By the summer of 1983 when I met him, designer/ illustrator Milton Glaser, who died this week at age 91, was already famous. The founder of Push Pin Studios, a founder of New York Magazine, had already created the iconic sign, I [heart] New York, as well as so many other memorable designs, you knew his work before you knew who made it. Glaser was a friend of Silas Rhodes,  the founder of The School of Visual Arts, and taught graphic design at the school, participating in a summer program in Tangier, Morocco.

Silas liked to surround himself with talented people, and knowing that the writer Paul Bowles resided there, added creative writing to the program that already offered photography, fine arts, and graphic design. Paul, however, did not teach. That’s where I came in, with a freshly minted Ph.D. in American literature, having written a dissertation on Jack Kerouac, who Paul knew in the New York literary circles he occupied when he visited New York. More often, Kerouac, Burroughs, Ginsberg, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, all came to see Paul. That summer, our group included, aside from Milton, Brice Marden, Mary Ellen Mark, Louise Bourgeois, Marshall Arisman, Ed Benguiat, Duane Michals, and guests passing through, Pete Hamill, and Francine du Plessix Gray.

In the tradition of Henri Matisse who had resided in Tangier for a time, we stayed at the European run Villa de France Hotel. Brice Marden, his wife Helen and their two young daughters occupied the Matisse rooms, one atop the other overlooking the lush gardens. The top one was Matisse’s studio. Never mind that on many an occasion, water was scarce, never hot. In preparation for the shortage, I was in the habit of stopping up my bathtub and sink drains to conserve some for washing. During his time there, Milton would shave in my room. And at night, he would treat everyone to dinner. Sometimes that was twenty or thirty at long tables, family style. He was the model of the successful artist, humble, down to earth, and a generous spirit. A good time was had by all. RIP.