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Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Barbara Bradley, 1927-2008

Very sad news...Barbara Bradley, who founded and ran the Illustration Department at Academy of Art, where I got my degree, died on May 2 from injuries sustained in a car accident. Her husband Neil was driving and he also died in the hospital.

Barbara was an amazing teacher. I had the privilege of taking several classes from her. She was very tough and perceptive. You couldn't sneak anything past her. I have tremendous respect for her and for her legacy.

There is a website, Thank You Barbara Bradley, which was set up last year when she was selected as 2007 Distinguished Educator of the Arts by the Society of Illustrators. Ironically, Barbara had just retired from teaching this past winter. She's really going to be missed by many. I will never forget her. I can still hear her voice in my head whenever I'm painting. She was a huge influence on me and many others.

(I swiped this photo off the TYBB website, I hope they don't mind.)

2 comments:

Linda Davick said...

Dorothy, this is terrible. I'm so sorry. I read your post this morning and have been thinking about it off and on all day.

Dorothy Reinhardt said...

I know. They are having a memorial service for her:

Memorial Service for Barbara Bradley
2151 Van Ness Avenue at Broadway
Former St. Brigid's Church
San Francisco, California
Thursday, June 5, 2008
7 o'clock pm

I will be back from Surtex, so I can attend.

and they have set up a scholarship fund where people can send donations in her memory: Barbara Bradley Scholarship Fund
c/o Academy of Art University
79 New Montgomery
San Francisco, California 94105