Stop 13

St. Nicholas Arrives; graphic design for Christmas card | Ziemassvētku vecītis ierodas; grafika svētku kartiņai.

Tempera, 5.5 in x 9 in (13.97 cm x 22.86 cm), 1945.

As the Latvian refugee community in Germany came to understand that it would be living in displaced persons camps for some time, writers, teachers, actors, musicians and publishers realized that they had a responsibility to educate, inform and entertain their fellow displaced countrymen. My father was invited by the entrepreneurial publisher Hugo Skrastins to assist with the design of his new magazine TILTS, meaning “bridge” in Latvian. My father designed covers and produced layouts for the magazine. He also created this illustration for a Christmas card, which TILTS published for readers to send to friends and relatives. His Latvian version of St. Nicholas arriving, to the delight of small children, was a favorite design.

In His Own Words:
Illustration for Latvian Publications (Stop 13)

“I need to mention my collaboration with Hugo Skrastins. He established his own publishing house and published a magazine called Jaunais Vards or The New Word. After that effort, he started another magazine called Tilts or Bridge. During the years in Germany, I worked with him as an illustrator and graphic designer. Skrastins published Spriditis, a play by the distinguished Latvian playwright Anna Brigadere. The book included seven color plates of my own set designs. Skrastins' dynamic personality made it possible to realize many other unbelievably difficult undertakings. One of these was the organization of the Latvian arts and crafts festival at the British Army of the Rhine Headquarters at Bad Oyenhausen. For that event, I was responsible for the design and installation of the show.”

Viņa paša vārdos:
Ilustrācijas latviešu grāmatām (13. pietura)

„Vēl jāpiemin sadarbošanās ar Hugo Skrastiņu. Viņš nodibināja savu grāmatu izdevniecību un izdeva arī žurnālu Jaunais Vārds, un pēc tam žurnālu Tilts. Vācijas laikā darbojos līdzi kā ilustrators un grafiskais iekārtotājs. Skrastiņš izdeva Brigaderes „Sprīdīti” ar maniem septiņiem krāsainiem skatuves metiem. Skrastiņa dināmiskā personība veica ne vienu vien, gandrīz neiedomājami grūtu, pasākumu. Viens no tiem bija latviešu mākslas un daiļamatniecības festivāls Britu armijas galvenā pārvaldē Bad-Oeynhausenā. Biju šīs izstādes iekārtotājs.”