Title: Artist
Company: Red Stair Studio
Location: Longmeadow, Massachusetts, United States
Donald Munson, Artist at Red Stair Studio, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Artists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in commercial and fine art.
Harboring an interest in painting since childhood, Mr. Munson obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Parsons School of Design in New York and subsequently obtained a master’s degree in business, finance, production and human resources from the CBS School of Management, now known as the Columbia University Business School.
Mr. Munson has excelled as a corporate art director from the late 1960s to the 2010s for the Museum of Modern Art, Odette Associates, DelGaudio+Munson and the American Bank Note Company, where he designed numerous typefaces and book and album covers, notably the cover of “Chicago VI,” whose design received a Grammy Award nomination. Mr. Munson also served as vice president of Sky Advertising and as division vice president for art direction at Random House, during which he was responsible for overall creative direction and marketing of 500 books a year, developed the graphic impact of all products and managed a $25 million budget. In addition, he taught commercial art at Parsons, Pratt University in Brooklyn and Westfield State University in Connecticut. He has served his country with the United States Air Force, serving during the Vietnam War.
During his time as a commercial artist, Mr. Munson was perfecting his technique as a fine artist. His colorful paintings, depicting eclectic themes such as barns in Longmeadow to depictions of the stations of the cross to a series of paintings based on Morse Code, have been on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Heckscher Museum and New York’s Graham Gallery, as well as in many solo and group exhibitions throughout the northeast. He has received numerous awards and nominations for both his commercial and creative works that include Best Art Director by CHESLEY; Best Book Design of Show from AIGA; an 18-time recipient of the Award of Merit from the Society of Illustrators; a four-time recipient of the Award of Excellence from PIA and a seven-time recipient of Best of Show from Creativity Magazine, to name just a few.
Mr. Munson considers his career highlights to be the Museum of Modern Art’s showing of his drawing “Spoon Pond” when he had recently left active duty with the Air Force, and also when he was awarded a solo show at the Heckscher Museum and with the Society of Illustrators in their members’ gallery. Currently he teaches at Westfield State University, while still painting in his Red Stair Studio in Longmeadow.
For more information, please visit:
Mass Live
Contact Mr. Munson:
