A Summer Potluck: Stephen Frykholm’s Picnic Posters

Stephen Frykholm (American, b. 1942) joined the modern design company Herman Miller in 1970 as its first in-house graphic designer. Frykholm’s first assignment at Herman Miller was to design a poster for the company’s yearly summer picnic, which turned into an annual project for the next two decades. He used screen-printing to create the posters, utilizing a simple process he learned while working for the Peace Corps in Nigeria. The posters’ appeal lies in Frykholm’s rendering of traditional picnic foods in simplified forms and their bright and contrasting colors. The surface of each poster is covered in a glossy varnish, which gives the designs an added pop. 

In celebration of our community’s summer food traditions, the exhibition includes a display of recipes from local individuals and organizations alongside the posters. Visitors are invited to share their own favorite potluck recipe or summer food memory.