Portrait of Joe at Middlebury Historical Society

You're Invited!

...To visit the Middlebury Historical Society, now through the middle of September 2020 to view a Pandemic Charcoal Portrait of Middlebury's own Joe Dinova, owner of Four Corners Grocery Store, aka Dinovas. MHS is located at 4 Library road- across from Town Hall.

The Society is open most Mondays from 2 to 5 (always best to call ahead) and
by appointment by calling President Bob Rafford at home at 203-758-9798 or his
cell at 203-206-4717, and you may email him at robraff@frontier.com.

This historical portrait epitomizes the Frontline of the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic during a frightening time in Middlebury CT's history. The 14x11"hand drawn Charcoal portrait was created by ShawnaLee W. Kwashnak and the reference photographst were taken by her talented daughter, Sarah Kwashnak (PHS Class of 2018), while Joe brought our groceries out of the store during the Corona Virus Lockdown on April 24th 2020.

Joe Dinova, a third generation grocer, persevered by keeping his store open (after the initial lockdown shock), kept all his employees safe and on the payroll, provided & rationed fresh groceries to townsfolk....including the elusive Toilet Paper!

The Charcoal 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, including board member ShawnaLee W. Kwashnak, brought their professional skills to honor workers in healthcare, food services,and other essential businesses in and around Connecticut during the COVID19 pandemic.

Four Corners Grocery Store was first opened in Middlebury in "1941. The store was on the corner where the Meet Me Here restaurant is. My grandfather (Joseph) 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. If you need move info let me know. Thanks again." Joe

"When CSOPA decided to create portraits, I honestly wasn't sure of who my subject would be - so, I started documenting all the people that I needed to interact with as a way of beginning my project. My daughter, Sarah, who is studying Psychology and Photography at Clark University, now home to finish classes remotely, accompanied me for many of the outings. In discussing our current predicament, we quickly noticed that commerce dramatically changed by becoming more personal - like days of old. Then, Joe came out of his grocery store pushing a shopping cart. We watched as he picked up the paper bags of groceries that we had ordered, while wearing his favorite hat, to put into our car. I remember declaring to Sarah "That's it! Take photos!!!!..... Joe, (as he was loading our car) Could we take photos of you for a portrait? Holding the groceries?" The rest is history!

"After finishing Joe's Portrait, I also found myself working on other Pandemic Hero Portraits. I documented a CVS Pharmacist in Naugatuck and gave the portrait to her and am planning on creating a series of Pandemic Portraits this fall from the references I have collected since March. This project has become something I feel strongly compelled to do - without fully knowing where I am going with all of this. I am also offering this service to others who wish to commission a portrait of their hero as well. I am planning a future virtual art show to document the stories behind the portraits to serve as historic documentation. I also just finished teaching a really fun art class Pandemic Portraiture Course for Youth through the FY20 CT Artist Respond grant awarded by DECD/CT Office of the Arts."." ShawnaLee

"The portrait of Joe will be given to him by the artist as a token of thanks for his quick thinking and selfless action in the footsteps of his Father and Grandfather in support of our town during an unprecedented worldwide health pandemic emergency". ShawnaLee Waterbury-Kwashnak

"Joe’s father was August (1929-2011), or “Gus” as every called him (August is Joe’s middle name), whose wife was Frances (Ciarlelli) “Fran” Dinova (c. 1938-?); Joe’s grandfather was Joseph (1902-1976), whose wife was Concetta I. “Jennie” (Cianciolo) Dinova (1905-1998). " Dr. Robert L. Rafford Official Middlebury Municipal Historian President Middlebury Historical Society, Inc.

Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists Virtual Art Show featuring Joe's Portrait by ShawnaLee: http://csopa.homestead.com/202...

Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists Virtual Art Reception featuring ShawnaLee & Joe at "9:50"