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FireArt
by Veteran Firefighter/Artist Allan Albaitis
 It's been a long and winding road from my first idea to create
firefighter artwork over a decade ago, to now. However, my personal
hard work is only a part of what it has taken to launch FireArt.
In
1994
I created the first FireArt piece, Pullbox (very soon to be made
available again.) Actually, it was my final exam for an illustration
class I was taking at the behest of Fire Engineer, Randy Marsh (also a
climbing guide and excellent photog). In November of that year, I was
asked if I had a piece that I could donate to the Festival of Trees and
Lights, a Holiday season Downs Syndrome charity fund raiser. I matted
and framed Pullbox. Several firefighters were present when I gave it to
Pat McAllister, one of the coordinators of the event and the wife of
Fire Captain Jim (Jaws) McAllister, an academy classmate. A few asked
if it would be possible to get a copy of Pullbox. Chief Bill Whealan,
another academy classmate, suggested that if I were to sign and number
them he would also buy one. FireArt was born.
The beginning of
FireArt was humble to be sure. There was only myself and then
girlfriend, Isa. She believed in me probably more than I did. Her
spirit and sense of prosperity (as well as her excellent bookkeeping)
was an essential part of the project. I was working in my 500 sq. ft.
apartment selling mostly to other guys on my department. Today, it has
grown into a business which relies on the input and assistance of many
others. From ad agencies, publishers, gallery owners, printers,
suppliers, advertisers, software designers, attorneys and legal
consultants, web designers, accountants and bookkeepers, to computer
techs, public relations consultants, media liaisons, sales and
distribution people, packaging and production personnel, ground &
air freight companies and message/answering services as well as the
brotherly help and support of my fellow firefighters and administrative
personnel of Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, the list is long.
Special
thanks
also go out to retired Firefighter/Paramedic Larry Wrangham,
Firefighter Frank Muñoz, retired Firefighter David Helton, Captain
David Arenaz, Captain Mark Fleischmann, Captain Dean Fletcher, Captain
Rusty McAllister, Captain Angelo Aragon, PIO Tim Szymanski, and Former
LVFR Fire Chief Mario Treviño. Thanks also to Fire Engineer Sheri Piker who provided the concept for Guardians, the first print published by FireArt. I thank the officers and members of the
LVFBA , the IAFF, former General President Al Whitehead, current General President Harold Schaitberger and IAFF Local 1285
for believing in FireArt.
Without the thousands of people who
now have my work hanging on their walls there would be no story to
tell. I can’t begin to express my degree of appreciation. My promise is to
strive to make each new painting worthy of such honor. Hang in there
folks. There are many more works to come.
Without the hard work
of my immediate staff I would have orders strewn about like confetti,
and prints would be falling out of every available door and window.
Much thanks goes out to my brother-in-law and original Office Manager,
Michael Ricigliano, who, in the early years, kept the insanity at a
minimum and put out those “other” fires that, at times, had me on the
threshold of a primal scream; my (now) wife, Isa January-Albaitis, who
originally managed the FireArt database from the beginning (and has had
to endure an obsessive/compulsive, manic/depressive, hyper-critic
perfectionist in the throes of pentagenarian decline, depression and
desperation); and the other FireArt crew members, which include and
have included Derrick Deshazo, Melody Helmick, Diana Walthers, Summer Finch, Matt
Schmitt, Andrew Lundin, Firefighter Dustin Skoff, Captain Mike Evans,
Firefighter/Paramedic Carl Combado, Firefighter Kelly Doran, and
true-believer retired Fire Engineer Pete Pederson who has since passed away. I can’t omit our super-cool UPS driver,
Joel Topping who has gone out of his way many times to make sure that
the orders get out. If these folks can handle my elation/despair
roller-coaster (artists can be like that) they can handle anything.
Thanks, everybody. You’re the best.
Last but certainly not least
of the mortal beings, my family has been there for never-ending moral
support. To my father Alex, who passed away on Aug.11, 2007, my mother Olga, my son Aris who has been
updating the website, and again my wife Isa, thank you all. I couldn't
have done it without you.
And, of course, I thank the Old Master
Painter himself for all the blessings that have turned FireArt from a
dream into a reality.
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