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Lisa Frank Employees Recall Her Hands-On Approach & Red Smiley Faces

2024-12-06

In the early days of running her remarkable empire, Lisa Frank was deeply involved. Prime Video's new docuseries, "Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story," offers a glimpse into that era. Employees recall their time at Lisa Frank Inc., including working at the headquarters in Tuscon, Arizona. Patty Sjolin, a concept artist, product developer, and librarian from 1991 to 2000, vividly remembers how Frank would walk around and inspect people's work. "She was like a teacher. If she liked your work, she'd put a little red smiley face. If not, more work was needed," she shares.

The Complex Personality of Lisa Frank

Patty Sjolin recognized early on that Lisa Frank was a complex person. "She was demanding. She had specific ideas about how things should be. When she was unhappy, it was like a cloud covered you. But when she was happy, it was like being in the sun. It was really like having a parent you wanted to please," she says. This dynamic was also present when Lisa Frank's former business partner and ex-husband, James Green, joined the team.

The Rise of James Green

Green was hired as the first full-time artist in 1982 and rose through the ranks. He became Frank's right-hand man in leadership, and their relationship became romantic. Tony De Luz, an illustrator from 1996 to 2000, believes James was largely responsible for a lot of their success. "He's a good artist. James was very involved in the direction of the art. It had to get past him to go to press. He was a real stickler, exacting, but he was good at what he did. He had a lot to do with building the brand," he explains.

The Different Visions of Green and Frank

Sjolin notes that despite coming together as a leadership team, Green and Frank had different visions for the company. "I think the way James looked at Lisa Frank, he wanted to bring it more realistic and technical, while Lisa wanted to maintain the fantasy world. In those early years, you could feel the tension between what James thought was good and what Lisa thought. There was no screaming or yelling, but it was a silent power struggle. And yet, it worked," she says.By watching the four-part docuseries "Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story" now streaming on Prime Video, one can learn more about the story behind Lisa Frank's bright and funky designs and what went on behind the scenes.