OLD LYME/STONINGTON—Jonathan Wilder of Old Lyme still recalls the typical anxieties and insecurities of adolescence from his time growing up in the late 1970s. He also recalls, however, the one junior high school classroom that was different: a place to explore, create and converse without boundaries.

That place was the art classroom and the teacher was Lee Dadalt.

“We had never met anyone like him,” Wilder recalls, referring to him and his classmates. Classroom conversations encompassed topics from music to contemporary politics. “We talked while creating art. When we were younger, we were told ‘don’t color outside the lines,’ now, there were no lines.”

Wilder is one of many of Dadalt’s former Lyme-Old Lyme art students, who recall with deep fondness the teacher whose classroom philosophy was to always make art fun and to strive to foster creativity without restrictions. Former students, eager to recall their days in Dadalt’s classroom, said they remember a place that was always safe for artistic experimentation and a teacher who took them at face value, was generous with his praise and who didn’t talk down to them.

“I have few fond memories of junior high school, except for that class,” Wilder said.

Wilder and many other former students shared memories of Dadalt after learning that Dadalt’s family is planning an exhibition of his artwork in May and June at Stonington’s LaGrua Center. Dadalt, who was born in Stonington Borough in 1948 and grew up in Mystic, was a public school art teacher for more than 30 years in the Lyme-Old Lyme School Dstrict. He taught at the high school from 1973 to 1978 before moving to the middle school. He taught middle school art until he retired in 2003. 

Educated in Groton public schools, Mitchell College, the University of Hartford’s Hartford Art School and Wesleyan University, Dadalt also was a prolific professional artist who worked across a broad spectrum of media. While his artwork was popular with the public and he gained artistic recognition in local and regional art shows, Dadalt seldom sold his work. When he died in 2007 at his home in Mystic, he left behind a vast collection of paintings and drawings, prints and posters.

The LaGrua exhibition will be the first time the public will have the opportunity to view a large selection of Dadalt’s work spanning many decades and encompassing a variety of subject matter and media from acrylic to watercolors, from seascapes to still lifes.

Dadalt’s sister and brother-in-law, Denise and Steve McGuire of Mystic and New Hampshire, have been busy for months categorizing, sorting and preparing the vast artwork collection for the upcoming exhibition. Dadalt’s still lifes bursting with bright colors, watercolors of seascapes from a variety of locations in shoreline Connecticut and Block Island, along with acrylic paintings of one of his favorite subjects — the Stonington fishing fleet — adorn the walls throughout Dadalt’s Mystic home and fill shelves and storage spaces in the garage.

Dadalt’s sister recalled how fond her brother was of his students and how he shied away from giving any student a poor grade in art. 

His former students also recall their fondness of Dadalt and many used the phrase “safe space” to describe his classroom. It was a place where there was no judging, no cliques and everyone’s ideas and artistic creations were valued, they said. His classroom resounded with the rhythms of rock music from the likes of The Doors and Marshall Tucker Band and the music also helped foster the creative process. 

“I was being given a green light to be myself,” Wilder said.

Aimee Passarella recalled that Dadalt also was willing to allow students to use equipment that other teachers might have reserved for older students. For example, she got her first chance to use a potter’s wheel while Dadalt’s student. The experience began her love for ceramics, she said.

“Just to be allowed to use a wheel at that age was a big deal,” said Passarella, who now is a special education teacher in Florida.

Susan Way, who had Dadalt as a teacher when she was in high school, recalls that Dadalt was friendly and easy to talk to, even for shy teenagers.

“I loved art and music, but otherwise was not a stellar student,” she said. “He accepted everybody where they were. He would help all students, regardless of the level of their talent.”

Another former student, Alison Turrell, said Dadalt is one of the few teachers she even remembers from her junior high school years. 

“He was a non-judgmental person,” she said. “He never dismissed us or patronized us.”

Turrell, who now lives in Austin, Texas and works in film post production, recalls that Dadalt was the only teacher who privately offered to listen if she needed to talk to someone about her brother, who was killed in a motorcycle accident when she was in seventh grade.

All the while Dadalt was fostering a love of art in his students, he was producing artwork professionally himself. He participated in many local, regional and state art shows and his work often won judges’ acclaim. Because he felt an emotional attachment to his work, however, he generally shunned offering it for sale. Instead, he kept most of his work or gifted some pieces to family members and special friends.

Now, many of his former students say they are eager to attend the LaGrua exhibit where they, along with other members of the public, at last will experience the totality of Dadalt’s artistic genius.

Editor’s Note (i): The LaGrua exhibition of Lee Dadalt’s artwork is scheduled to open May 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. Denise and Steve will also host a special Lyme/Old Lyme day on May 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. and again on June 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. The exhibition is scheduled to run through the end of June. The LaGrua Center is located at 32 Water St., Stonington Borough. Details of the exhibition also can be found at this link. For more information, visit LaGruaCenter.org.

Editor’s Note (ii): Additional comments about Lee Dadalt from former students that were submitted to LymeLine either in response to this article or on our Facebook page are printed below:

Melissa Curtin McDavitt:
This is so beautiful. I have fond memories of him especially supporting my creative endeavors and not just traditional art methods. I remember his fun childlike personality and as a middle school kid feeling honored he chose some crazy 3-D paper popping art piece for an art show at Lyme Academy. He was way ahead of his time in 1985-1988.

Lisa Rose Fatone:
This is such a great idea. Mr. Dadalt was quite the catalyst for my creativity (and most likely plenty of others who would rather be in his art room than anywhere else). I got more inspiration, not just from how he tirelessly demonstrated many progressive ways to express one’s creativity…but also by always bringing the best music of the day into the classroom. We heard lots of blues, jazz and straight up rock and roll, as we grew up in the midst of the wealthiest era of music ever. That was mighty conducive to express our freedom to create.
Lee Dadalt definitely made a lifetime impression on my education and career path by encouraging students to develop our passion for creating. Wherever you may be, Lee…infinite gratitude to you for what you shared with all of us.  You were one of a kind.

Susan Kneen Way:
I loved Lee Dadalt! He created a safe space for us to be creative!

Shane Divita:
Bob Marley’s ” We jammin.” Was a regular on the tape deck in art class 7th grade with Mr.Dadalt. It wasn’t just a class it was an experience that changed our life’s. I ended up in the art field myself and it’s not easy. Thank you Mr Dadalt for giving us a safe place to create and be expressive during a difficult time for so many of us. Most of all thank you for the memories. We jammin Mr Dadalt we jammin . Love always mr. Shane.
Heather Thompson added to Shane’s post:
This is exactly how I remember him too. Truly an inspirational man and definitely left an impact on me and my art.

Jenny Thompson:
Yes! And he always had the funniest things to say and he’d just be sitting down almost saying them to nobody. I remember he would always say “you could leave every light on in your house and it’ll barely effect your electric bill.”
I’m a professional photographer now and his ability to let us roam free in our minds creatively has a lot to do with him.
I barely remember anything from middle school but I vividly remember him. And it’s so funny because I was JUST telling my fiancé about him yesterday!

Jenna Rutigliank:
Enya Sail Away always reminds me of Mr.. Dadalt. I always loves his artistic direction and he made me want to pursue an art career! Which I did! Loved this guy, can’t wait to get more info about this. I’d love to attend!

Sage:
I remember his pipe belt – and his awesome creativity.

Stu Adamson:
Great guy. Favorite memory, about 1976, he asked the OLHS administration for wall space where his students could paint a large mural. The principal offered the boys & girls bathrooms. Mr. Dadalt said he didn’t want his student’s art to be accompanied by the smell of pee. Always looking out for the little guy-

Porter McDonald:
I am writing this after teaching my fifth grade art class. I have turned down the lights, and begun my standard breathing exercises that have become a daily routine. Having taught middle school art for over 12 years now, I have mad respect for Mr. Dadalt.
So here it goes…I have a many hilarious memories of Mr. Dadalt. In particular, I recall making a large clay head with an enormous nose and large…er…bulbous chin. Unintentionally, (I swear!) the sculpture looked more like an enormous representation of male genitalia then a cartoon head. When I brought it to Mr. Dadalt, he did a double-take and could not suppress his laughter.
“Porter, I can’t fire that,” he told me carefully.
“Why not?”
“Because….because it…(sigh) never mind. Put it on the shelf with the others.”
It wasn’t until I brought it home, and my parents informed me of its phallic properties that I realized why Mr. Dadalt was chuckling. But the fact that he looked down at me, and genuinely saw that I was completely innocent (maybe a first in my middle school career) says a lot about him as a man and an educator.

Cynthia “Cindy” Fecher
I also have some awesome memories with Lee!! He was solely responsible for getting me into his Alma Mater, Hartford Art School, without having to do their entrance portfolio! I went on to own my gallery, The Hidden Gallery, in Old Lyme, CT. We used to drive Lee CRAZY the second we all landed in homeroom. (I was so lucky to have him for my homeroom!!!) Senior year I took only English and 5 art courses, so the majority of my senior year was spent with Lee!!! Very anxious to help with this TERRIFIC project!