All The Herman Miller Picnic Posters by Steven Frykholm

All The Herman Miller Picnic Posters by Steven Frykholm

Aside from fireworks and flag-waving, July 4th is well known for sunburns, freaking out dogs and picnics. Which is why I thought that sharing all of the Herman Miller Picnic Posters by Steven Frykholm with you would make the perfect July 4th post.

Herman Miller Picnic Posters by Steven Frykholm

The first in-house graphic designer ever hired at Herman Miller, Cranbrook graduate Steven Frykholm, is now the company’s Vice President of Creative Design after 45 years with the furniture company. He is also the man behind the highly respected annual summer picnic posters created for the company from 1970-1989.

Now Herman Miller's Vice President of Creative Design, Steven Frykholm stands in front of his summer picnic posters
Now Herman Miller’s Vice President of Creative Design, Steven Frykholm stands in front of his summer picnic posters

The posters are so highly regarded as exceptional examples of graphic design and pop art that the collection is now a permanent part of MoMA. Reproductions of some of the posters are available through the MoMA Store here.  Other of his posters can be found at several other museums and art institutions such as at SFMoMA, The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt Design Museum and The Denver Art Museum.

Below is every single poster designed for the annual summer picnic by Steven Frykholm, shown in chronological order.

1970
1970 Sweet Corn
1971
1971 Watermelon
1972 Ice Cream Sundae
1973
1973 Hot Dog
1974
1974 Pop Corn
1975 Cherry Pie
1976 herman miller summer picnic poster
1976 Baked Ham
1977 herman miller summer picnic poster
1977 Fruit Salad
1978
1978 Chocolate Cake
1979 herman miller summer picnic poster
1979 Barbequed Chicken
1980
1980 Lemonade
1981 herman miller summer picnic poster
1981 Baked Beans
1982
1982 Seven Layer salad
183 Ice Cream Cone
1984
1984 Potato Salad
1985
1985 Ants
1986
1986 Ambrosia
1987 Popsicles
1987 Popsicles
1988
1988 Lollipops
1989
1989 Peach Sundae

Continental in Sparta, Michigan printed the entire series of the Summer Picnic Posters created by Frykholm.

Read a recent interview with Steven Frykholm from Herman Miller here.

Related links:
Herman Miller task chairs and furniture on Amazon
Herman Miller books and catalogs on Amazon

images courtesy of MoMA, Cooper Hewitt Design Museum and Herman Miller

Happy 4th of July!