Brian Stauffer | About Brian
2
page-template,page-template-full_width,page-template-full_width-php,page,page-id-2,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,vertical_menu_enabled, vertical_menu_transparency vertical_menu_transparency_on,content_with_no_min_height,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-4.3.3,vc_responsive

About Brian

Brian Stauffer is a distinguished illustrator known for his conceptual approach to visual storytelling, blending traditional and digital techniques, illuminating the most pressing issues of our times. In 2023, Brian Stauffer was honored with the prestigious Hamilton King Award, the highest honor presented by The Society of Illustrators, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the field of illustration. Also this year, Brian’s illustration for Save The Children Ukraine was awarded Best of Show in Communication Arts prestigious illustration annual. Brian is currently in his fourth season as the poster artist for the renowned San Francisco Opera.

 

Born and raised in Arizona, Brian earned a BFA in graphic design from the University of Arizona in 1989. His work has graced the covers and pages of over 300 renowned publications worldwide, including The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, The New Republic, Time Magazine, The New York Times, GQ, Esquire, Wired, The Nation, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, among others. His illustrations are celebrated for their conceptual depth and striking visual commentary, achieved through a unique process that combines hand-drawn sketches, painted elements, and scanned found objects.


Brian’s 2020 cover for
The New Yorker, featuring Donald Trump with a Covid mask worn as a blindfold over his eyes, was named the “Most Controversial Magazine Cover” by the American Society of Magazine Editors. His 2021 illustration, “White Supremacy In The Police,” for Rolling Stone, was recognized as the “Best Magazine Illustration” of the year by the same society. Additionally, his cover portrait of George Bush for The Nation was listed among the “Top 40 Covers From The Past 40 Years.”


His illustrations are part of permanent collections at esteemed institutions such as San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Wolfsonian, The Museum of the Society of Illustrators, The American Institute of Graphic Artists, The Newseum in Washington D.C., and The Art Directors Club of New York. Brian’s work has also received multiple Gold and Silver Medals from the Society of Illustrators, The Art Directors Club, Graphis Magazine, and the Society of Publication Designers.


Brian resides in Marin County, CA.