Fantastic Four at Sedona Arts Center

The evening will be cool, the poets will be entertaining and the works of four outstanding artists will be exciting this First Friday September 4th at the Sedona Arts Center. Arrive at 4:00 pm for a delightful hour at Poets Corner in the Sculpture Garden and stay for the wine reception in the Fine Art Gallery. The Sedona Arts Center’s new September Exhibit, Nature’s Spirit, runs through September 30th, and features a wonderful mix of artists depicting the essence of nature through their unique mediums ~ Dorisanne Soyka (Gourd Art), Patricia Steele (Colored Pencils), Dawn Sutherland (Oils), and Shane McDermott (Photography).

Dorisanne Soyka was an executive secretary in Southern California for over 20 years before leaving the corporate world in 1993 to get in touch with her artistic soul. After experimenting in various media, she discovered gourds as an art form, which was an inspirational awakening. She was instantly caught up in a spiritual connection between gourds and nature and herself….a mystical connection that continues to appeal and inspire her today. Each gourd has a story to tell and guides Dorisanne in her choice of techniques to apply, whether it is painting, staining, wood burning, weaving, or all of the above! The results are whispered messages to the viewer from nature’s spirit.

Patricia Steele is a native of Michigan and moved to Arizona in the early 1970s to earn a Fine Arts Degree from Arizona State University. After working for many years as an advertising and commercial photographer, she turned her attention to nature and portrait photography. She began exploring national parks and wildlife refuges with her camera. In recent years, she has developed a passion for creating realistic and compelling likenesses of wildlife, such as bobcat, coyote, and Gambles quail – frequent visitors to her backyard in Scottsdale – always working in her favorite medium, colored pencils. Her drawings definitely have a voice of their own.

Dawn Sutherland grew up on a farm in northern Wisconsin where she developed a deep appreciation of the natural environment at an early age. A teacher and counselor most of her adult life, Dawn first began painting in 2001. Through dedicated study, she learned to communicate her love of the natural environment through oil painting. Dawn moved to Cottonwood in 2003 and has continued to refine her skills by taking classes with noted landscape painters. She particularly enjoys painting “en plein air” and is known for her exceptional ability to capture light within the shadows, providing the viewer with a sense of being in the space, and communicating the warmth and solidity of the rocks and landforms.

Shane is an award-winning nature photographer residing in Flagstaff, Arizona. His fascination with nature and particularly wildlife began at the early age of four – hours were spent drawing animals. His attraction and wonder for nature never diminished, however his means of expressing and sharing his love for it didn’t blossom until he discovered photography. The art of photographic conservation and education are now the primary driving force behind Shane’s creative visions. Through a unique combination of artistry, patience and an astonishing capacity to envision and capture the natural world on film, Shane’s images quickly attract the attention and imagination of all who view them.

Meet the artists one-on-one and enjoy free demonstrations throughout the month as each works in her medium of choice. Dorisanne ~ Sept 11th (1 to 4 pm); Patricia Steele ~ Sept 12th; 18th (11 am to 2pm); Dawn Sutherland ~ Sept 16th, 20th & 30th (1 to 3pm).

The First Friday event starts with poetry from 4:00 to 5:00pm followed by an artist reception from 5:00 to 8:00pm – no admission. Everyone is invited! It is a lovely way to spend the evening.

The Sedona Arts Center is located at the north end of Uptown Sedona, on the left just before entering Oak Creek Canyon. For more information, please call the Gallery at 928-282-3865, the Administrative Office 928-282-3809, or visit our Website at http://www.SedonaArtsCenter.com.

Joanie Wolter Wins Sedona Arts Center Members Open 2009 People’s Choice Award

SEDONA, Ariz. (August 11, 2009 ) Joanie Wolter’s Big Ass Raven Sculpture won the People’s Choice Award during the Sedona Arts Center’s 3rd Annual Members Open Exhibition held July 3rd through July 26th . The award was determined by ballots cast by all visitors to the 3rd Annual Members Open Exhibition which ran July 3rd through July 26th in the Community Gallery. The award was presented by Shirley Eichten Albrecht, the Art Center’s Gallery Director, on August 7th, during the First Friday Reception.

The artist, Joanie Wolter, was born and reared in Southern California. She earned a degree in sociology at the University of California at Santa Barbara and a teaching credential in elementary education from Long Beach State. Most of her teaching career, which lasted 37 years, was spent working with “at risk” students in alternative educational settings.

Joanie has always been a crafter, having done knitting, crocheting, sewing, and tole painting as hobbies for years. She fell in love with mosaics after taking classes in Long Beach, where she and Charlie lived. After working with very needy students all day long, she found that going out to her workshop was a welcome respite, and offered her a sense of peace and solitude.

She discovered the Sedona Art Center shortly after their move, and took many classes before finding that ceramics was her favorite medium. As a result, she’s a regular at SAC’s ceramics studio, and has taken additional classes from guest artists, where she learned to work with paper clay. She’s always had an appreciation for the beauty of the outdoors, particularly flowers, and began making them from paper clay to embellish her hand built pieces.

Recently Joanie has taken another artistic turn and has found a new passion – sculpting. The whimsical pieces she creates reflect who she is – a little goofy and fun loving. These sculptures are made from a low-fire fiber clay which she finds gives them durability and sturdiness. Most of her “senior series” pieces are modeled after her – a full figured, middle-aged woman ready to live life to its fullest.

The winning piece was the result of Joanie’s fascination with the ravens in Sedona, which are so much larger than the ones in her native state of California. She loves to watch them soar endlessly in the sky and “make themselves heard” seemingly communicating with fellow ravens while gazing at the world from a chosen perch in trees near her home. She couldn’t resist using that fascination to create the charming winning piece, which has already been purchased. However, for your enjoyment another raven piece is currently being shown the Arts Center’s Fine Art Gallery located at the end of Uptown Sedona – on the right, just before entering Oak Creek Canyon.

She and her husband, Charlie, became full-time residents of Sedona the day after Joanie’s retirement was official in 2007 – and have not looked back. They and their three cats love the serenity and beauty that surrounds them.

This Members Open Exhibition was created in 2007 to afford all Sedona Arts Center Member Artists the opportunity to show a piece of their finest work in a non-juried exhibit. The Annual JURIED Members Exhibition is held in March. For more information on the gallery and upcoming exhibitions, please call 928-282-3865 or visit our Website at http://www.sedonaartscenter.com/.

First Friday at Sedona Arts Center Kicks Off 4th Annual Sedona Pin-up Show May 1st

First Friday at Sedona Arts Center
Beauty of Light Exhibit, Talented Poets, Pin-up Show

SEDONA, AZ. (April 22, 2008): Mark your calendars for the Sedona Arts Center’s First Friday Activities on May 1st, 5 – 8pm. The evening opens at 4:00pm for an hour of poetry at Poets Corner. Enjoy the return of two audience favorites: KC Baker from San Francisco and Amy Mae Calhoun from Prescott. Opening for them will be Lynn Heil from Sedona who will be reading his poetry publicly for the first time. Poets Corner performances will be followed by opening receptions from 5 – 8pm for the Center’s two new exhibits. Join us for evening of art and fun! Everyone is invited – no admission for the events.

The Fine Art Gallery’s May exhibit, “Beauty of Light,” is one that you do not want to miss. The show features the unique works of four talented member artists: Marlys K. Mallet and Michael Redhawk with their captivating Unison Series, amazing art quilts by Jane Defoe, beautiful ceramic art by Dennis Ott, and exquisite jewelry by Michael Redhawk. The exhibit will run through June 3rd ~ open daily from 10am – 5pm.

The 4th Annual Sedona Pin-Up Show, located in the Community Gallery, is a celebration of art in the raw – ready for you to find those pieces you cannot live without – and later enjoy the experience of choosing the matting and frames that will harmonize perfectly with your home or office decor. This could be the opportunity of a lifetime to buy a piece created by a local well-known artist or possibly one yet undiscovered at a very reasonable price. Everything in the show will be priced from $50 to $500 – something is bound to catch your eye – and match your pocketbook! This unusual and exciting exhibition runs for only three days! It opens with the reception on Friday, May 1st from 5 – 8pm and continues on Saturday, May 2nd and Sunday, May 3rd from 10am – 5pm.

The Annual Pinup Show was organized four years ago to attract a wide variety of artists from all around the area. The show is unusual for Sedona and the Arts Center because it is non-juried and open to all artists of any level from Yavapai and Coconino Counties – including children.

Begin the evening with the Poetry Readings in the Sculpture Garden, join the revelry and buying frenzy at the 4th Annual Pin-up Show in the Community Gallery, and bask in the beauty of the unique creations by the featured artists in the Fine Art Gallery.

The Sedona Arts Center is located at State Route 89A & Art Barn Road in uptown Sedona. The Galleries are open daily from 10-5. For more information call 928-282-3809 or visit http://www.sedonaartscenter.com/.