DAVID EDWARD BYRD April 4, 1941 – Feb. 3, 2025
- Adam McDaniel
- Feb 4
- 1 min read
David Edward Byrd – artist, genius, advocate, and one of my dearest, most cherished friends – died yesterday.
I can’t write much about it, or him, right now, as I’m still processing the loss, and absorbing the terrible feeling of being in a world that no longer has him in it.
I learned the news from his husband Jolino, just a few minutes after David’s passing. I wanted to give Jolino the opportunity to announce it publicly before writing anything here. Now that I am, I’m fumbling for words. I’ll have to give a proper writeup – a eulogy, perhaps – at a later time. No doubt there shall be fitting tributes and obituaries to come, especially throughout the art and illustration world.
For now, though, I’m hoping we could continue to help Jolino. The home in Albuquerque represented a new chapter in their lives together, but Jolino must go on and face it alone. That, and the obvious financial burdens of any funeral and memorial services (I have no details on them as yet), makes your support as important as ever.
Thank you for honoring David’s memory. He loved you, and your support proved that you loved him back.
Amsel: Illustrator of the Lost Art would never have been possible without David's involvement and support. The project will be dedicated to his memory.
I'm crying finding this out. He was such a great man and such a sweet man with passion for design and illustration. He was brilliant and he celebrated other people's achievements. He loved everyone. He was so very kind to me. I met him personally many years back when he came to Philadelphia for a Richard Amsel tribute gallery exhibition at The University of the Arts. We hit it off right away and he was a big fan of Richard's work. We kept in contact through facebook and email. I had brought letters to Richard's friend Dorian that opening day of the show that I had asked Drew Struzan, Steve Chorney and Alan Magee if they would write and they…