User:Samshawk33/sandbox

Introduction
Sam Smidt (American) worked as a Graphic Designer from the 1950s thru 2016. He enjoyed a distinguished career as a leading West Coast Graphic Designer and professor emeritus in Graphic Design at San Jose State University. His enthusiasm and unique approach is evident in the success of his clients and students for a span of over 50 years. His most known works are seen all around the city of Palo Alto where he had his studio at 666 High St. and Sam Smidt Assoc. first on Camebridge Ave, Palo Alto and Palo Alto Square thru the 60s and 70s.

Along with several successful Advertising Agencies: Sam Smidt Designers, Sam Smidt Associates Sam Smidt Graphic Design Inc. finally his studio in Palo Alto. He won major awards and recognition from professional design groups such as: AIGA San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York Art Directors clubs. Internationally the biggest award winner thru the 60 and 70s. His design work is in the permanent collections of noted institutions and museums worked with many distinguished clients. He has numerous articles written about him in newspapers and design periodicals.

Early Life
Born 1931 during the depression in Peabody, MA. At 10 years old, he and his parents drove across the United States to San Francisco, CA. Starting at Presidio Junior High, First grade, he met his sweetheart and future wife, Marlene. Sam and Marlene and both Graduated from Washington High School.  in 1945

1948- Served in the U.S.Navy as a Hospital-man during the Korean War. He discovered his love for drawing and writing as a way to escape the horrors of war.

1955- When he returned to San Francisco he worked at the famous Playland at the Beach running the cigarette wheel and working at a pie shop. He and Marlene Married, and together built his business up into a success. After renting a small apt. Redwood City, they decided to move to Los Angeles for school.

Design Education & Influences
1953-54- At the very beginning... Sam would build up his advertising and illustration skills, a set of books from the 'Famous Artist Series' binders containing several courses on how to draw where you could send your art into a panel of very famous designers to get feedback he would use that to build up his portfolio and apply for college.

1954- Enrolled in a graphic design course at Steven’s School in San Francisco now Academy of Art University.

1958- Used his G.I.Bill a grant from the Navy and his work to date, to enroll in Southern California's famous Art Center College of Design. along with the encouragement of G. Dean Smith, who later worked with Saul Bass. he was accepted and attended. His design professor and lifelong friend, Louis Danziger  taught him that successful design solutions require a seamless marriage of form and content.

A Career in Graphic Design
1961- 2016 obtained his first job at S.R.I. (Stanford Research Institute) in Menlo Park, where he was able to produce small experimental pieces for cultural events such as the 'Noon Forum'.

1956 - worked for a small advertising agency where he produces catalogs for for Beckman Instruments in Palo Alto.

1959 - Art Director Universal Printing worked on travel brochures.

1960 - Returned to Palo Alto to form his own agency Sam Smidt Associates in Palo Alto Square. Then produced a campaign for Swedish toothpaste. The team was made of mainly Sam Smidt/ Art Direction, Paul Sinn / Typography, Bob Sleeper / Illustration Perry Leftwich / Gerry Humple. They were recognized as one of the top advertising agencies in the Bay Area during the 70's and 80's. He began to work with Bay Area developers Mike Podell Redwood Shores and many other housing developments in the Bay area.

1961- Ampex Corporation designed and produced brochure for their International division. American Housing Guild on a full service basis.

1963 - Syntex Corporation, Hare, Brewer and Kelly along with several misc small projects.Started teaching Graphic Design at San José State University. He was hired immediately based on his reputation. He also produced posters and announcements for exhibitions for colleagues who were teaching in the San Jose State Art Department. Posters for San Jose Symphony, San Francisco Opera and other cultural events.

1964 - Varian Associates, Snyder-Lowes Corporation and others.

1966 - Opened Sam Smidt Associates in Palo Alto Square, Notice Poster

1967- Experimental films with Ron Carraher and Jazz Collector Series Posters for the Monterey Jazz Festival, Charlie Parker, Billie Holliday, Dizzy Gilespe, Ron Carter, Duke Ellington. Poster: 'First National Photography Exhibition, San Jose State University Art'

1968 Battenberg DeSaisset Museum and Art Gallery

1969?check - Album Cover for John Coltrane, The Music of Lou Harrison,

1970- Posters: 'Hells Angels Invade New York', 'Valentines Invitation', ITCA,

1971 - Posters: 'John Battenberg Missing Letters', 'White is Beautiful'

1972 - Posters 'Please Post' poster, 'SFMOMA Three Man Show Catalog', 'White is Beautiful', Smithsonian Institution Awards

1973

1974 Cooper Hewitt Museum Awards

1975-1980 - 81 Sold Agency, Bought Building and Opened Sam Smidt Inc.

1982 Promoted / Awarded full Professor Emeritus of Design.

1983 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art 20 American Artists Poster and Catalog

1984 - 'Minimal Space Bed Ad', Permanent Collection of SFMOMA

1985 - 'We're having a Few Friends Over for a Drink', Minimal Space Party Invitation

1989 - University Art Pads and Ads

1993 Retrospect at SJSU

1995 Graphis Article

1996-98 FI Magazine, Art Direction

1998 Accepted to San Jose Museum of Art

2001 - WADC identity program, Retrospect City Hall Palo Alto

2013 Interview by Chuck Byrne and Joe Miller for the AIGA Continuum / Fellows Award for Education, Proclamation for Design from Mayor ED LEE / San Francisco

2016 Several posters accepted to the LACMA /Los Angeles County Museum' Hells Angels Invade New York'. 'First National Photography Exhibition', San Jose State University. 'White is Beautiful', Lectures by Charles White. The Music of Lou Harrison, concert Poster 'Please Post', 'Battenberg DeSasset Museum and Art Gallery', 'We're having a Few Friends Over for a Drink', Minimal Space Party Invitation

San Jose Symphony

1981? - Bought Building in Palo Alto and opened Sam Smidt Inc.

Xerox,

Hewlett Packard,

Syntex,

American housing Guild,

Letterheads for Hank Andersen,

1983 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art 20 American Artists Poster and Catalog

San Francisco Opera

San Jose Symphony

IXI:Z Japan

Varian

Natural Wonders

Speedo White Stag

University of Pheonix

Cisco Systems

Healing Environments

FI Magazine

The Audible Difference

Palo Alto Parking Garage

Turner Martin

Cactus

Phyllis

MIO

American Housing Guild

Posters for SJSU Art Dept.

Varian

Recycling Palo Alto

Ecology Ads

1978 Alexian Brothers Hospital Logo, Yes You Can ad

1979

Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society

Monterey Jazz Posters

Banana Poster

SJSU Posters Cheeze, Eyes, Shoes Eat

2001 WADC Identity program

Lena Chow

Saint Michael's Alley

Ebay Cafe 17

Teaching
1960 -1997 Started teaching Graphic Design at San José State University.

19__Received the Honor of Professor Emeritus.

1972 - Elected Coordinator of the Graphic Design program at San Jose State University,

1979 - Promoted to the rank of Professor in Design August 24th.

Special Projects

Survival Fair

Permanent Collections
1987 - Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Pieces: IXIX New Romantics, Code Swiss, Untamed Tropics, Memphis on our Minds, 1986 mailing piece.

Copper-Hewlett Collection. New York: Pieces:

1974 Smithsonian Institution,1974,

1999 - SFMOMA /San Francisco Museum of Art: 'Hells Angels Invade New York', 'John Battenberg Missing Letters', 'Valentine's Invitation', 'White is Beautiful', 'Erick Oback Exhibit', 'Minimal Space Bed Ad', 'University Art Center Pads', 'SFMOMA Three-Man Show Catalog', 'Please Post', 'ITCA Poster', 'Billboard Calendar', 'Lena Chow Advertising Identity'.

2016 LACMA Los Angeles County Museum Includes:Pieces

2005 SJMA San Jose Museum of Art Pieces

Experimental Projects
Typeshow

Santa Monica Series

Films Monterey Jazz Festival, Retail Short Films. Draculas Shadow, Sam Flix

2009 Poster Bid for Olympics 2012

Drawing and Photographs
Sam believed that Graphic Design was closely aligned with all the Arts. He often incorporated his own drawing and photos in design. His drawing is typified by whimsy as well as push the imagination. Mostly, working in line art and colored pencil.

Drawing Books by Sam. People.

Sam Script. His handwriting

Gifts of the Street. Photo

Influences
Saul Bass, Lou Danziger, Ladislav Sutnar, Georgy Kepes, Milton Glaser, Picasso, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Man Ray, Paul Rand, El Lissitzky, Moholy Nagy, Lester Beale, Eames, Louis Armstrong Frank Lloyd Wright, Minimal Home Moholy Nagy Man RAy Paul Rand Lester Beale. 1961 - 1998 Aspen Design Conference Attendee, Books: 'Language of Vision'

Awards, Lectures and Judging
AWARDS:1962 -1969 Recognition Awarded 60s The Examiner, William Randolph Hearst, Look Magazine,

1972 - The New York Art Directors Club

1977 - ITCA International Typographic Composition Association. Ninth Annual Gold Metal Awards for Typography Traveling Show worldwide.

1983 - San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Exhibition Catalog, San Fancisco Art Directors Club, Annual Exhibition.

1984 - July/ August Issue Print's Regional Design Annual / Certificates of Distinction

1985 - Susan Aulick Design, Interior Landscape San Francisco Art Directors Club Annual Exhibit

1986 - IXIZ Japan, New York Art Directors Club, Annual Exhibition

1988 - Graphis, Japan / Cactus Palo Alto, Sale Ad, Print Regional Design Annual

1989 - Gertrude B Murphy Awards (SJAC) - University Art Center, Creative Tools for Creative Fools. Techline Studio, Print Regional Design Annual.

2011 - AIGA Fellows Award  City of San Francisco, Proclamation of Design from Mayor, Ed Lee. Presented by Greg Chew of the SF Arts Commission and former student.

Lectures: Noon Forum Art SJSU, AIA, PAPA,

Judges Exhibitions, Los Angeles New York, New Orleans, Denver, CA Annual

Speech SJSU 1999 Senior Class

Shows
Many Designers don't think of themselves as fine artists or their pieces a show worthy. Sam thought good and advertising design should be celebrated. ' Art for MOMA LACMA SJMA Sam's Sake', 'Sam and Sons', Palo Alto City Hall, Syntex Gallery, San Jose State, Modern Book

1970- First Showing of the exhibition 'Sam for Art's Sake' at the Syntex Gallery in Palo Alto.

Retospect San Jose State

Publications Books, Magazines
Most International Periodicals

Self Published and

1968 Jazz Series Posters.

1984 Minimal Space Lighting Ad, Print Regional Design Annual

1986 IXIZ: Japan New York Art Directors Club, Annual Exhibition

1989 - Smidt/ Alexander, Santa Monica Series, Design World Magazine, Australia / The Smithsonian Institution Images of an ERA

2002 - Graphis 330, the leading international design magazine.

1965-90's Communication Arts

1965-90's PRINT Magazine

He has been featured in many articles such as Graphis 330, the leading international design magazine.

Newspaper Articles
List with Links

Letters of Recognition
John Sperling, Lou Danziger, Lou Dorfsman CBS, Letter Introducing New Studio 137 Forest Ave. Palo Alto before moving around the corner to 666 Hign