Covers of the Latvian culture magazine JG (Jauna Gaita -New Course). Art director Ilmars Rumpeters designed the covers of JG from 1965 to 2000.

At the beginning of 1950, around 100.000 Latvians immigrated to the United States. These were World War II refugees who, for reasons of political belief, did not wish to return to a homeland now occupied by the Communist Soviet Union.

In the midst of this wave of immigrants were large numbers of Latvian intellectuals and artists, whose sense of national culture and pride became an incentive for the development of the Latvian spiritual world in exile. This mission was in essence a continuation of those efforts to preserve Latvian culture which had already begun in the refugee camps of Germany. Scattered throughout the North American continent, Latvian congregations, associations, language schools, choirs and theater groups were established, as were artists´ unions, such as the "New York Latvian Artists´ Group" in 1951 and the Canadian artists´ association "Latvis" in 1955 (both still active). Newspapers were established ("Laiks" in 1949); books and Latvian-language journals appeared.

Artist and designer Ilmars Rumpeters has participated in many group art exhibitions in USA, Canada and Latvia, and received numerous awards and diplomas. He helped in founding ALMA in New York and was active in founding the Baltic American Artists Association (BALTIA).