A Personal Beginning

Growing up, my understanding of my grandfather, Seymour Fogel, did not begin in museums or history books, but it began at home, through stories. My mother, Gayle Fogel Laurel, often spoke about what it was like to grow up in a household shaped entirely by art. It was not always easy. There were times when the family lived hand to mouth, waiting for the next commission check to arrive. Stability was never guaranteed, but creativity always was. Art was not just what my grandfather did, it was how he lived.

Those stories stayed with me. They revealed a side of my grandfather that goes beyond the finished works, the discipline, uncertainty, and, at times, struggle. His life reminds us that art is not just inspiration, but commitment.

Today, it is both an honor and a responsibility for me, alongside my husband Sean, to serve as stewards of the Seymour Fogel Art Estate. This role is deeply personal. It is about preserving not only the artwork itself, but the story behind it, the life, the process, and the legacy of an artist who dedicated himself fully to his craft.

With this website, we are excited to share that legacy more openly. Our goal is to introduce, showcase, and if we have done our job well - inspire visitors to this site through Seymour Fogel’s work. We hope it becomes a place where people can not only learn about his artistic journey, but also connect with the ideas, energy, and vision that drove him to create.

This blog will be an important part of that effort. Over time, we will be inviting contributors—family members, historians, collectors, and others to share their perspectives and insights. These voices will help deepen the conversation around Fogel’s work and its place within American art.

We will also use this space to highlight works In Focus, exploring how they reflect different moments in his artistic journey. From early drawings to major mural studies to later experimental works, each piece offers a window into how he saw the world and how that vision evolved.

Thank you for being here at the beginning.

-Jessica Jones