Local artist had his artwork stolen from the 1912 Center last week
A piece of cardboard art with a portrait of Carl Sagan on it was stolen from the 1912 Center April 23 and outreach efforts to locate the item have been unsuccessful, said Jenny Kostroff, executive director of the 1912 Center.
Local tattoo artist Thad Froio created the piece and said he displayed his art in the 1912 Center’s ETCETERA collection as a favor to his friend who works at the center.
Courtesy | Jenny Kostroff
This portrait of Carl Sagan by Thad Froio was stolen from the 1912 Center last Thursday during Brewfest.
“This was just a means of helping a friend out to fill up some wall space,” Froio said. “This whole process was an experiment to see if I can do art outside of tattooing.”
During Brew Fest, an event on April 23 where local brewers and their beers were showcased, the portrait of Sagan was taken from its spot on the wall. There is a white spot and four bent nails where the portrait used to hang.
“It is a violation,” Kostroff said. “More than anything we want it returned.”
A police report has been filed for the stolen work, Kostroff said. But, if the portrait is returned the 1912 Center and Froio would not press charges and there will be no questions asked, she said.
The community has been supportive in trying to locate the piece, Kostroff said. People have sent in pictures of the portrait hanging before it was stolen to try to create a timeline of when it could have been taken.
“We are proud of the general community because of the response to get it back,” Kostroff said. “We just want Carl back.”
Kostroff believes the portrait was taken between 8-10 p.m., and she first noticed the painting was missing the following morning.
Froio has experienced a wave of emotions since the portrait was stolen. Following his immediate shock, he was confused, frustrated and dishonored.
Froio has always had a love for art. He graduated from University of Hartford art school, in West Hartford Conn., in 2004 and later became a tattoo artist.
“Every little kid draws, I never stopped,” Froio said. “I am very lucky and blessed.”
Genie Tran | Argonaut
Froio’s other works in the 1912 Center include this portrait of golfer Ben Hogan.
He also hung artwork depicting astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson, professional golfer Arnold Palmer and professional golfer Ben Hogan on the walls of the 1912 Center.
Working with charcoal and chalk on cardboard was an easy transition for Froio to make from working with tattoo art. He said he likes drawing cardboard pieces because he gets to draw subjects that he wants to, not what other people want like when he works on tattoos.
“I’m mostly just drawing stuff that interests me,” Froio said. “These are just men I admire, (they are) dudes who have accomplished impressive feats and I wanted to draw them.”
Froio is using the situation as motivation to continue his artwork because people like it and have contacted him about doing commissioned work. Even though he is still in shock over his work being stolen, he’s trying to to look at the bright side.
“This whole process was an experiment to see if I can do art outside of tattooing,” Froio said. “It didn’t seem like a big enough thing to warrant such an intense act.”
Graham Perednia can be reached at [email protected]