Author: CT State Library

Carroll, Leon V. (1887-1937)There is little known about Leon V. Carroll. He specialized in painting floral still life.  He exhibited at shows and galleries in New York City and Connecticut. In 1937 he created three easel paintings for the WPA Federal Arts Project. Though his dates of birth and death are known, the places of these events are not. Sources: WPA Artist’s Work Card;...

Butler, Frank (?) There is little known about Frank Butler except that he worked for the WPA from 1936-1937 while living on Shore Beach in Branford, Connecticut. He painted several signs with images of insects, animals, and plants known to be at East Rock Park. He used the medium larcoloid, an acrylic latex gloss enamel applied to primed metal surfaces. For information about...

Burgoyne, Benjamin (?)According to the Connecticut Federal Arts Project’s newsletter for July 1939, Benjamin Burgoyne was a descendant of the British officer, General John Burgoyne, who was defeated by the patriots at the Battle of Saratoga during the Revolution. Benjamin Burgoyne worked for the WPA from 1938-1940 using his carpentry skills to manufacture frames for over 1,138 ...

Burdick, John E. (1872-?)John Burdick was born in Norwich, Connecticut in 1872. He completed high school at the Norwich Free Academy, going on to study at the Norwich Art School, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Art Students League in New York, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, and in France and Italy. For 17 years Burdick worked for noted N...

Brown, Samuel E. (1903-1983)Samuel Brown was born in 1903. He worked for the Public Works of Art Project and began work for the WPA Federal Arts Project in November of 1935. He completed a total of 36 easel works and one mural. Brown was adept at painting portraits, completing a number of them for the Westport Library in 1936. His other work was allocated to Redding Hill School...

Brewster, George T. (1862-1943) George Thomas Brewster was a sculptor known for his portraits and war memorials. He was born in Kingston, MA on February 24, 1862 to Altheus Brewster and Mary S. Cushman. He could trace his lineage back to William Brewster, leader of the Mayflower expedition. We know nothing about his childhood or early education. From 1877-1881, he attended t...

Boyer, Ralph Ludwig (1879-1952) Ralph Boyer was born in Camden, New Jersey on July 23, 1879. He attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts where James Daugherty was a fellow student, and where Boyer met his future wife, Rebecca Hunt, who was also a student. He won the Cresson Scholarship for travel throughout Europe. When he returned Boyer took up portrait painting and ...

Blahitka, Mary (?)All that is known about this artist is that she worked for the FAP in 1940 and was then residing at the YWCA in New Haven. She produced one unallocated easel entitled, “Gloxinias.” She is also listed as working on an untitled mural at the Lawrence School in Hartford, but there are no starting and ending dates.Source: WPA Artist’s Work CardWorks of Art Listed i...

Benson, Leslie Langille (1885-1972)Leslie Benson was born on March 15, 1885, in Mahone, Nova Scotia. He attended the School of Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Erie Pape School, and the Fenway School. He drew illustrations for magazines in the 1920’s and 1930’s and then became a book illustrator. Later in his life, Benson went into the field of religious art. He was a member of ...

Benoit, Edward (?)Edward Benoit worked with George West lettering and painting signs for East Rock and West Rock Parks using larcoloid, an acrylic latex gloss enamel applied to primed metal surfaces. The signs were directional placed along nature trails; textual describing the life cycle, behavior, and habitats of birds, insects, mammals, and vegetation and explaining natural p...