Victor DeMasi

Victor DeMasi is an extremely active member of The Pollinator Pathway. He was a wetland conservation officer in his hometown of Redding for 20 years and is presently a curatorial affiliate at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven. He busies himself with preserving open space in town and preserving butterflies in the museum. His field work with butterflies contributed almost a thousand citations to the recently published Connecticut Butterfly Atlas. He has contributed articles to scientific publications and his mark-recapture studies with Swallowtail butterflies was recently cited in the book Swallowtails of the Americas. During the Pandemic he is doing a pollinator survey of two meadows in Redding CT.

Recent butterfly study trips with his spouse Roanna, a photographer have been several times to Amazon forest in Guyana, Nicaragua, and yearly studies in montane California assessing the impact of climate change on that fauna.. His work in south America was recently featured in The Yale Environmental News.

Painting

Victor DeMasi is also 45 year owner of Monarch Painting, a decorative painting firm in Redding, Connecticut, which specializes in faux finishes and tromple l’oeil. His murals often feature natural history subjects such as native wildflowers and butterflies. Clients delight to a Monarch butterfly painted sitting on top of a window frame in an unlikely corner of their house. Metamorphosis is my business makes for the company’s slogan.

Mr. DeMasi’s name appears on the referral list maintained by the Connecticut Historical Trust. He has done historical painting-restoration projects for Yale University, the National Park Service, and the State of Washington. He has worked in over 1000 residences. He includes Richard Gere, Blake Lively, and Patricia Hearst among his more recognizable clients.

DeMasi is also known for his writing, teaching, and lecturing. His recent book is Designer Faux Finishing by Rockport publications. His work has been featured in House and Garden, The New York Times, Yankee Magazine and Connecticut Magazine to name a few. He authored over one hundred and fifty articles including Fine Home Buildings and Fine Wood Working and he is a major contributor to The Readers Digest Book of Tools and Skills. He is a regular contributor of articles to American Painting Contractor and the now defunct Faux Finisher Magazine