Dominick Cali - Biography

Dominick was born in Harlem but spent most of his life in the Bronx. At Monroe High School, his painting
teacher, Mrs. Miller, told him that he had exceptional talent in art. That made Dominick think about majoring in art when he got to college, and that's exactly what he did.

At Lehman College Dominick was an art major for both my B.A. and M.A. I studied drawing, printmaking,
ceramics and painting. Dominick’s Masters thesis was in Painting.

Dominick became an art teacher and worked over 30 years at a Bronx Middle School. He initiated an art
portfolio class that was instrumental in getting many students into specialized art high schools.

Part-time work agreed with Dominick. He had a variety of jobs in the art field
- Art instructor - Mott Haven Community Center
- Assistant Manager - Art Department - Mid-Town Manhattan
- Oil Painting Instructor - YMCA
- Art Director & Scenic Set Designer - Riverdale Community Center.
At Riverdale, I designed sets for a canvas backdrop and 4 rolling flats.
Students from various schools spent months painting the sets for
6 plays including Annie, Anything Goes and The Sound of Music.

As a retiree, Dominick has time to continue with his enjoyment of painting. He generally
paints lighthouses and bridges. His medium of choice is acrylics. He’s made 5 paintings of the old
City Island Bridge...... it was a great subject. Dominick finds working on a painting both fun and
challenging. Painting continues to be a truly rewarding experience in his life!