#TBT Know your Design History: The History of Graphic Design in South Louisiana Project

Reposted from the original article hosted at Mohawk’s Felt & Wire blog.

We all know what south Louisiana sounds and tastes like through jazz, Mardi Gras and great food! But what does it look like in terms of visual culture? Join us in honoring the fathers and daughters of local pop culture.

If you watch the popular TV show Mad Men, we’ve found the real thing: Welcome to the wacky, wonderful world of this ongoing AIGA New Orleans project in conjunction with The T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History at LSU in Baton Rouge and The American Printing History Association Oral History Project. As of last fall, autumn 2013, the physical artifacts of this amazing collection has been donated to Loyola University New Orleans Archives and Special Collections. Additionally, archives from the venerable Fitzgerald Advertising Agency, which opened its doors here in 1926 and is now Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald, were donated to the Historic New Orleans Collection.

There’s loads and loads of original advertising and graphic design art to be found locally. If you know of any interesting, original illustrations, posters, brochures, film clips, slides, TV commercials, let us know. E-mail inquiries or information about donations to the project directly to Nancy Sharon Collins, AIGA New Orleans Special Projects Director, nscstationer@earthlink.net.

Here are some highlights from the digital archives:

Herb_Lubalin_CU_aiganeworleans_gdhsl

Above: Digital archives of vintage 1960s New Orleans graphic design include a 1966 faux résumé from Herb Lubalin.

 

Digitally remastered, 30-minute, 1961 New Orleans Art Directors and Designers Club promotional slideshow

Trailer for the GDHSL video documentary

This article is part of an ongoing online column about design history, authored by Nancy Sharon Collins, stationery extraordinaire and AIGA New Orleans chapter Special Projects Director. For more information about Nancy, visit her website.

She was also recently featured on The SoGood blog, a tastemakers and recommendations site that just recently launched service for New Orleans!

Learn from the Historian and Stationer, Herself

Join Nancy’s live Skillshare class this weekend! She’s providing another opportunity to learn how to draw and produce monograms and all levels of novice and expertise are welcome. Walk-ins welcomed, but signups are preferred.

Saturday, July 19, 2014   |  2:00-4:00 pm 
Gallier House, 1132 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA

Protip! If you are an AIGA member, you have a discount available!
Email us to get the discount code.

By Nancy Sharon Collins
Published July 17, 2014