The Art Directors Club Hall of Fame Gala is fast approaching, an event where we will be honoring a truly awe-inspiring quintet of creative talent from the fields of advertising, design and illustration.

Among this year’s esteemed inductees is Barry Blitt, the Montreal-born illustrator whose work has graced the pages of countless publications, from Vanity Fair to Rolling Stone, and from The Atlantic to The New York Times. Barry is best known for illustrating dozens of covers for The New Yorker, adding his satirical bent to the issues of the day.

While Barry has received many industry accolades for his work, his July 21, 2008 cover for The New Yorker made international headlines as it was thrust into the mainstream media. Entitled “The Politics of Fear” Barry’s illustration lampooned the outrageous rumors swirling around then-US presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

Hear Barry chat about how came about doing covers for The New Yorker, the early advice he received from the legendary Edward Sorel, and his thoughts on his much lauded “Deluged” cover, all in this video.

Barry will be honored alongside fellow laureates David Droga, Deborah Sussman, Mary Ellen Mark, and Kevin O’Callaghan. Tickets for the black-tie Hall of Fame Gala — taking place on October 5th — and can be purchased here.