AAF West Michigan Silver Medal Award
If you’ve seen Herman Miller’s picnic posters from the 70s and 80s, or its annual reports, you might wonder what kind of creative mind is behind their design. For 39 years, Steve Frykholm has been largely responsible for these projects, Herman Miller’s image and graphic identity, and other collateral material.
Before being hired as Herman Miller’s first internal graphic designer, Steve received a BFA from Bradley University, taught in Nigeria with the U.S. Peace Corps, and received an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He was born in Seattle and grew up in Kansas City.
His work has been published and exhibited, and he’s received numerous graphic design and communication awards from the AIGA, the New York Art Directors Club, American Center for Design, Communication Arts, Graphis, and Print. His posters are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts, Danish Museum of Decorative Art, National Museum of American Art, Cooper Hewitt National Museum of Design, and the Library of Congress.
In 1986 Steve received The Carl F. Frost Award, Herman Miller’s highest recognition for an employee, and in 2005 he became an AIGA Fellow. He is a Vice President and Creative Director at Herman Miller.
Steve and his wife, Nancy Phillips, an interior architectural designer and equestrian, live in rural Michigan where she rides dressage and he spreads manure and photographs wildflowers. Several of his images were published in Graphis Flora in 2002.
Steve’s work appeared in the following:
“Posters for a Picnic,” Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.
“The Modern American Poster,” National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto and Tokyo
“A Historic Review of Annual Report Design,” Cooper Hewitt Museum, National Museum of Design, Smithsonian Institution, New York
“Graphic Design in America,” Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
“Designed for Delight,” Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts, Montreal
“Posters American Style,” National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
“Ephemeral Images: Recent American Posters,” Cooper Hewitt Museum, National Museum of Design, Smithsonian Institution, New York
Before being hired as Herman Miller’s first internal graphic designer, Steve received a BFA from Bradley University, taught in Nigeria with the U.S. Peace Corps, and received an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He was born in Seattle and grew up in Kansas City.
His work has been published and exhibited, and he’s received numerous graphic design and communication awards from the AIGA, the New York Art Directors Club, American Center for Design, Communication Arts, Graphis, and Print. His posters are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts, Danish Museum of Decorative Art, National Museum of American Art, Cooper Hewitt National Museum of Design, and the Library of Congress.
In 1986 Steve received The Carl F. Frost Award, Herman Miller’s highest recognition for an employee, and in 2005 he became an AIGA Fellow. He is a Vice President and Creative Director at Herman Miller.
Steve and his wife, Nancy Phillips, an interior architectural designer and equestrian, live in rural Michigan where she rides dressage and he spreads manure and photographs wildflowers. Several of his images were published in Graphis Flora in 2002.
Steve’s work appeared in the following:
“Posters for a Picnic,” Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.
“The Modern American Poster,” National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto and Tokyo
“A Historic Review of Annual Report Design,” Cooper Hewitt Museum, National Museum of Design, Smithsonian Institution, New York
“Graphic Design in America,” Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
“Designed for Delight,” Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts, Montreal
“Posters American Style,” National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
“Ephemeral Images: Recent American Posters,” Cooper Hewitt Museum, National Museum of Design, Smithsonian Institution, New York
