Remembering Jay

Remembering Jay
remembering jay
Remembering Jay image collage

On March 31, 2020, our great friend Jay Moskowitz passed away from cancer. Jay was a teaching lecturer at Plymouth State University for over twenty years, and a beloved mentor, supporter, friend, and more to all who knew him. He will be greatly missed. A well-traveled folk musician and artist, Jay said “My real art is teaching. It is where I really put most of my creative energies.” Jay taught every grade level from kindergarten through graduate school. He was the 2008 recipient of the Distinguished Adjunct Teaching Award from Plymouth State University. Jay, oftentimes with his loyal dog, Ozzy, was a favorite model of art students, who sketched him many times over the years. The MWM has launched the Remembering Jay page to collect and share art, images, and stories of our beloved friend.

 

 

Please share your stories, images, and art of Jay with us:

Remembering Jay: Stories, Images, & Art

"My real art is teaching. It is where I really put most of my creative energies.​"  -  Jay Moskowitz

Jay’s Website

Faculty Spotlight: Jay Moskowitz – The Clock Online

Origami Crane Folding

Open Mic Night Ashland Common Man –  March 12, 2020

 

 

 

 

Videos


                             Jay on For The Love of Dance

Jay was truly the heart of our community in Plymouth. He was a great part of what made Plymouth feel like home. I never once saw Jay in a rush. He was always just enjoying life with a smile, and Ozzy by his side, as it passed by. The simplicity and happiness with which he treated life was so inspiring to me. He was the professor I loved telling all my friends about back home and I never even had him as a professor, he was just a good friend I loved running into. I will miss you so much Jay and will always think of you when I am walking down Main Street.
-Sarah Bengtson


Jay always genuinely wanted to know how you were doing. He was amazing at conversation and making everyone laugh. Jay was always there when I needed someone to listen. I loved our chit chats in the classroom and throughout the halls. My heart breaks but I will always remember to carry Jays spirit and lessons on with me throughout life.
-Dani Bernazani


Jay had a way about making each student feel noticed. There was no passing by him with out as little an exchange of smiles and that means a lot.

For the past 20 years, I saw Jay at meetings, in the ED department office, at the coffee shop in Plymouth, and at different places on campus. Often, he was accompanied by his dog as he was a great animal lover. Jay lit up any room he was in. He was outgoing, funny, smart, compassionate, reflective, musical, creative, and a good friend. He was also upbeat, charismatic, and optimistic. Just being in his presence made me feel good about the world. The world is a better place for having had Jay in it. I shall remember him fondly forever.
-Leo Sandy


Jay always went out of his way to make sure that every human being he interacted with was greeted with a friendly Hello, and a warm smile. I never got the opportunity to have him as a professor, but he knew me by name and was more than willing to give advise, or chat whenever he ran into me. He is such a vibrant soul and brought so much life to PSU. No matter who you were Jay cared that you felt important and welcomed. He was such an inspiring man. Let's never forget when he would pop in during classes and say "Hello", bring his dog and guitar in to be a model for Figure classes, be sipping a drink at Monte Alto. What a truly amazing man.
-Meara Cotton


Not one story, but many short stories over many years of running into Jay on campus or in front of cafe Monte Alto. Whenever I saw him he would always have time to talk, to share pleasantries, add to share of his good nature. He was a welcoming and calming presence in Plymouth and at PSU and I will miss him.
-Chris Chabot


Too many to tell here. but one that stands out on my mind, Jay was asked by a patron why he chose what songs he performed, his answer is classic Jay, " I'll play whatever I want "!
-Bob Letourneau


Jay was one of the most positive and welcoming people I knew. He always took the time to remember who you were even if you weren't in any of his classes. He always walked around campus with a big smile and he was a huge supporter at gallery events and shows.
-Emily "Chi" Hayes


He was my favorite teacher at Plymouth, I loved Jay - I will always remember the long portrait we did with him & Ozzy. Then after that I would come talk to you everyday or see you passing by in the art building taking Ozzy for a walk.
-Lindsey Turcotte


"Jay, can we hang out and do nothing?" I met Jay my sophomore year at PSU. Terri Dautcher and I were walking down the street, discussing the end of the semester when she introduced me to Jay. He was sitting outside of Off The Hanger on Main Street, watching the world go by. I told Terri I would see her later and I sat down next to Jay. We ended up talking for hours. I talked to him about how hectic and busy my workload was. He said it sounded like I needed a lesson on how to do nothing. From there, it was years and years of him teaching me how to do nothing. Throughout the years, whenever I would get overwhelmed, upset, or just run down (so, three times a week), Jay and I would sit down, and do nothing. We'd share stories, share passions, have discussions on big things like life to little things like the weather. He was not only a mentor, and a friend, but a life savor. He kept me grounded, he kept me happy, he kept sane. He was everything you ever could have needed. Whether he was attending dance performances or singing at Open Mics, Jay was there through it all. I love him, and I miss him already. While the light in Plymouth may be a little different, he will always be there. Shining a light on all of us.
-Emma Partridge


After taking Jay’s class, running into him on campus became a favorite part of my PSU experience. Jay was always one of my biggest supporters in my career as a teacher. In July of 2019, I moved back to the Plymouth area and loved catching up with Jay on my weekend trips to Monte Alto. My favorite Jay memory was a few years ago and after I had graduated. I flew to Colorado and on my return to Logan was waiting for my bus back to southern NH, when Jay showed up! He was returning from a trip and we chatted until one of our buses arrived. Jay had the ability to make you feel at home and was always interested to hear what you were up to and to chat about life. He will be so greatly missed and the PSU community is all the better for having known him.
-Cassidy Spencer


When it came to music, Jay had a style all of his own . Kinda like the NY Coffee House style of music for the 60's. We loved to listen to him doing his version of Bob Dylyn's "Watch Tower" As a photographer I shot many photos Of Jay over the past several years. He never minded my camera. RIP friend, we will miss you!
-Bob Letourneau


I first met Jay my sophomore year at PSU when he was the model for portraits in my figure drawing class. I was so proud of that drawing and for the next two years walking the halls of D&M, I looked forward to seeing the next classes portraits of Jay line the 2nd Floor hallway. Jay was always one of my favorite faces to see around Plymouth. Almost every morning, when I stopped at Chase Street to grab coffee, I would bump into him and get into conversations about life and art that would more often than not make me late to class in D&M. He was always so interested in my art and what I was creating and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to celebrate art with him.
-Caitlin O'Leary


"Thank you, for always being a source of wisdom and guidance. Thank you, for always supporting and lifting up everyone around you. Thank you, for encouraging us all to dream and go beyond. Thank you for saying good morning, goodbye, and hello. Thank you for stopping by to check in. Thank you for creating community within the art department and town. Thank you for your music, and poetry, and laughter. Thank you for everything. I hope you know how many students and people’s lives you’ve touched throughout the years. Much love and gratitude."
-Katama Murray


"Today a truly wonderful person left this world. I was never in one of Jay's art classes, but we quickly became friends from my daily trips to Cafe Monte Alto. Even after I graduated I would go up to Plymouth and hope to bump into him. He was just that kind of person. His art, music, and funny/genuine conversations I will never ever forget. So glad our paths crossed. I will cherish his memory forever. I will miss you, Jay!"
-Brittany Brennan


One of the best parts when I was at Plymouth State was being a part of the community that Draper & Maynard had and still has. Jay was a big part of that community and the Plymouth community. Whether he was helping in other art courses when he wasn’t teaching, coming in to class to see what students were working on, supporting the arts at the museum, being on Plymouth’s campus, having chats in Monte Alto, making those around him laugh & smile, playing the guitar for everyone, or just talking to the students of PSU & the community of Plymouth. There are many moments I have been impacted by Jay, his words, and his kindness. Jay was such an incredible professor who will truly be missed.
-Laura Borchert


Jay was the kindest person and would always say hi no matter what. Something I'm going to carry with me and am so impressed by was his ability to remember everyones name after the first day of class. It just goes to show you how much he cared about each and everyone of us and was routing for us to succeed.
-Mikayla Osgood


Jay was my first friendly walk through Plymouth town. I came here in the Fall of 2008 to teach at PSU. Sometime during the Fall semester I was out in front of D&M building enjoying the fall and Jay was leaving for a coffee at Cafe Monte Alto. He introduced himself (while also greeting a student who was walking into D&M) and asked me to get a cup of coffee with him. Jay would always say hi if he caught sight of you. In the 5-6 minute walk to get a coffee he greeted or was greeted by at least 6 or 7 people. There was actually a student on the opposite side of Main Street who yelled across the street "HI JAY! I'll see you in class tomorrow!". Jay responded “Hi JANE! I saw your name on my roster and it looks like a great class!!” That's how I came to call him Mr. Mayor. He was a humble politician, busker musician on the corner, multiple leveled educator, artist, and just a good egg. He was a truthful friend to me and many others and I will miss his always friendly hello.
-Nick Sevigney


Jay and I were together every day through undergrad. Studying, drinking coffee, playing frisbee, loitering on the lawn, hearing the list of girls he thought were cute, giving my boyfriends ridiculous nicknames, navigating when life became tough, laughing until we cried. Our friendship continued on, sharing glimpses of our distant lives but the love never faded. That dear man married my husband and I and eventually did impressions of "Bert" from Sesame Street to my firstborn. Jay changed my experience in life - he made it richer for me and others. We all walk with so, so many stories that I am so looking forward to reading. During one of our last cups of coffee together at PSC before we graduated, he gave me a piece he made. "Read Your Mind". It's hung in every one of my homes for the past 25 years. So much love to all of us who feel the loss of Jay's passing. May we heal together and celebrate his life every moment we can.
-Nikki Lu Lowe


In the spring of 2019 I was working with Timm Judas as his work study for the art education department and we were moving bookshelves and other things around. As me and Timm were coming out of the elevator with all these things Jay swings around the corner. As we both say “Hello Jay!” he begins to break out into song, singing “Ohh it’s moving day, moving day...”. He proceeded to sing us the entire song, stopping occasionally to remember some of the lines. Me and Timm were tickled, happy, and laughing because Timm said how much that song dates him. We all had a nice long conversation about old music and other things they remembered at that time. The last time I was with him, he needed help moving some of his personal item back to his new apartment and he invited me and my girlfriend to dinner afterward. While we were moving he broke into song so what song should he start singing but ‘Moving Day’ by Charlie Poole. I had told him that he should start practicing it so that he could sing that song at the Common Man in one of the coming Thursdays. Still to this day I can hear him singing that tune, it brings me so much happiness and something I can always remember him by.
-Moses Strout