A visual feast of criminals and innocents in Boston’s courtrooms
Special to the Patriot-Bridge
Visual artist and teacher Joseph A. Connolly III died unexpectedly on Aug. 15, 2022 at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. He had been a long-time Charlestown resident, and had a lengthy career as a professional artist. He designed posters and brochures for major events in Boston, including Charlestown, and he worked for many years as an illustrator and courtroom artist for Channels 4, 5, and 7 in Boston. Many of his illustrations were also displayed by other local and national news outlets.
Connolly had studied at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where he later taught for many years. His specialty was detailed drawings. After his death, his family, along with several Charlestown friends and neighbors, gathered together to identify a section of his artwork collection that specifically pertained to his courtroom sketches. These particular drawings cover Boston-area trials and crime scenes that happened from the 1970s to the 1990s.
This collection, totaling 350 sketches, was donated to the Boston Public Library, welcomed especially by the Boston Public Library’s Curator of Fine Arts Eve Griffin. They now reside in the Arts Department of the BPL in Copley Square. Griffin maintains an ongoing blog, which describes several unique collections in her department, including the acquisition of Connolly’s collection: bpl.org/blogs/post/the-art-of-crime-courtroom-drawings-in-the-arts-department/.
As part of Griffin’s blog post regarding Connolly’s work, she states that “Courtroom sketch artists work under considerable pressure, as they are accountable to same-day deadlines. Therefore, sketches must be quick and exact. Initial sketches are usually executed with charcoal or felt-tip marker; Connolly used charcoal and pastels to illustrate his figures. You can pinpoint areas of the drawings where Connolly had to make quick, decisive gestures in the nearly scribble-like depictions of clothing and hairstyles. These dynamic lines convey motion and action, capturing the tension in the courtroom and the hurried drawing process.”
“The Art of Crime: Courtroom Drawings of Charlestown-based Artist Joe Connolly”, a visual presentation given by Eve Griffin, Curator of Fine Arts at the BPL. Sponsored by the Friends of the Charlestown Branch Library. Held on Thursday May 14, at 6 pm sharp (doors at 5:45 pm). Free and open to all, with a reception following, held across the street in Memorial Hall, where examples of Connolly’s art will be on display, including copies of his unique map of Charlestown, available for sale to benefit the non-profit Friends of the Library. Charlestown Branch Library, 179 Main St., Charlestown, MA 02129. For further information: friendsofcharlestownlib.org, [email protected], 617-242-1248.
The Friends of the Charlestown Branch of the Boston Public Library was formed in 1953, becoming the second Friends group to organize within the Boston Public Library system. As a non-profit organization, the Friends schedule four to six evening adult programs per year, helps to support programs for children held during the day, and maintains the library’s landscaping. The mission of the Friends remains today what it was in 1953: to serve as an advocacy and support group for the needs of the Charlestown Branch Library, its staff, and users.