By Melissa Moore-Randall
Alina Zalucki first fell in love with Revere Beach back in 2012 when she came to the Annual Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival. Zalucki, a native of Connecticut, said, “I saw the apartments right on the beach and thought it was an amazing place to live.” Zalucki, who lived in Revere for years before recently moving to Salem for a shorter commute to her teaching position in Beverly, thoroughly enjoyed the community and beach.
Alina quickly took to the city and brought one of its best features, Revere Beach, to life in many of her citywide art projects. After graduating from Wellesley College with a BA in Studio Art & Psychology, she moved to Las Vegas to participate in the Teach For America program. “I taught Special Education for three years out there, and then decided I wanted to settle down back east and moved to Revere and started teaching art in East Boston.”
Zalucki taught art classes at the City of Revere Recreation Department that utilized watercolor, clay, and fabric arts. Eventually, she participated in Project Switchbox including the design and painting of three switch boxes along and near Revere Beach. Her first endeavor was the switchbox outside of Wonderland that has a Revere Beach theme. Her second switchbox is on the corner of Revere Street and is space-themed. Her final project was an abstract ocean scene themed box located near the Jack Satter House.
Prior to Covid 19 and aside from Project Switchbox, Zalucki was heavily involved in the city’s public arts program. This included watercolor booths and polaroid booths at the Revere Summer Nights events and participation in the Revere Beach Art Festival twice in person and then virtually this past year. “During one of the festivals, I participated in the live art competition and created a scene of the Markey Bridge. I turned that work of art into the 02151 sticker that has become quite popular!”
Zalucki looks forward to returning to Revere once the pandemic is over, to continue working on Revere projects and events and continue in the public arts programs. In the meantime, she is focusing her energy on building her network and sales for her Etsy shop, Art by Alina Z, and also looks forward to holiday fairs both virtually and in-person.
