Page 31 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2025 - Online Magazine

Should Art Be

a Part of Your

Next Chapter?

by Marita Tedder
Tutti Burkett Kathryn Thomas

hese days, when I finish a known for my décor-specific, large- and her husband often frequented
remodeling project, I often do scale, contemporary pieces. art galleries when they traveled, her
Ta custom painting—just for own gift remained dormant. About
the new space. But I didn’t always Other than a few classes in my one year before she retired, Tutti
do that. When my mother moved in childhood, I hadn’t painted anything started thinking about what she
with me, caring for her became my besides walls in my life. But at 60, wanted to do next. Once, in an art
job. Though she didn’t need me 24/7, I tried something new. I now have gallery, she saw a painting created
she did need enough attention that pieces in homes from coast-to-coast. with resin. It fascinated her. Tutti
I couldn’t be gone from the house Since I have other artist friends investigated resin art and began
all day. For the first time in my life, in my age range, I reached out to taking classes in Dallas, San Antonio,
I woke up and didn’t have to go to them to see when and how they got Santa Fe, and California.
work. I asked myself what I’d like started.
to do each day. One day, I saw a Once she retired (though she still
painting in a furniture store that I Tutti Burkett does some consulting), Tutti started
liked for my mother’s new space— creating her own resin art. Using
but it was more than I was willing Tutti had a bit more art experience her vivid imagination, she mixes
to pay. I decided to paint something than I did. She took oil painting different mediums into her resin and
for that room. I found a set of acrylic lessons in high school and continued uses a blowtorch to move the colors.
paints, canvases, and brushes on creating with oils and chalk Tutti shows/sells her art, which
Facebook Marketplace and drove to through college. Then, as is often she calls Glitzy Ice, at eight to ten
Hobbs, NM to get them. The rest, the case, life got in the way. Tutti art shows a year. She experiments
as they say, is history. Utilizing my concentrated on her career as an RN using different materials and is now
interior design education, I am now and medical device rep. While she doing wine tumblers and bowls. Her

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