithographs printed. Everyone who donates something receives something in return.

Here is the link to contribute: http://www.indiegogo.com/Project-52

I thank you all for reading, and I hope you join me on this “Team Dave” journey. I will be keeping everyone abreast of my progress on this blog.

I also want to mention that my autograph session at Blick Art Supply in Wheaton, IL is scheduled for Saturday, October 23rd from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. I will be there with a supply of ROLLING THUNDER: THE ART OF DAVE DORMAN books – 4.5 lbs. of my career in art and me blabbering on about my weird life. So, I hope you can all come out & keep me company there.

Thanks again for your interest in and support of my work.

Dave, the birthday boy.