Please browse these articles for background information on the project.
by Michael Hagerty, Gazette Advertiser, Taconic Media
Red Hook's history continues to come alive through the murals of a local artist. Her name? Gloria Cigolini.
Cigolini is the director of the Red Hook Mural Project. There are two murals on view so far, but with community support, as many as 12 more could be created around town, Cigolini said. She said she "wants to get the project off the ground," adding, "I wanted to do something that is historic, factual, and fits into the village character."
The first mural Cigolini created is entitled "Harvest Past," located at the corner of East Market Street and South Broadway. She raised close to $3,000 to complete it. The second painting was recently installed on Tobacco Lane.
The newly installed mural, entitled "The History of the Tobacco Factory," is located directly across from the original factory on Tobacco Lane. The mural describes the history of one of Red Hook's leading employers for over one hundred years, from the 1830's to the 1940's, according to Cigolini.
Cigolini spent three months researching the history of tobacco in Red Hook. It took her another three months to complete the mural. A grant of $700 from the Dutchess County Arts Council, in addition to local people's donations, paid for the mural.
The mural depicts the tobacco as it was transported in 1840, coming up the Hudson River from New York City by Slope. The scene is of the dock where the boat came in, which was then called lower Red Hook Landing or Donaldson's Landing. The area is now a privately owned piece of land in Barrytown at the end of Dock Road, Cigolini said.
Unloading Tobacco
The cargo was met by a team of four horses and a large wagon, which brought the tobacco to the factory, said Cigolini. The factory was located five miles east of the river in the village of Red Hook. The building is still there now. The arrival of the shipment was proclaimed to the villagers by a bugler on horseback as he rode ahead of the wagon on its way into town, Cigolini said. The arrival of the tobacco was considered a noteworthy event in those days, she added.
The mural shows a scene from an interior view of the factory, showing the foremen reading to the workers. The tradition of reading to the factory workers was adopted by other factories in the Hudson Valley, Cigolini said. She said the tradition was carried out either to hold worker's attention to their work to help pass the time of day, but no one knows for sure. Red Hook was the first factory to read to workers, she said.
Robert C. Massoneau was the first person to think about installing a tobacco factory in Red Hook as early as 1812, but the factory was not built until the 1830's, Cigolini said. The venture was financed by Claudius German Massonneau, Robert's father, she said. The tobacco factory became one of the Red Hook's first privately owned and operated businesses, according to her research.
The Red Hook Mural Project is an on-going endeavor in need of financial support, organizers said. The plan is to produce several murals around the village to create "a drawing card to attract people to the village," Cigolini said.
Cigolini said Tivoli Mayor Marc Molinaro is interested in creating murals in his community. She also wants to involve the town, Bard College, the Red Hook Area Chamber of Commerce, and anyone else who is interested. She said murals play a big part in downtown revitalization, since it is one way for people to "take pride in their buildings."
She hopes to attract grant funds to pay for her work. Eventually, when all the murals are done, Cigolini wants to do a walking tour telling visitors about Red Hook's unique history. An information and tourist kiosk may soon be installed at the village owned parking lot next to village hall. Cigolini thinks the information booth could blend nicely into plans to showcase history through art.
by Richard F. Restaino, Register Star
Along Broadway large murals depicting the area's past continue to pop up, thanks to the work of one local artist, several community businesses and grant money.
And if the grants keep coming, Gloria Cigolini will keep painting.
The third in a series of murals by Cigolini recently debuted on the patio of Red Hook Natural Foods on Broadway, depicting the "sunken garden," the muse of a Dr. Traver in the early part of the century.
"When the Second World War hit, they had to sell off some of the property and they sold it to an oil company and the garden was filled in and they put a gas station in," Cigolini said of the European-styled garden that once was the side yard of the Red Hook Inn.
This joining of history and art is at the heart of Cigolini's own version of community revitalization that began two-and-half years ago. She is working on grant applications so she can go ahead with a fourth mural about the Fulton Steamboat, which would be behind Watts dePeyster Hall in Tivoli.
"We're going to create a walking tour of the murals of the events that happened here over the centuries," Cigolini said of her long-term plans.
The first mural to be completed was "Harvest Past," showing family farms, wheat fields and apple orchards of old. It can be seen by anyone driving south on Route 9 through Red Hook, at the intersection with Route 199.
The second depicts the old Tobacco Factory, built in the 1830's by Robert Massonneau. It flourished until the 1940s.
For much of that time, it was one of Red Hook's leading employers. In the mural, on the wall opposite the same building depicted in the painting, a bugler announces the arrival of a new batch of tobacco.
Michael Mattway, the current owner of the building, helped with the research for the painting. His suggestion also helped give birth to the "sunken garden" mural.
"We sat down on several occasions and discussed what went on at the tobacco factory," Cigolini said. "As he was getting into the project, he said, 'we have this wonderful place for another mural.' Since it's on a patio and we have these flower boxes there already, I said, 'Why don't we do it like a garden?'"
Cigolini said she hopes to have the entire mural project completed within five years.
"If I keep getting grants, I can hire some artists to come to help. There hasn't been a lot of money for this. Now that I think I can get the grants, I'll be able to do it," she said.
The steamboat mural planned for Tivoli has been in the works for more than a year. It will depict the historic and fancy Fulton-designed steamboat that took businessmen from New York City to Albany in the early 1800's.
"It was really ground breaking, and they revamped it right here," she said.
The first mural was funded through donations by local merchants. For the tobacco mural, Cigolini landed a grant from the Dutchess County Arts Council. The garden mural also was funded by local businesses.
Cigolini's art has been shown in New York City, Toronto and Paris, as well as the Hudson Valley, and pieces of her work have been bought by such notables as Pepsico, Citibank and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney.
"It's a long story. Ask me about it some other time," Cigolini said of her brush with a Beatle.
Plans for a celebration and small tour are in the works for the end of the summer.
"We just want to invite all the people who contributed to the mural project so far," she said. "But I'm so busy writing these grants. That's what I'm dedicating the rest of my summer to."
by Kristan Conley, Poughkeepsie Journal
A European-style Victorian garden that vanished from its site on South Broadway graces the neighborhood once more.
"The sunken Garden," which flourished next to the Red Hook Inn from the late 1880's to the 1930's has returned in the form of a vibrant acrylic painting near the Red Hook Natural Foods store.
"It was located about 500 feet from my building," said Michael Mattway, who rents space to the store. "I understand it was very beautiful."
The mural is Gloria Cigolini's third for Red Hook. Each of her approximately 150-square-foot works depicts an image of Red Hook's past.
Cigolini began work on the murals more than 18 months ago. She wanted to enhance the beauty of the village while creating awareness and interest in its history.
She hopes the murals eventually will be stopping points along a village walking tour.
The two other murals in the village center depict historic buildings. "The History of the Tobacco Factory," which once operated in the natural foods store building, can be seen on the side of New York Rotisserie and Deli, on Tobacco Lane. "Harvest Past" is on the side of the variety store building, at the intersection of Route 199 and Broadway.
For each mural, Cigolini conducted extensive research. She used photos, documents from historical societies and memories of village residents to etch a clear picture in her mind, then started the actual painting.
A postcard and a vision
The idea for "The Sunken Garden" came from a single postcard from 1913 that was owned by collector Fred Briggs. The black and white image showed an unusually well-manicured and elegant garden. The color-enhanced postcard made the lilacs, peonies and roses distinct.
Dr. Fred Zipser, who often stared out into the garden from his home across the street, wanted to secure the property to maintain the gardens. The owners told him it would never be sold.
But years later, the site became a gas station, and later still, the gas station was torn down. The site now is occupied by the Griffin Insurance Agency.
Zipser was able to recall some of the details that were missing in the postcard. His help allowed Cigolini to add a short wrought-iron fence to the garden's edge.
With help from other Red Hook residents, Cigolini learned that a large pond behind the inn was once a running stream.
"The Department of Transportation blocked it off and the flow was backed up," Cigolini said. "There was a little stream of water back there, with an ebb and flow. It's stagnant now - just a mosquito-infested place."
Cigolini envisions the stream flowing once more, with fresh water for fishing and gazebos for just enjoying the view.
In the meantime, she will continue to use her paintbrush to realize her dreams.
by Richard F. Restaino, Register Star
Contributors and friends of the Red Hook Mural Project ate cheese and sipped wine on the site of the latest mural by local artist Gloria Cigolini on Thursday evening.
"It's a party for everyone who contributed, either financially or with their services," Cigolini said.
The "Sunken Garden" mural, sitting on the patio of Red Hook Natural Foods on Broadway, depicts a garden that was part of the private estate of Dr. W.E. Traver from the late 1890's to the 1940's, Cigolini said. The estate then was sold and became the Regis Hotel.
The property later was subdivided "and the Sunken Garden was filled to make way for a gasoline station," the plaque next to the mural reads.
Today, the Griffin Insurance Agency sits on what was once the Sunken Garden.
Cigolini's mural project intends to showcase historic events and times in the community. Merging of art and history, along with helping beautify the village, is the main reason the project works, Cigolini said.
Grants have been received for the fourth mural, which will depict Robert Fulton steamboat and will be in Tivoli. Construction will begin in September, she said.
Eventually, Cigolini said she plans to paint murals in other parts of the village, and then combine that with a trail system with the town and village of Red Hook, so informal walking and bicycle tours can occur.
Contact Information:
E-mail: Depietro33@aol.com
Telephone: 917-215-1179 • INQUIRY FORM
Copyright © 2009 — by Gloria Cigolini-De Pietro, All Rights Reserved
All mural reproduction rights are reserved by Red Hook Mural ProjectSM