ART I did have the opportunity to take courses from a number of excellent teachers while in Fayetteville, most IN SERVICE notably the painter Donald Roller Wilson and master print maker OF THE STORYEd Bernstein. In my mid-thirties I returned to school at the University of Oklahoma in Norman to finish a philosophy degree. I also took quite a few classes in the art department, studying under Roger Huebner. At one point, after taking several of his classes, Professor Huebner told me I needed to either go to the Art Center in Pasadena, California to continue study, or put Cherie McKinstry, designer Skip McKinstry, John Earl Permetter, and author Betty Katherine Permetter together a portfolio and get a job. The Falato at the Oklahoma Book Awards where the Oklahoma Hall of Fame’s Oklahoma’s Brown Decision Art Center is pretty expensive and by Test Case was named a finalist in 2018. Photo courtesy Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives. this time I had a family to support, You’ve designed over 80 books for In 2012 I was asked by the Chickasaw so I did what any self-respecting, the OHOF, the Oklahoma History Press to design the Anompilbashsha’ artistically inclined, philosophy major Center, the Chickasaw Press, and Asilhha’ Holisso or the Chickasaw does when he can’t find honest work. other clients. You have also won Prayer Book. Much like the Book of I went into advertising. the Oklahoma Book Award and Common Prayer for Anglicans or been a six-time finalist in that the Catholic breviary, it is used in Having done quite a bit of work competition. What would you Chickasaw worship services and for the Oklahoma Hall of Fame say is the most important aspect provides topical prayers, readings and since 2005, how would you of book design? songs for all sorts of occasions, along describe the best parts of that with selected Bible readings. All of relationship? That one is easy: meeting deadlines. that is presented in both English and Okay, I’m only partly kidding. It in Chikashshanompa’—the original The people, of course. And that makes has been said that book design is an language of the tribe that was nearly perfect sense given that the OHOF invisible art. Much like the soundtrack lost during the years of forced cultural motto is “Telling Oklahoma’s Story of a movie, if the design is too assimilation. Since 2007 the Chickasaw Through its People.” From the numerous noticeable, the reader may miss the language revitalization program has books, the Oklahoma Magazine, and story. Good book design does not call worked hard to re-invigorate the a variety of collateral materials I’ve attention to itself but facilitates the language. On a personal level, genetic worked on, I have learned so much connection between the author and the testing does show that I have some Cree about the people of Oklahoma, their reader. So the design is always in service and Central American ancestry, but it accomplishments, their work ethic, their of “the story.” is not accurate to describe me as Native faith, and their resilience in the face of American. However, I am still excited adversity. And if I can say this without Do you have any favorites? to have worked on a book that can have being obsequious, it has been a privilege an effect on the Chickasaw language to work with Gini Moore Campbell Yes, I have many, although the similar to the effect Gutenberg’s Bible and her team. Gini is clearly the hardest book I am most happy to have been had on the German language and working editor, writer, publisher, eagle- associated with was more an exercise in syllabary. That is much more satisfying eyed proofreader, account manager and typographic clarity than photo selection than winning awards for slick design train scheduler in the business. and editing and color choices. and clever advertising copy. 19