DiSpirito, Henry, 1898-1995.

Henry DiSpirito (born Erasmo Orazio DiSpirito) was born in Castelforte, Italy. As a youth, he apprenticed as a stonemason, his father's trade. DiSpirito emigrated to the U.S. in 1921, settling in Utica, New York, where he had relatives. DiSpirito continued his work as a stonemason in the U.S. In 1927 he married Rose A. Conte, and later had three daughters, Dolores, Loretta, and Theresa (Terry). From 1941 to 1943 DiSpirito studied art at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, particularly with Richard Davis. He began producing stone sculptures in his spare time, eventually exhibiting in numerous museums, notably the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in Utica, and the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. DiSpirito was known for his representations of small animals and insects, carved out of fieldstones. In 1963, as he was retiring from the stonemason trade, he secured a position as artist in residence at Utica College, at which he remained for the rest of his life.