The Story of Paul Lovett and Atlantic City Nostalgic Art

Photo by Danny Drake, courtesy of The Press of Atlantic City 

Paul Lovett was born in Philadelphia on August 8, 1934. Even as a young child he demonstrated a natural talent for art. During World War II, he sent letters and drawings to his uncle, Charles Rourke who was a serviceman in the Army in Europe. His uncle would write back and remark to his nephew about his artistic talent and would encourage him to cultivate it. It was this early encouragement that sowed the seeds of his interest in a career as an artist.

During his childhood and teenage years, he would draw but it wasn’t until his sophomore year at Atlantic City High School he really began working on his artistic talent. At Atlantic City High School, he took a number of courses in commercial art and design. Before graduating, he decided to attend the Museum College of Art in Philadelphia, which is now known as the University of the Arts, one of the most prestigious art colleges in the eastern United States.

Once he finished high school, he gave up work in his father’s landscaping business to build his art portfolio and his strong wishes to go to art school paid off. In September 1953, he began attending the Museum College of the Arts in Philadelphia. For a few years, he took the daily commute by train from Atlantic City to the “City of Brotherly Love” to attend school. Under the instruction of famous artists and teachers, Ben Eisenstat, Jacob Landau and Larry Day, he cultivated and seasoned his artistic aptitude. Most of his coursework at the College of Art centered on commercial art and design. From that instruction, he learned the necessary tools to develop his individual talent. He excelled in his coursework and in his art. During his tenure in school, he received a prestigious award, the Elmer A. Aaron Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art. He thought about becoming an illustrator, but a chance meeting with a teacher directed him towards the advertising art profession.

Upon finishing Art College, he began his work as a freelance advertising artist. During the course of his career, he worked for numerous advertising and public relations firms in the Philadelphia and New Jersey area. They included such firms as Wyble Advertising James Hurley and Associates in Millville and many others. He did advertising art and design for numerous companies, including Reese Palley, the eccentric porcelain dealer who had his store in the Marlborough Bleinheim. He also did advertising art for Needle Craft, Airworks and Citizens Bank. At one point, he simultaneously did advertising campaigns for the Jersey resort towns of Wildwood, Ocean City and Atlantic City. From political campaigns to porcelain, his advertising art and his clients were unusually diverse.

In recent years though, his talent and love of art has brought him away from the ephemeral world of advertising to art that is more lasting and celebrates the places and wonderful memories of the Jersey shore. Within the distant roar of the waves of the Atlantic Ocean in Margate, Paul Lovett lives today with his wife Marie. He spends his days drawing in peaceful contemplation capturing lasting memories and good times of the Jersey shore in pen, color, ink and paper.

~Mark Lovett

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