Alexander Isley

Alexander Isley (born ) is an American graphic designer and educator.

Early life and education

Alexander Isley was born in Durham, North Carolina and studied at Durham Academy, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (high school visual arts diploma). Isley initially wanted to become an architect like his father but discovered design upon enrolling in North Carolina State University, where he received a degree in Environmental Design. He later attended the Cooper Union School of Art in New York and received a BFA in graphic design.

Career In 1984, Isley joined Tibor Kalman's influential M & Co. as senior designer. He held this position until 1987, when he joined Spy Magazine in 1987 as the first full-time art director. At Spy, he was tasked with building upon Steven Doyle's initial formatting and was awarded gold and silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. In 1988, he founded Alexander Isley Inc. in New York City. In 1995, Isley moved the studio to Redding, Connecticut.

In 2004, Isley became the president of AIGA New York and an AIGA Fellow in 2013 after being a board member from 1988 to 1990.

Honors and awards

Terry Sanford Scholarship to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, 1979 Art Directors Club of New York Herb Lubalin Memorial Award, 1984 National Endowment for the Arts International Design Education Fellowship, 1984 "The I.D. 40" honoree: I.D. Magazine’s survey of the country's leading design innovators, 1990 Federal Design Achievement Award Distinguished Alumnus, NC State University, 2000 Permanent collection, Museum of Modern Art Permanent collection, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution AIGA Fellow, 2013 AIGA Medal, 2014

Archives

The Alexander Isley Papers at the Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, covers Isley’s full career and includes initial concept explorations, original artwork, completed materials, and correspondence. An extensive selection of Isley’s poster designs are in the collection of the Museum of Design, Zürich.