The "Awakening" is a tender rendition
of femininity and feeling. A moving and touching
portrayal of human emotions.
24 x 38 Oil on Linen
NOW AVAILABLE IN LIMITED EDITION GICLEE PRINTS ON CANVAS
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Anthony was born in the late 1950's in the city of Stamford, Connecticut, in the lower west side’s Italian community. His earliest memories include his mother painting religious scenes in oil from her sick bed. Five years after his mothers passing at the age of nine, his father passed away leaving Anthony an orphan. In conforming to the ways of “the old country”, Anthony’s orphaning was never officially reported nor was he legally adopted and his rearing was as Italian tradition provides in the hands of his secular Godfather and the entire Italian community around him. Virtually growing up a ward of the streets of the west side, Anthony was well cared for by remaining family members and the neighborhood families and business owners.
Early in his life, Anthony displayed a deep spiritual connection and appreciation for the arts. Knowing of his late mother’s artistic talents, all the local artisans felt it was their duty to encourage him to pursue his artistic inheritance.
In his early teenage years, Anthony apprenticed the nationally renowned graphic artist, Robert M. Jones,whom resided and practiced his art on the outskirts of the west side.
Mr. Jones was the proprietor and head lithographer of the historical “Glad Hand Press.” He was a well-accomplished master in the art of lithographic block cutting and letter press printing. Jones was well known for satiric and whimsical graphics, and served as the U.S. government’s head propaganda artist and copywriter during World War II, where he authored "Loose lips sinks ships" slogan and series of graphics.
Anthony was also encouraged and tutored in fine arts by the late Remo Cipri, a close friend (paisano) to Anthony’s Godfather and one of several fine artists that resided in the west side community. Remo, a posthumously famous 1960’s Italian folk artist, whose art work has now shown in the New York Metropolitan, was known for his sculptures and paintings that depicted life as it was in the inner cities’ segregated and mob controlled neighborhood. Remo created his art and sculptures “en plein air” in the front parking lot of his brother’s pizzeria, and Anthony would spend many hours observing and learning from him as he handed Remo his various sculpting tools and paints.
Anthony's artistic talents where put to good use by the surrounding community, at a very young age he was depended upon to produce graphics, print advertising and menu covers for the famous Pellicci's Italian restaurant where he worked and sometimes lived in his early teens.
He left Stamford at 17 years old during the finale years of the Vietnam era and fraudulently enlisted in the Navy using a mob produced birth certificate. While in the Navy, he excelled in his chosen field of Aviation Ordnance but often found himself painting military ships and aircraft murals on the walls of command offices on-board the aircraft carriers he served on. Some of these paintings are still in existence today. He was also asked by various commands to design squadron symbols and cruise patches, leaving behind many designs to his military legacy, which he continues today with his Naval graphics arts web site, www.Scuttlebutthasit.com.
Following his extended military service, Anthony earned a degree in Graphic Arts and Art History. During his senior college year, he studied fine arts both collegial and privately under Steven Wolf, a well-known Virginian figurative artist. His studies with Mr. Wolf influenced him in developing his passion for figurative and portrait works.
After well over a three decades of creating commercial graphic art, Anthony has refocused his talents in the fine art field, re-pursuing his love of portrait and figurative work using the styles and techniques of the old masters. He is quickly emerging as a master of emotion and sentiment.
Anthony now resides among the antique Victorian and colonial homes in the quaint colonial port town of Smithfield Virginia.
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