I would like to take you to 1993, when at 915 E Wright Street, in the loft, plans had been contemplated, since 1983, on how to publish a book with the general expressions from individuals from all walks of life and culture. Not because they'd gone to a certain school, not because they were from a certain family, not because they were from a certain group.
I wanted to allow individuals who had never had the chance to see themself in a book, or see their work displayed in a publication, to see that. And so, with the help of Mark N., Paula H., MCM, Edward K., N. McDonald, J. Seymour, and T. Ferraro. We all had come together first in a band venture, and other social ventures. On February 4, 1994 through much sweat, toil, laughter, and tears the first issue of The Xpressions Journal with the contributions of literary submissions from individuals particularly from family and from the Riverwest community, helped make that first edition of The Xpressions Journal one of the most memorable.
That first year gave us the strength to go into 1995. We had outgrown the doorways in the Riverwest community, and we had now stretched ourselves to downtown Milwaukee, the Brady Street, and the East side area. We were publishing a lot of poetry, prose, and art. And in 1996 we had covered a lot of the avenues and the boulevards in those areas and we set our eye sights on Madison, the suburbs of Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and downtown Chicago.
By 1997 we had a few more volunteers come in: D. Szeflinski, Terry L., new graduates P. Lombardi and Chris C. They helped The Xpressions Journal cover Milwaukee for a few months. And we were always joyed to see the many individuals - big names and little names - big fish and small fish - their expressions side by side in The Xpressions Journal.
1998 was one of the more memorable years, we gathered more expressions in that year than we did in several of the preceding years. We lost one representative to some personal situations - Lori H., we lost her, but her expression lives. And, we were now covering Milwaukee, Chicago, and Madison pretty regularly. It was a wonderful feeling then, and it's a wonderful feeling today.
By 1999, I met my wife S.S. who had heard about the publication while she was traveling through Canada in the Vancouver area, where one of the representatives had stationed himself, after a year or so, with the publication. And as she began to read the publication, she too felt as I did, of the importance of individuals expressing themselves freely, unabridged, and seeing their self published. We corresponded and she came to assist. Not as my wife as first, but as a new graduate.
And so when we met, it was love at first sight, and we wed-locked in 1999, and she became my first Secretary/Executive Secretary to the eXpressions Journal Publication of the Individual Voice. And I must say she was definitely what the doctor ordered!
By 2000 we had changed the paper from newsprint to 30lb offset bright white, which we used that throughout 2000. A lot of people really didn't receive the 30 lb offset bright, and so we changed back to newsprint in 2001 - as we were attempting to make a complimentary of the eXpressions Journal in Milwaukee. Also we opened a gallery to help our distribution in Milwaukee at 1433 E. Brady St. Which we remained there less than a year, it really didn't serve our purposes, people wanted to drink coffee with The eXpressions Journal. It was a good tryout but definitely didn't work. Without advertising support we changed the paper back to a 30lb offset bright white in a tabloid, the way it is today. And people were more receptive of it in that form.
From 2002 to 2008 there was a lot of excitement, lots of miles traveled, up to 41 different states - hundreds of cities and towns in between, festivals, any place where we were allowed to tell people about the publication we distributed it there. And we published thousands of poems, hundreds of prose, we brought new writers to the forefront, we allowed the un-established and the established expressionists to establish a space on The eXpressions Journal pages. Artists and artisans graced our pages from front cover to back cover over these years. There were ups and downs. I mean, I'd love to be able to express it all but I'll have to later write it in my memoirs of The eXpressions Journal.
It is still a wonderful and challenging work. Most of the first volunteers and reps in 1993 and up until 2008 are no longer with The eXpressions Journal. But The eXpressions Journal Publications, LLC is still for the individual from all walks of life and culture being published today, to be preserved for tomorrow. And here in 2011 we've changed somewhat, we're trying to support and be abreast with our readers, writers, poets, and artisans with the low tide in the economy. And so we have advertising this year on the cover. It's being received half and half. We'd like to see more individuals with products and services, selling their crafts and their art work through The eXpressions Journal. So we'll be working on that. I don't think we'll have ads on the cover of The eXpressions Journal in 2011 - but who knows, we may have a stronger response. Also we're attempting to have The eXpressions Journal as an online complimentary. It seems like this will be more successfully carried out once we have servers.
But we are still reaching 12,000 individuals directly and indirectly online each quarter. We are distributing the publication in some shops in a CD format as well as in the paper eXpressions Journal format.
Hopefully, by July, our gallery / office at 915 E. Wright, that we haven't been in for the last 8 years, will be prepared and we can start hosting poetry reads and writer sessions, also a great point to pick up the publication if you're in town. And again to have an office and be out of our home office will be a growth, as well as a long awaited event.
And so, again, thank you for helping us reach this 18th year Anniversary. February 4, 2011 is our Anniversary, and we consider you a part of our literary and artistic and fine arts family.
Thank you, from us here at The eXpressions Journal Publications, LLC from the bottom of our hearts, to the tip of our ink pens! Thank you again and please continue with us, we love you!
Publisher of The eXpressions Journal
Bernell Trammell
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