Me In Sunny Carolina: 2018

Friday, March 23, 2018

Sunday, January 21, 2018

This was fun. I've been writing grants for about 12 years. In the last six years I've written grants as part of my job and it's been at a very fast pace. I've written hundreds of grants (one day I'm going to try to count them). I realize most people write a few a year for their organization. If you are a full-time grant writer, you may get close to 75-ish a year. My record was 19 grants in one month. That left scars. Surprisingly, we got a number of those grants but I wouldn't recommend it. My little bit of advice is that whether you've written one grant or 10 or 100 grants, you learn something new with each opportunity. Create a structure so that you apply your lessons to the next grant . . . and the next. We are all doing good work. The key to getting a grant award is to tell your story well enough that your funder knows your story as well as you do, and it's a story they care about.

Saturday, January 13, 2018

What's my weakness?

I've been exploring my strengths and weaknesses and I made a revealing discovery about myself. Read more in my LinkedIn article by Cynthia Faber Smith. It surprised me, too.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

A little extra

This image was a high-performing post on Legacy's social media. The post had simple information about a regular school schedule after a snow day. The image has a bit of humor, reflects our Legacy Lions positivity, and is branded. It took me about 10 minutes to create this and the extra effort was well worth the engagement return.

Sunday, January 7, 2018

My kids

Legacy's first appearance in the Greenville Christmas parade was thrilling for me. I stood in the crowd talking about my kids and had a whole corner of strangers on Main Street ready to cheer for the Lions. As the purple float came into view, one after another of my new friends shouted "Hear they come!" I jumped out into the parade route screaming and taking cell phone photos. After the float passed, I was asked "Which kid was yours?" I answered, "All of them!" The crowd erupted with laughter; they all thought I was excited about having a child from my family in the parade. I am so fortunate to know 1350 kids that I help each day reach their full potential. The kids love to take selfies. Here are a few:

I am often taking photos for the school but occasionally I am in a photograph. Below was captured by a photographer at a luncheon when my mentee told me she received a $30K scholarship to Benedict College!

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Hidden Gems

Somewhere, in some doctor or dentist office, sometime in your past, you may have enjoyed finding hidden pictures in a Highlights magazine. Creating those illustrations are more difficult than you might think. One of Highlights’ long-time illustrators happens to live in Travelers Rest and we got together in 2014 to teach a Hidden Pictures workshop. The benefits of that workshop are now employing freelance illustrators in the Upstate. Two of our “students” received the highest Hidden Pictures honor by having their work in the 2018 Highlights calendar!

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

Me In Sunny Carolina