FAITH

OF

OUR FATHERS

CHICAGO ITALIANS

AND

CATHOLICISM

Artists of

Casa Italia

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The Artists of Casa Italia

Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia

1621 N. 39th Ave. Stone Park, IL 60165

708-345-5933 http://www.casaitaliachicago.net/

Presented by

Page

Horacio Baggio 6

Lorraine Caposieno 8

Anne Marie Cina 10

Vincent Coppola 12

Giovanna Hopkins 13

Bruna Corso 14

Ivan Lazcano 16

Dominick M. Maino 18

Louis Mustari 20

Claudia Pontarelli-Hallissey 21

Gesualdo Romeo 22

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Faith of Our Fathers Chicago Italians and

Catholicism

Welcome to the Casa Italia Art Exhibition 2013

We have a new Pope. Pope Francis I was born in Argen-tina of Italian parents. As with Italian Catholics in Chicago, his heritage is part of old world Italia and the new world of the Americas. Bringing what is old into the new is the basis of what is rooted deep within our Ital-ian culture. The heritage of our ancestors and the influences of the new world have created the Italian-Americans of today. Our history in Chicago as Italian Catholics is a great and ever continuing adventure. The Artists of Casa Italia continue to advance the Italian spirit and sense of style using incredible creativity to showcase the Italian culture and our faith within the New World Embrace this heritage. Enjoy the art, the Italian Spirit and Faith of our Fathers. Thank you for your participa-tion. Benvenuti a tutti!

Horacio Baggio, Exhibition Organizer

Acknowledgments

We want to thank Dominic Canderolo, Dominick M. Maino, Joanne Spata, Casa Italia Chair and all Casa Italia Officers and Board members; Darrell Marchioretto, and all the artists and their sup-porting families and friends.

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The Artists of Casa Italia Presents

Faith of Our Fathers Chicago Italians and Catholicism

A Traveling Exhibition at the following locations

Casa Italia August 9-13th

Stone Park, Il

Little Italy Fest West August 14th-18th

Addison Village

Hall Rotunda August 19th-30th

Artists’ Reception Friday August 30th

An “Old Neighborhood Family Reunion”. Great food, family fun, music, and activities. Centennial Park at Rohlwing Rd. & Lake St. Addison, Il.

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Horacio Baggio

Artist’s Statement:

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I immigrated to America when I was four years old. Raised in Chicago, I was the first in my family to earn a college degree, - Industrial Design, University of Illinois, Chicago. I have worked as an industrial designer and product development engi-neer for over thirty years.

Creativity and inventiveness have earned me 13 patents mostly in hazardous location lighting and electrical connector design. My inter-est in art has always been part of my life. Since grade school I have always been drawing and creating art as time permitted. High school included classes in graphic arts, mechanical drawing, and painting. My college curriculum was in engineering, mechanical design, pho-tography, graphic arts, industrial illustration, mechanical drawing, and painting.

In the '90s' my appetite for art brought me to the adult continuing edu-cation program at the Art Institute of Chicago where I studied still life, landscape, and figure drawing.

My Italian heritage and interest in realism drew me to eventually study in Italy. So, in the fall of 2000 and 2002 I studied figure and portrait drawing in Florence at the Michael John Angel Academy. This was a great experience and gave me motivation to continue working and developing my art. I don't know where it will lead, but I'm enjoying the work I am producing. It is very rewarding and each piece is a new ad-venture.

My passion for mechanical, landscape as well as the figurative and portrait work continues to grow. I hope you enjoy what I have done and what I will continue to do in the future.

Contact Information: Address 8733 N. Ozanam Niles, Il, 60714 Phone 847-965-3186 Cell 847-212-8478 Email hbaggio@excite.com Website: horacio.baggio@molex.com

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The Work of Horacio Baggio

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Lorraine Caposieno

Artist’s statement:

I originally attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Illi-nois, and more recently have studied with Dominic Vignola of Oak Park, and Thia Malenchik of Palatine. I am a member and Program Director of the Elk Grove Village Art League. Recent winner of sev-eral awards by the Elk Grove Village Juried Art Shows and various exhibits.

I put my art aside for many years while I raised my daughters and worked outside my home. Later as a “reluctant retiree” I went back to painting. I find it rewarding in so many ways, as well as being “therapeutic”. My husband and I have traveled through Italy exten-sively , so many of my paintings of the Tuscan countryside, and vari-ous cities come from photos taken during those trips.

I trust that my appreciation for the art of the old masters and my love of painting will influence each of my six amazing grandkids. They all know that they can play with paints and brushes at "Nana's" house.

Thanks to my very supportive husband, Jim and my family, I have been able to devote a lot of my time to painting, and promoting my artwork.

Recent Exhibits:

Mather Senior Café, August through September, 2010;

Midwest Palliative and Hospice Center in Glenview, Illinois

October through November, 2010; Newport Coffee House, Bannock-burn, Illinois November through December, 2010; Elk Grove Public Library, “Trees” Exhibit Honorable Mention Ribbon; Russian Cultural Center in Wheeling and Lincolnwood, IL March and July, 2011; Ital-ian Cultural Center in July, 2011; Elk Grove Village – “Trees” exhibit –September 2012; Current Spring Wall Exhibit at the Elk Grove Vil-lage Library; Art in the Park, Elk Grove Village, June 10, 2012; Monthly exhibits at the Elk Grove Village Library

Contact Information

Website: http://www.artbylorraine.com

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The Work of Lorraine Caposieno

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Anne Marie Cina

Artist’s Statement:

I received a B.A. in Art from Columbia College of Missouri. After paint-ing for many years in oils, I switched to watercolors which is now ex-clusively my media. I have had solo shows of my "Chicago" series, which consists of 18 paintings with attached narratives at McHenry County College in the Borden Library in Elgin; Caffe Luna Gallery in Crystal Lake, Il., and in 2011 at Casa Italia in Stone Park, Il. Additional examples of my art can be viewed at annswatercolors.blogspot.com Through my art I have recorded a visual history of a time and place and special memories. Contact Information: Website: http://www.annswatercolors.blogspot.com

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The Work of Anne Marie Cina

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Vincent Coppola

Artist’s Statement:

SAIC with BFA in painting, Art teacher jr. high level- Addi-son School administration elementary level, Murals in the Fullerton School: abstract design school subject in wall tile, and large wall painting “Winning the American Freedom.” in the Oak School (now township offices). Work: mainly fig-urative, although also landscapes and portrait work. Media: oil, acrylic, watercolor, etc. Lately, for the past 15 years I have been Concentrating in sculpture- modeling and plas-ter casting. Recently I completed a sculpture memorial to a faculty member of the middle School in Westchester, Ill.

Contact Information:

2626 Sunnyside Ave., Westchester. Il 60154

Phone 708 562 8113

Email vincentcoppola@yahoo.com

Website http://vincentcoppola.angelfire.com/homepage.html

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Giovanna Cecchi-Hopkins

Artist’s Statement:

“Through art I can express my sen-

sibility; a pencil can be a powerful

tool to draw myself near the most

hidden aspect of reality… I discov-

ered the passion of painting after

leaving Italy and realizing I was

missing a lot of beauty and harmo-

ny in which my life was exposed

while there. For me painting is a

moment of joy and creativity, in

which I can express something

which in words I would never be

able to do”. I have a Master‘s

Degree in Foreign Languages

and Literature from the Universi-

ty of Urbino, Italy. My major is in

French Language and Litera-

ture. I am also a teacher and

translator in Italian and French

and a member of the American

Association of Teachers of For-

eign Languages.

Giovanna is having her third Art Show

at Casa Italia.

Contact Information: Email: giovan-

na.hopkins@sbcglobal.net

“Casa Italia is a home for all Italian-American organizations in the Chicago area. Here, we meet to pursue common goals, preserve our past, celebrate our heritage and ensure passage of values to future generations.”

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Bruna Corso Artist’s Statement:

I came into this world through Brazil in 1962, born to Italian immi-

grants. This is a common story for Brazil where there is a large Ital-

ian community even today. In 1979 my whole family moved to Italy

to apply for American visas and after 2 years the United States

adopted me. I am a practicing lawyer but my real passion is art. I

lose myself in it. Time and space are irrelevant when I am painting

or sculpting. I also enjoy dancing, religion and soccer (probably not

necessarily in that order). But all these interests and passions

show through who I am and my art. My first art teacher was Karen

Exiner of the Exiner Studio of Elmhurst and now I learn from Maes-

tro Coppola of Casa Italia. I hope you enjoy some of my work.

Contact information:

Bruna Corso & Associates, P.C. 150 E. Schiller Street, 814 Elmhurst, IL 60126

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The Work of Bruna Corso

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Ivan (Ivano) Lazcano

Artist’s Statement:

In this humble piece I tried to portray an image of the Blessed Mother Mary accepting God’s commandment to become the Mother of Jesus. Many times I wondered about moments of the life of Jesus that lack narratives in Sacred Scripture; this is one of them. In this piece Mary receives the Spirit of God. Her eyes are closed in contemplation and her face demonstrates both serenity and acceptance.

Ivan (Ivano) Lazcano first encountered clay last Fall at the art studio of Casa Italia. With the guidance and discipline of Maes-tro Vince Coppola, Ivano fell in love with sculpture.

“Ecco, io sono la Serva del Signore” is his very first finished piece dedicated to the Mother of God. Ivano is an accountant by trade and a Catholic Deacon in the Archdiocese of Chicago and works with the Divine Word Missionaries in Techny.

“Ecco, io sono la Serva del Signore” “I am the Servant of The Lord”

Based on the Gospel of Luke narrative of the “Annunciation of the Angel to Mary” The Angel of the Lord announces to Mary that she will give birth to Jesus. Mary’s answer to God’s calling is: YES! She took on a Mission to bring forth light, peace and love to the world.

Contact Information:

Email:lazcanoivan@gmail.com

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The Work of Ivan Lazcano

Plaster of Paris with bronze finished on a wooden oval base.

Aprox. 10” x 8”

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Dominick M. Maino Artist’s Statement:

Dominick easily brings his profession into the act of photographic creation. As a Professor at the Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute, he is aware of the importance of single, clear, comfortable, two-eyed/binocular vision.

As a tenor and musician, he understands the interplay of melody, harmony and even dissonance within a work written for a chorus, an orchestra or opera.

Each of these concepts is applied to his photography. Whether he is making an image of a single subject, Christ on His Cross, a Scottish “Hairy Coo” or a single dandelion seed. Dominick also understands and uses a cacophony of pictorial melody and harmony….....with occasional dissonance appropriately placed within his work of photographic image creation.

Dominick’s art speaks of his clarity of vision; his understanding of the universal rhythm that surrounds us all, his ability to process visual information into an artful expression, and his enthusiastic outlook on the world.

Dominick's exhibitions as a featured artist have taken place at the NINE2FIVE Gallery (Kansas City); Gallery ABBA (Beloit, WI); a "Gallery of faith" (St. Bartholomew Church, Chicago), Addison Rotunda, Cook County Treasure’s Office, and at Casa Italia, as well as other venues. His photographs have appeared in Kansas City Voices (juried art/literary journal), The Archdiocese of Chicago: A Journey of Faith and published on the covers of the Catholic New World, Optometric Education and Optometry & Vision Development. He is also a freelance photographer for the Irish American News, a Chicago Fringe Festival photographer, a blogger (MainosMemos.com), sings tenor with the Northwestern University Summer Choir and the St. Bartholomew Choir and is in private practice at Lyons Family Eye Care in Chicago.

Contact information:

Email: dmaino@ico.edu Phone:312-949-7282

See additional Maino Images at flickr.com/photos/92160342@N07/

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The Work of Dominick M. Maino

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Louis F. Mustari

Artist's Statement:

Recently retired from Northern Illinois University, Professor Louis Mustari received his BAE and MAE from the Art Institute of Chicago and his PhD in Mediaeval and Italian Renaissance Art History from the University of Iowa, Iowa City. He has received numerous awards and recognition including the Art Institute of Chicago Van de Vries Scholarship, Schwartz Gallery, Chicago: 1

st Place Award, University of Florence Fulbright Scholarship,

the Northern Illinois University Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois Fine Arts Exhibit Drawing Award.

Contact Information

612 N. 5th St

DeKalb, Il. 60115

Phone: 815-756-1175

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Claudia Pontarelli-Hallissey

Artist's Statement:

Someone spotted me drawing at Mass one time and as I looked up startled, she said, “Beautiful! Go on. It’s just another way of praying.” The manner in which I express myself reflects my beliefs, my passions, my fears, my personality. As a visual art-ist, sometimes words fail me, so brush, drawing materials or fabric al-low me to push around paint, tear through cloth or precisely contain my thoughts with pencil. I can sincerely articulate what I feel. I hope this artwork speaks to you in a manner, which inspires you to ponder what and who is important to you, and what role God’s presence plays in your life.

Claudia Pontarelli-Hallissey has a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an Associates Degree in Sci-ence in Therapeutic Recreation from Triton College. She has worked with many different populations, teaching art to older adults in retirement homes and currently teaching Fashion Illustration at Colum-bia College Chicago.

Claudia has exhibited at the Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park Village Hall, Rush Oak Park Hospital, Janice Elkins Gallery, The Art House, Calypso Moon, the Conrad Hilton and the Oak Park Art League, where she has won a Best-In-Show award. Her piece, “Accursed Heart”, was acclaimed by a Wednesday Journal art critic. “The Stuart Davies Pro-ject,” which she developed for people in adult day service, won first place as a therapeutic art activity targeted for people with dementia.

Contact Information:

Email:cphallissey@comcast.net

Phone: 708-383-7439

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Gesualdo Romeo

Artist’s Statement: PERCIPIO, ERGO SUM. I PERCEIVE, THEREFORE I AM. I draw inspiration for my work for the most part from the various and diverse images of the urban landscape. My perceptual search finds its ultimate purpose and gratification in the employment of the computer as a tool of digital enhancement and manipulation of photographic sources. My aim is to capture, distill and reduce to essential metaphysical sym-bols the various images (visual scapes) which typify the city. Time and space are largely mental constructs (cogito) which structure our percep-tions, and are therefore inherently subjective and ultimately elusive. The computer and now the digital camera, by employing binary code to rep-resent, encapsulate, and reproduce every aesthetic element of the pho-tographic image, has irrevocably dispelled its perceptual unity, thus dis-solving the (viewer's illusion of) unity of time and space within which it appears to exist. Thus, stripped, the image has no choice but to revert to the mutable and elusive pre-conceptual fluidity of the viewer's mind. And what amazing worlds unfold right before his eyes when this hap-pens! Photographic images, whether computer or photo-chemically generated are permanent visual condensations, capturing a specific point along the time-space continuum, which we can willingly re-enter at any time. In fact, they depend on us for their very existence and meaning. They point at us in "the-here-now", trading a view of their past for a glimpse of "our" future. A passionate lover of the energy of urban life, Gesualdo Romeo ("Aldo") takes to the streets with his camera, shoots the ordinary sights that attract him, and then transforms his base images, through physical, chemical and digital inter-ventions, into "panscopic visions" that breathe vitality into the everyday….. Michael Weinstein, contributing writer CHICAGO READER and NEW CITY.

Contact Information: 8025 O'Connor Drive 5E River Grove, IL 60171 graphic.man@comcast.net 331-5512381

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The Work of Gesualdo Romeo

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Casa Italia’s Genealogy Department is starting two writing groups and a monthly genealogy group this September! The latest information can be found on our blog, http://casaitaliachicago.wordpress.com so subscribe and check in often to see all the exciting things we have planned! We are also considering starting a Veterans writing group for those who have served and those who wish to write the stories about their family members who served. Please contact Jennifer Holik, Jennifer@casaitaliachicago.org if you are interested in participating

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Celebrating our Veterans Friday, November 8th 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Italian American Veterans Muse-um. Join us to hear Casa Italia Genealogy Manager Jennifer Holik talk about Stories of the Lost, which is a continuation of Finishing the Story. Learn how you can tell the stories of your soldiers who died in service. What you will learn can also be applied to those who came home after the war. Handouts filled with resources to help trace your family’s genealogy and locate military records will be provided. After the lecture join us for light refreshments and mix, mingle, and explore the Italian American Veterans Museum. Fee: $10 per person. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required. Visit casaitaliachicagochica-go.org to register or call 708-345-5933.

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Please note: We are seeking copies of stories, records, photos, and other items documenting Italian American soldiers and their families in all wars. Please consider bringing copies of these items to the 11-08-13 meeting to be added to the Casa Italia Genealogy Collection in conjunction with the records for the Veterans Museum. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer at Jennifer@casaitaliachicago.org (See page 25)

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Lyons Family Eye Care

Supports the

Artists of Casa Italia

3250 N Lincoln Ave

Chicago, Il 60657

773-935-2020

LyonsFamilyEyeCare.com

Stephanie Lyons, OD

Dominick M. Maino, OD. MEd, FAAO. FCOVD-A

(An Artist of Casa Italia and Professor, Pediatrics/Binocular Vision Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute)

Primary Eye Care

Pediatric Eye Care

Binocular Vision

Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

Strabismus

Vision Therapy

Vision Rehabilitation

Fashion Eyewear/Contacts