Obituary of Louis Mastro

WARRENSBURG: Louis Mastro, 99, a 30 year resident of Warrensburg, passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2009, at Glens Falls Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Born on December 10, 1909 in New York City, where he grew up. Louis Studied at the Grand Central School of Art, the Leonardo Da Vinci Art School, and the Art Students League. He taught painting in Weschester County, Lake George, NY, Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale and the College of the Virgin Islands. He exhibited and demonstrated throughout the New York Metropolitan area, Massachusetts, Florida and Portugal; a one-man show at the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY. Louis was member of the Salmagundi Club in New York City, American Artists Professional League, NY, Upper Hudson Watercolor Society, LARAC (Lower Adironack Regional Council), Hudson Valley Art Association, Yonkers Art Association, Mount Vernon Art Association, Beau Arts NY, North Shore Art Association, Gloucester, MA, the Art Association, The Leonard Gallery, the Broward Art Guild in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Greenwich Village art shows, The Professional League of NY and was featured in a private show at the Lynn Kotler Galleries in Manhattan. Over the years, Mr. Mastro has worked in many fields of art. During World War II he was an art director working with the US Army, Navy and Air Force, illustrating B29 airplanes, rifles, military operation manuals and various other graphics pertaining to the war effort. After the war he founded the Hersh-Mastro Studios in Manhattan working with such Madison Avenue agencies as J. Walter Thompson, B.B.D.& O, Doyle, Dane and Bernbach. He trained many young people for work in the field of advertising graphics. At the Salmagundi Club in NY, he was honored as one of “The Fifty American Artists” endorsed by President Eisenhower and Winston Churchill. At age 97, he was recognized with an exhibit at The Philadephia Museum of Art. Twenty-five of his watercolor, oil and pastel paintings were displayed. For over 80 years, Louis Mastro, has interpreted the natural world and the human environment in scenes from Maine to the Caribbean, New York State farms and woodlands, New England coastal seascapes and European landscapes. His studios were located in Rockport, Massachusetts, Yonkers, Florida, Portugal and Warrensburg. In the words of Louis Mastro, “As I look back on my life, my paintings have helped me to relive that moment, capture that scene and feel the beauties of nature, structures of man, and the magnificence of the human body to be preserved for myself and posterity. That is my purpose for painting. Art is my life. He is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Sarah; and three children: Maria Hallahan of Cooperstown; Terry Zappala of Wevertown; and Joseph Mastro of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Krystin Varriale, Kerri Zappala, Jon-Erik Zappala, Daniel Hallahan, Melanie Mastro Burch and great grandchildren Kaitlyn and Madison Varriale. At Louis’s request, there are no calling hours scheduled. Please visit www.alexanderfuneralhomes.com for online guest book and condolences.