THE BATTLE IS WON!

On Friday, January 20, 2017 I viewed the  "Central Bear Through The Years" displays at Central (yep, "displays," one in the hall by the media center, the other hanging in the gymnasium). 

I wish I could say I felt proud to finally see my public credit and acknowledgement, but after the battle I fought, the resistance I met, to simply get the EVSC and Central to simply just admit the bear they used for all these years was my artwork, the actual feeling I have is that of vindication.

My mother accompanied me to the school, and when we both entered the school I noticed immediately that the "Welcome to Central" banner, which had been hanging there at the beginning of the school year -- The banner which featured my drawing -- had since been removed.

I noticed online and such that school sites, social network pages, and other places that used my bear drawing have replaced it since I brought up my battle again this past year. As you will see in my photos of my trip, they weren't able to remove all traces (not counting the displays, natch).

When I spoke with the secretary, there was apparently no word given to the lady that I was coming to view the display. Paul Neidig and Pamela Hight did show up on time, however.

Mr. Neidig was cordial enough, but Ms. Hight was more obviously cold and short on words towards me or my mother. No surprise, there, as she was perhaps the most persistent at denying me credit st the August meeting I had with the EVSC over my art. Hight was almost ecstatic at the conclusion of that meeting when she thought I was going to accept their offer to credit me for a recreation of my older drawing. I'm sure it unnerved her when I ended up rejected that solution and continued my fight for crediting me for the actual artwork in question.

They arrived and took me to see the displays before Principal Andrea Campbell arrived. I asked Mr. Neidig if he would like to pose with me in front of the display, knowing he would almost certainly decline. Decline, he did, but offered to take my picture. I agreed.

Mr. Neidig did allow me to take pictures in the gym, and then he and Ms. Hight accompanied my mother and me back to the school offices, where he parted minutes after Principal Campbell showed up. She was nice and pleasant, in sharp contrast to Ms. Hight, who was still being distant. It was clear she really hated having to concede to me. Not that Neidig was much happier, but Hight wasn't doing much to mask her resentment at having to bow to pressure and give me my rightful credit.

I am sure Ms. Hight was also not too terribly thrilled that I spotted a fabric computer cover on a secretary's desk that sported my image of the Central bear. I asked Principal Campbell if I could taker a picture, and she cheerfully said, "why not?" Ms. Hight did not look so approvingly. Tough for her. She had sought to downplay how much the school been using my image over the years, after all.

So, it appears that except for a few stray examples, and now the displays, my drawing of the bear will be retired. I did not receive any official word on that, but it's pretty obvious. That's fine. I mentioned before that this ordeal to get the school and the EVSC to recognize me for my artwork has robbed me of any pride for the work.

I noted to both Mr. Neidig and Ms. Hight how interesting that Jon Sia, a famously North alumni and former North teacher was the co-creator of the new image of the bear commissioned in 2016. Ms. Hight seemed to bristle at my insinuation, noting the other contributor to the art, Scott Wannemuehler (creative director at Acclaim Graphics) was a former Central student.

Still, a North guy designed the new bear logo. Particularly interesting, as I brought up Jon Siau at the August EVSC meeting, noting how North has always been proud of him, and how sad that my own school and the EVSC was fighting to even credit me for my work and contribution.

So, even though the school seems to be retiring my artwork during the 30th anniversary of my having drawn it, it was used longer than any other image of the bear to represent Evansville's Central High School. I noticed that I am the only artist credited on the display who was still a student when the artwork was drawn. The other instances being professional graphic artists or a teacher who were commissioned for their work.

Excuse the length of this post, but this is obviously one of the final posts where I will have to discuss the matter, now that it has been resolved.

Let me finish this post by giving a huge, sincere, heartfelt THANK YOU to every single friend, family member, former classmate, and concerned individual who showed me support on this cause. I know I said it more than once, but I can't stress enough how much it has meant and how very appreciative I am that so many of you stood with me. 

Thank you.

Central Bear Through The Years display -- COMPLETED!

In this video I discuss the latest news, that the display of the history of Evansville Central High's bear mascot has been reportedly completed. I also discuss bullying and the tragic story of a Central student who committed suicide due to, in part, the pressure from being bullied :

Below is the display that is now at Central High School. On Friday, January 20, 2017, the day after this blog entry has been posted, I have been invited by the EVSC to come to the school and view the display in person. I will update with photos and such when that has occurred. Thanks.

The Central Bear Art Credit Proposed Resolution and Status

The last entry I entered for this blog concerning the status of my pursuit to get official, public credit and acknowledgement for the artwork I did of the bear mascot for Evansville Central High School (which the school used as the predominant image of the mascot for three decades) was the lowdown on the August 2016 meeting I had at the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation building with officials of the EVSC. If you are not aware of the history regarding this situation, check out the earlier entries of this blog that detail pretty much everything up to the point of this entry.


THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION

On September 13, 2016, I received the following message from EVSC Chief of Staff, Paul Neidig:

Good morning Mr. Hawes,

I bring you good news...  We have decided to create a display at Central featuring the evolution of the Central Bear.  Celebrating the history of Central in this way will be a great way to pay homage to all that have contributed to the school's mascot over the years.  In that display you will be given credit for the version of the bear that you drew while a student at Central.

I am truly sorry that this has upset you.

Paul Neidig, M.A., C.A.A
Chief of Staff"

I informed Mr. Neidig that this would be satisfactory to resolving the issue for me if I am credited as stated. I further asked if there was some sort of time frame for the completion of the display, and asked if I would be invited to attend its unveiling.

After not getting a response to my questions, I waited another week and asked again, more insistent on getting a response. Having dealt with the EVSC for the past few years on the matter of my art credit, I have learned not to put stock into what the EVSC says without substantive evidence. Mr. Neidig responded after I pressed the issue, writing the following reply:

"We are moving forward with the creation display.  I will let you know when it is finished."

I wrote again for an update a month later, in October of 2016, and received the same basic response. I wrote again the next month, in November, and Pamela Hight of the EVSC responded this time with the following message:

"We are working on the final layouts and design. We will let you know as soon as it is done."

Yet another month went by, and I was not alerted to any new developments regarding the display, so I wrote the EVSC once more, before the new year, seeking an update. I once more asked when the display was planned to be completed, and also asked again if I was going to be invited to see the display at its unveiling. Mr. Neidig responded with the following message:

"Good Afternoon Matt,

I trust that you had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year.  I stand by my September 13, 2016 statement to you.  As you can imagine it is taking quite a bit of time to research the history of the Central mascot. We simply don't have a date set to complete and unveil the history of the Central Bear. I am sure it will be ready within the next several months.  We will let you know when it is completed.    

Paul"

I replied noting that I know all too well about the time it takes to research, having done plenty of research on my own (much of it on display in other entries in this blog). I challenged him on whether it should take them so long, though. I offered to assist in researching the display, letting him know that I am willing to go to Central and help go through files, etc., pertaining to the history of the mascot. I even offered to help with the construction of the display. Mr. Neidig has yet to respond again.

On January 5, I decided to be more public in my questioning, and asked about the status of the display on the Twitter page for the EVSC. This time I got a response from the EVSC (presumably from Pamela Hight, who handles the communication for the EVSC on Facebook, and I believe Twitter, as well):

I asked if the display would be completed within the 2017 school year, and was told "yes."

Noting that at the least the EVSC was responsive when asked in a public forum, I followed up be pressing the issue of my offer to help research and construct the display. This is what I got in response to that:

"Yes, work is almost complete." (EVSC, Twitter post, January 13, 2017)

Interestingly, looking back on this string of responses, Pamela Hight told me they were "working on the final layouts and design" in the email dated November 30, 2016, but the email from Paul Neidig on December 27, 2016 -- Nearly a month later -- makes it sound as if the are still in the midst of researching the display. Does the January 13, 2017 Twitter post really mean the work is almost complete, like sooner rather than later, or is it another stalling maneuver from the EVSC?

Going back to Paul Neidig's email to me from September, 2016, he mentions that the EVSC and Central, through the display, will credit me for the bear drawing I did for the school as a student. This, after the EVSC tried desperately to deny me any credit in my exchanges with them in messages and at the August 2016 meeting. If the EVSC is at the least not fighting me on whether the drawing is my work any longer based on that email, why is there such a hold up on putting out the display? Surely, they would be as eager to resolve this matter as I have been all this time?

I have been clear that all I am seeking is the rightful credit and public acknowledgement for my work. The cause for the recognition for my art has been something I have only become more steadfast in seeing through to its conclusion ever since the letter Mr. Neidig sent me in 2012 that sought to discredit me for that artwork. I have tried everything I can to settle this matter between us without having to seek out legal recourse. I simply want them to acknowledge publicly that the artwork is mine.

The proposal to give me that recognition in the form of a display detailing the history of the Central bear mascot was their idea to resolve things. I had already informed them that such recognition could be as simple as placing a framed document on the wall at Central with my bear drawing in it, crediting me for my work. Obviously, the EVSC has decided a display would benefit their interests more in some fashion, and as long as I get the credit for my art I have told them I am fine with that.

But, I do expect the EVSC to, you know, actually, truly, really go through with it. I also think it's more than generous enough to expect the display to be finished within five months time.

I remain hopeful that the next blog entry I make on this subject will be to announce the completion AND unveiling of the display. One thing is certain, until that happens, my cause will continue.



Central Bear Art Credit Facebook Page!