Sheila de Bretteville (born 1940) is an American graphic designer, scholar, and activist.
Sheila de Bretteville (born 1940) is an American graphic designer, scholar, and activist.
Sheila de Bretteville photographed in 2014, at her home in New Haven, CT.
Sheila de Bretteville photographed in 2014, at her home in New Haven, CT.
She advocates for women's rights in design, setting up a number of women-only institutions. Among them is the famous Women’s Building, a non-profit community and educational center in San Francisco. Now Sheila is the director of graduate studies in graphic design at Yale University.
She advocates for women's rights in design, setting up a number of women-only institutions. Among them is the famous Women’s Building, a non-profit community and educational center in San Francisco. Now Sheila is the director of graduate studies in graphic design at Yale University.
Poster for Women in Design conference, 1970. © Sheila de Bretteville.
Poster for Women in Design conference, 1970. © Sheila de Bretteville.
In 1970, De Bretteville organized the pivotal Women in Design Conference in Los Angeles. Her poster for the conference is iconic for its “eyebolt”—a metal bolt in the shape of a Venus symbol. This made an impression on many women in the 70s, who headed to their local hardware shop to make “eyebolt” necklaces. In 1973, De Bretteville—together with Judy Chicago and Arlene Raven—co-founded the Women's Building, a feminist art institution that supported numerous programs, activities, and artist groups. In 1973, De Bretteville created Pink, a broadside meant to explore the gender associations with the color for an American Institute of Graphic Arts exhibition. De Bretteville arranged squares of paper to form a “quilt” from which posters were printed and spread throughout Los Angeles.
In 1970, De Bretteville organized the pivotal Women in Design Conference in Los Angeles. Her poster for the conference is iconic for its “eyebolt”—a metal bolt in the shape of a Venus symbol. This made an impression on many women in the 70s, who headed to their local hardware shop to make “eyebolt” necklaces. In 1973, De Bretteville—together with Judy Chicago and Arlene Raven—co-founded the Women's Building, a feminist art institution that supported numerous programs, activities, and artist groups. In 1973, De Bretteville created Pink, a broadside meant to explore the gender associations with the color for an American Institute of Graphic Arts exhibition. De Bretteville arranged squares of paper to form a “quilt” from which posters were printed and spread throughout Los Angeles.
Outside the Women’s Building, 1975. Photo: Maria Karras. The Getty Research Institute. Gift of Maria Karras. © Maria Karras, BFA, RBP, MA.
Outside the Women’s Building, 1975. Photo: Maria Karras. The Getty Research Institute. Gift of Maria Karras. © Maria Karras, BFA, RBP, MA.
Pink poster. © Sheila Levrant de Bretteville.
Pink poster. © Sheila Levrant de Bretteville.