A Nuri Ducassi Gallery
Nuri Ducassi had no idea she would end up as one of the pre eminent art directors/designers/illustrators of her generation when she came to Syracuse University in the late 70s to study art. More specifically, Nuri told me she wanted to be a sculptor.
Not that she has not dabbled with sculpture in her incredibly triumphant career, but I think I convinced her that newspapers needed her. She took the bait. The rest is a gallery of rich history. Page after page of the Ducassi magic. The lady can take the most abstract and obscure of subjects and come up with a design solution that, in many instances, will be the reason some readers even approach the story.
Put Nuri in the middle of a room with editors, and she grasps at the most minute details of stories being discussed. Soon after, her hands are like those of a virtuoso violinist touching crayons, textiles, cotton, wires or baby powder, to make those stories gain a personality of their own. Nuri transmits energy to her pages. If I were a reporter I would definitely want Nuri illustrating my narrative.
Nuri’s own narrative is also interesting and has taken the Cuban-born artist around the globe to share her talent and to offer tips to all the Nuri Ducassi-wannabes out there. She makes her debut as an art director at Miami’s El Nuevo Herald at the age of 30. The young Nuri then goes west to the San Jose Mercury News (1994-97), returns to The Miami Herald (1997-2004), travels north to Canada at The Montreal Gazette (2005-2008) then at the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (2008-11). Nuri then became the Toronto Star’s AME presentation, redesigned the paper, received two Canada National Newspaper Awards and the third year a nomination.
“I’m now their cyber creative director because after 3 years I needed to spend more time at home in Florida,” Nuri tells me.
I have had a chance to look at the latest Nuri Ducassi gallery and it is an amazing parade of good ideas, inviting design and pure creative spark.
So, this is my mini interview with la Nuri, in which the emphasis is on how she maintains her creativity alive, as if she reserved a big, juicy love kiss for every page she touches.
Three questions for Nuri Ducassi
1. What keeps Nuri Ducassi inspired after all these years?
It’s different every single time. When I'm in front of a blank page it feels like sitting in an empty room painted in white. I sit in the middle alone with the story. The room is rectangular and there is a certain feeling of confinement, it is my job to break through and expand it. That makes it exciting and propels the imagination. The new page, the new adventure, the new challenge.
2. How does one "keep the music playing" so to speak after years of one cover page after another?
It is music and joy. It never gets old. A fresh composition every time. I look inside my toolbox and it is there somehow, the thing I wanted to try.
3. What is your biggest challenge to be creative today?
Is the same old challenge, how not to give in to mediocrity and repetition. Keeping focus on the muse. It is hard to strike a balance when you are working for someone else. But not impossible, there are always opportunities.
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