Larry Salk (1936-2004) was born in Chicago, Illinois. After moving to Los Angeles with his family in 1949, Larry attended Chouinard Art School on a scholarship for a year, and then transferred to U.C.L.A. He graduated in 1958 with a B.A. in Art and English. After a six-month stint in the Army as a Reservist, and a year and a half as an assistant art director he returned to school on a scholarship and graduated with honors as an illustration major from Art Center College of Design in June, 1962.
Except for one short period in 1966, Larry was a freelance illustrator. He specialized in portraiture and this led to illustrating movie posters. Between film and TV he produced over 165 posters. Among them were Seinfeld’s “Kramer”, Sweet Charity, The Brinks Job, How to Beat the High Cost of Living, Sharky’s Machine, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Superman III.
Some of his other accomplishments include a thirty-foot mural depicting forty-six figures from America’s past for Wil Wright’s, the nine portraits that comprise Santa Anita’s Jockey Hall of Fame, four posters depicting the History of Transportation for Lockheed, and commemorative coins for the Santa Monica Bicentennial and the Pasadena Centennial. He has produced artwork for advertisements, video game covers, magazines, collector’s plates, and children’s books.
Larry was active in the Air Force Art Program for 30 years. One of his Air Force paintings was chosen as an Air Force 40th Anniversary print.
As well, he taught figure-drawing part time at the California Art Institute and Disney Studios and guest taught or lectured at Los Angeles Trade Tech, Art Center, and Loyola University.
He was a member of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles since 1968 and had held the offices of Chairman of the Board, President, Illustration West Show Chairman, Editor, Scholarship Chairman, and Air Force Program Chairman In 1995 he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society.
A scholarship fund has been established:
Larry Salk Scholarship Fund
Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles
P.O. Box 3661
Glendale, CA 91221
Please note that SILA is a 501©(6) which means donations are not deductible as charitable contributions - businesses sometimes deduct as advertising; dues may be deductible as business expense.
Here is the Seinfield "Kramer" which I am sure all of you have seen. NO I do not own the "Kramer" original.