Beyond Words
Month after month, because of the great talent of our art director, Jeanne Kortekamp, you receive a beautiful magazine. Just as do words, visual beauty conveys information and inspiration, often in ways we never name. Colors, images, styles, type of design, illustrations, and photography all touch our hearts and minds.
Next month, for example, we will have the moving story of a Franciscan friar, Father Ibrahim Alsabagh, in war-ravaged Aleppo, Syria. His words, taken from his journal, convey a powerful story. But Jeanne will choose photos from the Custody of the Holy Land that absolutely grip you, and she’ll place them on your pages in a compelling way. That’s what designers and art directors, such as Jeanne, do. The combination of photo selection and careful presentation will offer you a dimension of Father Ibrahim’s story that goes beyond words.
Jeanne’s behind-the-scenes work makes this magazine compelling. There are numerous examples in every issue of your magazine. She regularly scours the countryÑand sometimes beyondÑto find talented illustrators. She works with authors to see if there are quality photos for their stories and, if not, finds a photographer to take them. Or, sadly, she might advise this editor not to buy a great article that has no possible visuals (perhaps a compelling story in Timbuktu, for example). I won’t move ahead without her confidence.
At the end of this month, Jeanne retires after 22 years of service at St. Anthony Messenger. We’ll be introducing her replacement in a future issue. Meanwhile, though, you’ll get another month, or perhaps two, of Jeanne’s fine touch. Remember, printing and mailing make us work on issues far in advance, so her design will outlast her. Good luck, Jeanne! It has been an honor to work with you.
On behalf of all your subscribers and coworkers, thanks!
John Feister analyzes the relationship between St. Francis and the sultan. Click here to watch it!
