Southern Graphics Council International (SGCI) Records, 1973-2016

Collection

Identifier: SC-S-006

Staff Only

Southern Graphics Council organizational brochure

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Content Description

The records consist of materials related to the administration and operation of the nonprofit organization, Southern Graphics Council International (SGCI). The records date from circa 1973 to 2016, and include files related to multiple artists and scholars associated with the organization; materials related to the annual conferences from SGCI, as well as those from SESAC (Southeastern College Art Conference); materials related to various exhibitions, chiefly organized or co-organized by SGCI; and administrative records. Types of materials include letters and correspondence, catalogs, leaflets, brochures, newsletters, articles, clippings, photographic materials, programs, agendas, memorandums, meetings, minutes, and biographical/historical information. Also included are a considerable number of audiovisual and born-digital materials, including videocassettes, sound cassettes, sound discs (CD), videodiscs (DVD), and three hard drives that appear to contain backups of digital files found in other audio and visual media throughout the collection.

Other materials, particularly prints and works on paper, from SGCI, are located in the Kennesaw State University Zuckerman Museum of Art (ZMA). For more information, see ZMA website.

Dates

Creation: circa 1973-2016

Creator

SGC International (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research. Some files are RESTRICTED.

Archival materials may contain sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state “right to privacy” laws. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals without the consent of those individuals may have legal cause for action if facts concerning an individual’s private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person. KSU archives staff have taken care to identify and, in some cases, remove sensitive information found within its archival collections when undertaking archival processing work. However, privacy protected information may be revealed during use of the archival collections, particularly in those collections that are unprocessed or have been minimally processed. Researchers agree to make no notes or other recordation of privacy protected information if found within the archival collections, and further agree not to publish, publicize, or disclose such information to any other party for any purpose if found within the archival collections. Researchers agree to indemnify and hold harmless Kennesaw State University and its officers, employees, and agents from and against all suits, claims, actions, and expenses arising out of use of archival collections held by the Kennesaw State University Archives.

Physical Access Restrictions

For preservation reasons, and sometimes lack of necessary equipment, physical access to original audio and visual media in a variety of magnetic and optic formats is restricted. Access to all original media, especially in obsolete formats, will require production of listening or viewing copies. Request to access these materials must be made in advance, please contact the staff in Archives and Special Collections.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Born-digital content is found in Series 6, including 3 unprocessed hard drives (500 GB, 1 TB, unknown). Access to this content is available on-site in the Archives and Special Collections reading room. Requests to access born-digital materials must be made in advance, please contact the staff.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. Permission to publish, reproduce, publicly display, broadcast, or distribute this material must be secured from the repository and/or copyright holder.

Biographical or Historical Information

The Southeastern Graphics Council (as it was originally named), originated in late 1972. The initial organization was primarily the idea of one person, Boyd Saunders, Professor of Printmaking at the University of South Carolina. He invited a number of printmakers he knew in the south to meet at the annual convention of the Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC), held in New Orleans, with the intention of forming a printmaker’s organization. Saunders’ intentions were to establish a network of printmakers who felt somewhat isolated in their profession, as at that time, college and university printmaking programs tended to be small, isolated, and neglected. The group that assembled in New Orleans for that meeting included Bernie Solomon, John O’Neil and Boyd Saunders. They wrote and approved bylaws, and in 1973, the Southeastern Graphics Council (SGC), was officially chartered by the state of South Carolina as a nonprofit organization. Its first officers were Boyd Saunders, Jeanette Dreskin of the Greenville, South Carolina County Museum, and Tom Hammond and Bernie Solomon, professors of printmaking at the University of Georgia and Georgia Southern College respectively.

Boyd Saunders served as the first president from 1972 to 1974. In 1974, the organization held its first workshop (later known as conferences), which was hosted by Bernie Solomon at his home institution of Georgia Southern College. These annual conferences have become the biggest undertaking and conspicuous activity of the organization as they stimulate a wealth of ideas regarding printmaking, and further expose students and professionals to new trends and techniques. Over the next years, conferences took place, not only in southern states, but also in New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

In 1978, as the organization grew in membership, the name changed to the Southern Graphics Council. Additionally, in 1978, the organization instituted the practice of annually awarding to a senior printmaker the honorary title of “Printmaker Emeritus.” Membership to the SGC also expanded and now has a national and international membership. In 2010, the name changed to its current SGC International (SGCI).

For more information about SGC International, visit their website at: SGC International