Thomas Giarraffa

Thomas Giarraffa started his photo career when he was just a child. Born and raised in Staten Island, he began shooting when he was accepted into Mark Twain I.S. 239 for the Gifted and Talented. Giarraffa makes photographs of all kinds, from surreal environmental portraits to captivating commercial work. His personal works consist of cinematic productions — telling nostalgic tales from stories heard and experienced in his personal past.

The Alice Austen House

A vibrant cultural center, the Alice Austen House keeps the bold spirit of the early American photographer alive by presenting changing exhibitions of Austen’s pioneering historic photographs as well as contemporary photography, while also providing education programs for students, and offering a range of cultural programs for the public. A Victorian Gothic Cottage that was Austen’s home serves as the museum — located in a nationally-landmarked park on the shore of Staten Island, near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge with sweeping views of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. The Alice Austen House and grounds are owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, operated by the Friends of Alice Austen House Inc. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and a member of the Historic House Trust. The Alice Austen House is a New York City and national landmark, on the Register of Historic Places, and a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s distinctive group of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios. In 2017, we updated our designation to become a national site of LGBTQ history.

www.aliceausten.org