Artist shares craft's joys with librarians

By Gwendolyn Young
Diversity Institute Fellow

11.06.02

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Synthia Saint James knew she wanted to be an artist at the age of 5 when she first imitated the small drawings her father made.

Nearly five decades later, she is painting child-like images to solidify her status as an internationally recognized artist who is quietly leading an education revolution of her own.

Saint James, who built her name illustrating book covers for such celebrated authors as Alice Walker and Terry McMillan, became the first black artist commissioned to design a U.S. holiday postage stamp and has since emerged as the foremost black author of children’s picture books.

Her renown brought her to the Tennessee Association of School Librarians’ annual meeting in Franklin on Saturday, Oct. 19, to serve as featured speaker at a literary breakfast. With 13 children’s picture books to her credit, Saint James said her art seeks to help teachers and librarians inspire their students to read, write and create.

“Art for me is a release,” Saint James said. “Every painting is a child.”

Saint James has developed her own distinct artistic signature – bold colors, geometric shapes and figures with featureless faces. Her most recent books include “Tootles the Flute” and “Snow, on Snow, on Snow.”

Jeannette Lambert, the association’s president and a librarian at Pearl Cohn High School in Nashville, introduced Saint James to the 100 librarians as a “renaissance woman,” who is a community activist, cultural historian and supporter of children’s and women’s rights.

Saint James, who resides in California, took the audience on a visual tour of her creative world. She explained her artistic approach and how she succeeds in the art business by seizing opportunities to produce everything from posters and commemorative coins to websites and signature pieces for fundraising campaigns.

The self-taught painter also works in a variety of media, and that diversity has put her in demand, she said, for special projects like the 150-foot multicultural tile mural she created for Los Angeles International Airport and the 9-feet doors she designed for the Connecticut state capitol.

Saint James said she draws inspiration from various sources to produce the characters in her children’s books, which are presented with outstretched arms and uplifted faces, conveying unfettered freedom.

“Something moves me at the time,” she said. “It could be a book, film, or video. Once the brush hits the canvass, I’m in a different world.”

The librarians drew inspiration from St. James’ story, saying her books can serve as a resource for reaching students with language and art while also helping bridge the gap between cultures.

"Librarians play a central role in student achievement,” Lambert said. “The purpose of our literary breakfast was to make connections (in the community) to help achieve that.”

Saint James said she tries to convey unity and acceptance for all cultures in her art work. Her next book, titled “Enduring Wisdom,” will focus on Native American history, she said. It is due out in March 2003.

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Collection page for news stories written by members of the fall 2002 Diversity Institute class.  10.29.02