Angelo Di Benedetto (1913-1992), painter, sculptor, activist, was a frequent dinner guest of HG/BSK when they lived on a mountain ranch in the high Rocky Mountain foothills between Golden and Central City, Colorado. Angelo was BSK’s dedicated ally in her battle to preserve Clear Creek Canyon and defeat (successfully) efforts to destructively gravel mine the area. (Today, most of Clear Creek Canyon is owned by Jefferson County Open Space and the public has free access to one of the nation’s most scenic hiking destinations). Angelo, a man of Italian heritage, admired BSK’s Italian cuisine. Polenta with sausages in tomato sauce; Spaghetti Arabiatta; Rigatoni Amatriciana; Pork loin braised in milk; Linguine Puttanesca; Chicken Scarpariello. Angelo dove into these dishes with gusto. Angelo was a man of great artistic talent and strong convictions. In 1940, Life Magazine reproduced his paintings in an article about America’s most promising young painters. Angelo’s murals and major sculptures adorn public buildings and open areas throughout the United States. His paintings and smaller sculptures are in numerous museums and private collections. Angelo lived in Central City, founded during the 1859 Colorado Gold Rush. He bought the cavernous Sauer-McShane Warehouse there and lived and worked on two floors containing almost 15,000 square feet. Examples of Angelo’s extraordinary handiwork were evident everywhere. He welcomed visitors. (Among them were Mae West, Helen Hayes and Gypsy Rose Lee). Angelo enjoyed opera and when the Central City Opera was in session during the summer he brought many singers to HG/BSK’s home. (Once, in Denver, he punched and knocked down writer Jack Kerouac for insulting an opera singer friend). Angelo introduced HG to the Colfax Avenue Baths, in the once immigrant Jewish neighborhood of West Colfax Avenue, Denver. (Jewish sweatshop workers from New York, suffering from tuberculosis, migrated to Colorado starting in the 1880’s.They sought the clean air and sunshine that was supposed to cure the disease. The migration created two great Denver medical institutions founded by the Jewish community: National Jewish Health, one of the world’s most important respiratory disease research and treatments center; Rose Medical Center, a hospital which has been a pioneer in comprehensive women’s services including obstetrics and gynecology). The Colfax Avenue Baths is one of the few neighborhood reminders of the Colfax Jewish experience (there is also a small Hassidic synagogue nearby and there was a very depressed and dusty kosher grocery). Most of the patrons of the Colfax Baths are Hispanics with a scattering of Russians and old Jews. The Baths are women only on Thursday. Obviously, there are still some orthodox Jewish ladies who go there for “mikvah” (ritual bath) services.
I’m very interested in Angelo. I met him years ago at his warehouse in Central City. Friends also knew him. His warehouse is vacant and we’re thinking of buying it and turning it into something. I’d love to hear more about your friendship with him.
Angelo was a wonderful man and a splendid artist. He was my wife’s staunch ally in a battle (successful) to preserve the beauty of Clear Creek Canyon. We had many wonderful, laughter filled meals together at our (then) Colorado mountain home. Angelo relished my wife’s polenta with sausages and peppers. Hope you are successful in buying his warehouse studio/home. It would be a wonderful center for the arts.
My parents were good friends meeting prior to WWII. i have two artworks and 2 ceramic pieces given to them in the mid 1950’s when we spent our vacation at his studio residence. I slep in an art loft, washed dishes in his restaurant while my parents did waitering and cashering. His employees were college students and did square and stomp dancing down the street. Met actors like Julie Harris and Edward Binns. Later, in 1970 I drove to Central City and met him when I was going to my duty station in Washington state.
So glad you and your parents knew that lovely man.
Thank you all for the comments. Angelo was my Great Uncle. Correct me if I’m wrong, my grandmother’s brother. She would always talk about him. I don’t remember if I ever met him. I am a professional bagpiper in NYC. I was born in Paterson, NJ.
I have a sketch kind like a pencil sketch of a lieutenant, I think it was done by Di Benedetto. I also have a clipping of him describing when he witness voodoo for the first time. Please let me know if you remember or have a copy.
I met Angelo when I was a little girl, my mom Barbara is an artist friend of his. He used to visit us in Denver when we lived on Milwaukee Street and he always brought homemade soups and breadsticks. Sometimes we would go visit him in Central city. He was the kindest man and genuine. Our whole family loved Angelo and you always learned something new and interesting from him. Several years back my mom sent a newspaper clipping about how his art was not going be on the judicial bldg. Anymore because of asbestos. Sad to hear that but I hold many warm happy memories of those days long ago. Always in my heart, RIP Angelo. Pamela