Sophie Driscoll ’19

Even if you don’t recognize Miggs Burroughs’ name, you would most likely recognize his work. Over the course of his 46-year career as a graphic artist, Burroughs has created a United States Postage Stamp, an Easter Egg for the Reagan White House, four covers for TIME Magazine, the Westport Town Flag, the logo for the Westport Public School system and the design of the Westport History book.
Having grown up in Westport and graduated from Staples High School, Burroughs feels a strong connection to the town.
“I definitely found a sense of belonging here,” he said.
Burroughs’ father was a commercial illustrator. His parents moved to Westport in 1950 because the town had a reputation as a vibrant arts community. Although Westport has changed since then, Burroughs does not believe that the arts community has diminished.
“I would say the arts community is just as vibrant, if not more so, than it was when I was a kid,” he said.
Burroughs has played a significant role in preserving the Westport arts community; he was one of the founders of the Westport Artists Collective, a group designed for artists to “discuss, create, and develop dynamic experiences for the Fairfield County,” according to its website.
Burroughs’ recent work includes an exhibit at the Westport Public Library entitled “Signs of Compassion,” a permanent lenticular art installation on Main Street entitled “Tunnel Vision,” and the Melissa Kane logo for her Westport campaign.
Students appreciate Burroughs’ contributions to the town.
“I think that it’s interesting that a local artist created the town flag and the school logo because it’s cool to know that someone who cares about Westport created something that we see so frequently,” Mae Logan ’19 said.
Burroughs has also made a name for himself in various fields aside from design. He enjoys running, and so he invented a device called the Pace-Finder, a plastic calculator used to determine running speed.
Westporters may also recognize Burroughs from “Miggs B on TV,” the public TV show that he first produced and hosted in 1984. Over the years, a wide variety of guests appeared on the show, ranging from Martha Stewart to a local tattoo artist.
“I had a tattoo artist come on the show,” Burroughs said. “He gave me a tattoo on the air.”
Additionally, Burroughs wrote a book entitled “What If?” which consists of 194 pages of short–and often amusing–questions about life’s choices. Naturally, he designed the book himself.
Although Burroughs’ work has been nationally recognized, he said he finds the most pleasure in creating designs for the local community.
“The national stuff is great, of course, but it’s the local stuff I really enjoy,” Burroughs said. “It’s very fulfilling.”