Just making “art” was not of interest to me. I always wanted to use my craft to say something to people I could not speak to directly -- large groups of people who I would never meet, but who I could address about issues that I thought important.
-- Dugald Stermer

Illustration chair Dugald Stermer died on December 2, 2011, at age 74. He started teaching in the Illustration Program at CCA in 1989 and was appointed chair in 1994. In 2003 he was given the designation of Distinguished Professor.

Illustrator

His accomplishments in his field were many. Known for his beautiful, precise drawings, he worked as a successful freelance illustrator for more than 25 years. He designed the official medals for the 1984 Olympic Games; illustrated a wildlife series for the Los Angeles Times; worked on campaigns for numerous companies and organizations; and created editorial illustrations for major publications, including Time, Esquire, the New York Times, the New Yorker, GQ, and Rolling Stone.

Author

Stermer authored four books: The Art of Revolution: 96 Posters from Cuba (Pall Mall Press, 1970) (with an introduction by Susan Sontag); Vanishing Creatures: A Series of Portraits (Lancaster-Miller Publishers, 1981); Vanishing Flora: Endangered Plants Around the World (H. N. Abrams, 1995); and Birds & Bees: A Sexual Study (Collins, 1995). The U.S. State Department commissioned him to create the 2009 Earth Day poster.

Citizen/Artist

Stermer was the embodiment of the citizen/artist and used his prodigious talents for social good in his multiple roles as artist, illustrator, art director, educator, writer, and activist. In the 1960s he played a historic role as art director for the highly influential counterculture magazine Ramparts, which had a major impact on views about civil rights and the antiwar movement.

He always had a deep concern for environmental, ecological, social justice, and civic issues. He was appointed to the San Francisco Arts Commission in 1997 and reappointed for a second term in 2003. He served for over 30 years on the board of advisors of the Delancey Street Foundation, a residential self-help organization for former substance abusers and ex-convicts.

Designer

Stermer was a significant voice for the design and illustration professions. He was a founding board member of both the Illustrators’ Partnership of America and the Illustrators Conference. He gave the keynote addresses at both the International Conference of Natural Science Illustrators in 2000 (Portugal) and the International Conference of Medical Illustrators in 2001.

This year he was given the Fellow Award by the San Francisco chapter of the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts). The award “recognizes mature designers who have made a significant contribution to raising the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within their community.”

Beloved CCA Faculty Member

When asked by design critic Steven Heller about his “quintessential pleasure and passion in [his] wealth of accomplishments,” Dugald identified two things: his book Vanishing Flora and the job as chair of CCA’s Illustration Program, stating “[It] has become a huge part of my life. Over the years it has become increasingly more gratifying and important. I’m proud of the way the department has grown, the faculty we have attracted, the quality of the students coming through. I know this because when I go into class, I want to be there; I want to talk with those kids. Maybe help them to see a world beyond making images.”