The works of Paula De Luccia present an intense interplay of wild and vibrant hues, evoking a tactile experience. From raw and coarsely layered energy to painterly abstraction, Paula injects visceral urgency and palpable forcefulness. Rendering intense acrylic colors, the discernible specks up close transform into disembodied, chromatic colors washing across the canvas like captured sunlight from a distance.
De Luccia navigates a nuanced mental dialogue, sometimes disquieting chatter she attempts to suppress, while at other times it hums along in the background. What she creates is a combination of everything she has observed and experienced.
Her works embody the profound influence of Abstract Expressionism, drawing inspiration from esteemed female artists like Grace Hartigan, Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, and Elaine de Kooning. A particularly impactful moment unfolded when a large yellow painting by Jules Olitski etched a lasting impression on her.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1953, Paula De Luccia studied at Ridgewood School of Art, New Jersey, from 1971 to 1973 where she encountered the works of Abstract Expressionist artists Barnett Newman, Frank Stella, and Larry Poons. She spent a year at Kansas City Art Institute in 1974. Later that year, De Luccia relocated to New York City and first exhibited in a group exhibition 35 Miles of Art, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City.
Her works extend to both public and private collections, including City of Barcelona, Spain, Art/Omi in Ghent, New York, Jules & Kristina Olitski, and Paul Jenkins. Her contribution in the art world is recognised with awards of Who’s Who of American Women, 24th Edition in 2004, Art Triangle Barcelona, Spain in 1987, and Scholastic Achievement Award for Art, MRHS, Haledon, NJ in 1971.
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