Join Ashley Hopkins-Benton, to explore the life and art of Henry DiSpirito at the Oneida County History Center April 26, at 2:00 p.m. DiSpirito (1898–1995) emigrated from Italy in 1921, and found a nurturing home in Utica, NY. A stonemason and bricklayer by trade, he longed to devote his life to art. Dispirito found his calling in the direct-carving style of sculpture and became an accomplished painter as well. He exhibited at the Whitney, MoMA, and Sculpture Center in New York City and was appointed the first artist-in-residence at Utica College in 1963. Through his art, DiSpirito developed a deep connection with students, faculty, and the larger community in Utica. Ashley Hopkins-Benton is a Senior Historian and Curator of Social History at the New York State Museum, where she focuses on women’s history, immigrant and ethnic history, sculpture, and toys. She holds an MA in History Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program and a BA in art education and studio art from SUNY Potsdam. Hopkins-Benton’s is the author of “Breathing Life into Stone: The Sculpture of Henry DiSpirito” (Fenimore Art Museum, 2013).
