Life in SaddleBrooke is very busy for many people, especially for those who have started on their second career as artists! Theresa Poalucci is just such a woman, who grew up with a mother who was a painter. Surrounded by art as a child, she really began to paint after college, and perfected her craft when she wasn’t working her day job in the newspaper business. At the time, art was a hobby and a great stress reliever.
Upon moving to Arizona, she studied sculpting, and has been creating outdoor art that she calls “Patio Jewels” ever since. Theresa paints as well, and works mostly in acrylics, oils and alcohol inks. She loves the challenge of working on large canvases.
One thing all her artwork has in common is her love of vibrant colors, reflecting the beauty of the mountains and desert flora and fauna. She has learned to re-create and re-imagine these things with an art painting method called acrylic flow. The results are magical, and evoke so many emotions, depending on the color combinations used.
Theresa finds inspiration in nature and the desert surroundings, but also continues to enrich her skills by visiting art museums and art galleries, to see what other artists are doing. She can see something which may spark unique new ideas which she can meld into her own work back at her home studio.
She loves her studio, which she and her husband built into their SaddleBrooke home. It has helped her focus on her creative side. She is a self-described “prolific artist” so, she works hard to sell her art, and to work the business end as well. She is currently showing her work at Absolutely Art Gallery, the Southern Arizona Arts Guild Gallery and in Tubac at the K. Newby Gallery.
In addition to marketing and selling her artwork, she has been a member of the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild for a while but admits she hasn’t been super active. She will soon be volunteering to use her graphic arts talents to produce ads and flyers for the group as needed. She hopes to teach some acrylic flow and alcohol ink classes this winter, in SaddleBrooke, and to be in the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts show next Spring.
Theresa finds her passion for art can be contagious. It makes her happy. She finds that most retirees do best and are most happy when they have activities that they enjoy, and when they can become part of a group of like-minded people. It’s not surprising that she is also working on her first book, about good habits for being and staying happy. This topic is so important for all people, especially those in a retirement community. Stay tuned, as she hopes to have it available on Audible by January 2024!
You can learn more about and shop for Theresa’s art online at artist theresapoalucci.com. To find out more about other art classes offered in SaddleBrooke, and the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild event schedule, visit the Art Guild’s website at saddlebrookefinearts.org.
