3 Generations Of Bethel Family To Exhibit Their Art In Danbury

BETHEL, CT — A new exhibition of paintings, etchings and sculpture at The Gallery at Still River Editions in Danbury will showcase the work of three generations of a talented Bethel family.

You are likely familiar with the work of David Gesualdi: he sculpted that bronze statue of P.T. Barnum that stands in front of the Bethel Public Library. The art created by his father, Vito, and daughter, Daisy, has probably not been on your radar, but that may all change after this show.

There is no shortage of "sports families," where skills on the basketball court or baseball field are lovingly taught on evenings and weekends to the youngest members. In the Gesualdi family, it was the techniques of the fine art studio that were handed down.

Vito, an optometrist before he retired, has been actively showing his whole life. He had a studio in the house, and "it was just an artistic household," David said. "People were always making things." It all apparently rubbed off on Daisy, who is now an art major at Western Connecticut State University, working primarily in oil paint on canvas.

As in other "family businesses," father, son and granddaughter have recently discovered that there were great professional benefits to be had working together, once they got past the inevitable personal speed bumps.

"The great thing about (putting together) this three-person show is that, when we weren't all arguing with one another, we were helping each other create better work," Gesualdi said.

The artist says that although he grew up watching his father paint, he ultimately gravitated toward sculpture and etching. Arguably the most famous of Gesualdi's sculptures is his P.T. Barnum, which was commissioned by the Bethel Historical Society and completed in 2010.

"Even though P.T. Barnum spent the first 25 years of his life in Bethel, there was really nothing in that town that made note of that," Gesualdi said.

Bronze is the artist's favorite medium, and he says it is the best for outdoor installations in the Northeast because of its durability in the face of the elements. His most recent big, bronze piece was commissioned three years ago by the Village of Montgomery, in Orange County, NY, a sculpture of local hero Richie Reynolds. Those kind of municipal commissions "don't come around very often," Gesualdi said, and so lately he has been sculpting and exhibiting more marble work.

Gesualdi's fame shines brightly enough to attract commissions and galleries — The Gallery at Still River Editions approached him with the idea of a multi-generational exhibit — but he recognizes it's tough sledding for the current generation of sculptors.

"Students must first of all hone their skills and be very, very good at what they do because it's an extremely competitive field," Gesualdi said. "A typical commission that's in competition right now for a major piece for New York City might see a hundred proposals or more." He recommends young artists also be good at promoting and marketing themselves, an area where he feels he has lagged as he has spent more time making his art than talking about it.

For the exhibit at Still River Editions, Gesualdi will be primarily showcasing his etchings. These are created on copper plates, which are then printed, one at a time, on an old-fashioned etching press. The process has not changed since the time of Rembrandt, Gesualdi said. Although he has experimented with 3D printing and other computer-enhanced techniques, he always returns to the basics. "I'm really just a hands-on craftsperson," he said. "It all comes down to hand touching clay."

"Three Generations," a group exhibition of paintings, etchings and sculpture by Vito, David and Daisy Gesualdi, will run at The Gallery at Still River Editions at 128 East Liberty Street in Danbury from Jan. 11 through March 27. The show will open with a free, public reception on Saturday from 2-4 p.m., with a snow date scheduled for Jan. 18. Regular gallery hours, free and open to the public, are 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.