Charles Apple

Today, I take a moment to wish the happiest of birthdays to my good friend Katie VanDalsem Kunert of The Des Moines Register. She turns 31 today.

When Katie builds a graphic, she BUILDS a GRAPHIC!

I hired Katie out of tiny little Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, seven years ago this summer.

Her classmate, Jeff Bash, had worked an internship with me the previous year and, like a bad allergy, had never left. I ended up promoting him to be my assistant. He now holds my old position of Graphics Editor of The Des Moines Register.

As a part-timer, though, Jeff kept telling me about the layout editor of his weekly school paper. I found it hard to be impressed — until one day when Jeff brought in this big two-page piece on fire safety he and Katie had thrown together. It wasn’t the world’s most impressive graphic, but it was extremely well-researched and very comprehensive.

I was sold. I hired ‘em both. Jeff ramped up to full-time as soon as he graduated with the rest of the Grand View Class of 2000 and Katie started soon after.

I started Katie out with researching and graphics reporting tasks and slowly worked her up to speed with graphics and page centerpieces.

Three years later, I sent her to Oklahoma City when a project she led won a big national Clarion award.

Katie was — and still is — a fabulous visual journalist. Supervising her was a dream. Point her in the right direction and get the hell out of her way. Just the way I like it.

Katie’s been through a lot of changes in the 3.5 years since I left Des Moines. She got married, changed her name — I just can’t get used to “Kunert” — and, last November, she became a mom. She’s blogging her learning curve as a mother for The Des Moines Register. Read it here:
http://blogs.dmregister.com/?author=63

A few examples of her work:

See more here:
http://www.newspagedesigner.com/portfolios/portfolio1.php?UserID=8138

Katie shares a birthday with Melissa Etheridge, Danny Elfman, Bob Hope and John F. Kennedy.

Best wishes, Katie!

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Chris Morris, art director of The Las Vegas Sun, turns 43 today (Monday).

Several years ago, back when VizEds was still young, I grew frustrated one day at all the time I was putting into posting the news items I dug up each morning. Wondering if it was time well-spent, I took a few days off from posting.

After about a week, I got an e-mail from someone I had never met but whose work I respected immensely: Chris Morris, who was then the art director of The Dallas Morning News. Chris said he missed my posts and was hoping I was OK.

I was surprised that Chris read my stuff. And I was really surprised he noticed my absence. Since then, he’s offered support and encouragement a number of times. His kind words have been an huge inspiration for me.
But I’ve never met Chris. He tells me that I sat near him once in a bar — I think it was at SND/Houston. But he didn’t get around to introducing himself to me. And, not knowing what he looks like, I didn’t say hello myself.

Chis is one of the best caricaturists you’ll find anywhere. Feast your eyes on these:

Oh, yeah: And Chris can do maps and illustrations, too:

Look at Chris’ news portfolio here:
http://www.newspagedesigner.com/portfolios/portfolio1.php?UserID=4236

Check out his illustration portfolio site here:
http://www.chrismorrisillustration.com/

Chris shares a birthday with Rudy Giuliani, Gladys Knight, Jon Fogerty, Jim Thorpe and Ian Fleming. Plus, not only is today Memorial Day, it’s also National Hamburger Day. WooHOO! 

Happy birthday, Chris! Best wishes!

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