Former SJU cartoonist revels in NYC success

Marcellus Hall flourishes as an NYC-based illustrator who has designed six covers for The New Yorker—but 41 years ago, he was a St. John’s student who drew cartoons for The Record.

Sandwiched between political opinions and articles about ROTC classes, Hall’s old cartoons cleverly poke fun at various institutions or experiences around campus. But in the decades since, that sardonicism has been replaced with more hopeful analyses of society.

“My evolution later was to be more humanitarian and more universal,” Hall said. “I liked the idea of humanity… I felt like there was some kind of universal love or something in the way that I embraced humanity.”

Hall moved to New York City in 1987 after he graduated from The Rhode Island School of Design. He took his portfolio around the city and showed his work to publications while proofreading at a law firm and working day jobs at an art supply store and a book store.

Six years later, The New Yorker took notice of Hall and hired him for an article inside the magazine. To his surprise, they continued to hire him, eventually leading to his position as a regular contributor.

“I just felt so young… and that was such a respected institution,” Hall said.

While he initially didn’t inquire about doing cover art, Hall has been submitting cover ideas for more than 15 years now. His first cover for The New Yorker was in 2005, which parallels the biblical story of Adam and Eve. It attempts to situate Manhattan as the Garden of Eden, or heaven. The editors at the magazine took it as a metaphor for the rising rent costs in Manhattan, which “cast out” its inhabitants.

“They [The New Yorker] want something that comments on society, New York, politics or the seasons,” Hall said.

Indeed, Hall’s covers encourage awareness. His works brag proportional compositions and muted colors. Tony Sarg’s urban scenes, Heinrich Zille’s citizen depictions and George Grosz’s caricatural exhibitions have been among Hall’s sources of inspiration.

“I have an interest in pre-digital work. I love the colors and styles of the early 20th century. I’m not trying to replicate those eras; I’m just trying to borrow from them,” Hall said.

Apart from The New Yorker, Hall’s work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Time, American Illustration, the Society of Illustrators and Communication Arts annuals. Among his editorial accolades, Hall has illustrated nine childrens’ books, including the self written “Everyone Sleeps.” While childrens’ books demanded he adjust his style slightly, Hall remains interested in illustrating people and figures.

“I love drawing people rather than things. There are a lot of artists that love drawing buildings and trees— not me. To me, those are like the chords on the guitar behind the singing,” he said.

Hall uses a musical metaphor perhaps because he has artistic passions that extend beyond illustration. He’s currently working on a new graphic novel that combines his interests in both music and art. Plus, he’s a singer-songwriter with a new album releasing this month.

“We [the band] have no pretensions about being famous or getting rich. We’re just enjoying it,” Hall said.

‘Enjoying it’ is what Hall prioritizes above all else. When he was younger, he knew he had a creative skill, and that should he choose to, he could exploit it. Having been successful against the odds, Hall views art as a meditative therapeutic practice. He values it not only as his career but as an opportunity to express himself.

It should be no surprise that his advice to any artist runs along the same lines.

“Do it joyfully. Try to remember … the joy that you felt when you first started doing it. The work that you do will look labored, but if you have some joy, continue to cherish and covet that,” Hall said.

Hall himself certainly hasn’t forgotten the joy of illustration—even in the forms of small cartoons over 40 years ago.