Synthia SAINT JAMES
Unveils her "Let Somebody Know: Love Reigns" in Harlem
Famed artist Synthia SAINT JAMES appeared at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, to unveil her latest creation, “Let Somebody Know: Love Reigns”, a new work commissioned by Harlem’s Metropolitan AME Church for their “Renovation Project 2005”. SAINT
JAMES, (her first name used upper and lower case and middle names all caps) is one of the most acclaimed artists in the US, widely known in the art world and her works in museums and galleries throughout the world and by the general public as the creator of the first Kwanzaa
stamp for the United States Postal Service, and her many book covers that appear on over 60 books, including some by such major authors as Alice Walker, Terry McMillan, Iyana Vanzant and Julia Boyd.
Reverend Darnell L. Montgomery, the Senior Pastor of Metropolitan AME Church hosted a full house of guests, congregants of Metropolitan, their guests, and a host of celebrities from the
world of theatre, were on hand to witness the unveiling and to purchase the limited edition, signed and numbered copies of the work of which only 250 were issued. Ms SAINT JAMES personalized all purchased made that evening. The event was in commemoration of Metropolitan AME
Church’s 104th anniversary. The proceeds from the sales of the prints are earmarked for the church’s renovation.
Since 1990, she has completed over 50 commissions for major organizations, corporations and individual collectors, including The House of Seagram, Brigitte Matteuzzi's School of Modern Jazz Ballet (Geneva, Switzerland), the Mark Taper Forum, The Los
Angeles Women's Foundation, Kayser-Roth/Maybelline, Essence Magazine's 25th Anniversary, The American Library Association, UNICEF, Dance Africa, The Girl Scouts of the USA's 85th Anniversary, Attorney Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., and The United States Postal Service, who commissioned
her to create the first Kwanzaa Stamp, made available on October 22, 1997 with the first issue day ceremony at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles. The Kwanzaa Stamp has been reissued as a 37 cents stamp. She has also completed commissions for Coca Cola for "The Lady of
Soul Awards", for the American Dance Legacy Institute in honor of Donald Mc Kayle's Ballet "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder", the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, in honor of the late Congressman Julian Dixon, Children's Institute International, Crystal Stairs, Maryland's Human
Resource Department, the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters, in tribute to the 12 Black Fire lost in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, and for many other non-profit organizations.
She has 13 Children's picture books currently on the market, three of which she wrote, "The Gifts of Kwanzaa" and "Sunday" (A Parents Choice Silver Honor Book) published by Albert Whitman (&) Company and "It's Kwanzaa Time" (a lift
the flap book) published by Simon & Schuster. She received a 1997 Coretta Scott King Honor for her illustrations in "Neeny Coming, Neeny Going" published by Bridgewater Book and 4 activity books co-authored with
Bunny Hull, published by Dream A World. She also has 2 books of poetry and prose, "Girlfriends" published by Peter Pauper Press and "Can I Touch You: Love Poems and Affirmations" an audio book, and a multi-cultural cookbook "Creative Fixings from the Kitchen" published by
Persnickety Press.
SAINT JAMES architectural designs include a 2'8"x150 foot tile mural for Ontario International Airport, 6 elevator doors for the East End Complex in Sacramento, CA, 3 stained glass windows for the West Tampa Library, Tampa, FL, and a 4x7 foot tile mural for Cowan
Elementary School. She also created a original 3x6 foot painting for Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, CA.
She has received numerous awards for her outstanding contributions to children's books and other humanitarian activities. Synthia SAINT JAMES, a highly sought out keynote speaker and presenter, appearing at many national
