DCHA Exhibits Oil Paintings By Artist Joseph Santora

By Cyndee Pattison

The Delaware County Historical Association opened a new exhibit last Saturday titled Delaware County Through the Eyes of Joseph Santora featuring oil paintings by former Meridale resident Joseph Santora.

Exhibit curator Angela Gaffney noted that the paintings on display include many from DCHA’s own collections, including four donated to the museum by Joseph’s granddaughter, Barbara Santora from Fairbanks, Alaska. "We are very grateful to have had four paintings donated to DCHA by Ms. Santora. Additionally we have had paintings loaned to us for the duration of the exhibit from Arthur Stockin, Roy Palmer and Richard Santora.”

The exhibit will feature 14 of Santora’s works, including several scenes depicting the former Meridale Farms. Shortly after the family moved to Meridale the name Santoro was reinterpreted as Santora, which is evident from the signatures on his paintings.

Santora began oil painting when he was young and learned by creating reproductions of the old masters; just as many artists do today. He later became known for his landscapes of Meridale and the surrounding Delaware County area. He preferred to give his paintings as gifts or donate them to fund-raising events for charities or the community and never attempted to sell them.

Joseph Santora, a well-known farmer and barber in Meridale, painted scenes from the region until his death on June 24, 1956 and is buried in Meridale’s Pine Grove Cemetery. An exhibition brochure indicates that there are still people who remember watching him paint a picture from start to finish in a studio he set up in his barbershop.

The exhibit is open to the public until December 31, 2004 in the Elijah Thomas Memorial Gallery. Admission to the exhibit is free. DCHA is located two miles north of Delhi on State Route 10.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of a Santora/Santoro painting is requested to notify the Delaware County Historical Association. For more information call 607- 746-3849, e-mail dcha@delhi.net or visit DCHA at www.dcha-ny.org

Cyndee Pattison/DCT

Above is Richard D. Santora the grandson of Joseph Santora holding a mandolin owned by his grandfather standing in front of Our Old Saw Mill, painted circa 1930 at the exhibit’s opening reception on September 11. Joseph Santora was also a talented musician who played violin, guitar and mandolin and transposed music for other instruments when he and others played music at home for entertainment on a Saturday night.