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Award winning illustrator Edel Rodriguez’s wondrous work has graced the pages of Time Magazine, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Vibe and a host of others. He’s illustrated children’s books and has even created a stamp for the US Postal Service. We talk to Edel about his beloved home country, his remarkable career and his upcoming Celia Cruz projects.

How old were you when you left Havana for Florida? What are your memories of Cuba?

I was 8 years old when I left Cuba. I have wonderful memories of my town, playing with my friends, going to the beaches and visiting the city of Havana. I always remember the nice breezes, the food, the music being played in the neighborhood, all of that. Leaving the island was a long ordeal, so I always remember that as well.

Have you returned to Cuba since leaving? If so, what kind of an impact did it have on you?

Yes, I’ve been back to Cuba three times. The first time I returned, it was a real shock for me. Everything seemed much smaller than I had remembered, and the town had really broken apart since I had left. I also realized just how difficult life was for everyone, something I hadn’t seen as a child. When I returned from my first trip, I kind of broke down. It was hard to realize the life I could have had if my family hadn’t left. It was also difficult to see the rough life my childhood buddies were having.

When did you discover your love of art?

I always enjoyed art, probably going back to when I was five years old. I used to draw things I saw on T.V., or things I saw in the street. In Cuba, we used to make a lot of our own toys, so I was creative with that as well. After a while, I became the student that teachers would go to when they wanted someone to do an art project for the class.

Do you remember the first thing you drew?

Yes. Russian-made military tanks. It’s what I saw on T.V. all the time in Cuba. I drew a lot of those.

What was your first big “break” as an artist?

It’s all a series of small breaks, there’s never a big break I think. The biggest would possibly be when I got a job as a designer at TIME magazine. It allowed me to see how a major publication functioned and I was able to meet a lot of established artists through my work there.

Your work has also been featured in Vibe, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, GQ, etc. What has that experience been like for you?

I’m always surprised at how regular it all is. I mean, in the end, it’s just me going to a table and doing my work. For The New Yorker, I’ve been sent to a lot of unique places for research and drawing on site. I’ve been to plays and musicals, films, galleries, and even rowing on the Hudson River. It’s been quite an adventure sometimes. Working for all of these places is exciting because you know how many people you are reaching with your work. Time magazine reaches millions of people all over the world every week.

You’ve also illustrated children’s books “Mama does the Mambo” and “Float Like a Butterfly”. How did that come about?

A children’s book agent saw my work published somewhere and got in touch with me. She began to represent me and found some manuscripts for which my work was suitable. I then worked with the book editors on both of those projects. I’ve now written two of my own children’s books and will be illustrating them as well.

What was it like to create a stamp for the US Postal Service?

That was quite a dream project. I had always hoped to do a stamp. One day I received a call from the art director at the postal service and I was thrilled. I worked on the stamp over several months and it came out about a year later. There was a lot of press surrounding the unveiling and there was a big party at the Copacabana in New York City. It was definitely more exciting than my usual jobs.

Tell me about working on the book “Oye, Celia!” scheduled for release in April, 2007.

Henry Holt books had a poetic manuscript for a book commemorating Celia Cruz. They got in touch with me about illustrating it. I created a visual story to ground the poetry in some sort of plot. The editor and the writer liked that idea and I went on to do all the work over the course of several months. I think it was about twenty pieces of art in all. The book is very colorful and vibrant, like Celia and her music.

Will your work be featured in the documentary “Celia: The Queen?”

I’m still speaking with the producers about that project. We’ve talked about my work being used throughout the film or used as the poster, etc. There are a lot of possibilities. I’m meeting with the director in a couple of weeks.

What are some of the lessons you’ve learned so far?

That getting work as an artist is difficult at first, but if one sticks with it and learns along the way it really starts to pick up over time. Every year for me has been more interesting than the previous one. It’s very important to be reliable, trustworthy, and on time. Being a
good thinker, being well read, and being someone that has an appreciation for history and current events is essential.