Land of the Fear, Home of the Bully
Graphite, pan pastel, and ink on multimedia paper
42 X 48
July 2020
I am the child of immigrants who arrived in this country sailing past Lady Liberty. This piece calls attention to the children that have been separated from their parents as they try to gain the same freedom and prosperity that my ancestors achieved.
Between July 2017 through January 2021, over 3,900 children were separated from their parents at the U.S. - Mexico border. Or the number could be as high as 5,600... nobody is really sure! Most, but not all, have been either reunited with their parents or claimed by a family member. As of June 2021, there were still 445 children whose parents had not been found. These children came from countries in Central America and Mexico, trying to escape violence, gangs, and harsh living conditions. We put them in cages!
The worsening climate crisis also contributes to the mass migration of people from their homes in Central and South America. Drought and heat are causing poverty and food insecurity.
The models for this artwork were my grandchildren at various stages of their lives... Love you, Jac and Olivia!
Graphite, pan pastel, and ink on multimedia paper
42 X 48
July 2020
I am the child of immigrants who arrived in this country sailing past Lady Liberty. This piece calls attention to the children that have been separated from their parents as they try to gain the same freedom and prosperity that my ancestors achieved.
Between July 2017 through January 2021, over 3,900 children were separated from their parents at the U.S. - Mexico border. Or the number could be as high as 5,600... nobody is really sure! Most, but not all, have been either reunited with their parents or claimed by a family member. As of June 2021, there were still 445 children whose parents had not been found. These children came from countries in Central America and Mexico, trying to escape violence, gangs, and harsh living conditions. We put them in cages!
The worsening climate crisis also contributes to the mass migration of people from their homes in Central and South America. Drought and heat are causing poverty and food insecurity.
The models for this artwork were my grandchildren at various stages of their lives... Love you, Jac and Olivia!
Don't Look Away
Graphite, watercolor, and ink on multimedia paper
42 X 60
August 2021
Portrayed in black and white and then covered in a layer of paint, these figures have been given a sort of "Invisibility Cloak" because our global society would rather not see them.
"Forcibly displaced people" is a very technical way of saying Refugees! People become refugees when they have to leave their homes. Sometimes, they are able to stay living in their native country (called "internally displaced") and sometimes they have to move to another country and seek asylum. Some of the reasons that drive people away from their homes include: war, persecution, violence, conflict, political unrest, human rights violations. Or the reasons could be related to climate change in which drought or floods cause food insecurity and lack of healthcare services. Sometimes, the results of climate change, such as drought, cause the wars, as in the Civil War that occurred in Syria with 6.7 million people becoming refugees.
There are currently 82.4 million refugees according to the U.N. Refugee Agency (unhcr.org). There have been predictions that with the worsening of the climate crisis, that number could possibly double by 2050.
Thank you to my sister, Lisa Delmonico for modeling in these various poses and also to the daughters of my former neighbors, Derek and Cerise Manns.
Graphite, watercolor, and ink on multimedia paper
42 X 60
August 2021
Portrayed in black and white and then covered in a layer of paint, these figures have been given a sort of "Invisibility Cloak" because our global society would rather not see them.
"Forcibly displaced people" is a very technical way of saying Refugees! People become refugees when they have to leave their homes. Sometimes, they are able to stay living in their native country (called "internally displaced") and sometimes they have to move to another country and seek asylum. Some of the reasons that drive people away from their homes include: war, persecution, violence, conflict, political unrest, human rights violations. Or the reasons could be related to climate change in which drought or floods cause food insecurity and lack of healthcare services. Sometimes, the results of climate change, such as drought, cause the wars, as in the Civil War that occurred in Syria with 6.7 million people becoming refugees.
There are currently 82.4 million refugees according to the U.N. Refugee Agency (unhcr.org). There have been predictions that with the worsening of the climate crisis, that number could possibly double by 2050.
Thank you to my sister, Lisa Delmonico for modeling in these various poses and also to the daughters of my former neighbors, Derek and Cerise Manns.
Welcome, My Beloved!
Graphite and pan pastel on mixed media paper
42 X 48
April 2022
This is a scene from a U.S. Citizenship ceremony. This diverse group of women came from a variety of countries. I'm sure their journey up to this moment was very different. But, they shared something in common: the desire to improve their lives by becoming naturalized citizens of the United States of America. They worked very hard to achieve their shared goal, including learning to speak English, taking classes to learn about American history, government, and the constitution, and taking a test to demonstrate proficiency in all of that. I portrayed them as they recited their oath and with the Statue of Liberty looking on and enveloping them into her spirit of community, opportunity, and hope. It has never been easy to be an immigrant in the U.S. The attitudes of millions of Americans are less than welcoming. And yet, people from all over the world attempt the hard journey to come here, with the hope for a better life.
I am the daughter of immigrants. My ancesters, including my father, came from Italy and Turkey. I would not be here today, if they had not been allowed to enter.
Thank you to my sister, Lisa Delmonico, who teaches and advises immigrants as they prepare for becoming naturalized citizens, for the reference photos for this piece!
Graphite and pan pastel on mixed media paper
42 X 48
April 2022
This is a scene from a U.S. Citizenship ceremony. This diverse group of women came from a variety of countries. I'm sure their journey up to this moment was very different. But, they shared something in common: the desire to improve their lives by becoming naturalized citizens of the United States of America. They worked very hard to achieve their shared goal, including learning to speak English, taking classes to learn about American history, government, and the constitution, and taking a test to demonstrate proficiency in all of that. I portrayed them as they recited their oath and with the Statue of Liberty looking on and enveloping them into her spirit of community, opportunity, and hope. It has never been easy to be an immigrant in the U.S. The attitudes of millions of Americans are less than welcoming. And yet, people from all over the world attempt the hard journey to come here, with the hope for a better life.
I am the daughter of immigrants. My ancesters, including my father, came from Italy and Turkey. I would not be here today, if they had not been allowed to enter.
Thank you to my sister, Lisa Delmonico, who teaches and advises immigrants as they prepare for becoming naturalized citizens, for the reference photos for this piece!
The American Dream
Oil on canvas
24 X 24
October 2024
This is a portrait of my grandfather, Giovanni Del Monaco, and my Aunt Anna. Giovanni immigrated to the United States from Italy numerous times beginning in 1911. Anna immigrated with my grandmother, Carmela and my father, Adolph in 1935. Anna was 13 and Adolph was 6 years old at the time. They all became naturalized United States citizens. The reference for this painting is a slide from 1947. I believe they had a professional photo shoot to commemorate the opening of the family business, Delmonico Ice Cream and Novelty Company, Inc. Delmonico's Ice Cream manufactured and distributed ice cream in pints, quarts, half-gallons, and 5 gallon containers. We also made Italian Ice and various novelties, such as popsicles, chocolate covered ice cream on a stick, nutty buddies, and more. Giovanni is the epitome of the American Dream, having elevated himself from a day laborer, to a factory worker, to a store owner during World War II, and finally to a major business owner who employed a staff of truck drivers and ice cream factory workers.
Things were not always easy for my family. They faced some of the same discrimination and hate that immigrants face today. But, with courage and determination, they moved forward to achieve their goals and dreams for a better life in America.
Oil on canvas
24 X 24
October 2024
This is a portrait of my grandfather, Giovanni Del Monaco, and my Aunt Anna. Giovanni immigrated to the United States from Italy numerous times beginning in 1911. Anna immigrated with my grandmother, Carmela and my father, Adolph in 1935. Anna was 13 and Adolph was 6 years old at the time. They all became naturalized United States citizens. The reference for this painting is a slide from 1947. I believe they had a professional photo shoot to commemorate the opening of the family business, Delmonico Ice Cream and Novelty Company, Inc. Delmonico's Ice Cream manufactured and distributed ice cream in pints, quarts, half-gallons, and 5 gallon containers. We also made Italian Ice and various novelties, such as popsicles, chocolate covered ice cream on a stick, nutty buddies, and more. Giovanni is the epitome of the American Dream, having elevated himself from a day laborer, to a factory worker, to a store owner during World War II, and finally to a major business owner who employed a staff of truck drivers and ice cream factory workers.
Things were not always easy for my family. They faced some of the same discrimination and hate that immigrants face today. But, with courage and determination, they moved forward to achieve their goals and dreams for a better life in America.