biography of Abraham Joel TOBIAS (1913-1996)

Birth place: Rochester, NY

Addresses: Queens, NY

Profession: Painter, sculptor, lithographer, teacher, lecturer, designer, illustrator, architect

Studied: CUA School, 1930-31; ASL, 1931-33; Rutgers Univ.; Fed. Art Project, New York, 1938-40.

Exhibited: MoMA, 1939; BM, 1937-39; SFMA, 1941; ACA Gal., 1936; Delphic Studios, 1935-37; New Sch. Soc. Research (solo); Everhart Mus., 1939 (solo); Howard Univ., 1938 (solo); post office mural commission, Nat. Fine Arts Commission, 1940; Arch. Lg., New York, 1952 (award for mural painting); NYC WPA Art" at Parsons School Design, 1977"

Member: Am. Artists Congress

Work: BM; LACMA; NYPL; Howard Univ., Wash., DC; Rochester (NY) Public Library. Commissions: USPO, Clarendon, AR; The Student "(fresco mural), Howard Univ., Wash., DC, 1945; two war mem. fresco panels, James Madison H.S., Brooklyn, 1952; acrylic mural, Domestic Relations Court, Dept. Public Works, New York, 1956; two plexiglass panels for entrance, Polytechnical Inst. Brooklyn, 1958; mosaic & terrazzo mural, Henrietta Szold School, New York Board Educ., 1960."

Comments: Preferred media: plastics, metals, stones. Positions: art dir., intelligence div., U.S. Air Forces, Wash., DC, 1943-44; graphic designer, Office Strategic Services, Wash., DC, 1944-45; Metropolitan Opera Guild, 1946; teacher, Howard Univ., Washington, 1943-46; artist-in-residence, Adelphi Univ., 1947-57; lecturer mural painting, Assn. Am. Colleges Program, 1952 & 1955; art instructor, Polytechnical Inst. Brooklyn, 1970-. Publications: author, "Mural Painting," Feb., 1957 & author, A Mural Painting for Science & Technology," March, 1969, Am. Artist Magazine.

Sources: WW73; WW47; Joseph L. Young, Mosaics: Principles & Practice (Reinhold, 1964); Lawrence N. Jensen, Synthetic Painting Media (Prentice Hall, 1964); Louis Botto, "In the Know," Look Magazine (1969); New York City WPA Art, 87 (w/repros.)"