First Proof Press

Last chance to sign up for this into lino cuts workshop! This process is a great way to get your foot in the door when it comes to printmaking.
Register over at firstproofpress.com

Some great upcoming workshops! Beginners welcome! Head on over to firstproofpress.com to learn more/register

Thanks to everyone that came out for luv crawl tonight!!

Want to learn how to print your very own t shirt designs? Check out our upcoming Intro to T-Shirt Printing Workshop this coming Saturday! Click the link to register today!!

https://www.firstproofpress.com/workshops-/intro-to-photo-screen-printing-with-daniel-chiaccio

Check out some of our new upcoming workshops!

More info and registration over at firstproofpress.com

Last chance to register for our into to t-shirt printmaking workshop this Saturday! No prior printmaking experience needed. Head on over to firstproofpress.com to register!

*Posting this for those who donated and helped me outside the Gofundme

Wow. That was intense. I am overjoyed to announce though, that after a long and extremely difficult journey, I BEAT CANCER!! Turns out I am pretty hard to kill, and obviously (I'm talking to you) a lot of people want me to not die.

Words cant express the gratitude and joy I feel from seeing all your kind comments and donations. I mean 37k, just incredible.

I want you all to know that you saved my life. There was a time I genuinely thought I was going to die, your help and donations made it so I could focus on healing, it was incredibly motivating to see the help pour in.

I also want to extend my deepest thanks and love to the staff at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Dr. Agnes and the lovely nurses at the clinic (seriously I don't know how you all do it, you are all incredibly strong and caring women.). I want to thank my dear friends and loved ones who poured in the support, I am sorry I couldn't get around to answering all your messages, just rest assured they were all wonderful to read, and many caused me to cry. Thank you to Liz Chalfin and Sheldon Carrol of Zea Mays Printmaking for setting up this fundraiser, you pulled through for me in the most trying time of my life.

Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma, while one of the more treatable cancers, had a brutal chemotherapy regiment. 6 months of being pumped full of poison twice a week was not fun. Pair that with me moving my entire business, First Proof, the everyday struggles of life, a crippling breakup, teaching my first college level class, having to isolate myself from loved ones due to the chemicals in my bloodstream, being cut open, poked and prodded, pumped full of chemicals and simply having to face my mortality at the young age of 33 was kind of not fun. You all made it much better and easier to navigate.

I couldn't work as much during that time, and your donations allowed me to keep up with rent and bills. It also fostered my dream of building a community printmaking studio. Im thrilled to say that I can keep doing what I love, and I am thankful I get to share the joy of creating with all of you. You all also made it so I can offer scholarships, keep teaching art to at risk youth, throw a party for all the incredible nurses and oncologists that helped me along the way.

The photo shown is a before and after of PET/CT scans taken 5 months apart. The lit up white dots were infected lymph nodes, the mass was roughly 11-13" in length and spread to my lungs. When your young, you think you're invincible, turns out thats not true. Never in a million years did I think I would get cancer at this time, but it can happen. I ignored some health concern for a while, and it turns out that I had cancer growing in my body roughly a year prior to my biopsy. So nearly two full years of having cancer. So I kindly ask, please go see a medical professional if you feel things off in your body. I accounted my symptoms being related to stress or the fact that I was a smoker in my past, and I ignored my health. I had not scheduled a checkup for years. Don't be a big old dummy like me, get a checkup.

Things are now returning, my hair is growing back (can you believe it will almost certainly come back curly? I had straight hair before) I ran 3 miles last week, you can actually tell my expressions now because I have eyebrows again, I have an appetite again and most of my energy. It will be a long journey to feel safe again and in the clear, but I am so thankful I am now going down that road. I have more time with my friends and loved ones now, my cat is pretty stoked too.

I look forward to a life full of love and compassion, to having the ability to foster creativity and love in my printmaking studio, and I am happy I can keep being a staple in my community.

I feel genuine love to all of you for the help and care you provided me, I will dedicate my life moving forward sharing that love and care with others. Again, with every part of myself and who I am, thank you. You saved my life.

- Dan

P.S. First Proof (my community printmaking studio) is having a big old grand openning party on April 20th from 5-9pm. I hope you can all make it, you can see what your donations helped build, and snag some free wine and crackers while you're at it.

Cool little write up about the new start of first proof!

Young Entrepreneur Recently named a Southern Vermont Emerging Leader by Southern Vermont Young Professionals, Daniel Chiaccio, 33, of Guilford, Vt., is striving to share the arts with the community.

Check out our new workshops!

Some photos from our first day being back open!
And yes, we are totally dog friendly