Wedding Album by Christopher Spinelli

Based on his late parents' wedding album, Christopher Spinelli's drawings attempt to capture the hopefulness of a young couple embarking from East New York on a life together on a warm day in May, 1957.

I always loved my parents' wedding album. It is simple and emblematic of the times. In May 1957, wedding albums were less about making the bride and groom look like movie stars, and more about the standard shots. Of course everything was more innocent in 1957 in Brooklyn, and a look at these pen and ink drawings with acrylic washes inspired by my parent’s wedding album clearly illustrates that. Taken as a group they tell the story of a young couple venturing out, as they are ready to begin a life of their own.

Christopher Spinelli is a life-long Brooklyn resident who has been creating art in Brooklyn for over 30 years. He studied art at the Brooklyn Museum and received his bachelor of fine arts degree from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. Spinelli’s work has been exhibited in various New York galleries, including Washington Square East, Master Eagle and Art Director’s Club, among others. His paintings have also been included in the NYC Parks Department’s Black History Month exhibits in 2014 through 2016. Spinelli currently works as the visual arts instructor for the REACH Program that serves academically gifted, yet economically disadvantaged, students at Regis High School.