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Jacqueline S. Casey worked as a graphic designer for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1963 to 1990. She became a leader in the American modernist movement by being among the first to adopt the International Style in the States, as well as infusing it with a more human sensibility and element of visual play. In a world that was dominated by men, it’s refreshing to see a woman being represented in history of modern graphic design.
I’m surprised it took so long for her to be on my radar. I’ve seen her work so many times while searching for inspiration on the web, but hadn’t heard her name until recently. She is definitely up there with the likes of my favorites…Rand, Vignelli, Crouwel, Bos. Her work successfully combines high-concept ideas, elegant abstraction, and restrained typographic solutions, all of which I strive for in my own work. Enjoy!
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My visual response to the occupy movement.
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Last weekend, I got a chance to catch this exhibit at the Herb Lubalin Study Center at The Cooper Union. It provided a nice snapshot of the evolution of graphic design in the pharmaceutical industry from the 1940's to today.
Without a doubt, my favorite work was from the late 50's and 60's. Bright colors, grid systems, and Akzidenz Grotesk; how can you go wrong? This is such beautiful work that it's hard to image that this stuff ever sat on convenient store shelves...I'm just glad I got a chance to see it in person.
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Spotted this beauty in a used book shop in Old City. The rising sun is Die-cut, and it looks like Block Berthold paired with Avant Garde Extra Light on the cover, which makes for an interesting combo that looks incredibly contemporary. Judging by the cover, I would have bought it, but the contents didn’t make it for me, so I passed this one up.
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Here’s a quick peek of an identity project I’ve been working on for Dave Jannetta of 32-20 Productions. This has been a really fun little project to get into. Dave came to me with a simple request. He wanted to look more established, while still retaining the simple charm and honestly of his self-printed Olivetti typewriter business cards. Dave took inspiration for the name of his company from the song “32-20 Blues” by Robert Johnson, an ode to the 32-20 Winchester rifle. The logo is a reference to the back of a bullet casing, with the type mimicking the engraving often seen on the outer edge of a shell.
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This is a poster I picked up a while back at a local used book shop. My eyes are always peeled for inspiration, and the use of tightly kerned Helvetica and a simple type-driven logo instantly caught my eye on this one. I still don’t know too much about the piece other than it’s promoting an art exhibition in Dubrovnik, and I’m guessing the artist is Vulas and the image is one of his works. Wish I knew a little more about the rationale behind the gallery logo or who designed it.
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Postcard I recently designed for the launch of a lookbook collaboration by Arcadia and Bus Stop boutiques.
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Awesome logo I stumbled across while visiting the petting zoo at Linvilla Orchards just outside of Philly. I love “finding” inspiring design (this feedbag was found upside-down over a feed vending machine). Looking at great design on screen is fine, but there’s nothing like experiencing it in use, they way it was intended to be viewed. We’ve become so used to having inspiration funneled to us through blogs, feeds, and websites, that coming across something on your own has become such a rewarding experience. I have yet to find out any more info about the logo, but judging from the type, I’d bet it dates somewhere around the late seventies. The symbol itself is beautifully drawn, and makes for a strong, timeless mark.
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I’ve been busy shooting and re-shooting work for my new site. I’m no photographer, so getting the photos just right has been such time-consuming process of trial and error. This is a shot of a business card for a local interior design studio that I recently rebranded. Printed using Pantone Warm Gray 11 on Neenah Environment Dessert Storm 110 lb Cover. Overall, pretty psyched on how everything turned out on this project, the process couldn’t have gone smoother and the client is just as happy as I am. And judging by my last round of shots, I’m finally learning how to best document my work. I guess it’s true…practice does make perfect (or somewhere close). More about this project, and more photos, when my new site launches.
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