Description
Breathing Life Into Stone: The Sculpture of Henry DiSpirito, by Ashley Hopkins-Benton, with contributions by Dr. Eugene Paul Nassar, Dolores A. DiSpirito, Theresa M. DiSpirito, and Loretta DiSpirito Loconto, chronicles the life and art of sculptor Henry DiSpirito (1898-1995) of Utica, New York.
Born in 1898 in Castleforte, Italy, DiSpirito spent most of his working life as a stonecutter and bricklayer for a number of construction firms in Utica. In 1941, DiSpirito studied with sculptor Richard Davis at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute and began carving in stone. His beautiful, compact, and expressive sculptures, which reflect the artist’s love of nature and respect for humankind, have been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Breathing Life into Stone is the first comprehensive treatment of DiSpirito’s life and work, and includes a complete transcription of his memoirs translated from the Italian by his daughter, Dolores.