Our Interview with Cover Artist Michael Schwab

Edible Marin & Wine Country: Where did you grow up, and how did that shape you?

MICHAEL SCHWAB: Southern Oklahoma—not too far north of the Red River. I pretty much grew up on my grandfather’s ranch, riding horses, working cattle and driving tractors, as well as learning the quietude of fishing and the thrill of quail hunting. He always had a vegetable garden. He and my grandmother would work in the garden in the evening after dinner, when it got cool. Or we’d pull over on a dusty section line road and pick blackberries. That said, I’ve always been drawn to home-grown vegetables, wild food and freshly caught fish.

EMWC: When did you first realize that you had a special artistic talent?

I was the kid in class who could draw. It was somehow quiet and peaceful to me. I later grew to love the tools of a “studio”—big, adjustable oak drawing tables, the lamps, T-squares, pencils and pens, French curves, compasses, etc. I loved the smell and feel of ink pressed into fine paper.

EMWC: What was your formal education?

After graduating from high school, I attended East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas—an ag school with a great art department. From there, to the School of Visual Arts in New York. It was not a good time in New York in the early 1970s and I was living in the Chelsea Hotel. I couldn’t see the sky. I moved back to Oklahoma. That next fall, I arrived at my dream school: Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles.

EMWC: When and how did you get to the Bay Area? Why Marin?

Upon graduating from Art Center in 1975, I was approached by an illustrators’ rep from San Francisco, Linda Lawson. She brought me up from LA to meet art directors and show me around the City by the Bay. I loved it. And, Gibson, I gotta say, among so many other things, it was the FOOD that made it easy to pack up my bags and move to SF—there was Vanessi’s, Little Joe’s, Enrico’s and Tosca Café! A few years later, I met my wife, photographer Kathryn Kleinman. After the arrival of our son, Eric, in 1985, she wisely talked me into moving to Marin. We found a vintage old hippie house on a hill in San Anselmo and have been here ever since. I work out of my studio behind the house.

EMWC: Can you share a bit about your creative process?

Once the client and I decide on a concept and review a few rough pencil sketches, I begin setting up a model in the studio. I’ll take several Polaroid photos to create the drama and shadows I want, then begin drawing from these photos on paper—with a pencil. Once I’m happy with the design, I actually ink the linework with a Rapidograph pen. So, it’s pencil and paper, pen and ink. I want my work to maintain and evoke a feeling of craftsmanship. There is no computer on my drawing table. However, my longtime assistant, Carolyn, scans the original inking and we then begin digitally sculpting the final files for reproduction and publishing.

EMWC: You’re known for the iconic images you created for the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. How did that come about?

Creative director Rich Silverstein had suggested to the GGNPC that they graphically “brand” The Parks. Under the guidance of Greg Moore, The Parks commissioned me to create the original six graphic icons for the various park sites. Among them: Muir Woods, Alcatraz, Marin Headlands and The Presidio.

From the beginning, I wanted the designs to feel timeless. Not slick or cool—but real. With a feeling of craftsmanship. Like woodcuts. WPA-ish. We had them actually silkscreen printed—each design limited to four colors. I remember adding grey to most of the colors to evoke a unique historic attitude. It worked. People were stealing them at night from the large bus-shelter poster frames.