The Estate of Lester Beall launches website featuring American Graphic Design Pioneer
Lester Beall from a familial perspective.
The Estate of Lester Beall was seeking a web presence with a vintage modern approach. Jargon Boy’s Greg Chinn has found a way to showcase the history of Lester Beall, emphasizing the early developmental career, pioneering work and lifestyle, while adding to the visual language of the time period.
Beall, whose work was considered avante-garde, was the first graphic designer to have a One Man Show at the Museum of Modern Art in 1937, inducted into the Art Director's Club Hall of Fame in 1972 and awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by AIGA in 1993. Noted design historian, R. Roger Remington has written a book, Lester Beall: Trailblazer of American Graphic Design in 1996. The website was created from a very personal point of view. Chinn is married to the youngest Beall grandaughter and his great respect and affection for the portfolio of work is evident. The site is framed by the words of Lester’s wife, Dorothy Miller Beall, from the December 1969 issue of the Journal of The American Institute of Graphic Arts. Functioning as a primer to Beall’s work, the website shows salient examples from his iconic portfolio. Viewers can see Beall’s early design work, drawings/paintings from the family's personal collection and peek inside his working Dumbarton Farm design studio in Brookfield, Connecticut. There are also reference links provided for more information on Beall or where to purchase his work or books about him. The website has been recognized by top design blogs Design Observer, Core77 and Design Addict. View online at www.lesterbeall.com.