Ralph Burch (b.1945)

During Ralph's senior year in high school he took an art which was his first experience with a structured art class and it was then that he decided to pursue art.

It was at the art schools that he attended after high school that taught him the very disciplined techniques that he applies today. Back then there were no pentel pens or computers so everything was done by hand and you either knew your craft or you didn't.

After college, Ralph joined advertising mogul, Leo Burnett of Chicago, where he provided art and creative direction for the original Virginia Slims "You've Come Along Way Baby" campaign as well as creative works for many other fortune 500 companies.

Following Leo Burnett he was the creative force behind his own advertising agency where he won over 250 National and International awards including Clios and various Art Director, Broadcast and Communication Awards programs for his creative and marketing excellence.

Ralph left the windy city in 1973 for sunny southern California, where he currently resides. He is a member of the Pastel Society of America, New York City.

Working from his Southern California studio, Ralph develops images for apparel, home decor, textiles, manufactured products, television shows and Movies.

The pin-up art that Ralph has had so much success with was never intended. It was just something that he tried for his publisher and one image sort of led to another and another and so on. When the calendar manufacturers entered the picture, they of course wanted themed images by the dozens.

Ralph's pin-ups involved with martini, cocktails, entertainment, gambling and fashion vignettes are licensed by many of the largest manufacturers to be used on their products and are sold through retail stores like Barnes and Noble, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home depot and hundreds of other specialty stores and galleries.