Dreamscapes of Elegance - Page 4

Other Artists of the Motorola Campaign

Besides Charles Schridde, there were other artists who contributed to Motorola's 'futuristic lifestyle' campaign.

Although most of the illustrations for that series were by Schridde, at least two other illustrators produced images. And one architect either created illustrations, or contributed to them by supplying architectural designs.

The best known of these artists, both today and at the time, was Eyvind Earle (1916-2000), a prolific watercolor artist and designer who did well in the 1940s with a line of Christmas cards and won fame in the 1950s and '60s designing for Walt Disney.

Earle was responsible for the backgrounds and general look for such Disney films as 'Peter Pan' and 'Sleeping Beauty.'

George Bertels, who also drew fantastical home settings for Motorola, was another commercial artist working in Detroit. For a time in the 1960s he drew illustrations for Corvette News magazine.

Some of the Motorola ads also cite an architect named Leon Deller as responsible for their design. It is not clear, however, whether Deller actually drew the illustrations based on those designs. Perhaps it was Schridde himself.

Designs by Earle, Bertels, and Deller appear here on this page.

• The Charles Schridde Gallery in Grosse Point, Michigan, is operated by Melanie Schridde alongside her Mimi's Bistro. Besides shows by local artists, the gallery presents her father's work in an annual show and is designed to honor him and to expand his legacy. 15318 E. Jefferson Ave., Grosse Pointe. 313-922-4085. charlesschriddegallery.weebly.com

Illustrations: courtesy Motorola Solutions, Leo Burnett Company, Inc.
Photography: courtesy Melanie Schridde

Special thanks to Sue Topp, manager of Heritage Communications & Archives at Motorola Solutions, for her research assistance