1970's
My First Art Instructor... Ann Fucich.

Ann Fucich, who is my Aunt Ann, and who we affectionately call Teti Ann, was my earliest artistic influence and instructor. Because I would spend my entire school summer vacation at my grandparents home in Astoria in Queens, New York, this enabled Teti Ann, who lived nearby, and I to spend a lot of time together. Art projects were always a part of our visits with each other. She was always encouraging me to create art. This helped to shape my artistic talents as a young child.

Teti Ann's history (and mine) reaches back to Kuzelj, Austria. Ann was born on October 28th, 1917 as Ann Saganitch. Teti Ann had five siblings and her sister Elizabeth was my grandmother. She married Joe Fucich and it was during this time that she and Joe created many works of art together. I would describe their style as very similar to Grandma Moses.

Joe Fucich loved the ocean and sailing ships. He actually served as a mariner on some of the old sailing ships when he was a young man. Together, Ann and Joe created maritime scenes using acrylics and paper. Some of those early works still exist in the family collection.

Teti Ann often took my brother and I into Manhattan to visit art museums. We also had outings to the Museum of Natural History where we would spend hours at the bird exhibit drawing and sketching. Afterward, we would go back to Teti Ann's apartment in Queens and paint. Teti Ann would paint alongside my brother and I, giving us guidance as needed. Teti Ann led the way and we soon became comfortable expressing ourselves in our own paintings.

Teti Ann created many detailed paintings in acrylic and oil. She created a large painting of my childhood home in Wallingford, Connecticut. My mother has this painting hanging in the house to this day. Other works that have remained in the family are paintings of Annie's ancestral town in Kuzelj, Austria and Joe's home in Trieste, Italy.

I feel that I owe much to Teti Ann. My lifelong love of art started with her during those trips to New York City.