BIOGRAPHY: (1929-2010)

Born on Long Island of Russian parents, Raphael Boguslav grew up in New York City. He attended the Art Students League from the age of nine, and later The High School of Music & Art and graduated from Cooper Union. His classmate Milton Glaser got him his first job in design and later joined the small studio as art director; an apprenticeship he credits as profoundly influential. For nearly a decade, he worked for Lippincott & Margulies designing logos & packages for companies like New York Life, PPG & Chrysler. At the same time, he was an occasional folk singer, made two solo albums, and accompanied Harry Belafonte.

He started a studio with his then wife and partner but his interest turned to painting. With the encouragement of his friend, John Benson, he moved to Newport, RI and eventually resumed his career in lettering, calligraphy and graphic design. In addition to designing myriad logos, hand lettering pieces and other miscellany, Raphael also designed a font "Avia" for Font Bureau. Originally drawn for a custom client, it was a prize winner in an international typeface competition.

He taught at Cooper Union and RISD as well as many workshops nationally. Eventually he worked entirely on the Mac. With characteristic ardor, he continued to pursue a lifelong interest in classical piano. Additional passions included people (he was a brilliant conversationalist and raconteur) tennis, and radio controlled model airplanes. He died from complications from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident, one week before his 81st birthday.

Enjoy a video narrated by Raphael Boguslav produced by Profile in the 1980s as part of a series for national television, and added to YouTube in early 2010.