Background
Tovish was born in New York City to a Russian refugee father. His father died during the Great Depression and his destitute mother placed his older sisters in foster care and sent young Tovish to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New New York
Tovish was born in New York City to a Russian refugee father. His father died during the Great Depression and his destitute mother placed his older sisters in foster care and sent young Tovish to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New New York
Student, World Pet Association Art Project, 1938-1940; student, Columbia University, 1940-1943; student, Ossip Zadkine School Drawing and Sculpture, Paris, France, 1949-1950; student, Academy De La Grande Chaumiere, Paris, 1950-1951.
He was famous for exacting standards, and even refused to complete many of the sculptures he began. Tovish focused on the human form as the primary vehicle for exploring metaphysical existence. He took drawing classes that were sponsored by the Progress Administration (World Pet Association).
At Columbia, he also met Marianna Pineda.
He earned his degree in 1943. Tovish was sent to Europe by the United States Army during World World War World War II He traveled to Paris with Ossip Zadkine, as well as Florence to study sculpture and drawing.
After living in Europe for three years, the couple established residence and a studio in Boston in 1957. Tovish was artist-in-residence at the American Academy in Rome in 1965.
In 1967, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Tovish taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, was a fellow at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tovish was College of Fine Arts professor at Boston University from 1971 until his retirement in 1983. He died of complications of a stroke one year after moving out of Boston to a retirement home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Member National Academy of Design (associate 1981-1990, academician, since 1990).
Married Marianna Pineda (Packard), January 14, 1946 (deceased 1997). Children: Margo, Aaron, Nina.