Steve Sult Posters with A Cause

Steve Sult’s unique artistry lays in his ability to bridge the gaps of time and tie them together in a relevant and eye catching graphic.

Steve describes his work as straddling the fence of graphic design and illustration blurring the boundary between traditional and commercial art. Steve further grounds his art in traditional techniques like silk screening, drawing and hand design. He expertly combines these techniques with current computer graphics. His creations also bridge techniques across various history inspired by WPA art, 1800s artist Aubrey Beardsley, and modern commercial art. The themes in his recent pieces toss together the ideas of history as a commentary on our current historical situations.

“By nature I am a graphic designer,” Says Steve.

“The way Steve Sult creates art—is as an extension of language and communication. Sult's work combines elements of WPA's poster campaigns in the 1930s, pop art, and decorative art all being applied to poster art. It's like a sitting on the fence of graphic design and illustration, blurring the boundary between traditional and commercial art through type and image via prints, notecards, apparel and posters in public spaces.” Sult’s self-description from his web site.

Steve Sult had two inspirations launching him on his new venture into creative arts. Steve a long-time designer with commercial roots stretching from Kendall School of Art, work in Grand Rapids Michigan in the 70s then a move back to South Bend where he served as a head designer for local advertising firms. In 2003 Steve opened his own design Shop, Sult Mine Creative.

Steve tells two intertwining stories that led him upon his current creative journey. In 1978 Steve was working for an advertising firm in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He created a series of Christmas promotions for a local furrier. The pictures were point of sale promotions, and they were large. The pictures were of women wearing the furs with a negative exposure in blues and reds with snow falling on their collars. The budget was small for the project. To save his client a few dollars Steve created the design for the furrier himself. The posters were originally silk screened, a skill he picked up at Adams High School, South Bend, IN.

In 2012 Steve was on a trip to Saugatuck, Michigan and stopped into an art gallery. He was flipping through prints when he ran into a copy of his original 1978 art created for the furrier. Steve was looking at these posters he designed in 1978 that were selling in an art gallery. He began to imagine how his art would take shape.

The second story Steve tells about his evolution which starts about 15 years ago. A friend of his from Grand Rapids passed away. A group of friends and businessmen from the Grand Rapids area wanted to memorialize their friend Dugan by holding a fund raiser to support seniors who were having a hard time caring for themselves. The Dugan Golf Open has become an annual event.  Steve asked how he could help, besides showing up and having a great meal. “They said to me, we really like that poster art you used to do in advertising. Could you create the poster for the event?”  Steve created the poster and created one every year since. The poster is awarded to the top finishers of the golf outing as a prize, and another print is auctioned off at the dinner event. The first poster sold for over two-thousand dollars. Groundwork was being laid for Steve’s genesis of form.

Sult says he has never considered himself to be a poster artist. “In art school I was fascinated by the 1930s WPA design. “Lately,” says Sult, “I have been moving toward an Eastern European industrial revolutionary style.” Sult’s most recent design he calls The Assert Series. The Assert Series has more depth, color and character.  Assert makes a stronger statement than some of his prior work. The work’s genius is daring, artistically collaborating Sult’s genuine experiential talents.

“I like typography in my art. I like creating font and matching it up to a visual. It’s a comfort for me. I have been doing it my whole career,” says Sult.

One of Steve Sult’s inspirations includes Aubrey Beardsley. He was influenced by him as a kid, and he still reflects on his style. Beardsley created in the 1800s. His drawings were famously used in theatre and print magazines. His detailed drawings and curved lines were popular among his contemporaries who mattered in society. “His work is highly detailed. I was mesmerized by him in high school,” says Sult.

I asked Steve about his choice of color in his work. He said the moment he was out of design school his job was to promote a product. Color was everywhere in design in the 1970s. Our designs were intended to be printed, and people wanted color.

When I look at the spectrum of Steve’s artwork from golf posters to the Assert Series you can see a transformation from a bold primary pallet with strong contrasts to a more muted pallet that enhances the depth of the art. Steve feels his current pallet choice is influenced by the North West American Indian coloration. In the Assert Series he uses more golds, beige and reds enhanced by blacks. The richer color choices draw the observer into a more intimate experience with the graphics.

Sult spoke about his craft in relation to his Muddy Waters poster.  He explained in 2017 the Muddy Waters series was part of his journey from flat art to a stenciled look. He began mixing highly detailed Victorian style, badges and emblems with a flat style.  He choose coloration that conflicted and complimented each other. Says Sult, “What I used to do as a silk screener I now do digitally. I draw out the important lines of the picture, with Muddy the nose, guitar and other important structure. I scan the picture digitally and I finish it off.” Sult spends a lot of time on the details. Where will the collar fall in Muddy’s design to make the picture pop? Where will the hands be? Sult explains he is a victim of his profession. He spends a lot of time picking color. My color choices are innate, he explains, coming from years of design.

Sult’s assert series is a powerful graphic commentary which nudges the imagination to connect history, culture and into suggestions of our current historical situation. The images prompt you into an internal conversation about your view of history and beliefs.  I say nudges because Sult’s graphics and typography do not judge the current state of affairs but suggest reflection on current news.

Sult’s “History has its eyes” blurs the lines between WWII Japanese interment and our current immigration situation at the border. His “American Crisis” (find this poster at https://www.sultminecreative.com) blurs the line between 1950s nuclear bomb preparation and live shooter drills in schools today.

Sult said, “We participated in nuclear drills hiding under our desks when I went to Edison Parochial School in South Bend, Indiana. “It seems so surreal to me now.”  The thought of his granddaughter inspired “American Crisis.” She is the model for the child under the desk.  Says Sult, “The thought of her hiding under a desk to protect her from a shooter coming through a locked door - it is difficult to get your head around.”

In the piece “Think Equal” Sult mixes a variety of elements and images; peace, an olive tree representing equality, images of judicial, typography stencil and color all play a part in bringing the piece together. “Think Equal” is inspired by visits to the YWCA and conversations with representatives there. The YWCA is the beneficiary of Everybody Has A Story, a project bringing art and music together annually. The butterfly becomes a central symbol in “Think Equal.” “The woman in the piece is a compost of 5 women I know who went through difficult times in their lives,” says Sult.

“It’s an interesting journey,” says Sult, referring to his current art, “none of which is planned.”

Six years ago Sult began Everybody Has a Story with some friends.

We planned our first concert for September 20, 2014. Our ambition was to create a music & variety event that would entertain, inform, and inspire unity in the community. We wanted every audience member to leave feeling that, even in a small way, they were part of something bigger. And we did it! We made it happen with contributions from musicians who had graduated to careers far away, and with favorite local performers who still delight us on the hometown circuit. Everybody Has A Story attracted storytellers, and poets, writers, and community activists, everybody volunteering their time and talents, pitching in to make it a celebration. Together we raised $7,000 for our charity beneficiary, the 360 Project. This year, our goals are even bigger. We’ve learned so much since we began. We’ve built our brand identity, tested our marketing, and along the way made great friends. From Everybody Has A Story, https://www.ehassb.com/about1-cuws.

“We have realized that our mission as a group is to find and present music by young, new talents along with tunes by trusted old friends, everyone joined in a joyous community celebration of song and story. We want Everybody Has A Story to become a Michiana signature organization, known for our all-volunteer efforts to support charities that are making a real difference to help people. Most important, we want to include all the stories.”

I asked Steve if he had any advice for new artists. He said he would advise new artists to attend a trade school. Don’t do risk assessment if you want to go into arts. You have to do it for the passion. “We are victims of computer generation. Pick up a pencil and learn to draw. Learning to draw on paper helps in your understanding of composition, color and space. The physical act of drawing helps to create the innate ability to create.”

To see more of Steve Sult’s designs visit https://www.sultminecreative.com/ . To find out more about Everybody has a Story or to volunteer visit https://www.ehassb.com/about1-cuws.

Steve Sult

This article was orignally printed in 2019 at panoplymichiana.com. By Dan Breen