Cappi, painted by her teacher, Robert Brackman
Cappi Insinna's biography
Her name was Eleanor Cappelletti, but she called herself Cappi. She was born in Cleveland ,Ohio, U.S.A. in 1915.
She always wanted to be an artist. It was a difficult vocation for a woman of her generation, and she didn't get much support on that vocational choice from her family. But she was more than determined to succeed.
Her Studies
Cappi won a scholarship to the renowned Cleveland School of Art, and then on scholarship award again, she went on to study at the Art Students League in New York City.
She studied painting with the famous portraitist, Robert Brackman, Instructor Emeritus, disciple of the great Robert Henri, whose quote is above. Cappi became his assistant for all four years, which was a great honor and testimony to her young talent.
She also studied with Rafael Soyer, and Howard Trafton, whose teachings in color, design , and pattern she used all of her life, in the various mediums and works she produced in her long career.
After the League, Cappi and Michael went to Mexico to study together at the San Miguel de Allende Art Institute.
Her Teachings
Cappi shared her talents as teacher for eight years as the head of the Art Department in the St. Cecilia Catholic School system in New Jersey .
She was Artist in Residence for three years in the Norwalk, Connecticut, Arts Council, and formed her own art studio teaching talented teens and adults, for many years in Westport, Connecticut.
Her Honors, Commissions, Shows and Awards
Cappi Insinna was always a very active artist and exhibited widely on the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut art scene.
Some highlights of her major shows and exhibits in the '60's and '70's were.....
The Annual Easter Seal Show, where she won 1st prize twice,
The Benedictine Liquor Connecticut Classic, a national competition, where she won Best in Show.
She won the first prize in the New Jersey State Watercolor Show, and won many awards in the Tri-State watercolor shows of New York, New Jersey, and CT, as well as in Pennsylvania and other New England competitions.
She won Best in Oils and Honorable Mentions in the Westport Womens Club , where she was very active.
Cappi was commissioned to do the Zodiac Series in silver, for Longine Whittnauer , as well as other silver series commissions, such as Mother's Day medallion plates and a series of Classic Antique Cars. She freelanced as an illustrator for many magazines, books, and fashions.
She was a life member of the Art Students League, and always cherished the memories, the influence, and the joy of being part of it's "magnificence" as she called it. Cappi was also a talent scout for two years for the Famous Artists School in Westport ,Connecticut.
Her Life in Pictures
Her paintings tell a lot about her life, but in this section we would like to concentrate on the pictures which depict the much loved person that Cappi was as a wife, mother, student, teacher and successful artist.
