Ross Renwick inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame

Ross Renwick, a visionary graphic artist, writer, and co-founder of Billy Blue Creative, has been inducted into the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) Hall of Fame.

Ross died in 2012, but his illustrious career has had an ongoing impact on Australia’s design landscape: his vision to embrace the legacy of William ‘Billy’ Blue now drives the entrepreneurial, innovative, disruptive mindsets of many of Billy Blue design graduates today.

In 1980, Ross founded Billy Blue Creative alongside business partner Aaron Kaplan - post his 1977 curatorship of Billy Blue Magazine—a publication that celebrated Australian stories, design, and culture. Renwick’s unique approach to design was matched by his flair for quirky business ventures, from advertising to even a copper fireplace business.

Reshaping of the design industry

Billy Blue wasn’t just a magazine—it became a launchpad for aspiring writers and designers. Ross Renwick’s bold graphic designs, paired with T-shirts featuring witty and challenging slogans, helped define a new era of creativity in Australia.

Empowering future designers with better education

Recognising the need for better design education, Ross was instrumental in launching a one-year diploma course in 1989 which led to the creation of Billy Blue College of Design. That diploma, 30 years on, is still the cornerstone of Billy Blue’s flagship course – the Diploma of Graphic Design and Bachelor of Communication Design.

Billy Blue College of Design proudly acknowledges and honours Ross Renwick’s trailblazing legacy. His commitment to pushing boundaries and fostering innovation continues to inspire our students, encouraging them to embrace their own creative potential - evidenced by the number of Billy Blue graduates recognised year after year in the DIA Graduate of the Year awards.