I'm not sure how I missed this installment when it was first posted. I've been doing research on LGBTQIA+ artist for several years. Here are some brief notes on Nick Backes. Artist and Illustrator with extensive experience in publishing, fashion, advertising, television, and retail industries for over 25 years, Backes was known for creating classic, realistic images for a diverse clientele. Accomplished in pencil, pastels, and oil, he was honored in the Society of Illustrators Show in New York with work in the Society’s Thirty-First Annual of American Illustration. He was commissioned by Italian designer, Valentino, to illustrate in the 1983-1985 international advertising campaigns . He was born in 1950 and died in 2013. One of the best brief biographies I've seen is posted on American Girl Wiki since he did most of the illustrations for the American Girl series. Here is the link https://americangirl.fandom.com/wiki/Nick_Backes I enjoyed seeing more of his work from the Mandate article. Backes was mostly known as an illustrator and much if not most of his work is not erotic art. Another good source is https://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/2668364.html that is where my notes came from a few years ago and the site is still up, plus you can see more of his work on that site. Jeff
I'm glad to know more about Nick Backes. I'm still puzzled as to why we, at Mandate, didn't have his real name so that we could direct people to his work.
I don't know anything about Weston Rose either, but the illustrations on the pages here are by an artist named Nick Backes. His signature is pretty clear on at least three of the images. There is definitely not a ton of information about him but here is a link to a page about him, from of all places, American Girl Wiki: https://americangirl.fandom.com/wiki/Nick_Backes
He was very talented, but sadly he passed away in 2013.
This is fascinating! I saw the signature but supposed it was the model's name even though such signing is quite unusual. I believe you have solved the mystery, and many thanks for you help.
I wish I could say, "Elementary, my dear Christopher," but I can't. I'm going to guess, however, that the images arrived at the magazines before I did (I became editor-in-chief in February 1982) and gathered dust in the art department for a few years, and likely not logged in properly -- I found chaos in all directions when I took over the magazines. Then one day an art director finds the layout, brings it to me, I schedule it for "Mandate," and someone supplies the artist's name -- but alas, it's the wrong one. Managing those talented but undisciplined art directors required the patience of a grade-school teacher and the threat of a cop. If you dig up anything further, I'm eagerly awaiting!
I just did a quick search myself and am as disappointed as you. Wonderful illustrations but no online trace of the artist. So frustrating as I suppose this is all too common.
Thank you for the effort. It's really unusual for an artist of some importance, which he obviously is, to vanish without only a few tantalizing traces. I did come across a landscape by someone named Weston Rose -- the same man, or different, I wonder.
I'm not sure how I missed this installment when it was first posted. I've been doing research on LGBTQIA+ artist for several years. Here are some brief notes on Nick Backes. Artist and Illustrator with extensive experience in publishing, fashion, advertising, television, and retail industries for over 25 years, Backes was known for creating classic, realistic images for a diverse clientele. Accomplished in pencil, pastels, and oil, he was honored in the Society of Illustrators Show in New York with work in the Society’s Thirty-First Annual of American Illustration. He was commissioned by Italian designer, Valentino, to illustrate in the 1983-1985 international advertising campaigns . He was born in 1950 and died in 2013. One of the best brief biographies I've seen is posted on American Girl Wiki since he did most of the illustrations for the American Girl series. Here is the link https://americangirl.fandom.com/wiki/Nick_Backes I enjoyed seeing more of his work from the Mandate article. Backes was mostly known as an illustrator and much if not most of his work is not erotic art. Another good source is https://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/2668364.html that is where my notes came from a few years ago and the site is still up, plus you can see more of his work on that site. Jeff
I'm glad to know more about Nick Backes. I'm still puzzled as to why we, at Mandate, didn't have his real name so that we could direct people to his work.
I don't know anything about Weston Rose either, but the illustrations on the pages here are by an artist named Nick Backes. His signature is pretty clear on at least three of the images. There is definitely not a ton of information about him but here is a link to a page about him, from of all places, American Girl Wiki: https://americangirl.fandom.com/wiki/Nick_Backes
He was very talented, but sadly he passed away in 2013.
This is fascinating! I saw the signature but supposed it was the model's name even though such signing is quite unusual. I believe you have solved the mystery, and many thanks for you help.
Glad to help, and thank you for sending me down a Nick Backes rabbit hole... lol! Still, there is the mystery of who was Weston Rose?
I wish I could say, "Elementary, my dear Christopher," but I can't. I'm going to guess, however, that the images arrived at the magazines before I did (I became editor-in-chief in February 1982) and gathered dust in the art department for a few years, and likely not logged in properly -- I found chaos in all directions when I took over the magazines. Then one day an art director finds the layout, brings it to me, I schedule it for "Mandate," and someone supplies the artist's name -- but alas, it's the wrong one. Managing those talented but undisciplined art directors required the patience of a grade-school teacher and the threat of a cop. If you dig up anything further, I'm eagerly awaiting!
I just did a quick search myself and am as disappointed as you. Wonderful illustrations but no online trace of the artist. So frustrating as I suppose this is all too common.
Thank you for the effort. It's really unusual for an artist of some importance, which he obviously is, to vanish without only a few tantalizing traces. I did come across a landscape by someone named Weston Rose -- the same man, or different, I wonder.