IN REMEMBRANCE
Tom Antonelli: A Reflection
This issue of the Provincetown Gallery Guide 2019/20 is dedicated in memory of Tom
Antonelli who passed from planet Earth in April 2019.
22
The 2019/20 Provincetown Gallery Guide
by Susan Capuano
Tom was a rare person, a man true to himself. He
was modest and sincere. He was a special man.
Upon arriving in Provincetown this spring, I found
it strange to see his gallery space without its
traditional OPEN sign and not see him. Easy to
imagine, at first, that perhaps he was off traveling
and would return any moment only sadly to
learn of his death.
What to say under this circumstance?
By approaching folks who knew him well, it
completed his portrait in my mind’s eye. He
was a marvellous man. He was frank, honest
and conversationally worldly in a Provincetown
fashion.
He was a devoted partner. He was a father- like
figure to a neighbor whose good fortune was
to know Tom from his birth throughout his own
35 years. As he said this loss hit him so hard
because Tom was always there for him to discuss
how someone could choose to live life. Be
it personal or business, he would talk about how
to live to appreciate beauty and nature and how
to serve as a model of someone living a positive
and fruitful life. This individual is now a family
man himself.
He told me just how much Tom truly loved
Provincetown, how he revelled in the sense that
Ptown welcomed all persons equally without
prejudice, envy, hostility. He loved its freedom for
one to express himself or herself honestly. Tom
was happy to share his knowledge of art and
his collections of silver jewelry, bakelite jewelry,
period vases, tramp art and
artifacts which he acquired
over the years. He loved to
paint daily, exhibit his paintings
and create his beautiful flower
garden to share with all who
passed. He shared his knowledge
and ideas of history, local
and world events gladly. He
was open to listen to all. He
loved to swim daily in Provincetown’s
bay much of the year
and cook wonderful food. What
a guy! He is missed. Enjoy his
visual expressions of nature
he dearly loved and cherished.
Rest Easy, Tom.