In Memory of Brad Holland
1943–2025

The Society of Illustrators mourns the loss of Brad Holland, whose work forever altered the landscape of contemporary illustration. A singular voice and visionary talent, Brad challenged the norms of visual storytelling, fought fiercely for artists’ rights, and inspired generations with his integrity and uncompromising principles.

His contributions to the Society of Illustrators—and to the illustration world at large—were both profound and enduring. Brad Holland was the recipient of the Hamilton King Award in 1991, inducted into the Illustrators Hall of Fame in 2005, and holds a place in the permanent collection of the Society of Illustrators. Over the course of his career, he was awarded numerous Gold Medals by the Society, a testament to the consistency, power, and originality of his work.

We honor his memory through the reflection of his longtime friend and colleague, Steven Heller. On the occasion of Brad’s induction into the Society’s Hall of Fame in 2005, Steven Heller wrote:

“In 1968 Brad Holland became my first and only mentor… He was not only fighting against accepted wisdom—that an illustrator was merely the extension of an art director’s, or worse, an editor’s hands—he was trying to radically alter, if not expunge, the conventions of narrative, sentimental illustrations and create a more intimately expressive art… Without Holland’s fervency and passion for mass communication I am certain American Illustration would not be as completely astute; rather it might still be locked between those old verities, sentiment and romanticism.”

Read the full essay here.

We are grateful for Brad’s enduring contributions to the field and to our community. His work will continue to challenge, inspire, and educate for years to come.

— The Society of Illustrators

Brad Holland’s work entitled Head Hunter, part of the Museum of Illustration at the Society of Illustrators Permanent Collection.