Theo Dimson, graphic designer, was born in London, Ontario, on April 8, 1930. He attended elementary school in London and Technical School in Toronto. Growing up with comic books and magazines, he became interested in design at an early age. With a scholarship, Dimson attended the Ontario College of Art and Design and graduated in 1950.
After graduation, Dimson, began a three-year apprenticeship with Art Associates Limited in Toronto. He freelanced for seven years before rejoining the firm in 1960 as vice-president of creative design. In 1965, Dimson became president and director of a new partnership Reeson Dimson & Smith Ltd. The company later became Dimson & Smith Ltd. and maintained this name until Dimson created Theo Dimson Designs Inc. in 1985. He is the president and creative director of this company. He resides north of Toronto in Mount Albert and is the father of four children. Dimson has won awards and international recognition with exhibits in Finland, Poland, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States. His works have been published in Canada Art, Creativity Magazine, Studio Magazine, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, Art Direction Magazine, Idea Magazine (Japan), and Graphis magazine (Switzerland).
He is the author of Great Canadian Posters and has been commissioned by Canada Post to create stamps. He has had solo shows at Marci Lipman Graphics in Toronto in 1978 and at the Royal Ontario Museum in 1993-94. He was awarded the Senior Arts Fellowship by the Canada Council, the award of merit from the Directors Club of Toronto and Montreal, as well as awards from many other clubs. Dimson is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts, Associate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, Fellow of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, Alliance graphique international, and the Advertising & Design Club of Canada in Toronto.
Mr. Dimson passed away on 18 January 2012.
Listen to Theo talk about his work here >
Read Susan Mackay’s lovely tribute to Theo here >