RI's World Renowned Graphic Designer Malcolm Grear Dies

RI's World Renowned Graphic Designer Malcolm Grear Dies

The RI-based graphic designer and Rhode Island School of Design Professor Malcolm Grear, who was one of America’s most award winning artists, has died at 84. He created graphic identity ranging from the art for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to logos for CVS and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Grear work was iconic and is interwoven into every part of Rhode Island life and is known around the world. Logos for Lifespan to design work for Brown University, Hasbro and GTECH are all known in Rhode Island, but are just a few examples of his work that is globally recoginized.

A 2012 RISD feature on Grear as a 'living legend' wrote"

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“Malcolm has been inspirational – as a designer, teacher and mentor,” notes Professor Bill Newkirk 68 GD, co-chair of the Grear scholarship fundraising effort. “He is relentless in the pursuit of excellence in his own designs and has been no less committed to his students in expecting the best. Those of us who have learned from him retain this essential objective no matter where our design paths have led.”

According to his firm’s announcement:

James Malcolm Grear, 84, of Wakefield, Rhode Island, died peacefully on January 24, 2016. He was born in Wayne County, Kentucky, on June 12, 1931 to Carl and Elizabeth (Canada) Grear. He is survived by his loving prairie flower, Clarice Simpson Grear, his brother Glen Grear, his sister Paula Burkett of Kentucky, four beloved children Joel Grear, Amie Grear Ray, Jason Grear, Leah Grear, their spouses and partners, nine grandchildren, one great grandchild, and many loving nieces and nephews, countless friends and devoted colleagues. Malcolm served four years as an aircraft carrier metal smith in the US Navy. After attending the Art Academy of Cincinnati and teaching at the University of Louisville, he joined the Rhode Island School of Design faculty in 1960 and opened Malcolm Grear Designers, Inc., in Providence. During his nearly four decades at RISD and his continuing work at his studio, he was a devoted teacher and mentor and received numerous honors, honorary doctorates, and teaching awards. Malcolm loved his family, friends, and the people and community he served.

There will be a service celebrating Malcolm’s life at the Community Church of Providence, 372 Wayland Avenue, Providence at 1 pm on February 13, 2016. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in loving memory of Malcolm be made to The Malcolm Grear Endowed Scholarship, Amanda Wright, Rhode Island School of Design, Two College Street, Providence, RI 02903.