Jack Stauffacher
Encyclopedia
Jack Werner Stauffacher is an American printer, typeface designer, and fine book publisher. He has taught at Carnegie Mellon University
and at the San Francisco Art Institute
.
In 1936, he established the Greenwood Press, named after the street on which it was located, in a small
building that he and his father built behind the family home in San Mateo, California
. His first books appeared when he was in his early 20’s.
In 1955, he received a Fulbright grant
for three years of study in Florence, Italy. There he met master printers Giovanni Mardersteig and Alberto Tallone, whose work and ideas influenced him
profoundly.
Upon his return to the U.S., he became assistant professor of Typographic Design at Carnegie Mellon. His work led to the formation of the New Laboratory Press. He then went on to become typographic director at Stanford University
Press and to teach at the San Francisco Art Institute.
In 1966 he reopened the Greenwood Press in a building at 300 Broadway in San Francisco and resumed producing
books and limited editions such as Albert Camus and the Men of Stone (1971). In 1967 he was commissioned
to redesign the Journal of Typographic Research, later renamed Visible Language. The typographic composition he used for its cover was used for many years and became something of a design icon.
Mr. Stauffacher was added to the distinguished list of AIGA medalists in 2004. Several of his experimental compositions using wood and metal type are in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Stanford University Library. Much of his life and work is documented in the book A Typographic Journey / The History of the Greenwood Press published by the Book Club of California in 1999. His was the subject of an article and his work featured on the cover of the groundbreaking Emigre magazine
in 1998.
His brother Frank Stauffacher
ran the pioneering "Art in Cinema" cinema series at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
from 1946 to 1954.
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
and at the San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute is a school of higher education in contemporary art with the main campus in the Russian Hill district of San Francisco, California. Its graduate center is in the Dogpatch neighborhood. The private, non-profit institution is accredited by WASC and is a member of the...
.
In 1936, he established the Greenwood Press, named after the street on which it was located, in a small
building that he and his father built behind the family home in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
. His first books appeared when he was in his early 20’s.
In 1955, he received a Fulbright grant
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
for three years of study in Florence, Italy. There he met master printers Giovanni Mardersteig and Alberto Tallone, whose work and ideas influenced him
profoundly.
Upon his return to the U.S., he became assistant professor of Typographic Design at Carnegie Mellon. His work led to the formation of the New Laboratory Press. He then went on to become typographic director at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Press and to teach at the San Francisco Art Institute.
In 1966 he reopened the Greenwood Press in a building at 300 Broadway in San Francisco and resumed producing
books and limited editions such as Albert Camus and the Men of Stone (1971). In 1967 he was commissioned
to redesign the Journal of Typographic Research, later renamed Visible Language. The typographic composition he used for its cover was used for many years and became something of a design icon.
Mr. Stauffacher was added to the distinguished list of AIGA medalists in 2004. Several of his experimental compositions using wood and metal type are in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Stanford University Library. Much of his life and work is documented in the book A Typographic Journey / The History of the Greenwood Press published by the Book Club of California in 1999. His was the subject of an article and his work featured on the cover of the groundbreaking Emigre magazine
Emigre magazine
Emigre was a graphic design magazine published by Emigre Graphics between 1984 and 2005; it was first published in 1984 in San Francisco, California, USA...
in 1998.
His brother Frank Stauffacher
Frank Stauffacher
Frank Stauffacher was an experimental filmmaker best known for directing the cinema series "Art in Cinema" at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art from 1946 to 1954. He was the cinematographer for Mother's Day and Adventures of Jimmy , two films by James Broughton...
ran the pioneering "Art in Cinema" cinema series at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum located in San Francisco, California. A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art...
from 1946 to 1954.