Remembering the Man Behind the Logo
The three-bar logo that most often precedes the name of Trinity Christian College is the creation of the Dutch artist and graphic artist Henk Krijger, who designed the emblem in 1969 while serving as artist in residence at the College.
November marked the anniversary of Krijger’s birth in 1914 and reminded the Trinity community that the emblem embodies the “spirit of Trinity’s special perspective for education with a contemporary directness that will communicate to a secular society,” according to the original proposal for the design.
The three-bar emblem, signifying the persons of the Trinity, was designed by Krijger at the request of students who desired a school ring. An account of this part of Trinity’s history is recorded in the book At the Heart of Community, Stories of Trinity Christian College’s First 50 Years, by Dr. Daniel Diephouse, professor of English, emeritus.
“One of [Krijger’s] specialties being jewelry, he designed a ring that made a strong symbolic statement about the Reformed Christian faith that Trinity proclaims.”
The emblem was then adopted as Trinity’s official logo and is used today in all print and web communications.
“The design communicates the values of the institution with clarity, and it is distinctive enough to hold its own identity,” said John Bakker, professor of art and design at Trinity since 1982. “I think that it’s one of the great marks of the 20th century. It reminds me of logos for Chase or Nike in its clarity and succinctness. We are fortunate to have it as our own.”
The work of Krijger, who was also a prominent type designer and creator of the Raffia Initials typeface, is often a topic of discussion in class.
“We discuss the logo and its history in design classes,” said Ellen Browning, assistant professor of art and design. “Krijiger’s logo remains significant today as it was originally designed from a minimalist, modern perspective. This clean, simple, forward-thinking design is timeless, and that is part of its strength in serving the Trinity community.”