Forwarded Source: Jenne Glover From the Heart Art Gallery
Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES – Artistic Marketer
When I spoke to Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES to schedule a time for our interview, I immediately knew why she is so successful; her positive winning spirit is refreshing. Born in 1949 in Los Angeles, California, SAINT JAMES is an internationally celebrated self-taught visual artist, author, keynote speaker, licensor, and architectural designer. She credits the creator and her ancestry (African American, Native American, Haitian, and German Jew) for her artistic gifts.
Her signature style is distinct, characterized by people dressed in brilliant gemstones of color, their geometric-like bodies are poised, looking upward and onward, they are celebrating life.
She is featured in many periodicals, as well as, Africana Women: Her Story Through Time, a book written by Dr. Cynthia Jacobs Carter. She’s in the cast of M. K. Asante’s latest documentary The Black Candle, which screened globally; and she appears in Breast Cancer Examined: An African American Perspective, which aired on the TV One Network.
SAINT JAMES is now booking her 2012 speaking engagements, workshops, artist-in-residencies, and exhibitions. To book her, call 323-993-5722 or email tobooksynthia@synthiasaintjames.com. See more of Saint James work at and click here to purchase an autographed copy of Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing.
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Aruba Fantasy Acrylic on Canvas 22”x28” |
SAINT JAMES has exhibited on Tom Joyner’s Fantastic Voyage Cruise to connect with representatives of historically black colleges and universities. On the 2009 cruise, she met Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber, president of Saint Augustine College in Raleigh, North Carolina.
SAINT JAMES was invited to speak at Saint Augustine College and she visited in September of the same year. Her visit included working with art students and attending a luncheon held in her honor. During the Q&A, she was asked what she wanted her legacy to be. SAINT JAMES expressed the desire to set up a foundation at a college to award scholarships to young women interested in pursuing a visual arts career. Dr. Suber offered Saint Augustine College and SAINT JAMES accepted.
The Synthia SAINT JAMES Fine Arts Institution was soon established, and several exhibitions have been held to raise money for the foundation. The first scholarships will be awarded to students for the 2012 fall semester. On May 8, 2010, SAINT JAMES was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Saint Augustine College and in September 2010 she did her first week as Artist-in-Residence.
SAINT JAMES is inspired by life and all it encompasses, it may be something she’s seen in a book, a play, movie, song, or someplace she’s been. Every morning at dawn, she takes a walk at the beach to say her prayers and affirmations. This clears her head and gets her focused on what she wants to accomplish this day. She takes care of herself physically, spiritually, and mentally. She eats right, takes vitamins, and works until she tires.
"She advises artists to be prepared to spend their lives building relationships, researching, and actively pursuing their art careers. She cautions not to worry about art representatives and galleries, and instead listen to your inner voice and be your own self."
Over the years, SAINT JAMES has received many awards including the distinguished Trumpet Award in 2010, which acknowledges the accomplishments of Black Americans who have significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of life for all, and she is the first painter to be recognized. The same year, she was inducted into the
National Organization of Women Business Owners – Los Angeles, Hall of Fame. She’s also the recipient of the 2008 Woman of the Year Award for the 26th Senate District; and has received the Parent’s Choice Silver Honor, a Coretta Scott King Award, and an Oppenheim Gold Award for her books.
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Sisters of Providence Acrylic on Canvas 36″x48″
Recently, ten limited edition remarques of her painting “Sisters of Providence,” were unveiled and auctioned at the Providence Health & Services Excellence Awards Dinner in Seattle, Washington. The auctioned raised $126,000 which was matched by a corporation bringing the total to $252,000. Proceeds went to the Sisters of Providence Mission in Chile. |
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| Totem Acrylic on Canvas 48” x 13” - Mural will be fabricated in tile 30’ x 8 ½’ |
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