About

Robert A. Reynolds was a prolific artist and graphic designer.  Born in Okanogan, Washington he began drawing at a very early age.  He joined the Navy and served on a destroyer in World War II.  After attending Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, he studied art privately with Herman Keys and Minor White.  He struck out on his own in 1955 and pursued freelance design.  One of his first projects was providing the illustrations for the new edition of Captain Bonneville by Washington Irving.  In the early 1960’s he lived in Connecticut and worked in Manhattan with ad agencies as a freelance designer and illustrator.  Marlboro used his drawings of cowboys in advertising prior to their use of photography.

He returned to the northwest and taught design and life drawing at the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland from 1962 – 1971.  During that time, he also designed the format for Graphic Arts Center State books with the book “OREGON”, photographed by Ray Atkeson.  He went on to photograph and design several title for Graphic Arts Center including “ALASKA”, “WASHINGTON D.C.”, “TEXAS”, “CALIFORNIA: ITS COAST & DESERT”, “RIO GRANDE”, “MAGIC SYMBOLS” AND “THE COWBOY”.

Art was a way of life for Bob.  He would frequently combine commercial assignments with painting.  He explored limited edition printing on his own letterpress which he kept in his basement.  Later in life he turned to pen and ink drawings and poetry.  He exhibited his work in many galleries across the West.