Getting your work on the cover of a magazine, now from the editor's point of view. Ms. Joan Retsinas, PhD, Managing Editor of Medical & Health/Rhode Island shared her thoughts on selecting artwork for the cover:

Q: What prompted you to show artwork on the cover of a medical magazine? How long have you been using artwork for the cover?

A: When I took over as managing editor of Medicine & Health/Rhode Island 13 years ago, the editor had used artwork on the cover – sometimes photos he got from an archives, sometimes paintings he owned, sometimes paintings he drew. But the new printer alerted me to the myriad copyright regulations. Coincidentally, I happened to visit an administrative office at Brown – on a matter unrelated to artwork and covers. That administrator, Claudia Cockerill, was also an artist; and some of her paintings hung on the walls of the office. I asked whether we could put one sketch of a nearby historic site on the cover. She agreed, and the tradition of putting artwork on covers began in earnest. Since the journal has color advertisements on the back cover, we could have covers in color at no additional cost.

Q: What type of artwork have you featured in the past?

A: I look for images that complement the medical themes of the issue. For instance, for sports medicine, we ran a cover that showed bicyclists on a local path. I look for covers that feature Rhode Island scenes, or interesting/exciting/unusual scenes that would be of interest to readers. I try to slot one month for a truly abstract design. Vertical images work best, as do clearly defined lines and colors. We put the covers on the web http://www.rimed.org, under publications.

Q: Do you have any criteria for selecting artists?

A: We almost always feature the work of artists with a link to Rhode Island. The artists have ranged from famous (who happen to live in Rhode Island) to students to waitresses, though with the growth of web-sites, I am more inclined to scan sites of artists, searching for what would be an interesting cover. Although a few artists have done a few covers, most of the artists have done only one cover more than 100 artists have contributed to these covers. I have loved finding covers, and meeting the artists (though the internet age has made those encounters rarer).

Ms. Retsinas can be reached at joan.retsinas@gmail.com

Despite taxes, April is a good month. There's an over indulgence in chocolate eggs and bunnies, daffodils in my backyard... and my work featured on the cover page of a magazine! The artwork is a drawing of Fenway Park that I had made for my son who is a huge baseball fan. The magazine is Medicine Health Rhode Island, a publication of the Rhode Island Medical Society. You can view it at http://www.rimed.org/publications.asp

What does it take to get your work on the cover?

1) Being noticed - We all work very hard at this via our online shops, blogs, social networking sites, paid advertising, etc. I also participate in as many art shows as I can. This particular drawing was discovered by the editor of the magazine during a show.

2) Luck - An all important ingredient. I think you create your own luck by doing all you can to get exposure. Positive thinking also helps and so does the mutual support of fellow vendors and artists. Beyond that there are horse shoes, 4-leaf clovers and knocking on wood (I don't do rabbit feet!)

3) Sharing the story - Once your work gets noticed, it's important to engage visitors with the story of your art. Usually I try to touch on the what, where, why, when and how for the painting that they are looking at, and help them relate it to a personal experience.

4) Patience - My drawing of fenway Park was "discovered" in September... but the editor wanted it for April because, you guessed it, it's the opening of the baseball season. That's when you need a good system to track your "To Do" list 6 months down the road.

5) Perseverance - Follow-up regularly with the editing staff. When do they need a write-up about you? When do they need an image of your work? What are their specifications? When do you get to look at proofs? When do they need your approval? It's important to be responsive and make the whole experience trouble-free for them so that, maybe, you'll get picked again down the road.

A final word: as is often the case, you won't make a dime from having your work on the cover (at least, I didn't) but you're getting free exposure to the entire magazine's readership!

I have been fortunate to be able to return to my native France once a year. Every trip is energizing and a new source of inspiration. On my most recent trips I went to Normandy and re-visited the Mont Saint Michel. It's one of the most famous historical landmarks in the occidental world and a prowess of engineering. The first church on the site (which until modern times, was an island) dates back to the year 709 !! Over time it has been expanded and below it a small town has been built on the rock. These old houses and narrow streets of cobblestones remain today. The views are fantastic but be prepared for a steep climb!

Meanwhile, after visting the mont, if you take the time to wander through the countryside, you'll discover lush green fields where the famous "agneaux de pré salé" (lambs) graze as well as many historical towns. When you get to Avranches, take a stroll through the public gardens. They're at the top of a cliff and the view of the bay of the Mont saint Michel is breath taking. This view was the inspiration for my most recent painting.

It's truly a gorgeous site well worth a visit and the food is, well, fantastic of course!