There are still some magazines out here using illustrators for covers. The Saturday Evening Post called for an image to accompany an optimistic article about the American Economic Recovery. They had the idea of an updated Rosie-the-Riveter-style worker with a big “Made In America” rubber stamp. Even when a client has a clear idea of what they want, I’ll try sending over some other concepts too, to look at some other options and maybe move the idea forward. The silhouetted figure filled with industrial scenes was too focused on building, and the Jean Carlu glove idea didn’t fit the article or the Post’s brand as well as the smiling Rosie with a row of workers marching forward. So, my main task was to re-create a classic WPA poster style, sometimes style and concept are the same thing.

I didn’t know the issue was on the stands until my mom called to tell me a friend of hers bought a copy at the grocery store and spotted my name. For a minute there, I felt just like Norman Rockwell.