Bennett College News November 21, 2013 Synthia Saint James Holds Intimate Discussion at Bennett College Bennett College recently hosted an intimate discussion with famed artist Synthia Saint James, best known for the cover design of Terry McMillan's "Waiting to Exhale" as well as the first Kwanzaa stamp. Saint James is internationally celebrated for her bold use of color and fearless artistic design. She is a true entrepreneur who has designed over 70 book covers and has completed 17 children's books. When asked how she was able to survive and thrive in the industry, Saint James explained that she wasn't afraid to tell people what she wanted to do with her life. Furthermore, when approached with a new idea, she receives it with open arms. "I'm always going to be the person who says yes to something I've never tried before," she explained. It wasn't always easy, though. Saint James didn't just wake up one morning and sell prints to Richard Pryor. She said that there were years where she had to maintain a regular job and paint on the side. "To be an accountant and then start selling my art was incredible. I started to learn that it was a possibility, that there could be a way for me to make a living doing what I love." According to Saint James, an entrepreneur has to be willing to sustain her business with a desire to make it better. That's how she's managed to work nearly four and a half decades as an artist. "No matter how many jobs I did, this was always my main passion. Today, tomorrow and every single day, I just keep researching on how to make it better." Upcoming for Saint James is a tour of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.