Critically acclaimed artist, educator, and author Ralph Garafola was born December 4, 1929, and died April 4, 2019. Raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, he moved to New Jersey in 1964 with his family and became a Florida resident in February of 2019.

Garafola’s love for painting started early in his life. He started drawing when he was three years old. “I was always drawing something on brown paper bags with pencils. My grandfather would tell me exciting stories about the Italian Navy and being stationed on square-rigger ships. I remember drawing those ships”.

In elementary school, Garafola’s teachers recognized his incredible ability to draw and paint. He was often asked to paint pictures for the bulletin boards for all to see.

Garafola started his career in 1950 as a draftsman for Armor Engineering in New York City. At night he studied drawing at The Alliance Art School (Educational Alliance) in lower Manhattan. A year later he advanced his career by working as an illustrator for Design Service in Newark, NJ producing government training manuals for the Armed Forces. While working at Design Services, he was quickly promoted to Art Director until 1953 when he was drafted into the Army.

The Korean War veteran was in the army for two years and served as Army Combat Photographer MOS. While there he studied and graduated from Fort Monmouth New Jersey Army Photo School. He subsequently transferred to the Pictorial Center in Long Island City and worked as a photographer making training films for the army. While in Korea he worked as a draftsman doing illustrations for Signal Corps.

Garafola was discharged from the army in 1955. He returned to New York City and attended night classes at the Art Students League of New York where he studied seven years and served as Class Monitor for Frank J. Reilly, the famous teacher and Commissioner of Art for New York City.

From 1955 to 1960 Garafola worked as a commercial illustrator at Janal Studios in Newark. At that juncture, he made the decision to work as a freelance artist and for more than 65 years made a successful living as a commercial illustrator, photo retoucher, and fine artist.

Working as a Commercial Illustrator, Garafola painted practically every subject you can imagine. A few of his iconic images include the Prudential Insurance Company (“The Rock”) logo, and the New Jersey License Plate “Organ Donors Saves Lives.” To this day his illustration of the Sabrett Hot Dog on a roll with mustard can be seen on street corners and packages throughout the country.

Garafola’s clients included numerous well-known companies: Ethicon, Blue Cross, Hoffman-La Roche, Schering Plough, and Johnson & Johnson. He became a sought-after artist doing illustrations for Bell Tel, Public Service, Macy’s, Prudential Insurance Company, and Mutual Life Insurance Company.

His quality work and attention for detail served him well; he never had to do a job twice and always delivered on time. In 1977, the Art Directors’ Club of New Jersey awarded Garafola with a special Gold Medal as the Most Valued Supplier.

In 1992, Ralph’s daughter, Lorraine Garafola started an agency to showcase his work. The agency quickly became popular, expanding to represent other illustrators, photographers, and graphic designers. With Lorraine looking after his best interests, Garafola found he was free to focus on his true love, painting. Today, Lorraine remains Garafola’s representative/agent. She is also the publisher of Frank J. Reilly Art Books authored by her father, “Frank J. Reilly – The Elements of Painting” and “Frank J. Reilly – Outdoor Painting”. Both books teach the Authentic Reilly Method and were written word-for-word from Ralph’s class notes.

Ralph Garafola’s flair for realism brings his oil and watercolor paintings to life. Eager to share his knowledge at the age of 70 he began teaching portrait painting at the duCret School of Art in Plainfield, New Jersey. In Florida, Garafola taught fine art at Florida’s Ringling College of Art and Design Annex, Longboat Key Art Center, Art Center Manatee, and the Sarasota Art Center. He also taught painting at Art Expressions by the Bay in Sarasota for ten years.