Charles Apple

The field of news graphics takes another huge hit this week, I’m sad to report.

Bob Swofford, managing editor of The (Santa Rosa, Calif.) Press Democrat, announced Monday: 

Graphics Editor Dennis Bolt will be leaving us in a couple of weeks to spend more time with his family and pursue his creative interests.

In his nearly 3 years at The Press Democrat, Dennis has provided readers with award-winning graphics from the 1906 Quake package, his memorable illustration of knives and the ongoing series of home styles in Santa Rosa, among others. He won a first place award in the highly competitive Best of the West and multiple awards from the Society of News Design and the statewide Associated Press contest.

Dennis’ plans include helping home school his 3- and 6-year old children and doing freelance design, illustration and fine art.

We are sorry to see him go and we wish Dennis all the best, and we all know how difficult it is to completely sever ties so perhaps we’ll be the recipient of some of that creative work in the future.

Dennis adds his last day will be Dec. 7 and that The Press Democrat has no plans to replace him. He says:

There is mutual agreement between me and my managers that we want to work out some deal where I can do some freelance illustrations and project graphics in the new year.

I am not leaving the industry, just leaving the company and hopefully starting a new, better, part of my art and design life. I am at a point in my career and my family’s life where we need to really look forward to the next 5 to 10 years and figure out where we want to be and if my current situation is getting us there.

Know anybody who needs any good freelance work?

A 1997 graduate of the University of Oregon, Dennis worked briefly for The Salem (Ore.) Statesman Journal before moving to The Marin Independent Journal in Novato, Calif. Dennis spent seven years in Marin County before becoming graphics editor of The Press Democrat in early 2005.

A few samples of Dennis’ award-winning work:

The rainfall graphic at left won a CNPA award. The highway-widening piece won an SND award. The Knives package won an SND award and a first-place award from APNEC.

This big doubletruck won an SND award of excellence, a Clarion award,  an APNEC award and a Best of the West award.

This illustration of George Lucas didn’t win anything that I know of. But I like it anyway.

See more of Dennis’ work in his NewsPageDesigner portfolio.

While at the Independent Journal, Dennis worked with Len De Groot, who is now the graphics editor of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Ft. Lauderdale. Len writes:

Dennis is a talented journalist who recognized early that his personal life would outlast his professional life. He is a skilled artist and I have no doubt this is the best move for him. But I’m disappointed, as well. This seems to signal a waning commitment to visual journalism by the PD.

So yet another incredibly talented graphic journalist leaves the field. Is there any end to this trend?

Can our readers get by without graphics in their daily papers? If so, then why have we had jobs until now in the first place?

If there’s an upside to this trend, I wish someone would point it out to me…

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Job changes, Industry woes, Newspapers, VizEds Blog, Graphics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.