Jim McMullan, who was recently honored by the School of Visual Arts with its Master Series Award and a retrospective exhibition of his work, took part in an interview at SVA on December 4 with his colleague and lifelong friend, Milton Glaser.
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| Milton Glaser (l.) and Jim McMullan. Photo: School of Visual Arts |
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Glaser, himself an SVA Masters Series Laureate, kicked off the conversation with a revelation: the moment when he knew he wanted to become an artist. His cousin walked into Glaser's room carrying a brown paper bag and a pencil. "He said, 'Wanna see a horse?' I thought he'd pull a horse out of the bag. But instead, he stood there and drew one," Glaser recalled. "Mesmerized, I decided right then and there that I wanted to spend my life creating miracles. Did you have such a moment?" McMullan admitted, "I kind of sidled into being an illustrator." Between the ages of seven and 12, he spent hours copying comic books. "I was pretty good at it," he said with a laugh.
McMullan was born in 1934 in Tsingtao, China, where his Anglican grandparents did missionary work. He was fascinated by the Chinese scrolls in his grandparents' home. "I had to pay attention to see the subtly of the colors and patterns. Those scrolls were early influences in the way I saw art," McMullan said. He didn't attend any formal art classes until he and his mother emigrated to the United States. At 17, McMullan studied at a small art school in Seattle and, later, at Pratt Institute in New York City. "Once I got to Pratt, I realized that if I were going to be an artist in 'razzmatazz America,' I had to create some drama," McMullan said.
In 1966, he joined Push Pin Studios--founded in 1954 by Glaser, Seymour Chwast, Reynold Ruffins, and, later, joined by Edward Sorel in 1966. McMullan left Push Pin in 1969, just as Glaser and Clay Felker were starting New York magazine, where McMullan helped establish the magazine's graphic style.
McMullan believes that his exposure to some of the German expressionists, such as Max Beckmann, deeply influenced him. "I loved the sense of truthfulness in the work," McMullan said. "I find that interesting," observed Milton, "because your work is so refined and elegant, so unlike the almost vulgar work of German expressionism." McMullan pointed out, "You can be connected to the bold immediacy of the German Expressionists and still want qualities of elegance and refinement. Once I started painting with watercolors, my impulse towards elegance was strengthened." He illustrated his forthcoming memoir, Leaving China (Algonquin, March 2014), with watercolor paintings, also featured in the exhibition.
"While working on those paintings about growing up in China during the Japanese occupation, I never felt closer to being my own artist," McMullan said. "Finally, I'm not telling someone else's story. I'm telling my own. I have a need to be understood." Glaser gently chided his friend, "I don't care if anyone understands me or not." He added, "Your memoir paintings are powerful and beautifully drawn. They are reductive in composition and clarity. They're as moving as anything I've seen of yours."
The Masters Series: James McMullan was on view through December 15 at the SVA Gallery, 209 East 23rd St., New York City. --Sally Cook
Cook is the co-author of Yankee Miracles: Life with the Boss and the Bronx Bombers (Liveright, 2012) and the author of two children's books.