b. 1904 d. 1987
Site Affiliation: The D’Amico House and The Art Barge
Victor D’Amico was a pioneer of modern art education and the founding director of Education at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. He believed in the creative potential of every man, woman, and child, “that the arts are a humanizing force and that their major function is to vitalize living.” In 1966, Victor received a National Gallery of Art Medal for Distinguished Service to Education in Art. His achievements spanned nearly six decades and included notable programs, such as: The Young People’s Gallery at MoMA, The Children’s Art Carnival, The War Veterans’ Art Center, The People’s Art Center, The National Committee on Art Education, A national televised series Through the Enchanted Gate, The Victor D’Amico Institute of Art/ The Art Barge. Victor is widely known for the publications Creative Teaching in Art, Art of the Young Child, Experiments in Creative Art Teaching, and Art for the Family.
Primary Medium: Painting
Primary Stylistic Term: Modernist
HAHS Affiliations: Wife Mabel D’Amico. The D’Amico’s were friends with Jackson Pollack, Willem and Elaine DeKooning, Chaim Gross, Robert Dash, John Little, Jack Lenor Larsen. Victor met Thomas Moran‘s daughter Ruth in the 1940’s.