Robert Jay Kaufman

AIB faculty member Robert Jay Kaufman passed away on January 8, 2010 following a difficult battle with cancer. Robert was a much loved member of our AIB community. He contributed greatly to our academic and creative strength, our growth during the 1990s and 2000s, and, in particular, to the growth and development of the Illustration and Animation Departments.  In fact, it is because of his leadership and vision that we have an Animation program at AIB. He so typified the dedication that our faculty and staff have to our students, always given generously of his time and knowledge. This past December, Robert was awarded the Lesley University Impact Award, one of just four people to receive the award this year.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Melanoma Research Alliance, 1101 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 620, Washington, DC 20005, www.melanomaresearchalliance.org


- Stan Trecker, Dean
The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University

East 10th Street




First Ave. & 1st Street

 

Ganesvoort Street

Images above are composed of photographs taken on that very block. The b/w illustrations are from Blockology: An Offbeat Walking Guide to Lower Manhattan
© All rights reserved.




Above photo from the Tompkins Square Library in Manhattan.
A great spot for Blockology to live!

Comments

[Lisa]

So sad to hear. He will be missed and always remembered at AIB.

[Melissa (Reid) Reynolds]

Robert was a wonderful teacher, friend and mentor and he will be missed so much and remembered fondly. I thank him for helping to shape me into the artist that I am and encouraging me when I was a student at AIB. Rest in peace, Robert.

[Tamara Waakop Reijers]

Robert was a great teacher for me while I was an exchangestudent at AIB, and such a wonderful person as well. We stayed in touch since I left Boston and I was just gonna tell him I am finally gonna walk his blocks this year in NYC.The blocks he so passionate wrote about in his Blockology with it's beautiful illustrtions. Thanks for teaching me and giving me so much inspiration and believing in me as an artist. And many thanks for your wonderful book and your kind words written in inside, when I was very ill.
Rest in peace.

[Shawn Scott]

Robert will be sorely missed. The impact he had on me and many of my friends is endless. Very, very sad indeed.

[Katelyn]

I feel so fortunate to have had Robert as a teacher, and owe a huge chunk of my artistic development to him. AIB will definitely not be the same without you, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Rest in peace, Robert.

[Todd Bonita]

Robert,
The world was a better place with you in it, you are already missed. I am grateful for our time together and will always regard you as my most influential artistic mentor, thank you for sharing your knowledge and friendship. From my years at AIB to the blockology walking tour you took me on in Manhattan, you were always thoughtful and kind to me. Thank you so much my friend, rest in peace.

[Jackie Gran]

I am truly so hurt to hear about the passing of my absolute favorite teacher from AIB, Robert Kaufman. Robert really fought to help me learn perspective, even though I had so much trouble with it. I am going to miss this man so much. I am so grateful to have had Robert as a teacher, friend, advisor, and mentor. Robert, you were such a helpful and wise person, with a dry, sarcastic wit that I appreciated, being a New Yorker myself. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. You will be remembered so fondly by your students. Rest in peace.

[Suzanne Barnes]

Robert would have liked that it was Todd Bonita who called to inform me of Robert's passing, and that I wrote down the memorial service details with a Prismacolor pencil, peacock blue, number 1027.

Robert was one of those people whose life intersects with yours and you never forget them. He was my colleague and my friend and my fellow member of cancer club. Lower Manhattan became Robert's illustrations for me, and I will always feel close to him there.

He will be so missed.

[Ashley Henry]

Words can't express how sad I am to hear of Robert's passing. If it weren't for Robert I wouldn't have progressed as much as I have as an artist in the past year or so. I was going through a very tough time when it came to my work and he never gave up on me no matter how many times we butted heads. He taught me and other students so much. He was also one of the wittiest people I have ever talked to and made many of us laugh till we cried with his dry humor. Thanks Robert and you will be missed.

[Tracy Lee Quinn]

I am so sad and shocked to hear about Robert's passing. He was an amazing teacher. When i transfered to AIB, it was Robert who took my under his wing and really showed me the ropes. I have always been so thankful for his kindness and quirky outlook on life. He was a true and genuine person, and took the time to really listen to you when you needed help in class.
My condolences to his family and friends

[Diane Wald]

Robert Kaufman was a splendid, shining soul and I am lucky to have called him a friend. During my years at AIB, talking things through with Robert was an important part of countless days. His talent, warmth, empathy, humor, and passion for all things artistic meant so much to so many of us. When he laughed you could see his heart. And he told the truth—he wasn’t afraid of it. I loved that. I miss having him in this world.

[alec strickland]

Everyone who knew Robert could call him a friend, a patient, insightful and honest counterpart that was prepared to give selflessly. He took a genuine interest in me and always told me what i needed to hear. His belief in me has meant the world, and I hope he knew that. Robert inspired and was loved by all, he will live on through all the people he influenced and shared himself with. I will miss him. My best wishes to his family.

[Daniel Vasconcellos]

What a loss... Although Robert was not a close friend, his gentle, passionate and engaged manner left me changed by my encounters with him. My sincere condolences to his family, the AIB community and the future students who'll never have the opportunity to be impacted by this wonderful man.

[Greg Marathas]

I never saw Robert without a smile on his face. Whether he was making you think with constructive criticism or making you laugh out loud with his wit and humor, there was always a warmth and generosity behind every word he said. Knowing him in the small way that I did, I hope he realized how much he helped to shape me into a stronger artist and a better person. Robert will always live on in those of us who will never stop trying to live up to the potential he always knew was there.

[Jennifer Ngan]

When I think of Robert, I think of all the conversations we had together in the halls, in class, wherever, about my work or life in general. He was a person who would brighten my day with a few supportive words before class to dull my concerns, a smile or a pat on the back to help me along. He was a professor who genuinely cared about you and your work and it was something that I don't think I could have gone without. I will miss him but I will always remember who he was and what he did for me as a person and an artist. Thank you so much, Robert.

[Ken Dubrowski]

This is just such a sad day. Robert was a wonderful person who just loved people and had such a strong passion for his art.
I loved the time we would have student reviews and he would be sitting behind us saying, "Don't hold back or be afraid to be tougher with them..."

My sincere condolences to his wife and family and all those who knew Robert.
I will miss him

[Joanna Lane]

My daughter is grief stricken. She's a current AIB student and Illustration Major in her final year, who has taken 8 classes with Robert over the last 4 years. I lit a candle for him tonight and poured a glass into the ground in his memory. I am sure he will watch over her as her guardian angel throughout her career. I have a request of AIB. Please extend grief counseling to my daughter and all current Illustration students. They need it. I extend my condolences to his family, especially to his daughter whom my daughter tells me spoke so eloquently at the Memorial Service she attended in his memory. Know that your father touched the lives of so many talented artists including my daughter and will never be forgotten. RIP.

[Barbara Geoghegan]

I have struggled to put my thoughts about Robert's passing into words. I feel, as many other students do, that I have lost a very special mentor and ally. It was always Robert who pushed us the hardest, and who we wanted most badly to impress. I will always remember the smile that he would have on his face when he would look at my work and say, "Wow, Barbara, this is really bad." In my brief time as his teaching assistant, I was able to witness the real feelings of warmth that he had for his students, and just how much he loved to teach. I will miss him so much. I extend my most sincere condolences to his family.

[Alice Diamond]

Robert was a wonderful colleague; he was so supportive of students and also of our work in the career center. He will be greatly missed, and I send my sympathy to his family and to the many students and alumni whose lives he influenced.

[Seth]

Back in the 90's I attended AIB when their animation department was relatively new. Mr. Kaufman was always very supportive of what we animator whackos were up to. With his encouragement I gained the confidence I needed after college and have since gone onto a successful creative career. People like me and others are deeply indebted to Mr. Kaufman and I am glad to have been one of his students.

You will be missed.

[Jenny Mattheson]

I'm so sorry to hear about Robert's illness and passing. My best wishes and prayers go to his friends and family. He was such an affable, friendly guy and he will be greatly missed.