First, I apologize for the blind mass email. I know we all hate to get them, and I offer no excuse
except that it’s for a good cause.

Many of you may know that one of the all-time industry greats, and a hero of mine, John
Ostrander, has suffered from severe eye problems for some time now. He recently
underwent eye surgery to help with his glaucoma. I spent several days with him
at the Superman Celebration in Illinois a couple weeks ago,
,and he was just a complete pleasure to be
around the whole time, and never once complained about his eyes, though they
did seem to be obviously causing him some discomfort. He spent the entire
weekend being amazingly generous to both the fans and the other creators, giving advice
to both aspiring and working writers, and free comics to little kids. As I’m
sure we all know, there’s no feeling quite like meeting someone you have idolized and
finding out that they’re a wonderful person on top of everything else.

John’s very expensive health insurance isn’t completely covering his surgeries, his
recuperation time in Boston, or his follow-ups. Thus, his friends at the Chicago Comic-Con and Wizard Entertainment are endeavoring to raise some money to help,
bless ‘em, through both cash donations and an auction to be held Saturday, August
8th. All the information right is right here at:

Comix4sight.

This is all those guys, I have nothing to do with it, I’m just passing along notice of
their good works. They put it more simply and powerfully than I could–if he loses
this battle, he loses his sight.

All of us have enjoyed John’s brilliant work, most of us have been inspired by what
he’s created or improved, and more than a few of us, like myself, have shamelessly
been swimming in his wake for some time now. Please take a moment and donate
what you can in cash, and also consider adding an item to the auction that these
wonderful people are putting on.

This is one of the really, really good guys in the industry, one of the best writers
we’ve ever had. Please help these people lend him a hand in his complete
recuperation. John has asked that any monies raised over his medical expenses
be given to the Hero Initiative, so whatever you donate is going to a
worthy comics cause no matter what.

Thank you all,
Gail Simone

Saturday, September 12, 2009, 2pm: Legal Issues in Contemporary Art

Through some recent, and not so recent, case studies, this workshop will provide artists and arts organizations with a primer on some of the more pressing legal concerns for artists today, such as contractual agreements; consignment laws; the use of appropriated material; websites and the internet; and moral rights.

Saturday, October 17, 2009, 2pm: Considering the Fiscal Sponsorship Model to Structure and Support Art Projects

Many independent artists as well as small and new arts organizations require public donations and contributions to carry out certain artistic projects. Without the requisite 501(c)(3) status, these artists and organizations face difficulties in raising funds from philanthropic individuals, charitable foundations, and government institutions. Fortunately, Fiscal Sponsorship arrangements exist which enable individual artists, as well as small and new arts organizations, to raise grants and tax-deductible contributions for their projects. Because Fiscal Sponsorships are regulated by the IRS, there are some complicated legal issues involved. Failure to comply with IRS regulations can create legal complications for the artist and/or organization. Additionally, a Fiscal Sponsorship creates an arrangement between artist and sponsor, thus calling for a written agreement where issues of liability and intellectual property will be clearly manifested.

All classes will be held and Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, and will be taught by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Associate Director, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, NYC

Seating will be limited. For more information on these new programs, and to make program reservations, call 845.440.0100 x19 or email rsvpVLA@diaart.org