Phyllis Ann Mancini Pernia, daughter of Rocco Mancini and granddaughter
of Felicia Ambruso and Lawrence Mancini has recently posted photos and memories
of her grandparents on facebook.com. The
photo above shows Felicia and Lawrence on the couch in their Garfield home with
son Rocco. It was taken about 1950. Phyllis Ann’s remembrances of her grandparents
stirred memories of my own. I remember
being in that blonde-colored brick house on Harrison Avenue that was built by Lawrence himself. I remember the house was always very neat and
proper. Felicia took great pride in the cleanliness
of her home. She was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm.
When I was a young boy, Uncle Lawrence always pinched my
cheek when he greeted me. I hated it,
but he was always smiling and did it in a loving way. For some reason, I remember him as always
wearing a bow tie. He was a bricklayer
and stone mason, but he was also a stone carver. I remember the impressive fireplace he
personally designed and built in their living room. He had carved the heads of George Washington
and Abraham Lincoln and himself in marble.
He was an artist.
His oil paintings were on display throughout the house. I was never impressed with his simple style of
artwork, but I was always fascinated by the fact that someone in my family
actually had the initiative and desire to take brush to canvas and created a
painting. No one else in the family did
that. At that point in my life, he was
the only real oil painter I had ever met.
Without realizing it then, his creative spirit probably contributed to
my own artistic attempts in painting when I was young. Today,
art is an important part of my life and I can totally understand his need to
create art and express himself. Thank
you, Uncle Lawrence.
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| Oil painting by Lawrence Mancini |
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