First Place

Appreciation
Acrylic
24×18
$500

These paintings are based on observations and experiences past and present. They represent my exploration of impressionistic, highly textured styles with contrasting hues.

I am a painter who works in oils, pastels and acrylics. I enjoy painting Southwest life, landscapes, still life and other subjects. I studied at Mesa Community College and ASU. I’ve been involved with several art groups in Southern California and here in Arizona. I am a WHAM Art Center studio artist in Surprise. My work has been in many art shows and galleries.

Second Place

Dreaming in Color
oil on canvas
24 x 36
$3,700

My work focuses on portraits, seeking to capture fleeting moments through subtle gestures, expressions and the natural light that defines features of our faces. Children especially fascinate me, and I aim to preserve their untarnished perspectives.

Educated at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava and successively Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, Jana graduated in painting in 2008. Her canvases are alive with vibrant hues and bold figurative compositions, breathing new life into academic classicism, and revealing a deep fascination with the interplay of light and shadow. With a preference for oil, Jana cherishes the serene early mornings spent in the workshop, a place of a creative escape.

Third Place

Laurence Road
Watercolor and Gouache
24 x 30
$600

I paint what appeals to me and change my working method to suit the subject matter. My primary medium is watercolor, but I also work with other watermedia. I find that painting is very meditative and involves a lot of problem solving which stimulates me and keeps me in my painting zone.

Originally from England, Melanie Harman has lived in Arizona since 1987. She is a member of several Arizona and regional organizations. She is currently Membership Chair for Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona and is VP Exhibitions for Arizona Artists Guild. She likes to hike and travel.

Honorable Mention

Division
Acrylic
20 inches by 20 inches

Our times seem unsettling.
Retired art teacher, contemporary Artista35.

Honorable Mention

Longwings in Honeysuckle
Gelatin monotype collage
24 X 18
$400

I’ve always been interested in quietly watching the world around me. Color and texture have always been at the core of my work, whether its cutting stones or paper. Organic and uncomplicated, like lizards scratching the sand for ants and winding up with a moth. Love that.

Caroline Jenney is a recent transplant from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her background is in picture framing and frame restoration. She owned and operated a shop in Madrid, New Mexico which specialized in her artwork and jewelry designs.

Honorable Mention

Do Not Fear Tomorrow
Mixed Media: New Media digital paint, acrylic, acrylic ink, soft pastel on canvas
25 x 20 x 1.5 in
$550

There are countless ways to place ourselves into this universe. I believe all of us are simply looking for our seat at the table, our way home. As an artist, I seek my own place at the table- my tools: traditional and new media. My pieces incorporate expressive lines, bold color and texture. Recently I found myself unable to utilize the traditional medium found in my studio. My need to recreate however, is ever-present. My limited-edition pieces are the result of countless hours learning New Media, digital painting. I am grateful to be back in my traditional studio and will incorporate digital painting into my daily artistic practice.

HAWK Jones was born in Seattle, Washington. Her oldest memories are of rock and shell collecting on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Like countless generations before her, she painted, carved, and sculpted rock & shell for display – creating little treasures to decorate her parents’ seaside restaurant. Artistic inspiration and influence are drawn from every aspect of life and all manner of expressive disciplines. Jones received her Bachelor of Fine Arts- Painting from Arizona State University.

Honorable Mention

Levels
Oil
16×20
$400

I have been exploring new styles and techniques in oil painting. This has been a very challenging I have been researching the different subjects and landscapes of our area. I like to focus on the personality of the subject, painting close up and personal, revealing both its beauty and it’s flaws. The introduction of colors, textures and content has been a great source of inspiration. I love these subjects because of the contradiction they represent. I paint the luscious beauty and the hazard, and how they are in conflict with each other.

After I retired from a career of teaching art, I wanted to take this opportunity to actually create for myself. As a teacher, one wants to give their students their voice, creativity and the tools they will need to achieve this. Now it is my turn. So, I’ve completed southwestern sketches, painted and taken photographs of new environment for the purpose of learning more about it. I have experienced rodeos, ranches, truck cemeteries, western towns and walked through old graveyards. I fell in love with the western scenery and events that are truly unique and I want to explore more.

Honorable Mention

Water Lilies
watercolor
11 x 15
$425

Tanya has studied watercolor painting for the last twenty-five years and is a Signature Member of the Arizona Watercolor Association and the Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona. She is a member of the Vanguard Artists and the Sun City West Art Club. She has taken classes from many internationally recognized artist and teachers including Ron Ranson, Alvaro Castagnet, Tom Lynch, Stan Miller, Ron Stocke, and Ted Nuttall. She’s offered adult watercolor classes for more than 20 years. She has a passion for sharing her love of making art with others.

Tanya’s artwork has been juried into regional and open art shows. Her paintings have been accepted into the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, Arizona Watercolor Society, Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona, Arizona Art Alliance, WHAM (What’s Happening Art Movement), Rochester Contemporary Art Center NY, Sun West Art Show, and others. Her works are in private collections and Tacoma General Hospital. Tanya has appeared on Washington Comcast television demonstrating her painting technique for dramatic skies.

Tanya enjoys playing with paint- watching it mingle and move into luminescent backgrounds and shapes. She is passionate about color and light. She loves to capture the atmosphere of the sky with dramatic clouds. Other paintings are influenced from living and traveling overseas for many years.

In addition to dramatic skies and landscapes, Tanya is painting watercolor portraits and experimenting in acrylic and mixed media. She loves being challenged by new techniques and strives to learn more to share with her students.

Safe Base
Acrylic
20 by 16 inches
$275

Our times seem unsettling.
Retired art teacher, contemporary Artista35.

Division
Acrylic
20 inches by 20 inches

Our times seem unsettling.
Retired art teacher, contemporary Artista35.

Longwings in Honeysuckle
Gelatin monotype collage
24 X 18
$400

I’ve always been interested in quietly watching the world around me. Color and texture have always been at the core of my work, whether its cutting stones or paper. Organic and uncomplicated, like lizards scratching the sand for ants and winding up with a moth. Love that.

Caroline Jenney is a recent transplant from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her background is in picture framing and frame restoration. She owned and operated a shop in Madrid, New Mexico which specialized in her artwork and jewelry designs.

Lizards and Moths
Gelatin monotype collage
18 X 24
$400

I’ve always been interested in quietly watching the world around me. Color and texture have always been at the core of my work, whether its cutting stones or paper. Organic and uncomplicated, like lizards scratching the sand for ants and winding up with a moth. Love that.

Caroline Jenney is a recent transplant from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her background is in picture framing and frame restoration. She owned and operated a shop in Madrid, New Mexico which specialized in her artwork and jewelry designs.

Trap Door
Acrylic on Wood Panel
20×20
$395

During my formative years I would draw and paint similar houses using non-traditional squares, rectangles and triangles. My art teacher named me the deconstructed architect. The colors, lines, and shapes in those early art pieces were my way of creating order in a disordered world. I’m inspired by the way shapes are constructed and the interplay between lines and shapes.

A self taught artist. I use “everyday” shapes and design elements and put them together in a new way to reconstruct images I see out in the world.

Boundaries
Encaustic
18 x 24
$450

My work explores the play of color with wax. I work with both encaustic, which affords the opportunity to incorporate many other mediums, and cold wax, which changes oil paint into more of a sculptural element.

Cynthia Dunn-Selph Mixed Media Artist and Photographer Sun City, AZ The child of artists, Cynthia has always created. She works in multiple mediums, from acrylic painting, oil pastels, encaustic, cold wax medium, to mosaics, paper making, assemblage, printmaking, and photography. Her passion is to merge and combine different techniques to create something unique, to always be enhancing and exploring her knowledge of a material, then pushing the boundaries of that material. Her current focus is the encaustic medium. She has learned at the side of other artists and had instruction at the University of California San Francisco, the Art Academy, San Francisco, and Laney College, Oakland. Cynthia has created commissioned pieces, been a member at three cooperative galleries, has had shows and sales of her work in California and Arizona. She has received numerous awards for her work in exhibitions and juried shows. She teaches classes to adults and children, focusing on the aspects of process and play. She has been the curator at numerous small galleries over the years and has been a board member of the Amador County Artists Association, Oakland Studio One in California, and Ground Floor Artists in Surprise, Arizona.

The Drummers
Colored Pencil
14 x 22
$1,200

I have a love of nature, form and color, I hope that comes across in my work.

I’m a self taught artist, I have mostly worked for my own enjoyment and sanity. But now that I have retired I have more time to try to promote my work and an active member of the local artist community

Morning Lily
Soft Pastel
10 x 23
$2,000

I have a love of nature, form and color, I hope that comes across in my work.

I’m a self taught artist, I have mostly worked for my own enjoyment and sanity. But now that I have retired I have more time to try to promote my work and an active member of the local artist community

Pastoral Life
Oil
20×16
$300

These paintings are based on observations and experiences past and present. They represent my exploration of impressionistic, highly textured styles with contrasting hues.

I am a painter who works in oils, pastels and acrylics. I enjoy painting Southwest life, landscapes, still life and other subjects. I studied at Mesa Community College and ASU. I’ve been involved with several art groups in Southern California and here in Arizona. I am a WHAM Art Center studio artist in Surprise. My work has been in many art shows and galleries.

Appreciation
Acrylic
24×18
$500

These paintings are based on observations and experiences past and present. They represent my exploration of impressionistic, highly textured styles with contrasting hues.

I am a painter who works in oils, pastels and acrylics. I enjoy painting Southwest life, landscapes, still life and other subjects. I studied at Mesa Community College and ASU. I’ve been involved with several art groups in Southern California and here in Arizona. I am a WHAM Art Center studio artist in Surprise. My work has been in many art shows and galleries.

Nature’s Blue Blossoms
Mixed Media
11 x 14
$385

I start a painting by letting the colors guide my way. The colors mingle forming a unique design and I embrace the mystery of what comes next. Knowledge of different techniques allows me to change a painting’s direction at any given moment, seeking harmony between the materials and the subject matter. A one-of-a-kind image will emerge, or the artwork itself will guide me in a different direction before it is complete. If a painting doesn’t hit that sweet spot, I put it away for a while, placing it where I can easily see it. I don’t know when that “Aha Moment” will come, but when it does, I start seeing the piece with a different eye, and the creative process starts anew. I love creating things: making paper, designing flowers out of paint, using wire to construct trees, and making 3-D butterflies. These are a few of my creative endeavors. Since childhood, creating something from nothing has been a part of my artistic journey. I find joy incorporating these materials into my artwork. The materials harmonize with the subject matter, and my abstract view leads to the end product. My approach to any mixed media painting involves allowing myself to step into the world of the unknown and follow what my instinct tells me. Building layers of paint, shapes, lines, and texture is critical. Everything comes together, and a new painting is born. You could say a leap of faith between me and the canvas. I often take pictures of things in my everyday life. A trip somewhere, an encounter with nature, or a walk in my neighborhood will trigger my thoughts and an idea for a painting will emerge. The subject matter leads me to create something original in design and personal in concept. My style of creating uses freedom of technique, execution to attain a goal, exploration, intuitive application of color and form, and allowing my creative unconscious nature to take the lead. It doesn’t matter what medium I use; my process is the same – just put some color down and go from there. The quality of my creations remains constant throughout the body of my work. The process is the key. Freedom of expression is critical, and following my instincts is the cornerstone of my work. It is the perspective of the viewer that brings my creations to life. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. I am an Intuitive Abstract Artist with a flair for Expressionism.

Diana was born in the early 50s in Chapmanville, a small town in West Virginia (WV). After graduating from high school, she moved to Huntington, WV. Graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Art. After graduation, Diana’s need for adventure and new experiences took hold. So, she packed her bags and headed for Phoenix, Arizona. While living in Phoenix, she met her husband to-be, and little did she know a lifetime of adventure had just begun. Her husband joined the Air Force (AF) and her whole world changed. As an AF wife, she traveled to many places, including Guam and Italy. Her love for nature grew during her travels, allowing her to experience the uniqueness of each area. These first-hand real-life experiences with nature contribute to the artist she is today. Her experiences with her own children and grandchildren and her career as a Training and Curriculum Specialist in Early Childhood for the AF allowed her to see creativity through the eyes of children. Observing first-hand how children explore and create in their own way, without worrying about the final product, gave her the confidence to approach her art with the same freedom. Her love of the process is a big part of how she comes to her art. Retirement allowed her to pursue her passion for creating fulltime. She soon realized that being an artist was always her destiny. Her inspiration comes from her faith, family, love of nature, imagination, and the playful side of just creating. A lifetime of experiences speaks to her as each image appears. Each layer of a painting builds on the next producing a one-of-a kind creation. Any mishaps or mistakes always lead to a learning experience, and in the end, the process leads to the final result, “a beautiful painting” Diana currently resides in Goodyear, Arizona.

Bronze Kiss of Nature
Alcohol Ink
12 x 12
$360

I start a painting by letting the colors guide my way. The colors mingle forming a unique design and I embrace the mystery of what comes next. Knowledge of different techniques allows me to change a painting’s direction at any given moment, seeking harmony between the materials and the subject matter. A one-of-a-kind image will emerge, or the artwork itself will guide me in a different direction before it is complete. If a painting doesn’t hit that sweet spot, I put it away for a while, placing it where I can easily see it. I don’t know when that “Aha Moment” will come, but when it does, I start seeing the piece with a different eye, and the creative process starts anew. I love creating things: making paper, designing flowers out of paint, using wire to construct trees, and making 3-D butterflies. These are a few of my creative endeavors. Since childhood, creating something from nothing has been a part of my artistic journey. I find joy incorporating these materials into my artwork. The materials harmonize with the subject matter, and my abstract view leads to the end product. My approach to any mixed media painting involves allowing myself to step into the world of the unknown and follow what my instinct tells me. Building layers of paint, shapes, lines, and texture is critical. Everything comes together, and a new painting is born. You could say a leap of faith between me and the canvas. I often take pictures of things in my everyday life. A trip somewhere, an encounter with nature, or a walk in my neighborhood will trigger my thoughts and an idea for a painting will emerge. The subject matter leads me to create something original in design and personal in concept. My style of creating uses freedom of technique, execution to attain a goal, exploration, intuitive application of color and form, and allowing my creative unconscious nature to take the lead. It doesn’t matter what medium I use; my process is the same – just put some color down and go from there. The quality of my creations remains constant throughout the body of my work. The process is the key. Freedom of expression is critical, and following my instincts is the cornerstone of my work. It is the perspective of the viewer that brings my creations to life. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. I am an Intuitive Abstract Artist with a flair for Expressionism.

Diana was born in the early 50s in Chapmanville, a small town in West Virginia (WV). After graduating from high school, she moved to Huntington, WV. Graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Art. After graduation, Diana’s need for adventure and new experiences took hold. So, she packed her bags and headed for Phoenix, Arizona. While living in Phoenix, she met her husband to-be, and little did she know a lifetime of adventure had just begun. Her husband joined the Air Force (AF) and her whole world changed. As an AF wife, she traveled to many places, including Guam and Italy. Her love for nature grew during her travels, allowing her to experience the uniqueness of each area. These first-hand real-life experiences with nature contribute to the artist she is today. Her experiences with her own children and grandchildren and her career as a Training and Curriculum Specialist in Early Childhood for the AF allowed her to see creativity through the eyes of children. Observing first-hand how children explore and create in their own way, without worrying about the final product, gave her the confidence to approach her art with the same freedom. Her love of the process is a big part of how she comes to her art. Retirement allowed her to pursue her passion for creating fulltime. She soon realized that being an artist was always her destiny. Her inspiration comes from her faith, family, love of nature, imagination, and the playful side of just creating. A lifetime of experiences speaks to her as each image appears. Each layer of a painting builds on the next producing a one-of-a kind creation. Any mishaps or mistakes always lead to a learning experience, and in the end, the process leads to the final result, “a beautiful painting” Diana currently resides in Goodyear, Arizona.

Dewdrops From The Moon
Mixed Media
28 x 36
$750

Through my paintings, enter into a creative world and its beauty as I see it brimming with all of its fluid colors, subtle gradations, muted tones, splashes and puddles. With just the right atmospheric wash or dramatic edge of light and dark, I strive to create the impressions and dimensions of perspective, textures of realism, with just the right balance of intriguing and thought-provoking empty space. I’m in love with life! Everything is an inspiration — colors, shades, hues, shadows, lights and highlights! Color mixing is a joy! Watercolor painting is praying in color! Paula Artac

Paula Artac, D.Min, ATR-BC, is a professional watercolor artist and instructor, board certified art therapist, university instructor, liturgical art designer, illuminator, illustrator and author. Her watercolor paintings have won local and national recognition. She is a published author on the topic of art therapy, spirituality and healing. She has taught beginning, intermediate and advanced watercolor painting since 1981. Paula has developed wellness art programs with Banner Thunderbird Hospital/MD Anderson, Ironwood Cancer & Research Center, as well as Barrow Neurological Outpatient Center and Treasure House to establish and facilitate expressive arts therapy groups. Paula is one of the studio artists at Ground Floor Artists gallery, facilitating instruction in the SoulCollage ® process and teaching watercolor.

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Mixed Media on Paper
22” X 30”
$375

I am a mixed media artist who enjoys using a variety of materials, media, and approaches when creating my art.

Distant and diverse cultures have always intrigued me. I appreciate the signs, symbols, artifacts, and language used in cultures found throughout time and the world. I try to include cultural signs and symbols in my own paintings to enable each of my paintings to tell a story all its own.

Do Not Fear Tomorrow
Mixed Media: New Media digital paint, acrylic, acrylic ink, soft pastel on canvas
25 x 20 x 1.5 in
$550

There are countless ways to place ourselves into this universe. I believe all of us are simply looking for our seat at the table, our way home. As an artist, I seek my own place at the table- my tools: traditional and new media. My pieces incorporate expressive lines, bold color and texture. Recently I found myself unable to utilize the traditional medium found in my studio. My need to recreate however, is ever-present. My limited-edition pieces are the result of countless hours learning New Media, digital painting. I am grateful to be back in my traditional studio and will incorporate digital painting into my daily artistic practice.

HAWK Jones was born in Seattle, Washington. Her oldest memories are of rock and shell collecting on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Like countless generations before her, she painted, carved, and sculpted rock & shell for display – creating little treasures to decorate her parents’ seaside restaurant. Artistic inspiration and influence are drawn from every aspect of life and all manner of expressive disciplines. Jones received her Bachelor of Fine Arts- Painting from Arizona State University.

Envy
acrylic
24 x24
$450

About her work, DellaMonica states: The paintings entered in this show are a small collection I call “One Hot Summer” and represent the summer of 2023 and express the emotions experienced. What started off as a fun celebration, turned into misery, surviving the heat without air conditioning!!! Head in the Clouds represents her service dog Flody watching her skydive on her 50th birthday. Envy the cat was inspired by the feelings I experienced seeing the neighbors with functional AC, green grass and pools in their yard. Prayers Hands represents my only salvation to be peaceful and kind, despite feeling rage and wanting to cry.

Ira DellaMonica was born and raised in Southern California, graduated from Sonoma State University with an art degree and received a graphic arts certificate from UCLA. Her deep connection with animals stemmed from childhood pets and 25 years of competitive horseback riding and training. They are a repetitive theme in her work. DellaMonica moved to Mesa, Arizona in 2017 to pursue an occupational therapy master’s degree. Through a series of life altering events during Covid 2020 rekindled a spiritually with painting, nature and the animals around her.

Four Peaks Overcast
Oil
12 x 16
$600

I am a landscape/animal artist. I favor the rich quality of oil as my medium to convey the beauty and serenity I feel from Nature.
Jan lives in Sun City, Arizona. She has Painted the landscape of the Southwest for many years, both on site and in her studio. She is a current juried member of the Sonoran Arts League, Arizona Plein Air Painters, Oil Painters of America, and National Oil and Acrylics Painters Society. She is a nationally recognized artist.

Old Trail
Oil
12 x 9
$350

I am a landscape/animal artist. I favor the rich quality of oil as my medium to convey the beauty and serenity I feel from Nature.
Jan lives in Sun City, Arizona. She has Painted the landscape of the Southwest for many years, both on site and in her studio. She is a current juried member of the Sonoran Arts League, Arizona Plein Air Painters, Oil Painters of America, and National Oil and Acrylics Painters Society. She is a nationally recognized artist.

Dreaming in Color
oil on canvas
24 x 36
$3,700

My work focuses on portraits, seeking to capture fleeting moments through subtle gestures, expressions and the natural light that defines features of our faces. Children especially fascinate me, and I aim to preserve their untarnished perspectives.

Educated at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava and successively Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, Jana graduated in painting in 2008. Her canvases are alive with vibrant hues and bold figurative compositions, breathing new life into academic classicism, and revealing a deep fascination with the interplay of light and shadow. With a preference for oil, Jana cherishes the serene early mornings spent in the workshop, a place of a creative escape.

Heart of Many Colors
Acrylic on canvas
30×24
$550

As an artist, my intuitive abstract paintings explore the realm of non-objectivity through vibrant colors and dynamic shapes.

I am a multi-faceted individual who has embraced the world of art later in life. My passion for art was ignited in my 50’s when I discovered the captivating work of my cousin, Robert Rauschenberg. Inspired by his artistic prowess, I embarked on a personal exploration of the creative realm. The experience of being a retired registered nurse has equipped me with a deep understanding of human emotions allowing me to capture the essence of the human spirit.

Points Of Ponder
Photography
11 x 14
$170

When I am photographing, the world around me is calm. The lens of the camera allows me to see things for what they are. It reminds me to step back and focus on the details of what has been or is being created. Photography grounds me and gives me permission to wonder and capture. I get to see the beauty in all that is around me. To see the colors that nature gives us, to breathe in the moment. I love to pass along joy and to inspire others to breath and push forward in life. Photography is the vessel that allows me to help others. Find me at Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour ~ Guest Artist at Studio 37

Julie Gallatig better known to all as “Jules” is a native of Doylestown, PA. A small suburb of Philadelphia. She got her hands into the chemicals and watched the prints develop while working in the darkroom at Solebury School, New Hope, PA (‘93) and fell in love with Photography. Jules went on to study photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology and graduated with her Bachelors of Fine Art in 1997. Jules was honored in her senior year by having her work accepted into the RIT Photography Honors Show. After college she worked at a small family run portrait studio in Pittsford, NY. Here she gained experience in retouching, posing groups and learned about the industry of photography. In 1999, Jules welcomed her son, Karl into the world and put her energy into raising her kids (Clare, 2001.) Her camera was never far behind as she captured her kids growing up and volunteered photographing at their schools and events. Jules got back behind her camera more as her kids got older. Photographing families, children and traveling with a medical team to Haiti to document their mission. In 2020 she moved to Cave Creek, Arizona to be with her partner John, who she married in 2023. While exploring the desert Jules began finding peace and strength. She started to bring her camera with her and captured the pieces of the desert that spoke to her. Feeling the hardness while seeing the softness, simply brought her joy. Photography highlights 1997 Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York Honor’s Photography Show 1997 Phillips Mill Photography Show , New Hope, PA 2015 Solo Exhibition, Haiti Mission Documentary Starbucks, Doylestown, PA Doylestown Hospital Art Walk 2022 Fall Tempe Festival of the Arts, Tempe, Arizona Emerging Artist 2023 Desert Foothills Gallery, Cave Creek, Arizona Source: artists and their inspiration 3rd Place for Desert Blue 2023 Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts, Tempe, Arizona Emerging Artist 2023 Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour, Studio #37

Arizona Dreamin’
Acrylic
14 x 18
$150

A friend once called me a “sponge” and refused to let me drive so I could “soak in” the surroundings. I’ve lived in 11 different states, one foreign country, and visited six different countries. I’ve watched clouds build into glowing towers, been sprayed by crashing waves, and climbed on jagged rocks rising from deep in the earth. Natural wonders are the raw materials for my images. Here in Arizona I watch the mountains that surround us turn pink with the setting sun while saguaro guardians glow orange and small creatures take refuge from their four-legged predators. I use acrylic paint to share my passion for this windswept environment that holds many desert surprises. And there’s no place I’d rather be for my Arizona dreamin’.

Karen Drummond Devers lives in Sun City West, Arizona. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Moorhead State University in Minnesota, her Master of Fine Arts and her PhD in Adult Education from the University of North Dakota. She studied with the art professors at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland and taught drawing in Moss, Norway to American and Norwegian students. For the past 25 years she has designed and taught online and studio art courses. She especially enjoys helping students appreciate diverse forms of art and encouraging them to find their own creative path.

Windswept
Acrylic
18 x 22
$185

A friend once called me a “sponge” and refused to let me drive so I could “soak in” the surroundings. I’ve lived in 11 different states, one foreign country, and visited six different countries. I’ve watched clouds build into glowing towers, been sprayed by crashing waves, and climbed on jagged rocks rising from deep in the earth. Natural wonders are the raw materials for my images. Here in Arizona I watch the mountains that surround us turn pink with the setting sun while saguaro guardians glow orange and small creatures take refuge from their four-legged predators. I use acrylic paint to share my passion for this windswept environment that holds many desert surprises. And there’s no place I’d rather be for my Arizona dreamin’.

Karen Drummond Devers lives in Sun City West, Arizona. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Moorhead State University in Minnesota, her Master of Fine Arts and her PhD in Adult Education from the University of North Dakota. She studied with the art professors at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland and taught drawing in Moss, Norway to American and Norwegian students. For the past 25 years she has designed and taught online and studio art courses. She especially enjoys helping students appreciate diverse forms of art and encouraging them to find their own creative path.

Difficulties in Your Life Do Not Come to Destroy You But to Help You Realize Your Hidden Potential
Acrylic and paint film on canvas
24 x 36
$510

Emphasis, pattern, rhythm, and balance are all concepts shared by painting, music and dancing. While I paint I use them all. Painting feeds my soul and makes my heart sing. All worries vanish from my mind and I am in the moment. I paint my way out of challenging phases of my life, baring my soul to the canvas to heal my wounds. My medium of choice is acrylic due to its quick drying tendencies, which lends itself well to my style of fast action painting. My work is composed of powerful colors, palm and finger swipes and drips, which are built upon through layers until they eventually reveal a relationship to one another and create a strong illusion of depth. I have no grand illusions that art will create a revolution in the traditional sense but have witnessed the powerful changes it can make in an individual. Just one new idea can change a person’s perception and I do that by titling my paintings using powerful statements spoken by my psychiatrist. My mission is to make a difference in people’s lives.

Retired forest service landscape architect Kimber Jones dreamt of painting yet never had the courage to make that first brush stroke. The day the government shutdown in October 2013 a friend encouraged her to join a painting class taught by a prominent artist. Using that time of unemployment and uncertainty as a sign for a life change, she made her first brush stroke and learned that painting fulfilled her life purpose and gave her a voice. Painting has saved her life in the darkest of times. Known in Phoenix as an abstract expressionist, Kimber creates spontaneously with acrylic, as freely as a child. Many artists know exactly where they are headed when they begin; she allows it to take on a life of its own. She paints with her hands while dancing, channeling the music and becoming one with the canvas, in total harmony. Kimber was honored with the inclusion of four paintings in a nationwide group juried exhibition in the United States Department of Agriculture headquarters in Washington D.C. for over one year. Her 2022 concluded with twenty paintings exhibited in numerous group juried shows. Kimber serves on the board of the Arizona Artists Guild.

Never Only Black or White
acrylic media
20×20
$800

I am interested in immersing directly into a work, not simply using visual perception, and experiencing in that moment of looking and questioning what I think I know.  I use space, shape, color, texture and light to create questions and responses.  The result is a confluence of creative mind and spirit and trust in the process. I work in several series that explore how I see and experience the physical and non-physical worlds: landscapes and natural forms, objects and non-objects, and languages and symbols that we universally use to communicate consciously and subconsciously.

Lynn Haygood Lee was born in Nashville and grew up near Atlanta. She received a B.A. in French from Georgia Southern University. She has studied painting with teachers and mentors in New Mexico, Arizona and California. She currently resides in Sedona, where she works daily in the studio. Her works are in the Fine Art Gallery at Sedona Arts Center and she participates in nationally juried exhibitions. Her works are in private collections throughout the United States.

Somewhere in France
Watercolor
22 x 22
$500

I paint what appeals to me and change my working method to suit the subject matter. My primary medium is watercolor, but I also work with other watermedia. I find that painting is very meditative and involves a lot of problem solving which stimulates me and keeps me in my painting zone.

Originally from England, Melanie Harman has lived in Arizona since 1987. She is a member of several Arizona and regional organizations. She is currently Membership Chair for Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona and is VP Exhibitions for Arizona Artists Guild. She likes to hike and travel.

Laurence Road
Watercolor and Gouache
24 x 30
$600

I paint what appeals to me and change my working method to suit the subject matter. My primary medium is watercolor, but I also work with other watermedia. I find that painting is very meditative and involves a lot of problem solving which stimulates me and keeps me in my painting zone.

Originally from England, Melanie Harman has lived in Arizona since 1987. She is a member of several Arizona and regional organizations. She is currently Membership Chair for Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona and is VP Exhibitions for Arizona Artists Guild. She likes to hike and travel.

Bursting Bloom
Mixed Media – Ceramic
14 x 14
$450

I am an anthophile. I love flowers. I am drawn to the special relationship that humans have with flowers. Drawings of flowers, and actual flowers, have been found in ancient Neanderthal and Egyptian graves, festivals in Roman times, fashioned from silk in China, going back as far as 100,000 years ago. While some flowers can be edible, provide medicinal uses and serve as a sign of the fertility of the land, love and the ethereal, the main reason for growing flowers seems to be aesthetic, not for survival. Flowers are a multi-sensory experience that includes sight, smell, and touch. This is an embodied experience. I begin my flower sculptures by observing. Strolling through local nurseries for new species, shapes and colors for inspiration. Taking photographs. I then sit down to start forming the shapes in stoneware clay. I strive to recreate the shape and detail. Sometimes I let my imagination create a new flower. Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings of enlarged flower details inspired me to work bigger. I try to push the clay to its limits and with many failures come rewards. Framing some of my ceramic flowers is done to elevate them and emphasize their importance to me. I have created a snapshot from the garden. A garden that needs no sunlight, water, or fertilizer. A garden that can go anywhere. The various shapes and colors can have special meaning and I like to think that they will draw the viewer closer, to see more and more detail. I hope details of the flowers will stimulate the viewer’s memory of positive associations of the blooms through their experiences with them. As I create my ceramic garden, either by single bloom, bouquet, or wall installation, the aesthetic experience of each flower leads to an embedded experience of feeling connected positively to the world. They connect us to the Earth. I am thrilled if my garden gets a smile or a nod. I hope it takes viewer back to a happy time in their life.

Melanie Mead is a ceramic artist located in Phoenix, Arizona. She came from a creative family in the Midwest, graduating from Arizona State University with a BFA in Graphic Design. Her love of ceramics was cultivated there. She has dabbled in many different media, but after a pause of many years, ceramics has resurfaced with a passion. Her current work specializes in sculpting flowers and other plant life for indoor and outdoor environments.

On The Run
acrylics
14 x 11
$350

Making my paintings happen by creating chaos and bringing order to it is my trademark style which has developed over the past forty-plus years. Using intuitive painting techniques (I call it “inner painting”) and drawing on my subconscious for imagery, I compose paintings as I go. Rather than planning a composition I start with colors poured on the substrate in a loose abstract design, then as I discover hidden images, develop them. Building the painting using this layering process keeps my paintings freshly spontaneous and engaging to me. Using strong color with energetic movement expresses my emotional attachments to the subject matter while telling the story I find within each painting as I bring it to completion.

Arizona artist Nancy Christy-Moore, an internationally collected, award winning painter brings the joy of color, energy and movement to her contemporary abstract mixed media and alcohol inks work. Education at Columbia College, Columbia, Missouri, the American Academy of Art in Chicago, and Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles led her into teaching and exhibiting her work for the past forty years. Her unique signature style of “Inner Painting” develops her colorful contemporary art from within on a subconscious level reflecting her love of horses, florals and energetic, free-flowing colors. Her horse series results from a lifetime love of horses and speaks to the power and energy she connects with when painting them. She has had over 20 solo exhibits, in three states, and two in Japan. She accepts creative commissions and welcome working with clients and designers. Included in many private and corporate collections worldwide, her paintings have appeared in museums, the Louisville International Airport Altitude Travelers Club, and as limited edition prints for the Hyatt Regency hotel chain. In 2007 Kennedy Publications selected her for its “Best of America Mixed Media Artists and Artisans Vol. 1”.  She was cover artist for the Summer 2011 issue of “Horses in Art” and the Official Artist for Menlo Charity Horse Show 2012. She was invited in 2019 and again in 2020 to be an Artist in Residence at the famous Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, AZ. Nancy has produced a series of instructional videos on water media techniques featured on You Tube, and a 42 minute DVD, “Nancy Christy-Moore Painting Together Again”. See her 24 minute episode filmed by Colour In Your Life featured at Nancy Christy-Moore interview at Put Some Colour In Your Life.

Summer Canyon
Oil
16×20
$400

I have been exploring new styles and techniques in oil painting. This has been a very challenging I have been researching the different subjects and landscapes of our area. I like to focus on the personality of the subject, painting close up and personal, revealing both its beauty and it’s flaws. The introduction of colors, textures and content has been a great source of inspiration. I love these subjects because of the contradiction they represent. I paint the luscious beauty and the hazard, and how they are in conflict with each other.

After I retired from a career of teaching art, I wanted to take this opportunity to actually create for myself. As a teacher, one wants to give their students their voice, creativity and the tools they will need to achieve this. Now it is my turn. So, I’ve completed southwestern sketches, painted and taken photographs of new environment for the purpose of learning more about it. I have experienced rodeos, ranches, truck cemeteries, western towns and walked through old graveyards. I fell in love with the western scenery and events that are truly unique and I want to explore more.

Levels
Oil
16×20
$400

I have been exploring new styles and techniques in oil painting. This has been a very challenging I have been researching the different subjects and landscapes of our area. I like to focus on the personality of the subject, painting close up and personal, revealing both its beauty and it’s flaws. The introduction of colors, textures and content has been a great source of inspiration. I love these subjects because of the contradiction they represent. I paint the luscious beauty and the hazard, and how they are in conflict with each other.

After I retired from a career of teaching art, I wanted to take this opportunity to actually create for myself. As a teacher, one wants to give their students their voice, creativity and the tools they will need to achieve this. Now it is my turn. So, I’ve completed southwestern sketches, painted and taken photographs of new environment for the purpose of learning more about it. I have experienced rodeos, ranches, truck cemeteries, western towns and walked through old graveyards. I fell in love with the western scenery and events that are truly unique and I want to explore more.

Thriving
Watercolor
14 x 11
$550

I am enamored with the interaction of pigment and water – on the palette and on paper, and the spontaneity and transparency of watercolors. Through my paintings I aim to give the viewer a moment of calm and awe while appreciating the amazing beauty of nature. I am drawn to the play of light to create highlights and shadows and enjoy creating a three-dimensional effect on two dimensional paper. I have primarily painted florals and wildlife, and strive to capture their intricate details. My submissions for Breaking Ground include subjects who have, with human assistance, overcome near extinction (the Arabian Oryx), and cactii (Echinopsis huascha and Echinopsis spachiana) that endure harsh desert environments to produce brilliant blossoms.

Rupali Holmes is a computer engineer by education and career, but a visual artist at heart. After a few years making art with colored pencils, she tried watercolors and fell in love with the medium. She has been painting regularly and exclusively in this medium since 2017 and has taken several online and in-person workshops to learn from accomplished watercolorists. She primarily paints florals and animals in a realistic style and aspires to paint landscapes in an expressive style. Rupali is a juried member of the Arizona Watercolor Association (AWA) and Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona (CWA). Her paintings have been juried in exhibitions organized by the AWA, CWA, Arizona Art Alliance, Arizona Artists Guild, Shemer Art Center, Herberger Theater Center, Arizona Center for Nature Conservation and the West Valley Arts Center. She has also painted numerous pet portrait commissions.

The Brick Wall
Print on Canvas
20” x 16”
$250

An expression of my road to recovery in my fight against breast cancer.

Originally a performing vocal artist born and raised in the Philippines, visual arts came as an epiphany for me when I was diagnosed with breast cancer a year after I migrated to Connecticut, USA in 2015. Chemotherapy opened a new door to my artistry as my voice and strength slowly faded with regular infusions of Taxotere and Herceptin. Too weak to do almost anything, painting with my iPad and iPencil miraculously aided in my survival against the toxicity and existential threat invading my body. I am now an internationally acclaimed mobile artist… one of the winners of Mira Mobile Prize in Portugal ( 2022 and 2023), MAG Mobile Art Group in Italy, and MDAC (Mobile Digital Art Creativity Online) where one my works was exhibited at the Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, California in 2021.

New Day Dawning
Print on Canvas
20” x 16”
$250

An expression of my road to recovery in my fight against breast cancer.

Originally a performing vocal artist born and raised in the Philippines, visual arts came as an epiphany for me when I was diagnosed with breast cancer a year after I migrated to Connecticut, USA in 2015. Chemotherapy opened a new door to my artistry as my voice and strength slowly faded with regular infusions of Taxotere and Herceptin. Too weak to do almost anything, painting with my iPad and iPencil miraculously aided in my survival against the toxicity and existential threat invading my body. I am now an internationally acclaimed mobile artist… one of the winners of Mira Mobile Prize in Portugal ( 2022 and 2023), MAG Mobile Art Group in Italy, and MDAC (Mobile Digital Art Creativity Online) where one my works was exhibited at the Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, California in 2021.

Locking Horns
Oil
20 inches x 16 inches
$1,500

The art I paint embodies the essence of the Southwest. I strive to provide the viewer a powerful experience through each painting by creating a lasting inspiration, sense of wonder and exploration of what the American Southwest once was and is today.

Sharon is a talented artist from rural New Mexico whose love for art began at an early age. Her artwork is heavily influenced by the local culture and history which she incorporates into her beautifully expressive and informative paintings. Sharon’s deep love for the Southwest has inspired her to explore the region capturing its majestic landscapes and portraying the rich history and culture through her artwork. Sharon’s unique artistic style and vibrant palette breathe life into her painting, creating an emotional connection with viewers and collectors alike. Her paintings can be found in private collections across the United States and Europe.

Emerge
acrylic (on canvas)
30w x 40h
$780

I often choose bold colors and combinations to better express the feeling of the content and story of a painting. In this piece I express both the intense desert environment and the desolation. Part impressionist reality and part fantasy or illusion are combined in this piece to represent an ‘angel’ of sorts. I believe an angel is available in each of us, and called upon or not, may ‘Emerge’ to offer kindness and guidance to a given situation.

Sue Eddy is an artist whose great love and appreciation of our natural world dominates her work. Known for her colorful style, she brings a bold vision to her works. She is primarily a painter, using acrylics and often works from her own photography. The artist resides in Arizona full time. She has also lived in Ireland for many of the past twenty years, most recently as resident artist to Poets Corner in the Lyons Desmesne. She was educated in multi-discipline Fine Arts at the University of Oklahoma. Her use of color and imagined reality is influenced by mentor artist P. Gunter Wray. A member of several area art groups, she participates in a variety of juried art shows and shows her work in select galleries. Sue’s work can be found in private collection across the United States and abroad. AZ Artist Guild; AZ Art Alliance; GVAL; WHAM; Sonoran Arts League, and featured artist Herberger Art Galleries Contact: itsueddy@gmail.com

The passage
Acrylic
24 x 36
$1,250

Clouds, open skies, nature, ocean and farmland are my inspirations. I use acrylic paint, as well as a multitude of color and texture to evoke a sense of mood and environment for others to experience.

Currently living in Arizona, Suzie Blackwell is a juried artist and graphic designer originally from Oregon where she derives most of her creative inspiration. Since losing her sister in 2017, painting has been a continuous comfort and creative journey. Exploring acrylics and other mediums while developing a style that is colorful and textural.

Water Lilies
watercolor
11 x 15
$425

Tanya has studied watercolor painting for the last twenty-five years and is a Signature Member of the Arizona Watercolor Association and the Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona. She is a member of the Vanguard Artists and the Sun City West Art Club. She has taken classes from many internationally recognized artist and teachers including Ron Ranson, Alvaro Castagnet, Tom Lynch, Stan Miller, Ron Stocke, and Ted Nuttall. She’s offered adult watercolor classes for more than 20 years. She has a passion for sharing her love of making art with others.

Tanya’s artwork has been juried into regional and open art shows. Her paintings have been accepted into the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, Arizona Watercolor Society, Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona, Arizona Art Alliance, WHAM (What’s Happening Art Movement), Rochester Contemporary Art Center NY, Sun West Art Show, and others. Her works are in private collections and Tacoma General Hospital. Tanya has appeared on Washington Comcast television demonstrating her painting technique for dramatic skies.

Tanya enjoys playing with paint- watching it mingle and move into luminescent backgrounds and shapes. She is passionate about color and light. She loves to capture the atmosphere of the sky with dramatic clouds. Other paintings are influenced from living and traveling overseas for many years.

In addition to dramatic skies and landscapes, Tanya is painting watercolor portraits and experimenting in acrylic and mixed media. She loves being challenged by new techniques and strives to learn more to share with her students.