Dorothy and Otis: Designing the American Dream - Hardcover

Hathaway, Norman; Nadel, Dan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062262424 ISBN 13: 9780062262424

Publisher: Harper, 2014

Synopsis

A lavish, gorgeously designed full-color collection that showcases the designs of Dorothy and Otis Shepard, two groundbreaking giants of early twentieth-century American advertising.

Dorothy and Otis Shepard are the unsung heroes of early twentieth-century North American visual culture. Together, they were the first American graphic designers to work in multiple mediums and scales with equal skill and vision, and their work remains brilliant; yet their names are little known today.

Dorothy and Otis chronicles their story in detail for the first time. It explores the Shepards’ penchant for abstraction and modernism, and shows how the advent of billboard advertising inspired their creativity—large campaigns that matched the grandeur of their lifestyle. Throughout, it demonstrates how their influence touched all aspects of consumer culture—from collaborating on the packaging for Wrigley’s Gum and designing uniforms and logos for the Chicago Cubs to planning and promoting the resort island Catalina, where Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Clark Gable, and other celebrities frequented.

Dorothy and Otis illuminates their personal lives as well, from their origins and early years to the eventual dissolution of their marriage. As it brings to life these pioneering artists and their momentous partnership, it elevates them to their rightful place in popular culture and makes clear how their legendary work reflected and exemplified the American Dream.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Dorothy and Otis Shepard are the groundbreaking heroes of North American visual culture. They were the first American graphic designers to work in multiple mediums and scales, but despite the brilliance of their work, their names are little known today.

With 330 stunning, colorful images, Dorothy and Otis chronicles their story for the first time. It explores the Shepards' penchant for abstraction and modernism, and shows how the advent of billboard advertising inspired their creativity—their large campaigns matched the grandeur of their lifestyle. Throughout, this book demonstrates how their work influenced all aspects of consumer culture, from the styling of Wrigley's Gum and the Chicago Cubs to the design of Catalina Island, which Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, and other celebrities frequented.

As Dorothy and Otis brings these artists to life, it elevates them to their rightful place in popular culture and makes clear how their work shaped the American dream.

With more than 330 full-color photographs throughout

About the Author:

Norman Hathaway is an art director and design historian focusing on underappreciated design personalities and techniques. He is the author of Overspray: Riding High with the Kings of California Airbrush Art and coauthor of Electrical Banana: Masters of Psychedelic Art, and has led creative initiatives for Outsider Art Fair's New York and Paris events, London's Design Museum and Royal Academy of Arts, and artists including Paul McCartney. He has also taught and lectured widely on the history of design and typography.

Dan Nadel is a writer and editor for art and visual culture publications, and an art curator. He is the author of Art Out of Time: Unknown Comics Visionaries, 1900-1969 and Art in Time: Unknown Comic Book Adventures, 1940-1980; the coauthor of Electrical Banana: Masters of Psychedelic Art; the editor of Gary Panter; the coeditor of the online version of The Comics Journal; and the curator of What Nerve!: Alternative Figures in American Art from 1960 to the Present at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. He is also the founder of PictureBox, a Grammy Award-winning publishing company.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0062262424
• ISBN 13: 9780062262424
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256