He graduated with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts from
Cooper Union in 1951. After graduation, he went on to hold several jobs, which included working on promotional art for the New York Times. He also worked at Esquire magazine, where he reunited with fellow Cooper Union alum
Edward Sorel.[4] After both of them were fired in 1954, they founded
Push Pin Studios along with
Milton Glaser.
Reynold Ruffins would join them shortly thereafter.[5] The bi-monthly publication The Push Pin Graphic, a product of their collaboration, was launched in 1957.[1][3]
Chwast is famous for his commercial artwork, which includes
posters, food
packaging, magazine covers, and publicity art.[6] Often referred to as "the left-handed designer," Chwast's unique graphic design melded social commentary and a distinctive style of illustration which he refers to as his "Roxy Style".[4] Today, he continues to work and is principal at
Pushpin Group, Inc.[7] in New York City.
In 1970, he met
Paula Scher during an interview she had with him at Pushpin while she was still a senior at Tyler School of Art.[8] They married in 1973 and divorced five years later. They remarried in 1989.[9] Chwast has two daughters from a previous relationship, Pamela and Eve.[3]
In 1985, he received the
AIGA Medal.[10] He is the font designer of Chwast Buffalo,[11] Fofucha, Loose Caboose NF, and Weedy Beasties NF.[12] He is a member of
Alliance Graphique International (AGI).In 2023 he was awarded a National Design Award as a Design Visionary by the Smithsonian Design Museum in recognition of his work.[13][14]
At War with War: 5000 Years of Conquests, Invasions, and Terrorist Attacks, An Illustrated Timeline (by Seymour Chwast, Victor Navasky),
Seven Stories Press, 2017
ISBN978-1609807795
Illustration: A Visual History (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams, 2008
ISBN978-0810972841
She Sells Sea Shells: World Class Tongue Twisters (by Seymour Chwast), Applesauce Press, 2008
ISBN978-1604330090
The Push Pin Graphic: A Quarter Century of Innovative Design and Illustration (by Seymour Chwast, introduction by Martin Venezky),
Chronicle Books, 2004
ISBN978-0811841030
Graphic Style: From Victorian to Digital (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams, 2001
ISBN978-0810929845
Goodbye, Hello : Everything You Need to Help Your Child When Your Family Moves, Parenting Packs (by Seymour Chwast)
Harry N Abrams Inc, 1997
ISBN978-1891443008
New York Observed: Artists and Writers Look at the City, 1650 to the Present (by Barbara Cohen (ed.), Seymour Chwast (ed.), Steven Heller(ed.)), Harry N Abrams Inc, 1987
ISBN978-0810923430
^Chwast, Seymour, The Push Pin Graphic, A Quarter Century of Innovative Design and Illustration, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California, 2004, p. 249-50.