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[1] until his retirement in 1990.[2] In addition to his design work at the Nut Tree, Birrell also created the Vacaville city logo,[3] the logo for the Vacaville Reporter newspaper,[4] and the artwork seen on the side of Raley's Supermarkets trucks.[4] Birrell was also a painter of landscape watercolors.[5] His house[6][7][8] 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.[9]

Director of the Crocker Art Museum

Birrell served as the Director of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento from 1951 to 1953.[10] In 1951, he organized an exhibition of the work of artist Martín Ramírez at the Crocker Art Museum.[11] 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.[12][13][14][15]

Design director for the Nut Tree

In 1953,[16] 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.[17] In 1960, Birrell mounted an exhibition of paintings by Wayne Thiebaud that were inspired by Thiebaud's travels to Mexico.[18]

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.[19][20][21]

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.[22]

Later Life and Death

Birrell died on June 30, 2006.[2] Following his death, the July 5, 2006, meeting of the Solano County Board of Supervisors adjourned in his memory.[23]

Logos designed by Don Birrell
LogoDateImageDescription
Nut Tree Logo (New)[24]1987
Coffee Tree Restaurant Logo[25]1964
Vacaville, California City Logo1989
Vacaville Reporter Logo[4]1962
Vacaville Fiesta Days Logo1963
Raley's Supermarkets trucks[4]Unknown
Vacaville/Dixon Greenbelt Logo[26][27][28]Unknown
Hearn Construction Logo[29]Unknown
Vacaville Performing Arts Theater Logo1998

Artwork by Don Birrell
TitleDateMediumDescription
Early Sacramento Gothic 3rd and T St[30]1946Graphite
Old Ships Never Die1964Liquitex
Mendocino Light1983Watercolor with ink line
Cordelia Skyline1985Watercolor
Pololu Overlook, Kohala[4]1996Watercolor
A Taste of Hawaii[4]1998Watercolor
Shiprock[4]1998Watercolor
Modern Landscape (Title Unknown)[31]1998Watercolor
Renaissance Vineyard & Winery[32]2001Watercolor
Buck Avenue Fantasy[9]UnknownWatercolor
Old Rocky[9]UnknownWatercolor
VacaValley[33]UnknownWatercolor
Bodega Bay[34]UnknownWatercolor

Other designs by Don Birrell
ItemDateMediumDescription
Nut Tree Freeway Sign[35][36][37]1964Concrete and GlassThree-part freeway sign
Nut Tree Restaurant Receipt[38]UnknownMiscellaneous graphics on restaurant receipt
Coffee Tree Restaurant Menu[39]UnknownRestaurant menu
Nut Tree Play Wall[40]UnknownUnknownChildren's play wall with animal characters
Nut Tree Hobby Horse Plans[41]UnknownUnknown
Vacaville Christmas Tree Star[42][43]1983Stainless SteelCollaboration with craftsman Lee Kollorz
Nut Tree Restaurant Dinner Menu[44]1979UnknownRestaurant menu
Nut Tree Restaurant Menu[45]1960sUnknownRestaurant menu
Nut Tree Dinner Menu[46]1968UnknownRestaurant menu
Vacaville Area General Plan[47][48]1957UnknownBrochure
Nut Tree Restaurant Aviary[49]UnknownUnknownGlass aviary for exotic birds

References
  1. "I'm Nuts Over the Nut Tree". Modern Kiddo.
  2. "Don R. Birrell - Obituary". Legacy.com. 29 June 2011.
  3. "Birrell"s life, art celebrated". 13 July 2006.
  4. "Don's delicate template of life".
  5. "DonBirrell - Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission". www.sacmetroarts.org.
  6. Fazzare, Anthony. "A Cat Video". YouTube.
  7. Urbani, Raquel (6 February 2018). "Part 2: Remembering Al". Dreyfuss + Blackford.
  8. "Dinner for Eight Plus More: A fundraiser for the Vacaville Museum". City of Vacaville. 3 December 2014.
  9. "Art from the Heart – Wellspring". wellspring.northbay.org.
  10. "Nut Tree, Nut Tree Parkway, Vacaville, Solano County, CA" (PDF). Library of Congress.
  11. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: DeWitt General Hospital (Draft)" (PDF). California State Parks, Office of Historical Preservation. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  12. "Madonna in landscape with cars". Library of Congress.
  13. Espinosa, Víctor M. (2015). Martín Ramírez: Framing His Life and Art (1st ed.). University of Texas Press. p. 148. ISBN 9781477307755.
  14. Allen, Erin (13 December 2013). "Uncovering a Treasure". Library of Congress.
  15. "Library to Unveil Madonna Drawing By 20th-Century Outsider Artist Martín Ramírez on Dec. 12". Library of Congress. 9 December 2013.
  16. Goerke-Shrode, Sabine (10 September 2006). "How the Nut Tree grew to be a landmark". www.solanohistory.org.
  17. McManis, Sam (25 February 2000). "Nut Tree Nostalgia / A premier roadside attraction may be headed for a rebirth". SF Gate.
  18. Teagle, Rachel (2018-01-16). Wayne Thiebaud: 1958-1968. The University of California Press. p. 72. ISBN 9780520294462.
  19. Bammer, Richard (13 July 2006). "Birrell's life, art celebrated". The Reporter.
  20. Bowen, Jerry (27 March 2004). "Harbison House saw the Nut Tree flourish". www.solahohistory.org.
  21. "Historic American Landscapes Survey - Nut Tree" (PDF). Library of Congress.
  22. "Minutes For January 28, 2003". Solano County. 28 January 2003. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  23. "Board of Supervisors Meeting - July 25, 2006 - Minutes". 25 July 2006. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  24. "Nut Tree Logo". Squarepace.
  25. "The COFFEE TREE Restaurant - Matchbook Cover - Vacaville, Calif". 2017-02-21.
  26. "Vacaville/Dixon Greenbelt Logo" (JPG). www.archerficklin.com.
  27. "Don R. Birrell - Obituary". Legacy.com.
  28. Walker, Kerry (24 October 2017). "Approval for Relocation of the Artwork Entitled "Vacaville/Dixon Greenbelt" to the Harbison Event Center" (PDF).
  29. "Hearn Construction Celebrates 30 Years Doing business in Vacaville, CA" (Blog). Solano County Business News. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  30. "Early Sacramento Gothic 3rd and T St by Don Birrell". Sacramento City College. 29 January 2016.
  31. "Framed Modern Landscape Drawing". Chairish.
  32. "Renaissance Vineyard & Winery, 2001". 13 March 2018.
  33. "Vacaville California "VacaValley" Art Print by Don Birrell, Nut Tree Designer". WorthPoint.
  34. "DON BIRRELL - BODEGA BAY 27/150". WorthPoint. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  35. Miller, Robin (20 March 2015). "Iconic Nut Tree sign comes down in Vacaville". East Bay Times.
  36. McCarthy, Ryan (19 March 2015). "A sign of the times is history in Vacaville". Daily Republic.
  37. Shanahan, Dennis (19 March 2015). "Last Remaining Nut Tree Sign Dismantled, Preserved". Fox 40.
  38. Adams, Sean (22 September 2015). "The Tree of Life". Burning Settlers Cabin.
  39. "Coffee Tree Menu". pinimg.com.
  40. "Nut Tree Play Wall". Photobucket.
  41. "Hobby Horse Plans". Photobucket.
  42. Murphy, Melissa (28 August 2018). "New Merriment on Main star, fundraiser helps fund Vacaville's annual tree lighting". The Reporter.
  43. Rico, Richard (7 October 2018). "Richard Rico: Raise flags to the stars". The Reporter. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  44. "Nut Tree Restaurant Dinner Menu". Worthpoint.
  45. "1960s Nut Tree Menu, Vacaville, CA". Vintage Supper. December 2016.
  46. "Nut Tree Restaurant 1968 Menu Vacaville CA California". Worthpoint.
  47. Vacaville Area General Plan 1957. www.solanohistory.org. 1957.
  48. Vacaville Area General Plan 1957 (Online Document Reader). www.solanohistory.org. 1957.
  49. McManis, Sam (25 February 2000). "Nut Tree Nostalgia / A premier roadside attraction may be headed for a rebirth". SF Gate.
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