Art Chantry

Who is Art Chantry?

Arthur Samuel Wilbur Chantry II is a graphic designer often associated with the posters and album covers he did for bands from the Pacific Northwest, such as Nirvana, Hole and The Sonics. He is also notable for his work in logo design. Chantry designed the cover for Some People Can't Surf, which was written by Julie Lasky.

Chantry advocates a low-tech approach to design that is informed by the history of the field. His work has been exhibited at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Museum of Modern Art, Seattle Art Museum, the Smithsonian and the Louvre. Chantry builds his record, poster, and magazine designs by hand, eschewing the now-ubiquitous computer and laser printer for X-acto knifes, Xerox machines, and photoset type. His bright, eye-popping creations can be seen frequently in the mom and pop record store as in the pagees of establishment design magazines like Print or Communication Arts.

Chantry received a bachelor's degree from Western Washington University in 1978.

Some People Can't Surf: The Graphic Design of Art Chantry is a book released in 2001. The monograph explored Chantry's process crafting his graphic design.