biography of Robert Seymour ALEXANDER (1923)

Birth place: Pittsburgh, PA

Addresses: East Lansing, MI

Profession: Educator, designer

Studied: Ad-Art Studio Sch., 1941-1942; Shrivenham, Am. Univ., Eng., 1945; Carnegie Inst. Techn., 1947; Univ. Ill., BFA, 1951; Cranbrook Acad. Art, MFA, 1952.

Exhibited: Creative Gals., New York, 1952; solo exhibition of industrial designs at Saginaw Mus. A., 1956; Kresge A. Center & Michigan State Univ. 1956, 1960; paintings 1956-1965 in Champaign, Illinois, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Pittsburgh, Pa.; Exhib Mich Artists, Detroit Inst Arts,1959, 62 & 1972; Mich Area Artists, Kalamazoo Inst Art, 1964; The Little Gallery, Birmingham, Mich, 1964 (solo); Houston, Tex.,1965. Awards: prize, Furnishings-Des. competition. New York, N.Y., 1958; first prize, Int. furniture design competition, Nat. Cotton Coun., 1959.

Member: Industrial Des: Edu. Assn.; Indst. Des. Soc. of America; Soc. Arch. Historians.

Work: Commissions: Designs and design consultation for business firms including ANSCO, FMC and Recordio Corp., Beaver Furniture, Capitol Storage, Keyworth Boat Co.; Michigan State Univ.; U.S. Air Force; ROTC; Weger Interiors, Planet Corp.

Comments: Positions: artist-des., James H Matthews Co, Pittsburgh, Pa, 1946-1947; training aids designer, USA, Ft Eustis, Va, 1948; automotive des., Ford Motor Co, Dearborn, Mich., 1952-1953; independent des., 1955-; univ. res. grants, 1962-1965, 1967, 1969-1973; Commissioner, Michigan Cultural Commission, 1960-1962; group leader, design for educ. proj., Princeton Univ, 1966. Teaching: Prof. in charge indust. design, Mich. State Univ., 1954-. Research: Study of environmental format; photographic study of visual evidence of human response to physical factors such as space, shape and light levels.

Sources: WW73; J Fisher, Education for design," Format Mag (May 1966)."