Connecticut WPA Art

Reilly, Paul H. (?-1944)Paul Reilly was a cartoonist and artist. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he received his early art education. He began his career in art in 1913, submitting sketches to the old Life magazine and other publications. During his later life he focused primarily on portraits and landscapes. Under the WPA Federal Arts Project, Reilly created 182 ...

Vincent (1898-1951) and Girard [Gerard] (1895-1962) RossiVincent and Girard Rossi were born to Pasquale and Margaret Famiigletti Rossi, the former in 1891 and the latter in 1895. Their father came to the United States in the 1920’s. He was a “well known barber in Waterbury” for 15 years and then moved to Thomaston, living there for twenty eight years. For 25 of the 28 years, he...

Ridolfo, James P. (1913-1979)James Ridolfo was born in Troy, New York in 1913. For the majority of his life, he resided in Hartford, though he moved to Glastonbury in 1973. A 1936 photograph in the Hartford Courant showed him in a night class of the Hartford Art School. Perhaps it was his inexperience as an artist that led the WPA Art Project to reject all but one of the eight ...

Raymond, Frank Jo (1907-1993)Frank Raymond was born in Pittson, Pennsylvania in 1907. At an early age he moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut where he attended the local public schools. He also lived in Stonington, Connecticut with an uncle who was the keeper of the lighthouse at Latimer Reef. In his lifetime he worked a number of odd jobs including sword fishing, working in a bras...

Nelson, Ralph Lewis (1885-1967)Ralph Lewis Nelson was born on February 2, 1885, in Coal City, Illinois. After his mother died when he was two and a half years old, he was raised by his aunts and uncles. He attended Baptist College in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and it was there that he received his first formal art training. He also studied commercial art. He studied art at the Clevel...

Pace, Cano (?)In 1941 Cano Pace, who lived in Waterbury, Connecticut, sculpted a plaster statue entitled, Leaping Frogs.Source: WPA Artist’s Work Card.Works of Art Listed in CT Archives' database from Cano Pace:Leeping Frogs [sic]:plasterPace, Cano

Popolizio, Vincent (1914-?)Vincent Popolizio was born in 1914 in New Haven, Connecticut. He attended New Haven Public School and went on to attend the Yale School of Fine Arts where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1937. Popolizio was assigned to the WPA Federal Arts Project in 1939, working on the WPA Silk Screen Poster Project before being assigned to the Art Project....

Palmer, Delos (1890-1960)Delos Palmer was born in 1890. He worked for the WPA Federal Arts Project starting in 1936. Prior to that, he had worked for the Public Works of Art Project. He completed three easel works and two murals for the WPA. He taught several art classes at Burdick Jr. High School. His murals were allocated to Willard School in Stamford, Connecticut. He left th...

Partyka, Martin (1907-1954)Martin Partyka was born in New Britain, Connecticut in 1907 or 1908. He completed high school and then studied art and architectural engineering at the Pratt Institute from 1927-1930. He later wrote that Arthur Gupthill and Ernest Watson were influential teachers. Partyka taught mechanical and architectural drawing at evening school. From 1936-1940 he...

 Peterson, Fred (?)In 1936 and 1937 Fred Peterson completed fifteen works for the Index of American Design. He was living in Bridgeport, Connecticut at that time. Nothing else is known about him. Source: WPA Artist’s Work Card.Works of Art Listed in CT Archives' database from Fred Peterson:Pewter Teapot:black watercolorPewter Teapot:black watercolorPewter Toy Porringer:bla...