Evelyn Talarico – The Joy That Never Faded
They say that when you grow older, you live on memories.
Perhaps that’s true — because I find myself cherishing them more than ever.
When I was a little girl in Puerto Rico, I loved watching the older kids play — volleyball, basketball, and especially tennis. Tennis captured my heart, though I never had the chance to play; there wasn’t a court anywhere near where I grew up.
Still, that dream never left me.
Years later, when I discovered the tennis courts in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, it was as if life had whispered, “Here it is, Evelyn — what your heart always longed to see.”
I would spend hours just watching the games, feeling a deep joy that had been waiting patiently inside me since childhood.
Even now, when I think back, that same happiness rises within me — reminding me that dreams don’t always need to be lived to be real. Sometimes, they live beautifully inside us, shining through the years, just like love itself.
“Tennis captured her heart. Art set it free.”
Evelyn Talarico was born in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. She was the only daughter born to Flora Flores and Natividad Ortiz. At the age of 15 years old Evelyn left Puerto Rico for New York City. Evelyn was determine to pursue a better life in a new City. She struggled to learn English and with the help of friends learned the City, secured jobs and later met and married Frank Talarico. Frank born to Italian immigrants and Evelyn resided in Brooklyn with their two daughters.
Evelyn Talarico has lived in Brooklyn over 50 years. She is a resident of Fort Greene Clinton Hill and a proud Grandmother. Evelyn has endured may obstacles and overcome several life challenging experiences. Her sheer will to survive has unlocked her creative skills and ability to materialize her visions as a form of visual storytelling.
