Duncan Stuart was born in Des Moines, Iowa, May 17th, 1919.  He attended the University of Oklahoma, The Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and Yale University. Stuart started as a designer of stage scenery and equipment.  He was the technical director for Farragut Playhouse at Rye Beach, New Hampshire and Spotlight Productions in New Haven.  Stuart served in WWII as a cartographer and after a six month trip to Japan and Korea, where he did work for the U.S. Air Force, he accepted a position in the Art School at the University of Oklahoma.

This would begin a long career as both artist and educator most of which was spent in Raleigh North Carolina.  Stuart was hired in 1948 by the North Carolina State College as one of the co-founders of the School of Design.  He taught at the School of Design until he retired in 1980.

Stuart was both an artist and a mathematician.  His paintings have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1950), The Whitney Museum (1951-54), The Chicago Art Institute (1947), were part of a national traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute. The NC Museum of art also has three of his works in their permanent collection.

“Stuart, and his pupils too, exploit color to the limit.  His painting combines the intellectual and sensuous approaches in a dynamic manner which makes Duncan Stuart one of the most exciting starts on the national art horizon.” – John Richard Craft of the Columbia Museum of Art.

His interest in mathematics and geometry lead to his collaboration with Buckminster Fuller to develop geometry that supported the geodesic dome.

He died at the age of 82 on Thursday, November 1st, 2001 in Raleigh, NC.

Sources:
“Transformation of Polyhedra: an Experiment in Animated Film Making”, by Duncan Stuart. Journal of the American Institute of Architects v. 40 (Dec 1963) p. 99-101

“Events in Continuum” (Art Reproduction) Art Digest v 25 (May 1, 1951) p. 11

“Statement on the Teaching of Basic Design” Progressive Architecture v. 32 (Feb 1951) p. 138+

Peter Hastings Falk (editor). Who was Who in American Art 1564 – 1975, 400 Years of Artists in America Vol. III: P-Z

“The Southeast Today” by John Richard Craft. Art in America, v. 42, 1954

“Duncan, Robert Stuart”. The News & Observer November 4, 2001 Obituaries p. B10

Duncan Robert Stuart, A Celebration of a Leading Spirit, a Great Teacher, Enormous Talent and a Friend. (1919 – 2001). Duncan Robert Stuart Memorial Publication, designed by: BBDO Miami, Lane Atkins (BPD 1972) Creative Director