Linda Luisi, originally from Boston, had a rigorous training copying Old Master paintings (trompe l’oeil) in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Tufts University. She furthered her training in California at Santa Monica College and Palomar College for architectural rendering, perspective, and digital arts. Her work is known for depth and dimension. With a firm foundation of art and design, upon graduation Linda took free-lance commissions for design, illustrations, paintings and murals for corporations, hospitals, and private clients across the U.S. This continued for over 35 years into the present, with a focus on murals and paintings. For 20 years, in between commissions, Linda has taught all ages (beginners to advanced) at schools, museums, libraries, senior communities and privately. She teaches creativity workshops and skill-building in realistic, expressive, abstract, composition and color theory. Linda also gives slide presentations. These are lively interactive presentations to de-mystify art and to help people to understand and enjoy art in new ways. “Teaching has opened up a new world for me--sharing the art I have learned and practiced all these years. People are grateful to learn skills they thought were impossible for them. As an instructor, it is the personal attention that I give each student where the magic unfolds, where I point out the strong points in their work, and give them tips to improve it. The art is transformed, and so are they.”

I love teaching older adults because it changes their lives. They wake up to a new experience of life. People laugh. New friends are made. Art allows us to be in the moment, which is relaxing. Art is spontaneous and exploratory, which makes it fun. Art lets us be kids. And art provides skill-building, which is empowering. When this is experienced in a group setting, there is a lot of social interaction and people make new friends. I have been teaching older adults in community settings and am inspired by the creativity of both beginners and those with experience. I give individual attention to assure they have the guidance that they may need. I love to encourage students to let their own style emerge, and am inspired to see all the different results from the same art project. Bringing this to everyone’s attention is important so that everyone feels that they are a part of a larger process. Motivating others is what motivates me. Older adults have told me they are in my class as part of their bucket list. Soon enough, they discover they can actually  create art—from realistic drawings and paintings to colorful abstracts, collages, and woven paper art. They discover art is fun and something they can do for the rest of their lives.