This hand drawn poster by me was produced around 1953/4 when I was still at the University of Technology. Pre-computers !
While building my second DeeWhy house (1952-56) I became aware of the SDI in Melbourne which I joined and then initiated the formation of the SDI (NSW) chapter. ……
This later (1958?) morphed into a more professional body – The Industrial Design Institute of Australia (IDIA) – not to be confused with the Industrial Design Council of Australia (IDCA) which Fred Ward and I started at ANU from 1957 cf. I also initiated the formation of a School of Industrial Design at NSWUT with Professor Baxter, Vice Chancellor before I left in 1956 – it came about after I left. Inaugural Professor was a psychologist – Les Haynes.
The SDI NSW Chapter formation brought me into contact with some of the early design practitioners in Sydney – Carl Neilsen, Ted Healy, Ted Worsley, Eric Towell, Arthur Robinson, Adrian Knaap, Doug Snelling, Al Morrison, Doug Annand, Gordon Andrews, Frank Hinder, Bim Hilder and a few others in Melbourne, especially Ron Rosenfeldt and Grant Featherston and George Kral (Shirley’s former husband).
The original poster is still in my possession, currently stuck on to my cupboard door in my study, otherwise it will be in the Portfolio entry as ‘Social design’ and as Graphic design – or in my plan drawers in the workshop. It is now a significant historical piece in this entry of the beginnings of the DIA – the Design Institute of Australia, now established in Collins Street, Melbourne, web : www.design.org.au There is also a second poster – see entry in ‘Graphic design’ : 1954? SDI Poster, both drawn by hand in the pre-computer days.