About the Artist

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.

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Work/Projects

Garafola’s portraits and still life paintings capture the personality and character of his subjects. His landscapes and seascapes are inspired by nature and capture the mood of the scenes.

Garafola said, “All my paintings are portraits. Whether my subject is a person, landscape, seascape or still life, my approach is to portray my subject in its natural environment. It puts the viewer inside the painting. My paintings realistically depict what nature has created.”

All of his paintings tell a story. http://www.ralphgarafola.com

Books by Ralph Garafola

Frank J. Reilly was an American painter, illustrator, muralist, and most famously known as a teacher. Ralph Garafola studied under Reilly for seven years at the Art Students League of New York where he served as class monitor.

Garafola said, “Reilly taught art like a science. Reilly’s theory date back to the 19th century École des Beaux-Arts, Paris and teaches the technical aspect of what one needs to know to paint in your own style and medium without copying the work of other teachers or artists.”

Having learned so much from his mentor, Garafola wanted to pass the knowledge down to future generations. He has been told by a fellow Reilly student “Frank J. Reilly – The Elements of Painting” is the book Reilly would have written.

In this book, “Frank J. Reilly – The Elements of Painting” Garafola reveals Reilly’s Method of teaching figure drawing and portrait painting which includes the crucial skills of Color Theory using Hue, Value and Chroma, controlled palette, and the intricate skill of painting light and shade.

Learn the elements of drawing the planes and forms of the head and figure, anatomy, 3D rendering through hard and soft edges, drapery, still life painting, and composing elements to tell a story and so much more.

“To succeed in the realm of graphic arts, like dancing and playing music, one must acquire knowledge. By practicing and applying that knowledge, one becomes skillful. It was Reilly’s logical application which was the basis for developing my craft. After 65 successful years, I have never found a reason to change the methodology he taught me. I owe him my sincere gratitude. Now, through this book, I share it with you.” Ralph Garafola.

At the time of Garafola’s passing he was working on a second book, “Frank J. Reilly – Outdoor Painting” which his daughter Lorraine edited and published. “Frank J. Reilly – Outdoor Painting” reveals how to paint the outdoors from your studio. Garafola explains how values are the key to bring seascapes alive by capturing the mood of the ocean and its movement, as well as the wind, and various weather conditions.

He also explains the techniques involved in painting landscapes that portray the time and kind of day; sunrise, sunny, overcast, fog, sunset, moonlight and the four seasons. Garafola believed that painting the natural environment puts the viewer inside the painting while realistically depicting what nature has created.

The secret is now reveled: “Frank J. Reilly – Outdoor Painting” shows how to paint the three things in nature that are nearly impossible to duplicate in paint. https://FrankReillyBooks.com

Painting to Honor your hero by Veteran Ralph Garafola

“The Price of Liberty & Freedom – A Commemorative Painting Honoring Your Personal Hero” was created by Ralph Garafola to honor the brave individuals in our nation that have sacrificed so much so that we can be free.

Garafola was a veteran of the Korean War and long believed our nation’s heroes should be honored with more than a photo on a mantle or bureau.

He, therefore, created a unique painting where a photograph of your personal hero can be inserted into the composition – creating a beautiful, commemorative work of art that truly honors them and their sacrifice. https://ThePriceofLibertyFreedom.com

More than Painting – Designed and directed by Ralph Garafola

911 Memorial

Garafola designed and directed the building of the 911 Memorial which stands in front of the Warren Township Municipal building in New Jersey.  http://warrennj.org/about/911-monument/

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