1968–1977

In 1968 Gerald Reis and San Francisco Art Institute friend Michael Manwaring formed the graphic design partnership Reis and Manwaring. Not yet in their 30s they shared a fascination with clean, crisp graphics coupled with softly rendered images. Their work soon garnered the attention of architects, developers, galleries and museums. They created award-winning solutions to print media as well as interior and environmental projects. Their witty, sometimes irreverent twist on graphic design stood out from the more commonly rendered rigid forms that lacked richness or elegance.

The partnership flourished for eight years after which the designers chose to focus on their independent creativity and go their separate ways.Reis went on to create Gerald Reis & Company, with a small staff of designers and interns. His firm created award winning projects for clients in architectural firms, development companies, lodging and hospitality, and the gourmet food industry. In addition, he formed a new partnership company called Porcellana, designing and producing a collection of homewares. The paper, wood, fabric items sold in the US, European, Australian, and Asian markets.

Clients

Alpha Land Company

American Airlines

Bank of America

Buckbee Thorne & Co.

Bull Field Volkman Stockwell

California Alliance for Peace

California Street Cooking School

Carmel Center Properties

Castle & Cooke Inc.

Charles Delk & Associates

Corning Glassworks

Crowley Maritime Corporation

Foremost Foods

Golden Pacific Airlines

Hall & Goodhue Architects

Hansen Fuller Gallery

Icehouse Association

Janus Theatres

Lear Levin Productions

Levi Strauss & Company

Moana Corporation

National Bank Americard

Nature Conservancy

Neil Smith Associates

Nitty Gritty Productions

Robinson Mills Architects

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Sterling Vineyards

The Techton Company

Unilab Research

University Art Museum

World Savings