Local Artist recognizes dedicated Grocer

Local Portrait artist, ShawnaLee W. Kwashnak, recognizes Joe Dinova with a Charcoal Portrait to honor his front-line dedication to Middlebury CT during the Covid-19 Pandemic. It's an understatement to say that 2020 has been unlike any year we have all experienced - and an unprecedented year for Middlebury's own Four Corners Grocery Store known to locals also as Dinova's.

Joe responded swiftly to meet the needs and safety of his employees and the community. He adjusted to keep his employees on staff at a time when lots of people were losing their jobs, closed the store to public foot-traffic, delivered groceries and provided safe curbside pick-up during the peak of the worldwide Covid-19 crisis... a time when groceries - especially toilet paper - were scarce from panicked shoppers.

This historical Charcoal Portrait of Joe carrying groceries out of his store has even more added impact as Joe is a third generation grocer providing for his town in the footsteps of his father, "Gus" and his Grandfather, Joseph, who started the store in 1941. Joe recalls that "The store was on the corner where the Meet Me Here restaurant is. My grandfather and his brothers pedaled produce from Waterbury to Washington depot... Stopping at farms and house selling and buying along the way. At that time they owned the the Washington depot store which was a train stop to and from NYC. We moved the the new location on May 26, 1982."

The 14x11" portrait, hand drawn in Charcoals, shows Joe wearing his favorite hat on a chilly day in front of the store while carrying essential groceries to customers. To give a nod to his equestrian passion*, there is a hidden horseshoe and horse in the artwork. The Four Corners Logo was added to the brown paper bags. The reference photographs for the portrait were taken by ShawnaLee's talented daughter, Sarah Kwashnak (PHS Class of 2018), on April 24th 2020.

The completed Portrait was given to Joe on his Birthday, 12/31, while his Mother, who was shopping at the time, looked on, but politely declined to be included.

The Pandemic Portrait was created in collaboration with the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (CSOPA) as part of a tribute to honor local heroes in CT. CSOPA members brought their professional skills to honor workers in healthcare, food services, and other essential businesses in and around Connecticut. In doing so, they not only have honored their heroes, but have done a service to the preservation of local history for future generations to reflect and learn from. View the virtual reception to hear the artist & Joe speak at "9:50" here.

*Joe was an early member of the Middlebury Hunt and in collaboration with other equestrians, helped form the Middlebury Bridle Land Association in order to continue the rich tradition of horsemanship and trail preservation in our town.

For more information: www.shawnalee.com artist@shawnalee.com artistshawnalee@gmail.com