Maria Snyder is an artist, designer, model, activist, and entrepreneur. Snyder's artistic background began in her youth as a painter and sculptor. She is the daughter of industrialist real estate developer, Arthur T. Snyder, who was an early pioneer in the revitalization of

Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...

. Snyder attended school in

Athens, Greece Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

, studied at the

American University in Paris The American University of Paris (AUP) is a private university in Paris, France. Founded in 1962, the university is one of the oldest American institutions of higher education in Europe, and the first to be established in France. The university ...

and received a master's degree in 20th Century Art History.

Modeling career

While in Paris, Snyder was discovered by Yves Saint Laurent, after

Marisa Berenson Vittoria Marisa Schiaparelli Berenson (born February 15, 1947) is an American actress and former model. She appeared on the front covers of '' Vogue'' and ''Time'', and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her ...

introduced her to Saint Laurent's muse,

Loulou de la Falaise Louise Vava Lucia Henriette Le Bailly de La Falaise (; 4 May 1947 – 5 November 2011), known as Loulou de la Falaise, was an English fashion muse and accessory and jewellery designer associated with Yves Saint Laurent. Author Judith Thurma ...

. Snyder quickly rose to fame within the fashion industry as one of Saint Laurent's chosen models. This launched an international modeling career and work with designers

Karl Lagerfeld Karl Otto Lagerfeld also called Kaiser Karl (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, photographer, and creative director. Lagerfeld began his career in fashion in the 1950s, working for several top fashion hous ...

Valentino Valentino may refer to People * Valentino (surname), including a list of people with the name * Valentino (given name), including a list of people with the name Mononymous persons * Valentino (fashion designer) (born Valentino Clemente Ludovic ...

Gianni Versace Giovanni Maria "Gianni" Versace (; 2 December 1946 – 15 July 1997) was an Italian fashion designer, socialite and businessman. He was the founder of Versace, an international luxury-fashion house that produces accessories, fragrances, make-up ...

, Moschino,

Armani Giorgio Armani S.p.A. (), commonly known as Armani, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in Milan by Giorgio Armani which designs, manufactures, distributes and retails haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, accessories, and ...

, Emanuel Ungaro,

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery. ...

and

Geoffrey Beene Geoffrey Beene (born Samuel Albert Bozeman Jr.; August 30, 1924 – September 28, 2004) was an American fashion designer. Beene was one of New York's most famous fashion designers, recognized for his artistic and technical skills and for creatin ...

. She has also worked with photography giants

Helmut Newton Helmut Newton (né Neustädter; 31 October 192023 January 2004) was a German-Australian photographer. The ''The New York Times, New York Times'' described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically ch ...

Steven Meisel Steven Meisel (born June 5, 1954) is an American fashion photographer, who obtained popularity and critical acclaim with his work in '' Vogue'' and '' Vogue Italia'' as well as his photographs of friend Madonna in her 1992 book, '' Sex''. He is ...

, and

Matthew Rolston Matthew Russell Rolston is an American artist, photographer, director and creative director, known for his lighting techniques and detailed approach to art direction and design. Rolston has been identified throughout his career with the revival an ...

and worked closely with legendary

David LaChapelle David LaChapelle (born March 11, 1963) is an American photographer, music video director, and film director. He is best known for his work in fashion and photography, which often references art history and sometimes conveys social messages. His ...

. Snyder was a muse to celebrated artist

Alex Katz Alex Katz (born July 24, 1927) is an American figurative artist known for his paintings, sculptures, and printmaking, prints. Since 1951, Katz's work has been the subject of more than 200 solo exhibitions and nearly 500 group exhibitions through ...

and to one of the greatest fashion illustrators in history, Antonio Lopez. She is featured as the cover art of Lopez's book, "Antonio's People". After moving to New York,

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...

encouraged Snyder's art. When embarking on a fashion career, Warhol remarked that "A photo of you is all people need to see to launch your career." Snyder was also featured in Norma Kamali's campaign with

Andie MacDowell Rosalie Anderson MacDowell (born April 21, 1958) is an American actress and former fashion model. MacDowell is known for her starring film roles in romantic comedies and dramas. She has modeled for Calvin Klein and has been a spokeswoman for ...

and

Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana (), also known by initials D&G, is an Italian Luxury goods, luxury fashion house founded in 1985 in Legnano by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The house specializes in ready-to-wear, handbags, accessories, ...

's campaign with

Monica Bellucci Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (; born 30 September 1964) is an Italian actress and model who began her career as a fashion model before working in Italian, American, and French films. She has an eclectic filmography in a range of genres and langua ...

. Snyder was immortalized in the ''

Dick Tracy ''Dick Tracy'' is an American comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on Sunday, October 4, 1931, in the '' Detroit Mirror'', and was distributed by the Chicago T ...

'' comic strips as the inspiration for the "designing woman" character in the series.

Fashion career

Snyder's career in fashion was spearheaded by

Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (; 27 April 1932 2024), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, was a French film actress who appeared in 70 films from 1947 until 2019. Having begun her film career at age 14, she studied acting and ...

's daughter, Manuela Papatakis. She introduced Snyder to

Diane von Fürstenberg Diane von Fürstenberg (born Diane Simone Michele Halfin; 31 December 1946) is a Belgian fashion designer best known for her wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence in 1969 when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg ...

, who gave Snyder her first exhibition featuring her jewelry as art. Snyder's pieces, which included both costume and fine jewelry, were shown in Estee Lauder and

Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, perfume, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it remains. Revlon was founded by brothers Charle ...

advertising campaigns. Snyder then launched a

fashion Fashion is a term used interchangeably to describe the creation of clothing, footwear, Fashion accessory, accessories, cosmetics, and jewellery of different cultural aesthetics and their mix and match into Clothing, outfits that depict distinct ...

business. She developed collections featuring hand painted silk, elegant bead work and graphic prints. She showcased her collections in Paris and New York and began shipping to specialty and department stores around the globe. She also worked on a line of jewelry for Emilio Pucci and created fanciful bracelets for New York's Museum of Modern Art. Felissimo then partnered with Snyder and featured her wearable art and jewelry collections. Snyder was hailed by Felissimo for being "one of the first designers to introduce an exclusive eco collection from recycled materials." Her designs were worn by celebrities, models and aristocrats including:

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

Rosie O'Donnell Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...

Cindy Crawford Cynthia Ann Crawford (born February 20, 1966) is an American model. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was among the most popular supermodels and a ubiquitous presence on magazine covers and runways, as well as fashion campaigns. She subsequently ...

Christie Brinkley Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model. Brinkley appeared on an unprecedented three consecutive covers of ''Sports Illustrated'' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Swimsuit Issues in 1979, 1980, and 1981 ...

Anne Hearst Anne Randolph Hearst (born July 29, 1955) is an American socialite, philanthropist, and publishing heiress of the wealthy Hearst family."Weddings and Celebrations: Anne Hearst, Jay McInerney", ''The New York Times'', 3 December 2006"The Randolph ...

, Mrs. Henry Ford, Princess Olga of Greece and Princess Marie Chantal of Greece.

Message brands

Snyder's most recent brands, Eco Boys and Girls, EcoBrands, A Message of Love and IAM, deliver messages of environmental awareness and interconnectedness. In 2010, Snyder launched Eco Boys and Girls, an educational tool for children to learn, engage and participate with simple but direct messages of love, peace and environmental awareness. Eco Boys and Girls premiered at the

Liberty Science Center Liberty Science Center is an interactive science museum and learning center located in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. At its opening, it was the largest such planetarium in the Western H ...

in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 24, 2010. Since then, the

National Education Association The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college st ...

(NEA) has adopted Eco Boys and Girls lesson plans into their curriculum. The NEA and Friends of the United Nations have also welcomed the Eco Boys and Girls as pro-environmental advocates."NEAMB , NEA Member Benefits"
NEAmb.com. The NEA's Green Across America Program features the Eco Boys and Girls as icons. In 2011, Eco Boys and Girls were featured presenters in Grand Central Terminal's

Earth Day Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally through earthday.org (formerly Earth Day Network) includin ...

2011 celebration, as well as featured partners at American Renewable Energy Day 2011 in Aspen, Colorado, August 2011. In addition, the Eco Boys and Girls short film has been selected to present at Global Peace Film Festival, Sustainable Planet Film Festival,

Artivist Film Festival The Artivist Film Festival & Awards is an international film festival and awards ceremony dedicated to recognizing activist efforts of filmmakers, specifically in the areas of human rights, child advocacy, environmental preservation, and animal ...

and presented at American Renewable Energy Day. Friends of the United Nations presents Eco Boys and Girls, the Millennium Kids at the United Nations to share awareness of UN Millennium Goals. In September, 2010 the Association of Science and Technology Centers presented the Eco Boys and Girls as participants in their call to action for science education to support the Millennium Development Goals.

Leadership

Snyder is receiving increasing recognition as "Leading a New Generation of Artists for Peace". In 2009 the Fulbright Center featured Snyder's HeartsUnite painting at The Global Symposium of Peaceful Nations in Washington, D.C. Her MandalaLoveBubbles triptych artwork is on permanent display at the Medical City Children's Hospital in Dallas, Texas. The

American Public Health Association The American Public Health Association (APHA) is a Washington, D.C.–based professional membership and advocacy organization for public health professionals in the United States. APHA is the largest professional organization of public health pr ...

(APHA) at the annual conference in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, describes Snyder's art "as an emerging body of work that spans graphic, advertising, and fine arts in techniques and media while discussing the challenges of bringing images and ideas about peace into the modern mainstream after decades of marginalization." Snyder's mural, Wall Of Peace'n Love, was installed in the entranceway to the new Medical City Children's Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Maria Snyder was a speaker on her PeaceART at the Newark Peace Education Summit. Her discussion Global Call to Action through PeaceART is a project that helps empower children around the world through art and action, utilizing murals, film, and prose.

Honors, boards, awards

Tiffany and Co. announced Snyder as "One of America's Hottest Fashion Designers" along with

Isaac Mizrahi Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) is an American fashion designer, actor, singer, television presenter and chief designer of the Isaac Mizrahi brand for Xcel Brands. Based in New York City, he is best known for his eponymous fashion lines. M ...

and

Anna Sui Anna Sui (; born August 4, 1955) is an American fashion designer. Her brand categories include several fashion lines, footwear, cosmetics, Perfume, fragrances, eyewear, jewelry, Fashion accessory, accessories and home goods. Sui was named one ...

. She has been recognized by the ''Encyclopedia of Costume Jewelry'' as "one of the few top jewelry designers to collect." Snyder has been nominated to the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the International Best Dressed List. She has been named Ambassador of Arts to the Middle East Peace Civic Forum"Middle East Project: Staff and Board of Directors"
. Middleeastproject.org. and is an advisory board member to the International Committee against Mental Illness.

References

External links

''New York Times''. June 2, 1987.
"Middle East Project: Staff and Board of Directors"
Middleeastproject.org.

Apha.confex.com. * ttp://vayw.lsc.org/lsc/ourexperiences/publicprogramming "April 24, 2010: Liberty Science Center celebrates Earth Day 2010" An introduction of Eco Boys and Girls: earth-friendly educational animated characters created by visionary top model, fashion designer and artist Maria Snyder.
"Maria Snyder's Eco Boys and Girls for Earth Day"
Huffington Post article dated April 20, 2010.
"Liberty Science Center website"
LSC.org.
"Pamela Peeters: Meet Maria Snyder on April 24th at Liberty Science Center and get introduced to her Eco Boys & Girls"
Pamelapeeters.tumblr.com.
"Newark Peace Education Summit Panels and Workshops"
Newarkpeace.org. {{DEFAULTSORT:Snyder, Maria American artists Living people American female models Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American women