A Cauchi Family History:
From Malta to Connecticut to Colorado

Joe Cauchi (1905-1987) was a life-long artist, painter and art teacher. His history was not entirely typical of rural Connecticut, where he spent 40 of his years.  Joe Cauchi was born and raised on the Mediterranean island of Malta. (60 miles south of Italy).  In Europe the Cauchi name and family is intertwined with 400 years of Maltese history, and the era of the Knights of Malta.

Joe was the oldest son of Dr. Thomas Cauchi, MD, of Victoria, Gozo (1871-1938) and Marietta Cauchi (nee Galea). Joe began medical training himself in Europe before coming to the United States in 1930. His younger brother Dr. Alfred Cauchi was a Rhodes Scholar and also became a well-known physician in Malta until his death in 1990. Alfred's four children, Thomas Cauchi, Victor Cauchi,  Maria Bondi and Emily Spiteri also live on Malta and Gozo. 

Joe's sister, Sr. Maria Louisa (Vittorina) Cauchi became a mother superior with the Sisters of Charity hospital and orphanage during and after World War II. His other sister, Adelina Vella, lived in Australia for more than 60 years until her death in 2002.

When Joe Cauchi came to the United States in 1930 he pursued his goal of being an artist, beginning with  sketches of New York City and scenes of farmers and farm workers.

Dr. Thomas Cauchi
Dr. Thomas Cauchi of Gozo

 

He lived on Mott Street and nearby in Greenwich Village (New York City) from 1932 to 1944, while working at Cornell Medical College as a medical illustrator and later a micro-photographer. He attended formal art classes at the Art Students League and the New School for Social Research, where his classmates included Edith Beiner, later to be his wife & life-long partner in art (see photo) and Jackson Pollock. 

Joe and Edith's son, Richard, grew up at their home and art studio in West Redding, Connecticut.  Richard attended Tufts University near Boston, Massachusetts, and that city became his home for 34 years. He was a Director of the leading electoral organization in the state, concentrating on state legislative policy and campaigns. He also worked for the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, (1990-96) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (1998-2019) as a lead Health Program Diretor at their Denver main office. Richard is married to Susan Motika; they have a son Thomas M. Cauchi.  Richard, Susan and Tom moved to Denver, Colorado, Susan's home town, in 1996.

 

Joe & Edith Cauchi in West Redding, Connecticut, 1965
Joe and Edith Cauchi, 1965

 

Joe Cauchi signature, 1968
Joe Cauchi signature, from 1968 painting

 

 

Joe Cauchi's Art

Cauchi coat of arms

Other Cauchi families

Scenes of Malta, 1999

 

© 2002-2021 by R. Cauchi

For more information, contact Richard Cauchi - Denver, Colorado

 

updated 2/16/2021