Page 28 - North Haven Magazine Issue 23 Spring 2022

by Marisa Hexter
Two Men, Two Artists, One Town:

Louis Sanazzaro and Alfred Tulk’s North Haven Paintings
hen does North Haven look beautiful to you? Is it in the spring when flowers are blooming, or is it in Autumn with the pretty orange
Wand red leaves gracing the trees around town? What about North Haven sticks out to you? We have a historic town center with houses
from all eras of time, neighborhoods with so many different personalities, and many old and new businesses alike that make us unique.
Throughout however many years you all have called North Haven home, there is something here that makes you happy or nostalgic. Many
of us have taken photographs at our homes or around town at events to mark certain occasions, but what about artwork? Two men in town
who called North Haven home created art representing the town they saw. Louis Sonazzaro, a farmer and collector, was a self-taught artist
who enjoyed painting, drawing cartoons, and making signage based on different aspects of North Haven history. Then there is Alfred Tulk, a
professional painter and muralist who moved to North Haven later in life and enjoyed painting North Haven homes and historical buildings.
Both men called North Haven home and wanted to permanently represent what they loved about our town. While each man deserves an
article, one to showcase all they achieved in their lives, this article will focus on their accomplishments through their North Haven artwork.

Louis Sonazzaro was born in 1895 in Cos- but his legacy as a member of the North Ha- homes in North Haven, as many have been
sambrato, Italy, and had four sisters. The ven community lives on through his lasting demolished.
family arrived in North Haven around 1900, artwork and many related passions.
where his father worked in the brickyards. Alfred Tulk died in 1988 but left behind not
Sonazzaro’s father was able to save money only beautiful artwork but historic docu-
to buy a 13-acre farm where a vineyard was mentation of homes from different eras of
planted along with market goods. During North Haven’s history, permanently pre-
World War II, Louis worked as a sweeper serving them to how they once looked. Al-
at Winchester Firearms. The first time he fred and Ethel were also very good friends
picked up a paintbrush was not for a canvas of the Historical Society and North Haven
but instead as a sign painter in New York Art Guild.
City as a sign painter’s helper. After his time
in New York City, Louis took his experience
and began to adhere it to other forms of
painting. For many years as a North Haven Alfred Tulk was born in 1899 in England.
Historical Society member and volunteer, He moved to the United States where he
Sonazzaro continually helped paint signs for studied art at Yale University, and eventual-
historical markers and the Cultural Center ly went on to study under artist Max Weber.
building. There can be many paintings rang- Alfred married Ethel Chapman in the 1920s
ing in topics at the Historical Society, like and they lived in Fairfield County until 1965
Native Americans and nature scenes paint- when they moved to North Haven, where
ed by Louis, as he also had a keen interest Ethel was born and raised. During the 1930s,
in Native American history and archeology. Alfred and Ethel, along with their two sons,
Sonazzaro did not just paint. In the archives moved to Liberia for eighteen months. There
at the Historical Society, one can find car- Alfred painted different aspects of Liberian
toons and caricatures representing different society and culture, which ended up being a
eras of industry and business in North Ha- pivotal change in the way he painted for the It is wonderful that North Haven was able to
ven. His artistic style, while self-taught, is rest of his career. After coming back to the have some of its history, both physical and
unique and distinctive, much like the man United States, Tulk created many murals for societal, preserved through art. Louis Sonaz-
himself. restaurants, homes, hotels, and more across zaro and Alfred Tulk helped sustain different
the United States. When Tulk and his wife eras and memories of North Haven, through
As much as he loved painting, Louis's first moved to North Haven in 1965, he began their eyes and talents, by creating artwork
and biggest passion was gardening and he to paint historic structures throughout the to represent their town. Through Louis
was known to take a lot of pride in what he town. He would set up his equipment and Sonazaaro, who was self-taught, we can see
grew. He also belonged to many organiza- just start painting. From town buildings to a great deal of North Haven in the early 20th
tions including, the Archeology Society, the residential homes, Tulk enjoyed recreating century. Alfred Tulk, professionally skilled,
Masons, and the Congregational church. these on canvas for himself and the build- preserved our history through visual arts.
Sonazzaro, when asked about how he liked ing’s owner. His favorite season to paint in These two men saw the beauty of North Ha-
living in North Haven said, “I would have was fall and many of his paintings reflect ven and expressed their feelings toward their
loved any town I lived in all my life. That’s this, with colorful leaves surrounding the town through art and created everlasting
our duty. And North Haven has been good to main subject. Some of these paintings are memories for all to view.
me.” Louis Sonazzaro passed away in 1989, the closest representation of some historic

North Haven Magazine - Spring Issue 2022
28