Pat Benincasa shares a heartfelt tale of growing up in two worlds - the classic American life peppered with TV westerns and the rich, immigrant fabric of her Italian family. From Aunt Mary's kitchen command center to Uncle Echo's grape arbor gatherings, she navigates the joys and challenges of her 'emotional terra firma'.

Two years ago, I began a genealogy search of my grandfather, Giuseppe Benincasa that became an intricate labyrinth that wound its way to and from the center core of who he was. My convoluted search formed the story and painting I made of him. My “Dear Papaco Journal,” part day log and part “phone booth” was where I could talk to him as if he were listening on the other end.

Now I turn my artist eye to the old woman seated in the worn leather chair with eyes closed and fingering her rosary beads. Beyond her whispered words and faded decades, she has stories to tell and secrets to share. But first I must find her through a trail of records. Will they be enough?

Puzzle pieces in and of themselves are shaped little hints of a bigger picture. Only when pieces fit into place does an image triumph. I soon discover that in death as in life, she is a puzzle. So many things she kept to herself but, always, with eyes that remember what words cannot say.

A short video about the unstoppable power of art to connect and heal us in these dark times!

A genealogy search can yield many things and go down many paths, but at its core, it is a story waiting to be told and a person to tell it.

My grandfather, Giuseppe Benincasa’s story began 10 years ago, when my cousin Helen Salfi Gorday gave me a charred book of Italian love poems. She said that it belonged to our grandfather and that I should have it.

The book is, “Postuma” by Lorenzo Stecchetti, an author who didn't exist, yet became a leader of the Veristi Literary movement in Italy after it was published in 1877. The Veristi were the anti-Romantic, Bohemian new realists who brought fresh language and energy to poetry. The real author, Oilindo Guerrini, created this suffering, doomed cousin, Lorenzo Stecchetti by beginning the book with a letter concerning his obituary. The country was scandalized by his ruse, and the book went into multiple printings. At this time poetry had been in a lull and the Veristi ignited public interest in poetry. What was he doing with this book and why was it burned?

The first in the series, how to be an artist who loves mistakes. Looking to grow your creativity? A talk about art challenges all artists deal with.

Pat Benincasa was featured in the National Italian American Foundation #ItalianADay for October 2017

Since making the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal in 2006, little did I know that a journey of connection was to unfold. My aim was to send medals to as many military women and men as possible.

As the medals received national and international publicity, strands of connection worked their way around the country touching the lives of children, nieces, nephews, neighbors, brothers, sisters, parents, partners, friends and spouses of people serving.

In this insightful speech, Pat reveals how a life-changing crossroad moment prompted her to embrace her passion for art amidst challenging circumstances. She opens up about her experiences with education, from being told she would never amount to anything to ultimately finding her true teachers in the world of literature, poetry, and philosophy. Pat's choice to pursue learning and self-discovery transformed her life, leading to numerous accomplishments, including a stunning skylight sculpture that now graces the Minnesota Judicial Center.