Wes Wilson and Bonnie MacLean

Wes Wilson is a psychedelic poster artist and is credited with launching an entire art movement. Wes found inspiration within in the avant-garde neighbourhoods of San Francisco and Art Nouveau.

His letterforms are described as cryptic. He took what he understood about promotional art and completely turned it on its head with his combination of distorted type and bold colours. He has a broad collection of work which can be viewed below.

(From Left to Right) Bill Graham Presents April 28-29-30. Wes Wilson (1967)

Bill Graham Presents January 13-14. Wes Wilson. (1967)

Bill Graham Presents July 22-23. Wes Wilson. (1966)

Note. From Wes-Wilson.com. (n.d.).

(Continues) Bill Graham Presents April 1-2. Wes Wilson. (1967).

Playboy Magazine Cover. Wes Wilson. (1967)

Note. From Bigman, A. (2015).

Wilson manipulates type, shapes and space within his work and uses clashing colours which allow the work to stand out.

Bonnie MacLean also worked in San Francisco within the psychedelic scene. She was immersed in music culture at the time and is associated with rock bands such as Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead. MacLean joined the 'Big Five' of poster art at the time when Wilson fell out with a concert promoter named Bill Graham.

As a woman, MacLean is left out of pioneering poster art collections due to it being a predominantly male field.

MacLean's type flows and the letterforms utilise all surrounding space. The letterforms add an extra visual element to the designs as they are patternlike in construction.

Bill Graham Presents February 3-5. Bonnie MacLean. (1967)

Note. From Bigman, A. (2015)

This piece, in particular, is for groups performing at Fillmore in 1967.

Even when computers were introduced she preferred working by hand - the same way she did in the 1960s.

Bibliography.

Bigman, A. (2015). Tripping out: The History of Psychedelic Design. 99 Designs. https://99designs.co.uk/blog/design-history-movements/tripping-history-psychedelic-design/

Genzlinger, N. (2020, February 20). Bonnie Maclean, Psychedelic Poster Artist, Is Dead at 80. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/arts/bonnie-maclean-dead.html

Wes Wilson (2020) . In Wikipedia. Retrieved January 12, 2021 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Wilson

Wes-Wilson.com. (n.d.). Bill Graham Presents. Wes Wilson. https://www.wes-wilson.com/bill-graham-presents.html

Wes-Wilson.com. (n.d.). Posters. Wes Wilson. https://www.wes-wilson.com/posters.html#

Wes-Wilson.com. (n.d.). Psychedelic Poster Artist, Wes Wilson. Wes Wilson. https://www.wes-wilson.com/about-wes.html