ARVID ORBECK / 1922 - 1988 / Biography
Arvid Orbeck was born and educated in Oslo, Norway. He graduated from the Royal School of Arts and Crafts with a diploma in Graphic Design and worked in that field in both Norway and Sweden. Then, through International competition, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to Parsons School of Design in New York. Friendships made in that school caused him to come to Portland, Oregon.
In Portland he maintained his own design studio with his wife Shirley Graves Orbeck, also a designer. Although he worked at various times as Creative Vice-President and as Designer/Art Director for such advertising agencies as Cole & Weber, McCann/Erickson, Petzold & Associates, he is best known for the flow of extraordinary artistic work from Orbeck Design.
Orbeck’s artistic range was extensive, moving beyond the design of printed graphic materials, such as books, magazines, image concepts. He pioneered the use of supergraphic identification for business; originated graphic directional systems for Portland State University, Kah/Nee/Ta Vacation Resort, Mt. Bachelor Ski Area; was known for his innovative furniture designs commissioned for Family Circle, House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens; created sculptural works in wood and in acrylic which are held in corporate and private collections.
He created a series of limited edition serigraphs for the Matson Lines; designed, carved and assisted in production of concrete sculptural walls for Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon; designed and installed a major wood sculptural wall for International Paper in Gardiner, Oregon; designed and produced a 23’ x 14’ stone and mosaic entrance wall for Safeway Stores in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Orbeck fulfilled a two-year contract ... the largest given for a major art project since the 1930’s ... for the U.W Army Corps of Engineers, enriching the visitors areas of The Dalles, John Day and Bonneville Dams on the Columbia River with wall graphics, displays, tile murals, metal wall sculptures, signage, and two massive concrete, river rock and mosaic wall sculptures.
Orbeck Design received National and International awards from prestigious arts organizations including the Advertising Club of New York; had important exhibitions at the Portland Art Museum, Portland State University, Museum of Modern Art in Norway, with two retrospective shows at Marylhurst College. Arvid Orbeck taught Graphic Design as Lecturer in Art at Portland State University for 13 years . He served on the Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Arts in Oregon, was advisor to the Metropolitan Arts Commission Gallery Committee in Portland and an arts advisory commission in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He was one of the most influential designers in the Pacific Northwest.
THE SAFEWAY MURAL
Installed when the store was build in 1963, The Safeway mural was a map of Lake Oswego. When Arvid and his wife designed it they felt that it looked better "upside down".
It contains many symbols of the town including the lake, the Country Club and the Hunt Club.
It was layed out by hand on the ground and was finished and installed by Italian stone masons that Safeway employed to cover the entire building in river rocks. The mural is now part of a supporting wall, so can not be removed.
T The mural was once on an outside wall at the SE corner of the building, but was enclosed inside the store by a remodel in the 1990's. It was damaged because the grocery carts were stored next to it. The mural was completely covered by a wall of sheet rock during a store remodel in 2003. In addition to creating the Lake Oswego Safeway mural, the Arvid and Shirley Orbeck also created logos for other Lake Oswego Locations, including Mountain Park, Red Fox Hills and the Bay Roc. He is also responsible for other logos and art around the state. There is a tribute artwork on 5th St. near the Safeway, commissioned by local artist Roger Long and created with the help of Arvid's wife, Shirley and several neighbors and friends. The artwork has writing on it in Roger Long's Living Script. Once you learn how to read it, it is fun to find the names of those who helped create this piece. The code is the alphabet on the post. You can also see more of Mr. Long's art a short distance from here at 8th and Evergreen. To find the tribute artwork to Arvid Orbeck you must visit the original location of the Safeway mural. The mural is not visible as it has been covered up since 2003. Some store employees know where it is located. Go to the tallest tree on the block and walk South for a distance of about 1/2 a block. Watch for cars, they will not watch for you! The artwork is located along a fairly quiet neighborhood street. UPDATE- As of 1/17/17 THE MOSAIC MURAL AT SAFEWAY HAS BEEN UNCOVERED!!! After you find this cache, you can go and visit the mural to which this cache was dedicated. Safeway has unveiled it and has agreed to let it stay in place so all can enjoy this great work of art.