PORTRAIT of an

ART DIRECTOR

GAEL TOWEY

Alison Ensworth CMNS 371 Assignment 1

CMNS 371 Assignment 1 By Alison Ensworth

GAEL TOWEY PORTRAIT of an

THE EARLY YEARS ART

Born in Short Hills, New Jersey in 1952, DIRECTOR Gael Towey has been known to relish the coincidental likenesses she and her future co- visionary shared in the early years of their lives. They were born at the same hospital in New Jersey, they both have five siblings, and both their families were of Catholic faith. Prior to their meeting and collaboration, Towey studied at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, after which she worked at Studio Books, Viking Press with such notables as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Irving Penn, Georgia O'Keefe, and Brassai. In 1982, she became the first art director for the Clarkson N. Potter publishing company, where she helped design numerous collections of lifestyle decorating, cookbooks, and art books. She joined House & Garden Magazine as design director in 1989. Here she found a staff segregated by occupation: the creative team operated entirely separately from the editorial staff as a rule. It was then that arrived, and with it a different approach to magazine publication...

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

A true reflection of Towey and Stewart's partnership, Martha Stewart Living (MSL) magazine married content and presentation as art directors, editors, photographers, stylists, chefs, crafters, and contributors worked together to conceive stories together - a rather unconventional concept at the time. In fact, the name of the magazine itself marked a break from convention: it was rare for a magazine to sport its founder's name. As its founding art director, Towey channeled this flair for innovation into a visually expressive portrayal of the domestic arts, using a dynamic combination of vivid photos and elegant typography that characterized the domestic arts as "anything but dowdy" (Lasky, 2014, para.1). To this day, she reflects on the creation of MSL's inaugural issue in 1990 as one of the most thrilling moments of her career. Under Towey's direction since then, the magazine's presentation of the joy and culture of creativity in everyday life has helped to inspire the DIY movement that continues to thrive today.

Towey's spirited leadership proved a vital source of sustenance for MSL Omnimedia (MSLO) when Martha Stewart temporarily stepped down as CEO and Chairwomen in the face of her legal troubles. Stewart's name was downsized on the magazine cover, just as her presence inside its pages diminished, after she was indicted in 2003 for fraud and conspiracy in the stock trade; however, Towey ensured the original spirit of the enterprise remained true across all of the company's outputs. As a result, MSLO continued to expand and develop, with Towey at the creative helm.

One particularly momentous development was the launch of MSL's digital edition in November 2010. Placing the magazine at the forefront of the print-to-digital transition, Towey directed the addition of videos, apps, and online subscriptions to MSLO's already considerable operations. "Boundless Beauty", the first issue of MSL created for the iPad, featured interactive content and stunning imagery that delivered the most immersive reader experience yet. The award-winning cover of this issue - a wash of delicate pinks and reds blossoming from a satiny peony - has been credited in part to the app's success as the top paid app on the App Store after its launch. To this day, MSLO maintains an unparalleled multimedia presence, particularly through its website, where users can access hundreds of how-to videos, recipes, tips, and ideas - all of which have grown from Towey's original foundation.

CONTRIBUTIONS

Gael Towey's role and contributions to MSLO are many and great. Since her instrumental part in the launch of MSL in 1999, she has helped to add five additional magazine titles to the MSLO enterprise: Weddings, , Kids, Blueprint, and , all of which reflect changing modern lifestyles - of women, in particular. She has directed MSLO's creative team in all of the company's Publishing, Merchandizing, and Internet operations, produced videos for the MSLO series American Made, and hosted a weekly radio show Design Trends on the MSL Sirius channel. She and her husband, Stephen Doyle, have also collaboratively designed the branding and packaging for the many MSL collections that line the shelves of Macy's and K Mart; these innovative designs were honored in the Cooper Hewitt National Design Triennial Exhibit in 2000. On top of the many magazine awards Towey has helped MSL win, her work was especially highlighted when the Art Director's Club presented MSLO with its Corporate Leadership Award for long term commitment to design and its impact on modern culture. Needless to say, her 22-year devotion to MSLO has set the creative tone for the enterprise - and revived the respect for domestic craft and handiwork in the modern world. In her own words: "In our environment of photography and design, our work plays a lead role in creating a beautiful world of accomplishment, in which our audience participates." (Dover, 2010, para.3).

In addition to her work with MSLO, Towey has served on the boards of the Art Directors Club and ASME, and is a frequent juror for publishing and design competitions. She also lectures often on the launch, development, and design of the MSLO enterprise. She received the Chrysler Design Award in 1999, and has just been presented with the AIGA Medal - one of the highest honours in the design profession. Her current focus is storytelling through narrative film and photography, turning the spotlight onto other talented designers and visionaries that are making a difference today.

INFLUENCES & INSPIRATION

Gael Towey has drawn inspiration from many leaders in the design and creative industries, such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the star of Viking Press. However, she credits those she sees and works with on a daily basis as the greatest sources of inspiration. She says that working with a team of "the most creative people", creating "beautiful stories about some of the most humble tasks, ennobling the things we do every day" (Dover, 2010, para.3) is her dream in reality: "The people, the amazing and incredibly talented people that we get exposed to, the journalists, artists, gallerists, filmmakers, photographers, nutcases - who could ask for more?" (Dover, 2010, para.17). Her greatest influence is her husband, fellow AIGA Medalist Stephen Doyle, whom she calls her "consultant, shrink, and cheerleader" (Dover, 2010, para.6). On the subject of their relationship, Doyle says, "Our entire life is a collaboration, and that's what we love about it... Neither of us could have accomplished what we are proud of without the faith and encouragement of the other." (Dover, 2010, para.8). To her admirers, Towey offers this piece of wisdom from her own experience: "If you let your passion lead you, you'll discover the wonderful things you can do. I think a creative life is a whole life. In a creative life you never stop working. You're always looking. You're always learning. Lifelong learning is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and the people around you." (Steinbrenner, 2012, para.32).

LATER YEARS

After 22 years at MSLO, Gael Towey decided to step away from the company in 2012, shortly after her 60th birthday. She has since turned her long-standing interest in narrative into a series of short films about the creative leaders of today, such as Natalie Chanin and Maira Kalman. Storytelling, she says, has always been the most fulfilling part of her career, and this video series is the next chapter. She currently lives in Greenwich Village with her husband, Stephen Doyle, in a townhouse they jointly decorated to accommodate their mutual love for entertaining. They have two children, Maud and August.

SOURCES About. Gael Towey & Company. Retrieved from http://www.gaeltowey.com/about/.

Ritchie, A. (2012). Gael Towey Leaving After 21 Years. Martha Moments. Retrieved from http://marthamoments.blogspot.ca/2012/10/gael-towey-leaving-after-21-years.html.

Dover, C. (2010). Design Couples: Gael Towey and Stephen Doyle. Print Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.printmag.com/article/design-couples-gael-towey-and-stephen-doyle/.

Lasky, J. (n.d.). Gael Towey. AIGA | the Professional Association for Design. Retrieved from http://www.aiga.org//medalist-gael-towey/.

Murg, S. (2011). Seven Questions for Gael Towey, Chief Creative for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. UNBEIGE. Retrieved from https://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/seven-questions-for-gael-towey- chief-creative-for-martha-stewart-living-omnimedia_b14535.

Sellers, P. and Levenson, E. (2005). Remodeling Martha. Fortune 152, no. 10 (November 14, 2005): 100– 122.

Steinbrenner, C. (2012). The Creative Life. Esprit. Boston University College of Fine Arts. Retrieved from http://www.bu.edu/esprit/2012/03/20/the-creative-life/.

Encyclopædia Britannica (2013). Stewart, Martha. Retrieved from http://0- search.ebscohost.com.library.capilanou.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=89408919&site=ed s-live.

Trainer, M. (2010). Storytelling by Design in a Digital Age. mnartists.org. Retrieved from http://www.mnartists.org/article.do?rid=272336.