Synthia Saint James
{{Short description|American visual artist}}
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| name = Synthia Saint James
| image = Synthia SAINT JAMES - photo by Leroy Hamilton.jpg
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|02|11}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| occupation = Visual artist, author, educator and actor in the 70s.
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| nationality = American
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Synthia Saint James (born February 11, 1949) is an American visual artist, author, keynote speaker, educator and actor in the 70s. She is best known for designing the original cover art of the hardcover edition of Terry McMillan's book Waiting to Exhale.{{cite book | title=Waiting to Exhale | url=https://archive.org/details/waitingtoexhale000mcmi | url-access=registration | publisher=Viking/Penguin | author=McMillan, Terry | year=1992| isbn=9780670839803 }} Additionally, Saint James designed the first Kwanzaa stamp for the United States Postal Service, first issued in 1997 and the Kwanzaa Forever Stamp, issued in 2016.{{cite web | url=http://www.beyondtheperf.com/content/kwanzaa-celebrating-umoja-unity | title=Kwanzaa: Celebrating Umoja (Unity) | accessdate=May 12, 2012}}{{cite news |last1=Wardlaw |first1=Valerie |title=Artist Synthia Saint James And The U.S. Postal Service Release New Kwanzaa Stamp |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/artist-synthia-saint-jame_b_12386360 |work=The Huffington Post |date=2016-11-30}}
Biography
Synthia Saint James was raised in Los Angeles, California and the Bronx, New York.{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-16-ls-9647-story.html | title=Painting the Town | date=December 16, 1996 | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | access-date=May 12, 2012 | last=George|first=Lynell}} She sold her first painting in New York City at the age of 20. She currently lives in Los Angeles.
Career
In 1976, Synthia Saint James appeared in the film Emma Mae (also known as Black Sister's Revenge). The film is set in Compton, CA and played the role of Ulika Stansell, cousin to the title-character Emma Mae. In 1977 she appeared as the spokesperson and counter girl in a national McDonald's TV commercial.
Saint James had her first solo art exhibition in 1977 at the Inner City Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California, where she studied performing arts. In 1980, she participated in her first international exhibition in Paris, France.{{cite web | url=https://www.createspace.com/3702230 | title=www.createspace.com | accessdate=May 12, 2012}}
She received an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Humane Letters) from Saint Augustine's University, Raleigh, North Carolina, on May 8, 2010.
Bibliography
=Children's books=
- {{cite book | title=Tukama Tootles the Flute: A Tale From The Antilles Tukama Tootles the Flute: A Tale From The Antilles | publisher=Scholastic | author=Gershator/Saint James | year=1994 | isbn=9780531086612 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/tukamatootlesflu0000gers }}
- {{cite book | title=Snow on Snow on Snow | publisher=Penguin | author=Chapman/Saint James | year=1994 | isbn=9780803714571 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/snowonsnowonsnow0000chap }}
- {{cite book | title=The Gifts of Kwanzaa | publisher=Whitman, Albert & Company | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=1994 | isbn=9780807529072 | url=https://archive.org/details/giftsofkwanzaa00sain }}
- {{cite book | title=Sunday | publisher=Whitman, Albert & Company | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=1996 | isbn=9780807576588 | url=https://archive.org/details/sunday00sain_0 }}
- {{cite book | title=How Mr. Monkey Saw the Whole World | publisher=Random House | author=Myers/Saint James | year=1997 | isbn=9780440414155}}
- {{cite book | title=Greetings, Sun | publisher=DK/Penguin | author=Gershator/Saint James | year=2000 | isbn=9780789426604}}
- {{cite book | title=No Mirrors in My Nana's House | publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | author=Barnwell/Saint James | year=2005 | isbn=9780152052430}}
- {{cite book | title=Girls Together | publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | author=Williams/Saint James | year=1999 | isbn=9780152309824 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/girlstogether0000will }}
- {{cite book | title=Happy Happy Kwanzaa | publisher=Brassheart Music; Pap/Cas edition | author=Hull/Saint James | year=1999 | isbn=978-0967376226}}
- {{cite book | title=Hallelujah: A Christmas Celebration | publisher=Atheneum/Simon & Schuster; 1st edition | author=Nikola-Lisa/Saint James | year=2000 | isbn=978-0689816734 | url=https://archive.org/details/hallelujahchrist00wnik }}
- {{cite book | title=To Dinner, for Dinner | publisher=Holiday House | author=Mollel/Saint James | year=2000 | isbn=9780823415274 | url=https://archive.org/details/todinnerfordinne00moll }}
- {{cite book | title=Alphabet Affirmations: Positive Affirmations for Children | publisher=Kids Creative Classics; Book and Cassette edition | author=Hull/Saint James | year=2000 | isbn=978-0967376233}}
- {{cite book | title=It's Kwanzaa Time It's Kwanzaa Time | publisher=Little Simon/Simon & Schuster | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=2001 | isbn=9780689841637 | url=https://archive.org/details/itskwanzaatimeli00sain }}
- {{cite book | title=Peace in Our Land | publisher=Kids Creative Classics | author=Hull/Saint James | year=2002 | isbn=978-0972147804}}
- {{cite book | title=Dream A World: A Child's Journey To Self-Discovery | publisher=BrassHeart Music | author=Hull/Saint James | year=2004 | isbn=978-0972147835}}
- {{cite book | title=A story in The Milestones Project | publisher=Tricycle Press | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=2004}}
- {{cite book | title=Neeny Coming, Neeny Going | publisher=Troll Communications | author=English/Saint James | year=2003 | isbn=9780816737970 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/neenycomingneeny0000engl }}
- {{cite book | title=Enduring Wisdom: Sayings from Native Americans | publisher=Holiday House | author=Sneve/Saint James | year=2003 | isbn=978-0823414550}}
=Adult literature=
- {{cite book | title=Mother's Love | publisher=White Plains, NY: Peter Pauper Press | author=Johnson/Saint James | year=1996}}
- {{cite book | title=Girlfriends | publisher=Peter Pauper Press | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=1996 | isbn=978-0880882293 | url=https://archive.org/details/girlfriends00sain }}
- {{cite book | title=Can I Touch You?: Love Poems and Affirmations | publisher=Beckham Publications | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=1997 | isbn=978-1890207007}}
- {{cite book | title=Creative Fixings from the Kitchen: Favorite Multicultural Recipes | publisher=Persnickety Pr | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=1998 | isbn=978-0965025843}}
- {{cite book | title=Who's Who among African Americans, 13th Edition, Forward | publisher=Gale/Thomson | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=2000}}
- {{cite book | title=Essay in How to Make Black America Better: Leading African Americans Speak Out | publisher=Knopf/Random House | author=Smiley, Tavis | authorlink=Saint James, Synthia | year=2002 | isbn=9780385720878 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/howtomakeblackam0000smil }}
- {{cite book | title=Synthia Saint James: a Book of Postcards | publisher=Pomegranate | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=2004 | isbn=978-0764929472}}
- {{cite book | title=Living My Dream: an Artistic Approach to Marketing | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=2011 | publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | isbn=9781466409897}}
- {{cite book | title=The I Wills According to SAINT JAMES: Book One | publisher=Atelier SAINT JAMES | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=2011 | isbn=978-0615584683}}
- {{cite book | title=Can I Touch You: a Collection of Love Poetry | publisher=Atelier SAINT JAMES | author=Saint James, Synthia | year=2011 | isbn=978-0615579313}}
- Saint James, Synthia (2015). In and Out of Love: Selected Poetry from the 1970s. Atelier SAINT JAMES. {{ISBN|978-0692608029}}.
- Saint James, Synthia (2016). Creative Fixings from the Kitchen: Multicultural Delights. Atelier SAINT JAMES. {{ISBN|978-0692359839}}.
- Saint James, Synthia (2016). Honey Suckle Kisses. Atelier SAINT JAMES. {{ISBN|978-0692712320}}.
- Saint James, Synthia (2016). I AM EDMONIA LEWIS and I AM WILDFIRE (A Monologue). Atelier SAINT JAMES. {{ISBN|978-1539035848}}.
- Saint James, Synthia (2016). Honey Suckle Kisses: Love's Refreshment. Atelier SAINT JAMES. {{ISBN|978-1539014171}}.
Awards
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
! ! Year !! Award !! Organisation | ||
| !2015
!2015 Villager Award !Afram Global Organization Inc, The Village P.r.o.j.e.c.t.s. | ||
|---|---|---|
| | 2011 | California Black Women's Health Project{{cite web | url=http://cabwhp.org/files/eBlast/20111030-gala-invite.html | title=Women Who Dared Awards | accessdate=May 12, 2012}} | |
| | rowspan="4" |2010 | Trumpet Awards-The Arts {{cite web | url=http://trumpetfoundation.org/trumpet-2012/previous-honorees | title=Trumpet Awards | date=9 December 2011 | accessdate=May 12, 2012}} | Trumpet Awards |
| Honorary Doctorate( Doctor of Humane Letters) | Saint Augustine's College | |
| Hall of Fame {{cite web | url=http://www.nawbola.org/about/hall-fame-2010 | title=Hall of Fame National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter | accessdate=May 12, 2012}} | National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter | |
| "Phenomenal Women" | California State University, Northridge | |
| | 2008 | "Woman of the Year" | 26th Senatorial District of California |
| | 2007 | "A Tribute to Synthia SAINT JAMES" | The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation & AEG Worldwide |
| | rowspan="2" |2006 | "MOSTE Inspirational Woman" | MOSTE Foundation |
| "The Samella Award" | Center for the Arts of the African Diaspora | |
| | rowspan="2" |2004 | "Woman of the Year" (Education) | Los Angeles County Commission for Women |
| "The History Makers Award" | ||
| | rowspan="2" | 2002 | "Ebony Excellence: Women of Vision" | Mu Beta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. |
| "Sisters Award" | National Alumnae Association of Spelman College | |
| | rowspan="3" | 2001 | "Greensboro, NC Key to the City" | African American Atelier Gallery |
| "The Arts Council Award" | California Afro-American Museum | |
| "Oppenheim Gold Award" - for the book To Dinner, For Dinner | ||
| | rowspan="2" |2000 | "Literary & Visual Arts Award" | 115th Anniversary Second Baptist Church |
| "Talent Award" | Los Angeles Chapter of The Links, Inc. | |
| | 1999 | "NAPPA Gold Award" | NAPPA |
| | 1998 | "Women of Vision Award" | Black Women Lawyers |
| | rowspan="5" | 1997 | Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award - for the book Neeny Coming Neeny Going | |
| "UNICEF Greeting Card Award" | UNICEF | |
| "AT&T Entrepreneur of the Year" | Black Women of Achievement & NAACP Legal Defense Fund | |
| "Treasure of Los Angeles" | ||
| "YWCA Silver Achievement Award" | YWCA | |
| | 1996 | "Parents Choice Silver Honor" - for the book Sunday |
=43rd NAACP Image Awards (2012)=
"Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing": Outstanding Literary Work-Instructional category.{{Cite news|url=http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/NAACP-Image-Awards-2012:Full-list-of-winners/8548831|title=NAACP Image Awards 2012: Full list of winners|work=ABC7 Los Angeles|access-date=2018-08-16|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.AtelierSynthiaSAINTJAMES.com/ Synthia SAINT JAMES Official Web site]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20141108075518/http://www.ala.org/emiert/cskbookawards/recipients Coretta Scott King Book Award Recipients]
- [http://theblackcandle.com/ M.K. Asante, The Black Candle]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint James, Synthia}}
Category:African-American women artists
Category:American stamp designers
Category:Women stamp designers
Category:American children's book illustrators
Category:American women children's book illustrators
Category:American women educators
Category:American graphic designers
Category:American women graphic designers
Category:21st-century African-American artists
Category:21st-century African-American women