Don Birrell

Don R. Birrell (1922–2006) was director of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California, from 1951 to 1953, and was the design director for the Nut Tree in Vacaville, California, from 1953 until his retirement in 1990. In addition to his design work at the Nut Tree, Birrell also created the Vacaville city logo, the logo for the Vacaville Reporter newspaper, and the artwork seen on the side of Raley's Supermarkets trucks. His house on Kendal Street in Vacaville was famously filled with examples of his design work for the Nut Tree.

Early life and education Don Birrell was born December 6, 1922, in Corona, California. He grew up in Sacramento, California, and attended Sacramento City College. In 1951, he organized an exhibition of the work of artist Martín Ramírez at the Crocker Art Museum. In 1952, the drawing "Madonna in Landscape with Cars" by Ramírez was received by Charles Eames and Ray Eames in a letter from Don Birrell.

Design director for the Nut Tree In 1953, Birrell became design director for the Nut Tree restaurant in Vacaville, where he remained until his retirement in 1990. The Nut Tree had its own design department headed by him. In 1960, Birrell mounted an exhibition of paintings by Wayne Thiebaud that were inspired by Thiebaud's travels to Mexico.

Graphic design style: The Nut Tree look Birrell's graphic design style can be characterized as minimalist, colorful, and highly abstracted. He is credited with creating the Nut Tree's "look", from graphic design to food presentations to menu design.

Birrell was admired and was influenced by a number of artists and designers, notably: Charles and Ray Eames, Maynard Dixon, Rockwell Kent, Grant Wood, Saul Bass, Herbert Bayer, Alexander Calder, Cassandre, William Moore, Piet Mondrian, Alexander Girard, László Moholy-Nagy, Thomas Moran, George Nelson, Paul Rand, and Charles Sheeler.

The Vacaville Museum exhibited a retrospective of Birrell's work, Don Birrell by Design in 2003.

Later life and death Birrell died on June 30, 2006.

Logos designed by Don Birrell Logo Date Image Description Nut Tree Logo (New) 1987 Coffee Tree Restaurant Logo 1964 Vacaville, California City Logo 1989 Vacaville Reporter Logo Unknown Hearn Construction Logo Unknown Vacaville Performing Arts Theater Logo 1998 Solano Land Trust Logo2006

Artwork by Don Birrell Title Date Medium Description Early Sacramento Gothic 3rd and T St 1946 Graphite Old Ships Never Die 1964 Liquitex Mendocino Light 1983 Watercolor with ink line Cordelia Skyline 1985 Watercolor Pololu Overlook, Kohala 1998 Watercolor Renaissance Vineyard & Winery 2001 Watercolor Buck Avenue Fantasy Unknown Watercolor Old Rocky Unknown Watercolor Bodega Bay Unknown Watercolor

Other designs by Don Birrell Item Date Medium Description Nut Tree Freeway Sign 1964 Concrete and Glass Three-part freeway sign Nut Tree Restaurant Receipt Unknown Miscellaneous graphics on restaurant receipt Coffee Tree Restaurant Menu Unknown Restaurant menu Nut Tree Play Wall Unknown Unknown Children's play wall with animal characters Nut Tree Hobby Horse Plans Unknown Unknown Vacaville Christmas Tree Star 1983 Stainless Steel Collaboration with craftsman Lee Kollorz Nut Tree Restaurant Dinner Menu 1979 Unknown Restaurant menu Nut Tree Restaurant Menu 1960s Unknown Restaurant menu Nut Tree Dinner Menu 1968 Unknown Restaurant menu Vacaville Area General Plan 1957 Unknown Brochure Nut Tree Restaurant Aviary Unknown Unknown Glass aviary for exotic birds