News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A new Monterey citizen was so inspired by local landmarks that she painted them and now, those pieces are part of a calendar.
Gayle Latuszek moved to Monterey in July. She said one day she was exploring the town and taking pictures and meeting her new neighbors. She was inspired by the people she spoke with to paint important spots in the city.
“Sitting with the photographs for awhile after talking with people, I realized just how much love that they have for their hometown of Monterey, and I sat with those pictures and I thought, you know what, I’m going to turn these into paintings,” Latuszek said.
She displayed the pictures at Standing Stone Day where she was further inspired to turn the paintings into a calendar. Now you can purchase greeting cards, magnets or large prints with a painting of your favorite Monterey landmark on it. You can see Latuszek’s work on the Art By Gayle Facebook page.
“People saw the paintings and just started sharing their stories and memories of all of the different landmarks, and it was just heart warming,” Latuszek said. “So, I knew it was something special. That’s when I decided let me turn this into something where people can bring their hometown home.”
Latuszek said she has no trouble finding inspiration for her art in Monterey.
“Everywhere I looked there was just something interesting to explore and enjoy,” Latuszek said. “The history behind all the landmarks has just been so fascinating. I’m just really enjoying living here.”
Latuszek said she plans to continue painting local landmarks and will be doing another calendar next year.
“There are so many other landmarks in Monterey that I would love to paint,” Latuszek said. “I’m looking forward to the farmer’s market, the park and just a couple other places I had in mind. So, we’ll just have to stay tuned and see what comes out next year.”
Latuszek said the first painting she did was the Monterey water tower. She said after getting positive feedback, she decided to move forward with painting more landmarks.
You can purchase the 2024 calendar and other pieces of Latuszek’s art at The French Market and the Monterey Depot Museum.
