Me In Sunny Carolina: October 2011

Monday, October 17, 2011

Sweet Surprise

David Leonard called me last week to accept an illustration assignment I had sent him. This normally jovial illustrator suddenly became serious. “Cindy,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to talk with you for years about something.” I braced myself; this sounded bad. He began with a deep breath. “I want to thank you for the faith you’ve had in me. You don’t know this but I was ready to give up my dream of being an illustrator before I met you. I often look back to my first real job as an illustrator, for a real publication, for an amazing art director and now dear friend, Cindy. Thank you for starting me off and being alongside me, encouraging me.” Of course, I had a difficult time responding to this. Dave is one of the most talented illustrators I know. To think I played a part in his success is unimaginable. We spoke some more and I tried to assure him that it was his own talent, tenacity, and dedication to his dream that brought him to my attention. This led to me discussing my own dream of moving home to SC. I asked Dave if he would write a recommendation for me for this blog. He wrote back:

“In the cynical world of illustration, I hold Cindy as a ray of light, a turning point in my hopes of a career in illustration. The über belief she had in my work encouraged me to chase after my dreams. My illustrations have now appeared in The New Yorker, for Major League Baseball, in hosts of magazines and children’s books.”

David Leonard

www.davidleonard.com

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

I've tried to find the right words to express this for years!

Because I have design experience and writing experience and editing experience, I've always been more involved in my designs than just making it pretty. The elements must make sense to me as I put the pieces of the editorial puzzle together. I do this with my audience utmost in my mind. For Highlights, I want to make sure kids will be interested in the content and have fun while they are learning. So, my work runs first through my audience "filter" and then my mission "filter" to make sure the content fulfills the goals of the publication. I contribute conceptually and editorially to make the content work.

References

I have known and worked for Cindy Faber Smith since 1998 when she, as the art director for Science magazine, commissioned me to do the cover art for the magazine. It was a bit of a surprise since my artwork is geared towards the children’s market. Typical of Cindy, she wanted to bring a different approach to that month’s cover of a rather dry, technical publication. What at first seemed to be a rather impossible assignment (a “hidden picture” type of piece, incorporating many diverse elements) turned out to be one of the most satisfying assignments I have had in my career. She contacted me again a couple of years later with another fresh approach to the cover art utilizing the red queen from Alice in Wonderland as the theme.

I was surprised, when a few years later, she contacted me as the new art director of Highlights. As a child I had a subscription to Highlights, so I had quite an affection for this magazine. Cindy has brought her many skills as a designer to give this 60+ year-old magazine a fresher, more updated look, while still keeping the trademark Highlights style.

Working with Cindy is always a pleasure. She is simply the best art director I have worked with in my 30-year career. She does not over direct and she allows the artist enough freedom to make them feel that they are adding something of their own selves to the illustrations. She is not heavy handed with her suggestions which produces a very positive collaboration.

Because Highlights hosts an annual party for their illustrators, I finally was able to meet Cindy in person. She is a delightful person, filled with humor, intelligence and warmth. I cannot sing her praises more boldly.

David Galchutt

Illustrator

I’ve known Cindy Smith for 25 years. Over the years, I’ve come to rely on her for her humor, earnestness, and enthusiasm in countless situations.

Aside from being an artist, she is a keen observer who thrives on the challenge of dissecting problems and always seems to find a creative solution. She also has the ability to guide others in solving problems that seem insurmountable. In many ways, I’ve become a better person through observing her at work, in our community, and at play.

I admire the way Cindy experiences life and am proud to count her among my closest and most trusted friends. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her for any job. I know she would embrace any challenge and undoubtly rise to any occasion.

Sincerely,
Dolores Motichka

“In the cynical world of illustration, I hold Cindy as a ray of light, a turning point in my hopes of a career in illustration. The über belief she had in my work encouraged me to chase after my dreams. My illustrations have now appeared in The New Yorker, for Major League Baseball, in hosts of magazines and children’s books.”

David Leonard