Synthia Saint James
Biography
Artist, Educator, Speaker & Author
Synthia SAINT JAMES is a world renowned multicultural visual artist, an award winning author and/or illustrator of 17 children’s books, author of 3 poetry books, 2 affirmation books, a cookbook, a play, and the autobiographical book titled Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing, which was nominated for the 2012 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional.
She is also a popular speaker, educator and architectural designer who has garnered numerous awards, including the prestigious Trumpet Award, a Coretta Scott King Award, a YWCA Silver Achievement Award, and an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Saint Augustine’s University. SAINT JAMES also serves as a Global Ambassador for Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s “Circle of Promise”.
Synthia SAINT JAMES recently designed the 2016 Kwanzaa Stamp for the USPS celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Kwanzaa holiday, which will be released later this year. She is most celebrated for designing the first Kwanzaa Stamp for the USPS in 1997, and for the international cover art for Terry McMillan’s book Waiting to Exhale. But few know that her artwork has been internationally featured in several United States Embassies through the Art in Embassies Program since the 1990’s.
SAINT JAMES, a highly commissioned artist, continues to create paintings for private collectors, colleges, universities, corporations and for non-profit organizations. The House of Seagram, Coca Cola USA, Maybelline, Essence Communications, National Coalition of 100 Black Men, Glendale Memorial Hospital, YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, and Barnes & Noble’s represent a mere sampling.
In 2014 she began creating commissioned signature paintings for the inaugurations of college and university presidents, which includes paintings for Bennett College, Alabama State University, Florida Memorial University, Stillman College and Harris-Stowe State University.
Her most celebrated collector’s include Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., Alice Walker, Glynn Turman, Brenda Russell, Regina Taylor, Charles Fuller and Jenifer Lewis. Awards created by Synthia SAINT JAMES include the “We See You Award”, the “Mosaic Woman Award”, and “The Lifetime Achievement Award” especially created for His Excellency Nelson Mandela from Africare in 2010.
Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES is currently booking her 2016-2017 College and University Tour (and other venues), which includes lectures, master classes, workshops, solo art exhibitions, artist-in-residencies, commencement speeches, and fine art commissions.