Vale legendary designer Barrie Tucker ~ a trailblazer for Australian design and illustration
The Australian design industry will be saddened to hear of the passing of legendary Adelaide-based designer Barrie Tucker, who passed away on Friday.
In an email from the AADC to members Tucker was described as a trailblazer for Australian design and illustration, who made an enormous contribution to the profile and standards of the industry.
After gathering a wealth of experience in Europe, he returned home in the early 1970s where he became the first designer in the region to be included in the New York Art Directors Awards Exhibition and the first Australian-born designer to have work adorn the cover of Graphis magazine.
Local and global recognition continued in the form of awards and major assignments including the Sanctuary Cove development and many of the nation’s most notable wine companies.
Among numerous AADC awards, Tucker won the 1987 Gold Chair and along with Ian Kidd, was awarded the President’s Award (the Watering Can) in 1979 and inducted into the AGDA Hall of Fame.
He was a passionate and extraordinarily talented illustrator, sculptor and designer committed to creating concepts based on a unique idea enhanced by the magic ingredients of form, dimension, materials, colour and superb crafting.
2 Comments
There was a time, not so long ago, when all Australia’s great designers seemed to live in Adelaide and Barrie was the greatest of them all. What a talent. He will be missed.
My first experience with design was as working with Barrie when I was doing my yr12 special study. He put me to work designing a label for Pericles Ouzo. I still remember the pencil shavings, french curves, gouache, bromide machines, the smell of paper and ink.
He put a lot of faith in my inexperience, and guided me with a firm, but encouraging hand.
If it weren’t for Barrie, I would not have pursued creativity as a career.
Thank you. You will be missed.