We were lucky to catch up with Jean Macaluso recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jean, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I wish I had started my art career much earlier because I love doing what I do!

I didn’t take the usual pathway of a 4 year college after high school. I went to a hospital based program for X Ray Technology. After graduation I worked at a hospital, got married, had a family, raised my 3 children, and supported my husband’s career. Then when family life calmed down a bit I took the plunge and went back to school. I was accepted into Dickinson College and completed my degree in Art and Art History as a non- traditional student. Going to a small 4 year liberal arts college as an older adult and taking classes with 18-22 year olds was a very eye opening experience. I not only learned what I was taught in the classes but I learned a lot from the other students. I really hope they learned from me as well.

After graduating I set up my art studio, opened my business, and worked at the local Art Center. There I expanded the Sales Gallery so that all members could exhibit their artwork and potentially sell it.

Jean, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have always wanted to create art for as long as I remember. At age 46 I graduated from Dickinson College with a degree in Art and Art History. My dream was to build an art business while also giving back to the community that I lived in. I started volunteering at the local Art Center doing whatever was needed. Eventually I was hired as Head of the Sales Gallery. Through this job I got to learn all about working with artists, promoting artists work through all media types, and arranging artwork in a gallery setting to be cohesive and aesthetically pleasing for it to appeal to a buyer. I applied all of these newly learned techniques to my own business Jean Macaluso Fine Art.

I describe myself as an artist because I love working in different mediums. Most artists will stick with one media or one style of work. I wanted to explore everything including Black and White Photography, Color Photography, Ceramic sculpture, Pottery, Oil painting, Acrylic painting, pigments, and Resin. I enjoy experimenting with all these things and finding new ways to produce a finished product. Each of the different media informs my many artistic ideas and can reveal exciting new compositions in my work.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I had lived in south central Pennsylvania for many years. I started my art career there and I was well known in the region for good quality artwork at fair prices. I sold in galleries and at art festivals on weekends. Pennsylvania is a very art supportive state where there are many opportunities to sell your artwork.

Sadly, I made a decision to move to South Carolina-which was a bit scary, and realized that I would have to start over finding places to sell my artwork. I quickly found out that Beaufort County is a very art loving county and I had no trouble finding outlets to participate in, to enjoy the camaraderie with other artists, and to sell my work.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

As a selling artist the most rewarding aspect is interacting with a customer and seeing that they truly love a piece of artwork. Sometimes the connection they have is surprising. One customer connected with a title of one of my black and white photography pieces. It was a photograph of the waves in the ocean. I felt at the moment of capture that the waves represented continuity and moving forward so I chose the title ‘Hope’. She explained that she was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer and needed the reminder of the possibility of hope. It is stories like these that keep me moving forward to find meaning and connection in my artwork.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jeanmacaluso.com
• Instagram: @jeanmacalusofineart
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeanmacalusofineart
• Youtube: Jean Macaluso Fine Art
• Other: Etsy. www.etsy.com/jeanmacalusofineart

Image Credits
Jean Macaluso Fine Art