WOMEN IN DESIGN THROUGHOUT HISTORY
Although women should be appreciated every day, it’s beautiful to see all the wonderful accomplishments and contributions women have made to society highlighted in the month of March.
I believe that it’s especially important to make sure that the creative arts industry is filled with not only women but with diversity. As most brands rely heavily on their digital platform, it is the perfect position to ensure that representation is spread and that we all contribute to guaranteeing that the digital handprint we leave behind is filled with positivity and inclusion. This is the purest form of women supporting women.
Below are some of the most influential women in the industry; they all paved the way for future generations. Each woman had her own individual way of leaving a unique mark; I aimed to highlight their long-lasting contributions.
Women Making Waves in the Industry
Dorthy Hayes
Dorthy Hayes was an important figure for women of color in the graphic design world. In the 1960s, she left behind her Alabama roots to pursue a career in New York City. She organized the exhibition, Black Artists in Graphic Communication, to make space for all people of color. This opened the door for many individuals providing them the platform to be seen. She continued to lead exhibitions driven to facilitate an inclusive space. Dorothy spent her entire career directing a PR campaign to build awareness. Along with building up her personal brand and creating a name for herself, she helped build up an entire community.
Gail Anderson
Gail Anderson is a first-generation American, graphic designer, writer, and educator. She helped popularize hand lettering and typography designs, leaving an impressionable mark on the design world. You can see a reflection of her style on any creative designer's platform today. Typography has become the key to digital marketing. Anderson played a key role in bringing awareness to the tool! Her success speaks volumes; Anderson was the first African American and the third woman to receive the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award.
Jane Davis Doggett
Jane Davis Doggett was a pioneer designer in a time when most women were overshadowed by men. Doggett was a vocal and passionate leader who made a name for herself by creating groundbreaking graphics systems for more than 40 airports. Her graphics system, colors, and symbols have become an international symbol in airports, transit systems, and convention centers! Her legacy continues to live on in her art as well. Doggett was a contemporary artist with a focus on creating bright and bold works to reflect the turn of art in the 21st century.
Bernice Bing
Bernice Bing was a Chinese-American, lesbian artist who became known for her abstract expressionist art. In her work, you can find characteristics like the duality of light and dark, zen calligraphy, surrealism, and so much more. Her work helped push the boundaries of modernism by portraying the influence of traditional Chinese art and culture. Bing's work was overlooked until her passing, but her popularity over the years has shed light on her devotion. Not only does her art lives on, but, her perseverance as a queer Asian American woman in documentaries produced by non-profits like Asian American Women Artists Association and Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project.
Bea Feitler
Bea Feitler was a Brazilian American and a legendary figure in the art world. She began her career working as the first female co-art director at Harper’s Bazaar alongside Ruth Ansel. She then moved on to become the art director of Rolling Stone magazine and ended by creating her liberal feminist magazine Ms. Feitler's designs both inspired and reflected the vast changes in society of the 1960s. The bold look she was known for had a grasp on society and was perfect for the era's culture. It is still seen in the work we do today. According to Feitler, effective editorial design is all about establishing a smooth flow, which applied to the magazine pages back then as well as the digital world today.
Sylvia Harris
Sylvia Harris was an influential graphic designer and a pioneer in social impact design. She devoted her life to non-profit work and provoked change in her industry and the world. Her creative direction led to the campaign of many ongoing social justice movements. She believed that designers had a powerful impact for social good. Her legacy will live on forever in the new generations.
