The Poster as Art ~ David Lance Goines

To work, a poster has to fill many shoes. Of course, it should be eye-catching, but it also has to have text in it that gets a message across.  This is not as easy at it sounds.

I feel fortunate to have met, David Lance Goines, a famous Bay Area artist whose work is mostly all in posters. Goines is well known for his work with restaurateur Alice Waters, Acme Bread, Ravenswood, and others. 

Children's Hospital in Oakland commissioned Goines to design a poster for its upcoming anniversary.  Over lunch at Berkeley's Chez Panisse and at Goines' studio, he explained to us what he was going to create and about the process.  It was fascinating. Goines would submit to the client one proof and contracts were signed and everything commenced.

When the poster was done we went to pick it up and finally saw the finished product. 

I later researched the history of posters and learned a lot about all the elements that need to come together to make an effective poster. Today I see the Children's Hospital poster done by Goines in doctors' offices and smile when I remember I witnessed its creation.