Discussion

By HARVEY LEVENSON on Aug 12, 2024

A TRIBUTE TO MARK MICHELSON—
Journalist and “Philosopher of Printing”

Mark Michelson is a journalist who for four decades made Printing Impressions magazine an embodiment of industry literature that helped shape and define the wonderful institution of printing and its contributions to knowledge and learning in the 20th and 21st Centuries.

Indeed, Mark Michelson is an excellent and distinguished journalist, but also one who I consider a “philosopher of printing” for his editorial content and critical thinking that has helped transition the printing industry from a traditional print medium to one that has embraced the advantages of the digital world.

Each institution today has its philosophies and philosophers who are the counterparts of the great philosophers of the past. Education has them, law has them, religion has them, medicine has them and, indeed, printing has them. In fact, the printing industry has helped the institutions of the world grow through the dissemination of knowledge since the industry’s birth in the 14th century. In the latter part of the 20th Century and the start of the 21st Century to the present, Mark Michelson and Printing Impressions magazine played an important part in the continuation of graphic communication educating in informing the printing industry, and its content creators and service providers, in the production and distribution of information and knowledge.

I honor Mark Michelson for the role that he played in ensuring the ongoing importance of printing and imaging in perpetuity, and for his contribution to scholarship and learning, and who parleyed his experiences and wisdom into a successful career for many young people entering the graphic communication field. I also applaud Mark for his contributions of knowledge to professional associations, educational institutions, and to the industry in general as a journalist and modern “philosopher of printing.”

I am particularly grateful to Mark for his support provided to me during my 30 years at Cal Poly, and to all of the educational institutions preparing students to enter the graphic communication profession. The printing industry is in a better place in understanding and meeting the challenges of communication and technology in the 21st Century because of Mark Michelson.

Harvey R. Levenson, Ph. D.
Professor Emeritus, Cal Poly
San Luis Obispo

By Mark Vruno on Aug 13, 2024

Well said, Harvey!

By Patrick Henry on Aug 15, 2024

If the title "Dean of Graphic Arts Journalists" belongs to anyone, it goes to Mark Michelson. He's a thoght leader, a subject matter expert, an influencer, and an all-around wonderful guy. Here's hoping that he'll partially "flunk retirement" (Harvey, I hear you!) and keep a wise hand in our industry for a good long time to come.