The Making of Charles & Ray: Designers At Play
January 8, 2025 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
$10.00 – $15.00
Join us for a special behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Charles & Ray: Designers At Play: A Story of Charles and Ray Eames. Award-winning author and illustrator James Yang, editor Tamar Brazis, and senior art director Jim Hoover will take you through the creative process behind this illustrated children’s book, which explores the playful and groundbreaking design work of Charles and Ray Eames.
Discover how the team collaborated to bring the story of these legendary designers to life, from the initial concept to the final artwork. Whether you’re a fan of the Eameses, children’s literature, or design, this event offers unique insights into how storytelling and illustration come together to celebrate creativity. A Q&A session and book signing will follow the presentation.
James Yang was born in Oklahoma and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communication Arts and Design. Within a few years of entering illustration, his work appeared in prestigious trade publications such as Communication Arts, 3×3 Magazine, American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators Annual, Print, and The Art Directors Club of New York. James has won over 250 awards for design and illustration including best of show from 3×3 Magazine. He has taught and lectured at a variety of institutions including SVA, Parsons, FIT, SCAD and was an executive board member for ICON, a biennial illustration conference. His book, Bus! Stop! was selected as an outstanding picture book by The New York Times and the follow up Stop! Bot! is the 2020 Geisel award winner for the most distinguished American book for beginning readers. A Boy Named Isamu has been called by Kirkus Reviews “A marvel of prose, illustration, and design.” and the 2022 honor picture book title for Asian American Literature for the American Library Association. His subway wallpaper can be seen on trains in the Metropolitan Transit system. James currently lives in Brooklyn where he happily works for a variety of clients and books.
Image courtesy of James Yang
Jim Hoover is a Senior Art Director at Viking Children’s Books. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design in Illustration, Jim has been in publishing now for twenty-five years. He speaks regularly at SCBWI and has designed and art directed hundreds of books ranging from picture books, nonfiction, to middle grade including James Yang’s Geisel Award Winning Stop! Bot, Max Brallier’s #1 New York Times best-selling series The Last Kids On Earth, and Amanda Gorman’s #1 New York Times Change Sings. Jim lives in New York City with his wife and son.
Image courtesy of Jim Hoover
Tamar Brazis joined Viking Children’s Books in 2018 as Editorial Director of Illustrated Publishing, specializing in children’s picture books, and was promoted to Associate Publisher in 2021. Her background in poetry led her to acquire the debut picture book, Change Sings, by presidential inaugural poet and #1 New York Times bestselling author Amanda Gorman, as well as Gorman’s first full-length poetry collection for adults, Call Us What We Carry. Other New York Times bestselling picture books at Viking include Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi and Juana Martinez-Neal, Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective by Elizabeth Olsen and Robbie Arnett, and Just Because by Matthew McConaughey.
Image courtesy of Tamar Brazis
REFUND POLICY
Tickets are non-refundable. Tickets may not be exchanged for another event. If you are unable to use your ticket, tickets may be converted to a donation by emailing info@societyillustrators.org.
This event will take place in the main gallery. Bathrooms are only accessible via stairs.