Shaded is the head that wears the hat

Ghost-white face, lobster legs …

Idealized self-portrait (left) of the artist as a young man, at the helm of the Art Directors and Artists Club, a visual communications organization for Sacramento-area creatives.

They were halcyon, heady days, being part of a group that at the time had a nationwide and even international reputation as a showcase for graphic design. ADAC staged a three-day conference each spring, Envision, and for a long time it was the only such conference west of the Rockies, and somehow the club was able to attract the best among graphic design to do elaborate show-and-tells for us for airfare and a hotel room.

A key example of those halcyon days: ADAC could afford to rent Asilomar, a state-run conference center near Pacific Grove on the coast, and gather the officers to relax and imagine the coming year. I'm dressed (left) for the beach, wearing a shirt Will Suckow designed just for the retreat.

A naif, I had no idea I was merely riding ADAC to its doom as the great curator of what was current in design. How Magazine, among others, eventually took over the conference business and we had no way to compete (I'm not linking to How Magazine; find it on your own).

It was sad watching ADAC transmogrify into a small local group, but I loved every minute of being part of ADAC, from inhaling Spra-Mount fumes with dozens of Envision volunteers as we prepared speakers' work for display, to fuming over a renowned graphic designer who publicly denigrated a volunteer during an Envision presentation. I learned so much from every triumph and tribulation.

As president, I tried but couldn't wield much power: One of my ideas for Envision 21 was to invite as many of the giants of graphic design to speak; people such as Bradbury Thompson and Milton Glaser. I almost had ADAC's board convinced to pursue the idea, until I wrapped up my pitch with, "It'll be a sort of 'Hear Them Before They Die" Tour. It was a joke, but it really cooled ADAC to the idea. Live and learn.

A year after my presidency, invited to Asilomar as the emeritus chief, I rented a cheerleader costume to rally officers.

Things happened, I stepped away from ADAC (though I'm happy to say I'm a member again, and the club has changed focus and operations) and didn't attend an ADAC event for a while. When I did and an old friend introduced me to someone new, her face lit up. Of course, past president, Envision co-chair, who wouldn't recognize me and be delighted for my contributions to graphic design?!

"Awesome," she said. "You're the one who dressed up as a cheerleader!"

I guess I could have a worse reputation.