Lifting the Sky: Elevating the Works of American Women Artists by amwomenartists

LIFTING THE SKY:

ELEVATING THE WORKS OF AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS NATIONAL ONLINE JURIED SHOW

MAY 20 – AUGUST 21, 2021

LIFTING THE SKY: ELEVATING THE WORKS OF AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS A not-for-profit organization dedicated to the inspiration, celebration, and encouragement of women in the arts. NATIONAL ONLINE JURIED SHOW MAY 20 – AUGUST 21, 2021

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

Copyright © 2021 by the American Women Artists, Lodi, California Front cover (clockwise from upper left): Megan Seiter, Dolores Jamie Lindholm, The Interconnectedness of Geography and Viewpoint Kim VanDerHoek, They Made Maps of the Sky Star Liana York, Bobkits Kirsten Kokkin, Young Dancer Julie Tsang Kavanagh, Girl with Dahlias Edited by Aleta Carpenter Designed by Ted Angel Publication Manager, Amanda Zimmerman

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS Selection and Awards Jurors

Introduction by Maurine St. Gaudens and Joseph Morsman

Artwork

Acknowledgements

166

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SELECTION & AWARDS JURORS EM I LY LARSEN Emily Larsen is a curator and collage artist based in Utah. She currently works as the Head of Exhibitions and Programs at the Springville Museum of Art. She researches and writes about Utah artists, with a specific focus on Utah’s women artists c. 1880-1950. The Springville Museum of Art is Utah’s first museum for the visual fine arts. Dedicated as a “Sanctuary of Beauty and a Temple of Contemplation” by David O. McKay, the Museum houses over 2,500 works. Utah art, twentieth-century Soviet Realist art, and American art comprise the Museum’s permanent collection.

M O N I KA M ELER Monika Meler is the Foundations Art Coordinator and Assistant Professor at the University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne, IN. She earned her B.F.A. from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She continued her studies at Purdue University, where she earned an M.A., followed with an M.F.A from Tyler School of Art, Temple University. While at Tyler, Monika spent a year studying in Rome, Italy. Monika has exhibited her work extensively in group, juried, and solo exhibitions. She has completed residencies at Zygote Press in Cleveland, Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, Emmanuel College in Boston, Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Connecticut, Frans Masereel Center in Belgium, Cork Printmakers in Ireland, and Women’s Studio Workshop in New York. Solo Exhibits include The Color of Distance and Desire at the Western Colorado Center for the Arts, The Center That Cannot Hold at FrontierSpace in Montana, and The Distance Between at the Limerick Printmakers Gallery in Ireland.

MARY WI LLIAMS Mary Williams’ extensive career in galleries began when she moved to Colorado with her 3-year-old daughter when she was 30. Her career path includes opening multiple galleries– selling rare prints and maps–across Colorado for a businessman, including one in Aspen. After 13 years, Mary resigned to fulfill her dream of representing living artists while still selling antique prints and maps. Mary Williams Fine Arts, located in Boulder, CO, opened its doors in 1996 with the intention of becoming specialists in representational fine arts, including contemporary art, antique prints, and reproductions. After just over two decades of working with artists from coast to coast, the artists that the gallery represents today are true to its standards of excellence.

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

TH E VISI O N O F TH E AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS in presenting their monumental 25 in 25: 25 Museum Shows in 25 Years program, which includes this year’s presentation; Lifting the Sky: Elevating the Works of American Women Artists, continues the extraordinary trajectory in recognizing the accomplishments of today’s ever expanding roster of women working in the visual Fine Arts.

MAURINE ST. GAUDENS AND JOSEPH MORSMAN

When examining the strides we have made as a collective society in celebrating the artistic accomplishments of women artists we would be remiss in not acknowledging the role played by countless women whose work never received the recognition they or it deserved. This was our goal in recognizing the work of just a few of these artists in Emerging from the Shadows; A Survey of Women Artists Working in California, 1860-1960. And although our focus specifically recognized women based in California, in actuality, these artists carried a much broader mantle. Women artists today, owe a great amount of gratitude to the women artists who preceded them. This concept, of course, has been stated many times before, but has the construct really been internalized? Furthermore, by today’s standards, how difficult is it to be original and not be derivative? Do artists today really understand what constitutes derivation? And how do the struggles of the women who came before them resonate in the world of contemporary art? Regardless of talent, basic appreciation and knowledge of the past can enrich an artist’s perspective. First and foremost, every artist should have a knowledge and understanding of art history, without this they may never be aware of the fact that part of their art is a representation of a visual form which they have experienced in the past. Art has always been at the mercy of the times in which it was created with respect to the dictated tastes and responses of the purchasing public; albeit institutional or private. Thus the ability today to create a totally unique piece of art is daunting, in that so much has been expressed since cave drawings that there appears little which has not been already attempted. This is the challenge which hangs over the aspiring artists of today; female or male. AWA’s platform and mission stands in inspiring, celebrating and encouraging women artists, but the question remains should art be divided into categories of gender? Do we really need to single-out and support female artist? This question has dogged artists for centuries and it continues to do so. Even while working on Emerging from the Shadows, the perceived notion that much of the work we were showing “was too good to have been created by a woman” never ceased to amaze us. Hopefully this attitude will one day no longer be an issue in not only the art world but the world in general. Of course art and the creation thereof should stand on its own merit regardless of what or who created it, but that is idealistic even in today’s environment. So what is an aspiring artist to do in order to stand out, attract attention and basically survive as a working artist? The answer is, be the best that you can be in what you want to achieve. First and foremost learn how to draw. The artists who preceded you and have lasted through the ages knew how to draw; they knew the concept of what a line could create. And they practiced, observed and studied what the line represented, challenging and perfecting it into a unique work. Unique and differentiated from other artists lines because it was a confident, good, powerful, and well-constructed line – one’s own line. And that alone will give today’s artists the ability to be a good artist regardless of gender.

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LESLIE ADAMS

RENOIR’S BOUQUET: A PORTRAIT OF DEBRA CALABRESE SIZE: 60ʺH x 40ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

CELEBRATI N G TH E M ISSI O N of this exhibition, Renoir’s Bouquet tells the story of an American woman artist. The artist depicted here, however, is Debra Calabrese, a dancer, seeking repose in the Toledo Museum of Art with her favorite Impressionist landscape quietly in view. As the celebration of her daughter’s wedding draws to a close, her bare feet rest upon the cold marble. Flowers pulled from bouquets carried by three generations, with colors borrowed from the 19th century artist’s palette, are placed gently nearby. People, stories, and art. These are my passions. I am most fortunate that my subjects include members of private society as well as the corporate, academic, religious, judicial, civic, and cultural leaders of our day. It is my honor to tell their stories.

L E S L I E A D A M S • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (OH) • WWW.LESLI EADAMS.COM

While focusing on narrative art and portraiture, Leslie has received prestigious awards from the Butler Institute of American Art, New York Academy of Art, and the Portrait Society of America, including Signature Status designation and the Draper Grand Prize in its International Portrait Competition. Her works have been exhibited in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Art Renewal Center’s International ARC Salon, Toledo Museum of Art, and European Museum of Modern Art. She is represented in the permanent collections of museums and institutions throughout the world. 9

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CAROL ALLEMAN AWAKENING BLISS

SIZE: 17.25ʺH x 7.25ʺW x 7.25ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze, Limited Edition of 29

TH IS VESSEL N U D G ES US to recognize the hidden beauty of “disturbances” in our lives to support us in growing and ultimately blooming. It reminds us of the heavy load of living in illusion (buds nodding akin to poppy), while life awaits our awakened blooming. It is hoped to inspire us to lift our heads and hearts high – open ourselves to the higher Realm and continual inner growth. It is hoped to impart an essence of the deep bliss of conscious living – the awakened bliss of Love; that state in which we quite naturally are sensitively aware of our entire universe and where the life of even one single honeybee both matters and affects the entire web of life.

C A R O L A L L E M A N • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.ALLE MANSTU DIOS.COM

Carol’s museum-quality, nature-inspired work encompasses intricate patinas, with vast cut-out areas, in the ancient vessel form. Companion Writings accompany each bronze, sharing her inspiration and poetry. She has earned many notable awards, and exhibits widely across the USA, including a lengthy list of museum exhibitions. Born in Pennsylvania, she obtained her degree in Art Education from the Pennsylvania State University and continued graduate studies at the Lancaster Theological Seminary, PA. She is a Signature Member of American Women Artists. 10

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JANEIL ANDERSON UNCERTAINTY SIZE: 36ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

I CH O OSE TO PAI NT FI G U RATIVE. In this setting a mother and daughter are wading in a shallow river to cool off on a hot summer day, and hear something in the distance that they are not sure of. I like to paint a story and have viewers come up with their own stories. I am attracted to the beauty of the river and the mother and daughter. And I accepted the challenge of painting the reflections.

J A N E I L A N D E R S O N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (N M) • WWW.JAN E I LAN DE RSON.COM

JaNeil has lived and worked the lifestyle of the American Cowboy/Cowgirl and Rancher. Coupled with her incredible artistic talents and ability to capture the emotion of the moment, JaNeil’s art is unique and refreshing. She has studied under Cowboy Artist James Reynolds and R.S. Riddick. Initially, JaNeil worked in pencil, then moved to pastel and now works in oils. Her intricate painting style, the fine details of oils, and her appreciation for color allow her works to capture a moment in time. 11

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LAUREN ANDERSON

SIZE: 9ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

AFTERNOON TEA

A CO NSISTENT TH EM E I N MY PAI NTI N GS is balance, conveyed through delicate relationships between movement and stillness, subtle and bright colors, objects in space, and contrast between past and present. Sometimes this includes a direct relation to the work of historical masters, and sometimes it presents itself in a juxtaposition of my personal experiences, inspirations and memories, and my physical place in the world. In the

midst of life’s chaos, my paintings explore and share the simple story of our humanity within a quietly captured moment. These intimate moments have a meditative quality and are meant to offer the viewer a similar moment, providing a space where they are able to hear their own thoughts and delight in a beautiful moment of solitude and reflection.

L A U R E N A N D E R S O N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.LAU R E NAN DE RSON FI N EART.COM

Lauren lives and works in Denver, CO, a unique contrast to growing up in the Midwest. She earned her BFA from Miami University, and during her time there, also studied with Israel Hershberg in Civita Castellana, Italy. Lauren is a 2015 recipient of an Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grant and was awarded grants by The Allied Arts, Inc., in 2016 and 2019. Her work is privately collected across the United States. Lauren also spends her time giving back through her charitable effort Paintings for Patients. 12

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NANCY BASS

SIZE: 36ʺH x 36ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

AT THE MUSEUM (AFTER MEL BOCHNER) MY O N G O I N G SERI ES, “At the Museum,” builds on a passion for painting cows that I developed over the course of many years raising cattle in central Virginia. Each painting in this series juxtaposes a cow with an iconic work of American or European art. This reflects my interest in the exploration of color and texture, and

the boundary between nature and culture. Mel Bochner’s Blah Blah Blah appealed to me both for its playful use of text and its message, which perfectly captures the ennui of the present moment. The challenge lay in finding the perfect cow to pair with the colors and attitude of the artwork.

N A N CY B A S S • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (FL) • WWW.NANCYBASSARTIST.COM

For 35 years, Nancy has lived and worked on a farm in Albemarle County, VA, where she raised a herd of cattle with her husband. Nancy’s most recent work, her series At the Museum, builds on her interest in juxtaposing realism and abstraction, and in transgressing the human/animal divide. Her recent awards include a First Place from The Artist’s Magazine 37th Annual Competition and a Jurors Award in the Art2Life International Competition. 13

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HELEN K BEACHAM

SIZE: 22ʺH x 22ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on Arches 300#cp

THE GUARDIANS

I TU RN ED TO TH E FRO NT D O O R and witnessed this beautiful light bending around the doorman of Le Mount Stephen, a boutique hotel in Montreal. It was the juxtaposition of this commanding figure

next to the stately stained glass figure that caught my eye. My challenge was to connect these two distinct personalities into one elevated contemporary painting.

H E L E N K B E A C H A M • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (SC) • WWW.H E LE N K B EACHAM.COM

Helen has exhibited her watercolors in 48 solo and group shows since becoming a professional artist in 1983. Her painting retreats take her to Italy, France, and Montreal, her hometown. She became a U.S. citizen in 2016 and currently lives outside Charleston, SC. Helen is an award-winning watercolorist and was recently chosen by The Artists Magazine as one of 10 winners “over 60” (this same painting won her that distinction!). 14

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HOLLY BEDROSIAN THE INFLUENCER

SIZE: 27.5ʺH x 19.5ʺW MEDIUM: Colored pencil on sanded paper

SO CIAL M ED IA IS SU CH A BI G PART of many of our lives, and the desire to be recognized and admired is magnified with the vast internet at our fingertips. The Influencer is a social media star who has risen to the top in her field, achieving status and admiration with her unwavering beauty and style. Followers look to her for style, beauty and life tips, while businesses clamor for a post to boost their sales.

H O L LY B E D R O S I A N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.HOLLYB E DROSIAN.COM

Holly’s work captures quiet moments that lend an introspective feeling through use of details in expression, clothing, and pose. She works in colored pencil and in oil to create realistic portraits and figurative art. Her self-portraits, which offer inside looks into the artist’s personal life, have been particularly popular among collectors. Holly’s goal with each piece is to transcend the transient moments that can be readily captured by a photograph, and convey deeper and more enduring struggles and joys that we all experience. 15

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CAROLE BELLIVEAU

SIZE: 24ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Mixed Media

THE WAY HOME

I BEGAN MY LI FE O F ART as a self-taught sculptor crafting original one-of-a-kind and limited-edition art dolls. Later I switched to painting landscapes and the figure. My subjects of women and children represent the world in its most beautiful, ethereal, sacred and eternal aspects.

I have concentrated on figures my entire life, but they do not exist in a vacuum. Instead, both disciplines of figure and landscape painting enhance my appreciation for the inherent design found in nature and help me express visual ideas that comment on the world in which we live.

C A R O L E B E L L I V E A U • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (N M) • WWW.CAROLE B E LLIVEAU.COM

Carole’s most notable awards are the Grand Prize of the Cadmium Award at TRAC 2019, and both the FASO BoldBrush Award in Oil and the Outstanding BoldBrush in Acrylic. She is a member of The Portrait Society of America, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society and has earned Signature Status in American Women Artists and Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Association. her work is in both public and private collections, notably in the Monterey California Courthouse. 16

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LUCREZIA BIELER

SIZE: 24ʺH x 42ʺW MEDIUM: Paper cut with scissors

INVASIVE

I AM USI N G SI N G LE SH EETS of black paper and scissors to make complex cut images. The material and the production process reflect the delicacy and also the fragility of nature. All things are interconnected and interwoven and have an impact on each other. My work discusses the interactions in nature: the eternal flow of life. Coral reefs are essential, beautiful, diverse ecosystems with an amazing biodiversity.

Invasive species like the lionfish are decimating the fish populations, destroying the Ecosystem, and are a threat to the coral reef’s well-being. Harmful chemicals, oxybenzone, and octinoxate in sunscreens damage corals. Be careful not to touch, kick or stand on the corals you see in the water because it might damage or even kill the delicate animals.

L U C R EZ I A B I E L E R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (FL) • WWW.B I E LE R-B E E R LI.COM

Lucrezia is a Swiss-born artist living in Florida. She studied art at the Hochschule der Künste in Zurich, Switzerland, and graduated with honors as Scientific Illustrator. Her images are often designed in the form of mandalas (Sanskrit: “circle”) as an image of a symbolic order of the universe. She is working on a series of pictures of endangered animals and ecosystems. Lucrezia’s work is included in museum collections and shown nationally and internationally, and has received many awards. 17

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KELLY BIRKENRUTH WRAPPED IN SECRETS SIZE: 28ʺH x 22ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on Panel

WRAPPED I N SECRETS IS A PAI NTI N G meant to provoke questions. The model’s straight-on stance is direct and almost confrontational, defying the viewer to observe her physical and emotional being. Yet the finger to her lips and her nakedness shrouded in the sheer fabric make it impossible to know her inner thoughts, to truly see her vulnerability. She is a master of secrecy, keeping her body and thoughts private, leaving the viewer wanting to know more.

K E L LY B I R K E N R UTH • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CT) • WWW.K E LLYB I R K E N R UTH.COM

Kelly is a representational painter whose work pairs classic technique with a contemporary aesthetic. Her paintings hang in public and private collections and have been exhibited at many galleries and museums, including MEAM Barcelona, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Rockwell Museum, Tucson Desert Art Museum, Mystic Museum of Art and New Britain Museum of American Art. She has won awards from prestigious organizations such as Art Renewal Center, American Women Artists, Artists Magazine and Portrait Society of America. 18

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MARLYS BODDY ROAD WARRIOR SIZE: 12ʺH x 7ʺW MEDIUM: Ceramic sculpture

SU M M ER TRAVEL IS A WO N D ERFU L time to observe people. Talking with those who ride the open road gives some insight into an experience that many of us who drive by car will never have. When traveling the open road, the riders are in tune with the sights, the smells, and, more importantly, the ever-changing weather. They experience every curve of the road. They see the world around them a little more clearly, both the good and the bad. But no matter which way we choose to travel, we will all eventually arrive at the same destination.

M A R LYS B O D DY • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (N M) • WWW.MAR LYSBODDY.COM

Facial expression, combined with an endless variety of features and emotions, is the primary focus of Marlys’s work. Her ceramic sculptures celebrate this wonderful diversity of humanity. Her work has been in numerous shows throughout the country and has won several prestigious awards, including the Medal of Honor from the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club and the John Springer Award from the National Sculpture Society. Marlys’s ”Cellist” is currently on display at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, FL. 19

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SUSAN BRABEAU ORANGE CANNAS

SIZE: 36ʺH x 48ʺW MEDIUM: Oil and Enamel on Linen

FO R TH E LAST TWO YEARS I have concentrated on my garden flowers, mostly in the dark. I generally specialize in Americana scenes, but as an avid gardener, my flowers were calling me, especially at night and during a pandemic. I go out with a headlamp on, a flashlight, and my iPhone. My lights accentuate characteristics that the viewer barely ever gets a chance to see. After much experimentation, I learned how to make my oil paints glow with the slightest bit of light on them. The trick is to layer a special enamel paint over my dry oils. I used these kinds of paints with my brother when we were little and building model airplanes. This large and bold image actually glows from across the room and takes command.

S U S A N B R A B E A U • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (NC) • WWW.SUSAN B RAB EAU.COM

Susan’s interests have always been theatrical and storytelling: MSU graduate, Big Band singer, Broadway musical comedy, then painting her stories with oils as a Magic Realist, and now expressing her unique view of Mother Nature, usually in the smallest hours of the morning. She took Best of Show 2019 in the “Art in the Arboretum” Exhibition in Wilmington, NC. And the same in 2011-2019 at the North Carolina State Fair. Starting May 31, Susan will represent North Carolina in the “America The Beautiful” Exhibition. 20

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

PAIGE BRADLEY EXPANSION RISING SIZE: 32ʺH x 21ʺW x 14.25ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze with Electricity

WH EN AN ARTIST CREATES a work, I believe that it remains incomplete until a viewer sees the art and is moved by it. Only then does the made object become ‘Art’; meaningful and whole. We are simply makers in our studio, but constantly striving to be visionary and intuitive. As an artist, I have dedicated my work to being honest with myself and empathizing with others. My inspiration comes from my connection to the world, my relationships with others, and being true to myself. My work celebrates the generous and courageous human spirit and our desire to be understood. As an artist, the greatest reward is when my work transcends language and geography, connecting deeply with people all over the world.

PA I G E B R A D L EY • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CT) • WWW.PAI G E B RADLEY.COM

Paige’s sculptures showcase more than just physical strength and passion of dynamic figures – her works testify to the inner strength and fortitude of a person’s soul. Paige’s personal experiences are the starting point upon which she builds meaningful messages of humanity into fine art that is universally understood. The unseen and often unspoken dichotomies one encounters in life – joy and sorrow, dissonance and harmony, weakness and strength, ugliness and beauty – become powerfully alive in bronze. 21

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MARILYNN M. BRANDENBURGER

SIZE: 12ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Ink & watercolor

OCTOBER ALONG THE POUDRE

O CTO BER ALO N G TH E PO U D RE hints at a story of apple trees planted long ago on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River in Colorado’s Roosevelt National Forest. The painting is from my current series, “The Lay of the Land.” The images in this series come from wilderness trails I have hiked in protected parks and preserves of the Rocky Mountain West. What fascinates me

about these images is how they reflect the biological, geological and historical features of the Western landscape: Pinecones that tell of a Ponderosa forest above, rounded pebbles that describe the turbulence of a mountain stream, twisted roots that represent a hillside of sagebrush… and apples that recall a pioneer history along a mountain stream.

M A R I LYN N M. B R A N D E N B U R G E R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.MAR I LYN N B RAN DE N B U R G E R.COM

Marilynn has been painting and exhibiting professionally since 1980. After teaching workshops around the country for 40 years, she retired to devote full time to her painting. Marilynn’s paintings and illustrated journals have been shown in more than 75 national exhibitions and publications and have appeared in five books, including the award-winning The Island Within Us. The recipient of artist residencies in seven national parks and private foundations, she focuses on painting landscapes, working outdoors and in the studio, in ink and watercolor. 22

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HEBE BROOKS

SIZE: 30ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

NOW TURN TO LOOK

WH EN AT MY FRI EN D’S H O M E, I marveled at the striking beauty of white hydrangeas in full bloom on top of a small table. While each small petal seemed delicate and almost trivial, the ensemble came together with a forceful message of togetherness. The heavy-looking vase seemed appropriate to sustain the weighty boastfulness of the magnificent flowers. I experienced a heartfelt

emotion at the temporality of their beauty; their vanity clouded in a shroud of ignorance of their fate. I realized it was my humanity that made me think about their near future. It was time to stop; time to taste the beauty of the moment and to feel the gratitude of the present. It was not tomorrow but Now the time to Turn to Look.

H E B E B R O O K S • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.ARTBYH E B E.COM

Hebe’s work has several signature elements. One of these is her use of exuberant floral subjects or fabric twisting throughout the canvas. Other common elements are unexpected components such as birds holding a conversation, glass transparency, or reflections that demand viewer’s attention. Regardless of elements, it is the passion for detail and perfection that sets her work apart and leads to acceptances into esteemed juried exhibitions and many awards. Art writers have recognized her work, and her paintings have been included in several art publications 23

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KAREN BUDAN

PLAYING WITH BLACK AND WHITE SIZE: 20ʺH x 16ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

AS A CO NTEM PO RARY STI LL LI FE PAI NTER, my compositions tend to involve bright colors and glass objects which reflect and distort light in interesting patterns. However, a visit to a home décor store found me the owner of some large wooden black and white dice and shiny black plastic dominos. I decided to develop a composition based solely on black and white. Scrounging through my still life stash of objects, I selected a martini glass used in multiple prior paintings and a variety of black and white game objects. I created a background using black and white ribbon and the inside of a shopping bag for the striped table surface. The result was Playing with Black and White with a play on words in the title.

K A R E N B U D A N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (AZ) • WWW.KAR E N B U DAN.COM

Karen is an award-winning contemporary still life painter. Painting still life allows her to create arrangements, adjust the lighting, and set the stage to transform everyday objects to extraordinary. As a hyper-realistic painter, she thrives on the challenge of painting what she sees before her onto a two-dimensional surface, resulting in a painting that looks as real as the setup itself. Karen is a Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America, as well as the National Oil and Acrylic Painter’s Society. 24

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CAROL CARTER

SIZE: 24ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor

RAINBOW ZEBRAS

RAI N BOW ZEBRAS CAM E O UT O F A SERI ES I painted last winter. I photographed zebras in the zoo standing together in the warm sunshine. The first few zebra paintings were representational color mirroring the black and white stripes. Although they were distinct and graphic, I longed to say something more with emotion. I took a risk and began painting color on the stripes.

Each color bled into a new hue and the stripes took on a more playful role. To solidify the anatomy, I glazed each animal with relating color wash. The result is an intense, dynamic portrayal of zebras moving in and around the rainbow of unexpected color. This painting creates a unique interplay of color and creates light and vibrancy to this iconic animal.

C A R O L C A RTE R • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (MO) • WWW.CAROL-CARTE R.COM

Carol is an internationally renowned American artist whose work has been exhibited in six countries. She received her MFA from Washington University, St Louis. She was awarded an MAA-NEA Fellowship in Painting in 1994. Voted Best St. Louis Artist by The Riverfront Times in 2000. A Retrospective was held of her work at Schmidt Art Gallery, Principia College, Elsah, IL, in 2019. She was elected Master Signature Member of American Women Artists and Master Signature Member of Heartland Art Club in 2019. 25

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VICKI CATAPANO WARCLOUD RISING SIZE: 48ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

WARCLO U D IS AN AM BASSAD O R for all Nations, and he is from the Colville Confederated Tribes of North Central Washington. Warcloud proudly makes all of his regalia, from his cougar headdress adorned with eagle feathers and ermine pelts, to his powerful eagle staff that he carries and uses in dance. He is also adorned with a bustle, a traditional part of a man’s dance regalia. Warcloud has been a great influence in my life. He is a long-time friend and has been the subject of many of my paintings. His powerful presence has helped me make a strong statement in the art world. I owe Warcloud a huge gratitude of thanks for supporting my career and “Lifting the Sky” for me!

V I C K I C ATA PA N O • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.VICK ICATAPANO.COM

Although Vicki has painted landscapes, animals, and the occasional floral, her favorite subjects are the Native American People and the Western Buckaroo. Somewhere between her initial concept and the finished piece, she tries to respond with sensitivity, emotional involvement, and excitement. By using vivid colors, intriguing design and a solid composition, she attempts to capture the subject’s inner spirit and create an unforgettable artistic experience. Vicki is represented by Mountain Trails Gallery in Sedona, AZ, and Mountain Trails Fine Art Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. 26

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ASHLEY CECIL

SIZE: 48ʺH x 48ʺW MEDIUM: Acrylic, block printing, oil on canvas

TAKE SHELTER

I N TH IS PI ECE, a weary mother stands holding an umbrella, protecting three children, representing diverse ecosystems, from climate change. This work

is a personal reflection on motherhood and the insurmountable challenge of stewarding an environment that cradles all life, including that of our loved ones.

A S H L EY C E C I L • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (PA) • WWW.ASH LEYCECI L.COM

Ashley specializes in paintings of flora, fauna and feminine forms that illustrate connections between the natural world and its human inhabitants. Her work includes collaborations close to home with several beloved Pittsburgh institutions such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, as well as far-flung research adventures to biological oases including the Amazon rainforest. The aim of her artwork is to endear you to the women and wildlife that will determine the future of an entire generation. 27

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

LINDA HEATH CLARK

SIZE: 30ʺH x 36ʺW MEDIUM: Acrylic on clay board

POND LILIES

PO N D LI LI ES WAS CREATED using a full color variation on conventional scratchboard techniques. I first painted simplified acrylic shapes on white clay board. Using a variety of scratching tools (X-Acto knives, scalpels, tattoo needles, steel wool, fiber glass brushes), I “scratched” through the acrylic paint to the white surface below. After one full layer of scratching, I alternated thinned washes of acrylic to tint the scratches with layers of

traditional scratchboard techniques. Scratching creates highlights and adds detail and texture. Washes of acrylic add color and enhance contour and shadows. I like that this technique gives the viewer unique experiences close up vs. from a distance. Scratched textures, highlights and subtle color changes up close give way to an almost photorealistic appearance at a distance.

L I N D A H E ATH C L A R K • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (CA) • WWW.LI N DAH EATHCLAR K.COM

Linda began her art career as a Scientific Illustrator. Her work has been shown in the Smithsonian Institution, the Oakland Museum of California, and galleries in Carmel, Sacramento, and El Dorado County. Using her distinctive scratch technique with acrylic, Linda strives for highly detailed textures and a three-dimensional feel in both her realistic and abstract work. She has been awarded Master Scratchboard Artist (MSA) status by the International Society of Scratchboard Artists. Her “Cactus Bloom” was included in North Light’s book: AcrylicWorks2: Radical Breakthroughs. 28

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

CARRIE COOK KEAGAN

SIZE: 40ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

KEAGAN WAS BO RN at a breeding facility, taken from her mother as an infant, and sold to a trainer for work in entertainment. At six, she was relinquished to the Center for Great Apes sanctuary. Her brother and sister joined her there. By painting the portraits and collecting the stories of individuals who reside at the Center for Great Apes, I hope to communicate that other species have the right to life, liberty, and freedom from harm. Every orangutan like Keagan has a story, whether used for entertainment, victimized by the illegal pet trade, or facing increasing perils in the wild. Their stories are inextricably linked with our own, and like ours, are filled with both loss and hope.

C A R R I E C O O K • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (TX) • WWW.CAR R I ECOOK.COM

A Signature Member of Society of Animal Artists and Artists for Conservation, Carrie is a portrait artist, highlighting non-human individuals. Carrie was a graphic designer in NYC, a student of Disney in L.A., and an art teacher in Colorado. But as former head of graphics at the Dallas Zoo, her empathy for captive animals led her down her current path. Awards include SAA’s Medal of Excellence and a David Shepherd Top Category award in London. Her work is exhibited at major wildlife museums and galleries. 29

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

LYNETTE COOK

ONWARD AND UPWARD SIZE: 60ʺH x 30ʺW (Diptych) MEDIUM: Acrylic on canvas

SAN FRAN CISCO’S ARCH ITECTU RAL CHARM includes a variety of mixed-use buildings, in which the first floor is used as commercial space and the upper stories are residential units. The lamps and repeating square windows of the industrial-looking store on the ground floor and the quiet elegance of the second and third stories, indicative of the city’s iconic older buildings, are featured here. As the sun shines on the exterior fire escape and balconies, cool shadows of repeating blue and gray cast their intricate patterns across the facade.

LYN ETTE C O O K • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (CA) • WWW.LYN ET TE I NTH ESTU DIO.COM

Lynette’s paintings feature the patterns of light and shadow created by fire escapes and balconies in the urban environment. She is a 2016 grant recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. Her work is included in permanent art collections of Imagery Estate Winery and the City and County of San Francisco. Two of Lynette’s paintings were included in the 2020 Open exhibition at the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco. She is represented by the Andra Norris Gallery in Burlingame, CA. 30

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

TRISH COONROD

SIZE: 12ʺH x 28ʺW MEDIUM: xx

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

I AM A STI LL LI FE PAI NTER and my subject matter is often fruit. I like painting fruit because it is a colorful natural form, and each piece of fruit is unique and can imply gesture and personality. I first became attracted to tomatoes as subject matter several years ago while

growing them in my garden. Since that time, I have grown more varieties, looking for different shapes and colors. The tomatoes in this painting were harvested last summer. I loved how they made a rainbow of sorts, and how the rainbow can be interpreted in many ways.

TR I S H C O O N R O D • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NY) • WWW.TR ISHCOON ROD.COM

Trish grew up in Danvers, MA, with nine older siblings, and has always loved to paint and draw. She studied painting at Washington University in St. Louis, and The New York Academy of Art. From 1996-2003 she was a lead painter in the studio of Jeff Koons. In 2006 she moved to Ithaca, NY, with her husband and two children. Trish is represented by Principle Gallery, West End Gallery in Corning, NY, Fine Line Designs in Door County, WI, and Warm Springs Gallery. 31

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

BARBARA DAHLSTEDT

SIZE: 22ʺH x 36ʺW MEDIUM: Mixed Media

SHOWTIME

TH E ARIZO NA D ESERT I N SPRI N GTI M E reveals a spectacular array of cactus flora. The Giant Argentine Cactus is particularly magnificent, with its display of eight-inch blooms. Showtime captures the flowers as if they were performers on stage with a spotlight showcasing their form. The dramatic black background sets the stage for the striking pose of nature’s

choreography. This mixed media piece incorporates two wax-based media, lightfast colored pencil, and wax pastel. Archival drafting film was chosen for the support to emphasize the luminous glow of the subject. The ability to draw on the front and back of the film allows me to create depth and contrast.

B A R B A R A D A H LSTE DT • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.DAH LSTE DTART.COM

Barbara has earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Arizona State University. As a Signature Member of the Colored Pencil Society of America, she has won Best of Show in its international exhibit in Brea, CA, in 2019. Barbara has been the featured artist in Colored Pencil Magazine and Ann Kullberg’s Color Magazine. Her work was published in Artist Magazine as a finalist in the “Over 60” competition and in Strokes of Genius 10, Inspiring Subjects. 32

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

LAUREL DANIEL

SIZE: 36ʺH x 60ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

AROUND THE BEND

I O FTEN RETU RN TO NATU RE’S FAM I LIAR rhythms and forms for inspiration. Big skies and bountiful landscapes provide steady constants in our ever-changing human experience, and they surround us with assurance. Vast heavens speak of a higher power. The return of spring

awakens new life. The intricacy of design dispels chaos. Nature’s offerings give cause for hope, delivery from the unknown, and much-needed respite in uncertain times. They stir my soul and remind me to keep searching.

L A U R E L D A N I E L • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.LAU R E LDAN I E L.COM

As a plein air painter, Laurel’s attention to the landscape begins outside, as she discerns the shifting patterns of shadow and light. Back in the studio, she paints with the same closely observed spontaneity to capture a moment in time; a task she finds endlessly compelling. Laurel’s work is in many private and corporate collections, and is represented by the Davis Gallery in Austin, TX, the Anderson Fine Art Gallery in St. Simons Island, GA, and George Davis Fine Art in Savannah, GA. 33

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

NATALIE DARK

SIZE: 15ʺH x 22ʺW MEDIUM: Colored Pencil on White Cotton Paper

TAKE ME TO CAPRI

NATALI E’S WO RK EXPLO RES TH E CO N CEPT of ethnic and cultural paradoxes. Having grown up bicultural, she has always felt a sense of fully belonging to both cultures, while never being fully included in either. “Too American for the Cubans, and too Hispanic for the Americans” is how she describes experience of moving through the world as an “in-between.” However, Natalie argues that she is simultaneously both and neither, and to an

extent she is something completely unique. Through her hyperrealistic drawings, Natalie intends to bring the viewer into her world of paradoxes by using what is typically considered a “lowbrow” medium – colored pencils – to create “highbrow” art. She hopes her work incites curiosity and a sense of contradiction in the viewer.

N ATA L I E D A R K • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NY) • WWW.NATALI E DAR KART.COM

Natalie, born 1990 in Miami, FL, is a self-taught Cuban-American artist currently living in New York City. Natalie has a B.A. in Sociology from Stetson University, and an M.A. in Transnational Media & Globalization from City, University of London. She recently left a successful career as a consumer insights & market researcher in New York City to pursue art full-time.

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

NIKKI DAVIDSON LOST IN THE DANCE SIZE: 36ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

AT POWWOWS, cowboy symposiums and Indian Markets, I’ve made many great friends who model for me. I travel throughout the West painting, photographing, and gathering research for future works. This painting was the result of a weekend watching dancers at a powwow competition. The young girl was a champion shawl dancer at age 14. Her feet hardly touched the earth, and at the end she is so enraptured with the experience that she seems lost in the dance.

N I K K I D AV I D S O N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (GA) • WWW.N I K K ISARTSTU DIO.COM

AWA Member Nikki, a Signature member of Oil Painters of America, has been teaching and making art for more than 50 years. Her work can be seen nationally in private and corporate collections, including the home of former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes and the Shepherd Spine Center in Atlanta. Nikki teaches annual workshops at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA. Her work can be viewed at Lovetts Gallery in Tulsa, OK, The Booth Museum, and The Downtown Gallery in Cartersville, GA. 35

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

JULIE DAVIS

SIZE: 16ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

HOMESTRETCH

I TH I N K EVERYO N E U N D ERSTAN DS the good feelings that arise from rounding that final corner toward home after an absence. Home is our base, our safety zone, and in 2020, it was our everything. A wonderful familiarity comes from traveling the same path to a destination day

in and day out, and finally having that destination in view both heightens and satisfies our longing for “getting there.” Homestretch is that familiar path, that comforting last bit of the walk, drive, or ride that lets us know we are almost there, home.

J U L I E D AV I S • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.J U LI E DAVISSTU DIO.COM

Austin artist Julie is drawn to the individual expressions of trees and the curious lines of long-forgotten structures, giving her paintings “both a lyrical and an architectural vibe.” She recently earned Best of Show in the 2019 American Impressionist Society’s Central Park Paintout in New York. She was featured in Plein Air Magazine’s 2020 June/July issue and in Southwest Art Magazine’s September 2017 issue. Julie is represented by Mockingbird Gallery in Bend, OR, Gallery 330 in Fredericksburg, TX, and Davis Gallery in Austin, TX. 36

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

ANGELA MIA DE LA VEGA

SIZE: 53ʺH x 62ʺW x 24ʺD MEDIUM: Clay for Bronze

BRIDGE OF BROTHERHOOD

BRI D G E O F BROTH ERH O O D D ELIVERS a narrative of hope and promise for our future which will be, eventually, in the hands of our children. Three little boys sit together on a bridge they have built together, having already established the relationships that will carry them forward as they grow into a world they will share as equals. The bridge looks as if it were constructed by the little

boys themselves, with twigs and tree branches extended across two tall mounds of rocks, covered in moss. The branches are bound together with twine, and the boys’ legs dangle over the edge, their knobby knees on top of one another’s, and their arms around each other’s shoulders. Their faces are beautiful, full of wonder and innocence. They are unafraid.

A N G E L A M I A D E L A V E G A • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.DE LAVEGASTU DIOS.COM

Angela received a BFA from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She is an Elected Member of the National Sculpture Society, American Women Artists, and an Art Renewal Center Living Master. Awards include Best in Show and Best 3D Work (AWA) and The Purchase Award by the ARC Museum. Her sculptures are publicly installed across the USA and privately collected throughout the globe. Angela is president of FLITE to Freedom which harnesses the power of artistic expression to raise funds for enslaved or socially marginalized people: www.flitetofreedom.com. 37

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

SANDY DELEHANTY REFLECTING ON THE YUBA RIVER SIZE: 24ʺH x 18ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor

I PAI NT WITH O UT A BRUSH. I pour liquified paint from cups, bathing my wet paper in beautiful transparent color. The color is guided by the use of mask, which protects the areas I do not want stained with color. Mask, pour dry, mask pour dry, layer upon layer I work to create glowing color and intricate patterns. I am working on a series of landscape paintings of Northern California. In search of subject matter, I was walking along the shore of the Yuba River in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, when I came upon a pool of still water. Reflecting on the water were yellow cottonwood trees, red bushes, and grass, creating intricate patterns of glowing color… eureka! I found a painting!

S A N DY D E L E H A NT Y • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.SAN DYDE LE HANTY.COM

Sandy, Signature Artist, is represented by Sparrow Gallery in Sacramento, CA, and Art Obsessions Gallery in Reno, NV. She has been awarded Signature Status with the American Watercolor Society, American Women Artists and the California Watercolor Association, and has been juried into 57 international and national exhibitions. Sandy has exhibited in 25 solo shows and numerous group shows, and has taught watercolor painting in the U.S., Europe and Bali. 38

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

GABRIELA GONZALEZ DELLOSSO

SIZE: 40ʺH x 40ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen canvas

HOMAGE TO EVELYN DE MORGAN (SELF-PORTRAIT) MY PAI NTI N G D EPI CTS SPI RITUAL ARTIST Evelyn De Morgan (English 1855-1919) at work in front of an easel. There are colorful rays of light flowing across my painting that connect Evelyn, her palette and canvas. These three elements are divinely inspired, symbolic of the artist’s imagination. Evelyn’s gaze is introspective as she looks down on her oval-shaped palette, which echoes the oval shape around the angelic figure on her canvas, implying

a connection. If you look carefully, the two ovals mimic an open book, and Evelyn is looking down, reading into the moment. My intention is to re-enact her, using the image of my self-portrait (I alter my features to resemble Evelyn). My ultimate goal is to invite curiosity about who Evelyn De Morgan was.

G A B R I E L A G O NZ A L EZ D E L L O S S O • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (NJ) •WWW.GAB R I E LADE LLOSSOART.COM

Gabriela is a fine artist who specializes in narrative realism. Her work can be found in many notable private and museum collections. Some of the publications that have featured her work are: The Artists Magazine, American Art Collector, Artnews, El Universo, Fine Art Connoisseur, The New York Times and Newsday. She is represented by the Harmon-Meek Gallery in Naples, FL. Gabriela teaches painting and drawing at the New York School of the Arts, NYC. 39

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

PHYLLIS MANTIK DEQUEVEDO INTO THE WIND SIZE: 24ʺH x 14ʺW x 18ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

I NSPI RED BY TH E “FREESIA” which is known for its perseverance. My husband and I live in Oklahoma, famous for its storms! Two years in a row our home was hit by huge hailstorms, requiring roof replacement each time. We feared losing the garden we had worked hard to cultivate. Amazingly, we lost very little. Within days we saw new blossoms on the bushes, and the flattened plants had regained their buoyancy. It takes sun, water, deep roots, and nourishment from the soil for them to thrive. I see parallels to this in my own life, which has deep roots in a spiritual life and is sustained by relationships with family and friends. That is where I find the ability to persevere when winds are high.

P HYL L I S M A NTI K D E Q U E V E D O • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (OK) • WWW.MANTI KSTU DIO.COM

Phyllis makes her home in Oklahoma City. She is native of Canada and a graduate of the Alberta College of Art in Calgary, Alberta. Phyllis believes it is the transforming experiences in life such as tenderness, intimacy, and spirituality that enable artistic growth and motivation for her sculpture. To her, the most powerful art involves the human figure. The inspiration for her current figurative series is flora and focuses on representing botanical forms through metaphor as they relate to human forms and human experiences. 40

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

LOREN DIBENEDETTO

SIZE: 24ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

HYDRANGEA IN NY TIMES

U PO N APPROACH I N G TH IS PI ECE my goal was to challenge myself by rendering a variety of textures, starting with the background by giving it a sense of atmosphere and space behind the subject. I especially enjoyed painting the old toolbox. The contrast of the weathered surface compared to the subtle softness

of the hydrangea was inspiring. When attempting to execute the folds and lettering of the newspaper, I definitely felt challenged. I saw the newspaper as a bridge between the rough surface of the box and lightness of the hydrangea. I thoroughly enjoyed painting this piece and I am extremely pleased with the outcome.

L O R E N D I B E N E D ETTO • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (NC) • WWW.LOR E N DI B E N E DET TO.COM

Originally from New Jersey, Loren was classically trained, attending and graduating from DuCret School of the Arts in New Jersey. She also studied at the National Academy of Design and The Art Students League (NY). Loren has resided in North Carolina for the past 30 years. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society and American Woman Artists. Loren feels fortunate to be an award-winning artist and to have participated in numerous one-woman and group shows. 41

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

KIMBERLY DOW ELEGANT ALLURE SIZE: 30ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

WE ALL D EAL WITH AG I N G. For some it is an easy transition, for others, we worry about our health, vitality and sexuality. My painting celebrates a woman whose classic portrait I had painted previously for her husband. Being in her 70s, and quite naturally turning to give me that playful and yet seductive look just had me cheering. Sensuality doesn’t have to go anywhere as we age; it is not the realm of young 20-somethings only. I complimented her on her seductive look over the shoulder, and her response was: “I have had a lot of practice.” And there we are, proof positive that we get better as we age.

K I M B E R LY D O W • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (NC) • WWW.K I M B E R LYDOW.COM

Kim’s paintings most often feature women taking back or reveling in their power, however that may be. Her work has been shown all over the world, collected all over the world, won awards all over the world, published many times, and is now even on its way to the moon, literally.

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

CARMEN DRAKE

SIZE: 18ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

RUSTY ENAMEL AND VIOLETS H ISTO RY AN D PRESERVI N G TH E PAST runs through the veins of my entire family. Recently, while looking for remnants of stories in the woods of my son’s 1772 homestead, I discovered these pieces of rusty enamel entangled in vines and tree roots, partially hidden by years of leaf fall. Gathering them, I imagined the many hands over the years putting them to their utilitarian

usefulness. I found beauty in the contrast of the rust of age and the glimmer of youth in the red enamel lip. As I began to leave, my treasures under my arms, I notice a sprinkling of white under the 200-year-old black walnut tree. To my surprise they were violets, blooming out of season. They were meant to be together.

C A R M E N D R A K E • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NC) • WWW.CAR M E N DRAK E FI N EART.COM

Carmen resides at Oak Hollow Farm, sited above the waters of Wads Creek just south of Carthage, NC. Here she finds inspiration for her paintings by surrounding herself with antiques, flower gardens, farm animals and nature. Carmen hopes to translate the emotional and physical connections she has with her subject, finding beauty in an overlooked wildflower, a fallen nest or a castaway antique umbrella. She has shown with Ann Long Fine Art, Arcadia Contemporary Gallery, East Oaks Studios and Collins Galleries, to name a few. 43

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

CHRISTINE GRAEFE DREWYER

SIZE: 30ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

ONCE IN A BLUE HERON MOON

IT IS N OT SU RPRISI N G for an artist to dream solutions to unsolved issues while painting. It is exceedingly unusual to get an entire painting delivered through the dreamtime. That is precisely what occurred in October 2020, three weeks before the rare Super Blue Full Moon. I practice Native American Animal Medicine and interestingly, Blue Heron Medicine represents “Self-Reflection.” In this time of oppressive

restriction, it seemed apropos that we all had our own universal moment to reflect on what that may mean for us individually and collectively. Hopefully, we will come through this experience with a renewed sense of community and a world where we are more willing to strive for a better way to relate and raise the vibration of our universal experience.

C H R I STI N E G R A E F E D R E W YE R • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (M D) • WWW.CH R ISTI N E DR EWYE R.COM

Christine is the current President of American Women Artists. She has been President of Women Artists of the West (2014-2017) and an advisor to the Board for 8 years. She is the Publicity Chair of Washington Society of Landscape Painters. Recent Awards include F&M Purchase Prize Award at the Haggin Museum, 2nd Place Masters Award America the Beautiful Women Artists of the West and The America the Beautiful Masters Award WAOW 2021. She is a member of these fine art organizations: AWA, WAOWM, NOAPS, WSLP 44

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

KATHLEEN E. DUNN

SIZE: 24ʺH x 17ʺW MEDIUM: Oil and Acrylic

BATTLEGROUND – PEREGRINE FALCON WITH PIGEON AS TH E TITLE I N FERS, there are a lot of battles going on here. Besides the obvious survival struggle between the birds, there is also the battle between property owners and police against the street artists. ln the street artist culture there is a battle for respect and bragging rights (especially if they don’t get caught) in the competition to

create the best “walls,” with set rules and boundaries to be honored. l searched for a long time for the right piece of street art. Many were too bright and overpowering, but this piece, done in earth tones, was perfect for the idea in my mind. The result is a painting that was a joy to do, as well as an education into another art culture.

K ATH L E E N E. D U N N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (WA) • WWW.NATU R EARTISTS.COM/KATH LE E N_DU N N.ASP

Kathleen is a bird artist working in oils and scratchboard. A member of the Society of Animal Artists since 1996, she has received their highest award, the Catasus Award. She is a Signature Member of the Artists for Conservation Group and the International Society of Scratchboard Artists. Kathleen has juried into the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s “Birds in Art” seven times. Her work has been featured in Wildlife Art News, and Artist’s Magazine. Kathleen has collectors throughout the U.S. and Australia, Japan, and Canada. 45

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

VIE DUNN-HARR

SIZE: 48ʺround MEDIUM: Acrylic on Canvas

WAITING

2020 PRO D U CED MANY CHALLEN G ES and a series of losses. Crisis can unleash or block creativity. Waiting was inspired in prayerful moments of reflection, of gratitude, and of need. In this silent and glorious chapel portrayed, life’s dreams and burdens are laid on the altar while flowers bloom and life unfolds. An angel waits,

whether to take one to an eternal home, or to rejoice in the baptism of a newborn? As the light shines bright, others surrender to love! I believe this painting is hopeful and somber, and as always, the interpretation will be held in the heart of the beholder.

V I E D U N N-H A R R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.VI E DU N N-HAR R.COM

As a painter with a 45+ year career, Vie’s artistic expressions are in constant evolution, and she remains excited to see what the future will hold. Vie continues to embrace formalism while stepping out of bounds to explore the endless possibilities. More recently, she has become intrigued with religious icons, sacred places and moments, and a Church Series was born. Flowers are a vital part of her compositions and the forms are beautiful, sensuous, and fragile...a metaphor for life. 46

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

MELANIE EBERHARDT

SIZE: 30ʺH x 40ʺW MEDIUM: Gouache

POOL PARTY

PO O L PARTY IS A PI ECE M ETI CU LO USLY composed of colorful shapes playfully engaged with one another. The limited palette undulates as waves in a pool or lake. This painting exemplifies my purposeful omission of detail to its most simple form, tenuously balanced to the

painting’s narrative. The viewers are able to interpret and imagine for themselves the conversations and sounds exchanged between figures, making the painting uniquely their own.

M E L A N I E E B E R H A R DT • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (GA) • WWW.M E LAN I E E B E R HAR DT.COM

Melanie’s figurative abstractions are inspired by people and nature. She principally works in gouache and is exploring other mediums, including latex house paint and printmaking. Melanie’s background is as an illustrator, but she has devoted the past 20 years to fine arts and public art. Her work is included in the collections of The City of Atlanta, GA, and the Municipality of Anchorage, AK. 47

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

KELLY EDDINGTON TOO MANY CHOICES SIZE: 24ʺH x 18ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor

SO M ETI M ES CO LO RI N G IS LESS about staying inside the lines and more about setting all of the crayons free from the box and rolling them around. My little niece Eve has just heard her mother announce that she has to pick up her crayons before she can have lunch. With her typical flair for melodrama, Eve hides her face in her chubby hands and laughs at her predicament. This painting is part of my extensive series that documents the fleeting moments of innocence and sweetness in the young lives of Eve and her sister Belle. I like the idea of two little girls growing up and knowing they are important enough to be the subjects of paintings. Imagine a world where every child felt this way.

K E L LY E D D I N GTO N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (MO) • WWW.K E LLYE DDI N GTON.COM

Kelly specializes in detailed portraits and still life. Strathmore produced two pads of watercolor paper with step-by-step instructional material and videos by Kelly in 2016. Learn to Paint Watercolor Flowers and Watercolor Basics are designed for people who are new to the medium. Kelly has shown her work in numerous one-person shows and in China, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, and the United States, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two of her paintings are part of The Little Museum of Dublin’s permanent collection. 48

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

BARBARA SUMMERS EDWARDS A SONG WITHIN SIZE: 30ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

SI N CE CH I LD H O O D I’VE HAD a fascination and love of Native American Women: their lives, history and culture. I enjoy attending powwows and watching Native American dancers in their swirling, colorful regalia as they dance and move to the beat and cadence of the drum. The beating drum reminds me of the human heartbeat as it echoes the rhythms and sounds of the earth - wind, surf, etc. That is what I was pondering as I painted A Song Within; the song of the heartbeat we share with other humans, animals, and earth. The beat of the heart or the “song within” is from our Creator, who perfectly designed our remarkable bodies, senses, and spirits to reflect His Divine Nature... a gift of peace and beauty.

B A R B A R A S U M M E R S E D WA R D S • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (UT) • WWW.E DWAR DSFI N EARTSTU DIO.COM

Trained as an illustrator, Barbara evolved into a fine art painter. Commonly portraying figurative imageries of her native Western homeland, her painterly, realistic paintings have received numerous honors and been published in Art of the West, Southwest Art, Wildlife Art, and U.S. Art Magazines. She is a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America (OPA), American Women Artists (AWA), and American Plains Artists (APA) and an Associate Member of Women Artists of the West (WAOW). Barbara is represented by four galleries from Texas to Utah. 49

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

L. S. ELDRIDGE

SIZE: 24ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Transparent Watercolor

THE NATURE OF TOOLS WH I LE STAYI N G TRU E TO TH E O RI G I NAL inspiration, these tools have blossomed in my imagination and I continuously envision unique ways to interpret them. In this painting I used as my framework a symbol of new beginnings – the common daisy. Seeking to address

the balance between the natural world and mankind’s influence on it is certainly timely. It is my belief that we will need to apply every tool at our disposal to address this troubling issue, but I am hopeful that a collective resolve will flower.

L. S. E L D R I D G E • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (AR) • WWW.LSE LDR I DG E.COM

L.S.’s paintings feature a cache of vintage tools discovered while clearing an old barn slated for demolition, but they become powerful symbols in her work which represents far-reaching topics. Her watercolors have been exhibited across the country where she has gained signature status in numerous organizations, including the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society. Her work has been published in both books and magazines in the United States and abroad, and her paintings are included in both private and permanent collections. 50

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

JONI FALK

ZUNI OLLA MAIDEN SIZE: 20ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

ZU N I O LLA MAI D ENS are from the Zuni Pueblo. They are the most renowned dance groups in New Mexico. The members, all women, dance with fragile water jars (ollas) balanced on their heads. These women play an important role as cultural ambassadors preserving Zuni cultural traditions of past and future generations.

J O N I FA L K • H E R ITAG E CI RCLE & MASTE R-SI G NATU R E (AZ) • WWW.JON I FALK.COM

It was the Southwest culture and history that provided the ingredients that compelled Joni to seek a full-time art career. Joni has become well known for her diversity of subjects, including Western still lifes, Pueblos, Plains Indian Landscapes, and Indian Figures. Her exhibitions include The National Museum of Wildlife Art, Cheyenne’s Old West Museum, The Tucson Museum of Art, The Desert Caballeros Museum, and The Phippen Museum. Joni is represented by Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, and Settler’s West Galleries in Tucson, AZ. 51

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SHERI FARABAUGH

SIZE: 30ʺH x 45ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on Belgian linen

TRANQUILITY

I HAVE H EARD THAT being in the presence of water has a calming effect and can actually reduce stress and bring pleasure. I have been drawn to water since I spent time at my grandparent’s cottage as a girl, and now, as an artist, I am drawn to painting scenes of rivers, lakes, and streams. I found these lovely lotus plants in the Asian

Collection of the Denver Botanic Gardens and set out to capture the tranquility of this incredible spot. I was captivated by the pattern of the overlapping leaves, the countless shades of green, and the abstract shapes made by their reflections in the water.

S H E R I FA R A B A U G H • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.SH E R I FARABAU G H.COM

Sheri is a Signature Member of the American Women Artists. Her award-winning work is in collections across the country. Sheri is a Signature Member and former officer of the American Society of Marine Artists, a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, and an Associate Living Master of the Arts Renewal Center. Finding beauty in the details, Sheri paints in a classical realist style. She is hopeful that her paintings will move you to look for beauty in the most ordinary places. 52

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

NATALIE FEATHERSTON

SIZE: 17ʺH x 19ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

TH E TRUTH IS O UT TH ERE IS AN interpretation of an alien invasion gone right— spreading a message of hope, wonder and cosmic awesomeness. Each of my trompe l’oeil collage paintings is created from real-life models, using vintage photos, found objects, paper cutouts, embroidery and beads. My work is informed by a strong

narrative and my desire to connect with the viewer in a meaningful way. Storytelling features prominently, supported by a high level of craft and technical refinement of my painting process. I strive to create paintings which invite the viewer in — to linger inside an invented realm of humor, whimsy, and joy.

N ATA L I E F E ATH E R STO N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (R I) • WWW.NATALI E FEATH E RSTON.COM

The Chicago Sun-Times describes Natalie’s paintings as “Artful beyond just illusion and trickery, they are truly masterful still lifes made with both craft and wit.” Natalie’s work has received numerous awards from some of the most distinguished art organizations in the country, and her paintings have appeared in magazines such as American Art Collector, Forbes, and Fine Art Connoisseur. Her collectors include Toni Morrison, Danielle Steele, J.J. Abrams, and Alice Cooper. She is represented by Meyer Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. 53

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S. FLETCHER COON

SIZE: 20ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Transparent Watercolor on Arches 140

WATCHING THE MILE

TH IS IS TH E MAG N I FI CENT M I LE in the city of Chicago during rush hour. It’s a beautiful sun-drenched day and the streets are full of people going about their business. The Chicago Police patrol on bicycles, and I love the long shadows on the sidewalk and crosswalk. The darks of the shadows against the bright light at the crossroads

are wonderful juxtapositions. I used the atomizer as my tool of choice to darken the shadow side of the street. Finally, I took artistic liberties by inserting my grandchildren’s names on one of the street signs and bumper sticker on the street light.

S. F L ETC H E R C O O N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (FL/I L)

Sheryl is drawn to light, shadow, texture and the abstractive. Her choices of subject matter reflect these attributes, and transparent watercolor is her preferred medium. Currently serving as President of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, she will move back into the role of 2nd VP/Exhibition Chair in summer of 2021. Sheryl has achieved Signature Status in the National Watercolor Society, The Florida Watercolor Society, The Illinois Watercolor Society as well as her TWSA Signature. Sheryl and her husband, Russ, have retired to her native state of Florida. 54

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NANETTE FLUHR MANU

SIZE: 30ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

PO RTRAITU RE IS A WO N D ERFU L vehicle that can support diversity. I’ve chosen to portray my friend, Sikh American artist Manu Saluja. Her attitude of relaxed observation contradicts her formal attire of luxuriously-patterned silk—painted directly from observation. Emphasizing the individual, it disarms the viewer of any preconceived cultural bias. This portrait is about trust. Manu has, quite literally, let her hair down. I portray her beauty as a person, not through the lens of objectification of “the other” but as my friend. The luminosity of the langa she is wearing is a direct metaphor for her unique and shining spirit.

N A N ETTE F L U H R • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NJ) • WWW.NAN ET TE FLU H R.COM

With over two decades of professional experience, Nanette has created portraits that hang in public and private collections worldwide. Known for her sensitive portraits and exacting technique, she has received awards from prominent artistic institutions, including The Artist’s Magazine, The Art Renewal Center, and The Portrait Society of America. Her work has been featured at the MEAM (Barcelona), The Butler Institute of American Art, and the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, as well as in a six-museum exhibit on contemporary American realism in China. 55

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JOLYNN FORMAN

RAINING CATS AND DOGS SIZE: 20ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil and cold wax

I LOVE I D I O MS! They are a crazy way to describe life happenings so that you can visualize what could happen. Like “It is raining cats and dogs.” Who came up with that?! Why those animals? Why animals at all? It is a fascinating concept of rain. I asked kids across the Western United States what they thought it would look like if it rained cats and dogs and then replicated their drawings in this art piece. The girl is based on one child who firmly stated to me, “Ugh. NO DOGS. I want it to rain only cats.”

J O LYN N F O R M A N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (UT) • WWW.JOLYN N FOR MAN.COM

Jolynn is a high school teacher by day and an artist by night in Provo, UT. Her work is a unique combination of abstract textures in cold wax and acrylics with narrative realism on top in oil. Her favorites subjects are figurative children and their imaginations. She has shown her work in museums in Greece and England, along with the United States. Jolynn is represented by two galleries in Utah but is looking for representation elsewhere in the USA. 56

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

ELLEN (ELLIE) FULLER

SIZE: 24ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Acrylic on Canvas

SERENITY

WH I LE H I KI N G ALO N E I came across this tranquil spot which brought a sense of connection and renewal. Nature does that to me. It was a perfect place to reflect on the beauty of Nature and to feel gratitude for my life. I sat still listening to the sound of water and birds

chirping in the distance. Through the water I could see rocks and brush underneath. The air was still. The soft sunlight filtered through a small area, bathing the reeds and rocks in a warm glow.

E L L E N (E L L I E) F U L L E R • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (N M) • WWW.E LLE N FU LLE R.COM

Ellie’s photo-realistic acrylic paintings are about visual intimacy, and result from intense observation: a process of immersion that involves her contemplation and concentration, frustration and exhilaration. She infuses each brushstroke with her experience of peace and soulfulness while words recede and the awareness of the passage of time fades. Her lifelong practices of Tai Chi, QiGong, and meditation translate into an energetic flow and personal expression in her paintings. Ellie’s inspiration comes from nature, so she is constantly surrounded by things she wants to paint. 57

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HEATHER LYNN GIBSON

SIZE: 24ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

WINTER NIGHT IN THE CITY

I LOVE TO PAI NT CITYSCAPES, especially in Philadelphia, where I went to art school. But when I get the rare opportunity to paint an urban nocturne with a viewpoint

of 20 stories above street level, I am in heaven. It was an absolute pleasure to paint this painting, and hopefully, viewers can feel all of my excitement in every stroke.

H E ATH E R LYN N G I B S O N • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (NJ) • WWW.H LG I BSONART.COM

Heather is a direct-method oil painter, who is representational but with an impressionistic edge. She utilizes her decades of design and illustration experience to help her compose her award-winning paintings Heather’s home-based studio is in Berlin, NJ, which she shares with her son, Harrison, and her little dog, Sadie. She is a Signature Member of American Women Artists.

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

LISA GLEIM

THE BEAR & THE BEES SIZE: 40ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Pastel on State Maps with Gold and Silver Leaf

I RECENTLY BEGAN EXPLO RI N G the idea of creating a new series of bear paintings and wanted to create something different from my traditional wildlife paintings. So, I began to think outside the box. In Montana I spend a lot of time exploring Yellowstone National Park and its regions and have boxes of park maps. They caught my eye, and I thought, “Well, maps are paper, and I paint my pastels on paper, so why not use them?” I prepped the maps on panel, painted my newest bear, but he needed something more. I had always wanted to use gold and silver leaf but never had the right project. With this painting, the bumble bees were the perfect opportunity; thus, The Bear & The Bees.

L I S A G L E I M • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (GA) • WWW.LISAG LE I M FI N EART.COM

Lisa is the Audubon Artists 2012 & 2016 Gold Medal of Honor for Pastel recipient, the 2013 Art Spirit Foundations Gold Medal Award for Pastel, and the 2019 Silver Medal Award for Pastel recipient. She has exhibited at the Briscoe Western Art Museum; Haggin Museum; Marietta Cobb Museum of Art; Customs House Museum; Harbor History Museum; Gibbes Museum of Art; and the Gertrude Herbert Museum. Her works are held in many public and private collections throughout the U.S. She and her family reside in Atlanta. 59

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JACQUELINE GNOTT

STILL LIFE WITH CHERRIES & VINTAGE BROCADE SIZE: 26ʺH x 16.5ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor

I N MY PAI NTI N GS, I attempt to capture the significance and reality of one moment in time and to study what appear to be the mundane objects of life; to explore the minute details and to vividly express them on paper with the fluidity of watercolor. When people see my work, they often feel a sense of warmth and nostalgia, remembering back to simpler times. While my subjects are commonplace, my paintings are anything but. They show a mastery of light and shadow, and they have an emotional quality that can be felt as well as seen. While talent and creative abilities continue to win accolades across the country, my true gratification comes from watching people enjoy the treasures I create.

J A C Q U E L I N E G N OTT • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (I N) • WWW.G NOT TWATE RCOLORSTU DIO.COM

Jacqueline has earned Signature Status in three of the country’s most influential watercolor societies, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, the Watercolor Honor Society, and the National Watercolor Society. Her watercolors have been showcased in many watercolor magazines, including: Watercolor Magic Magazine, International Artist Magazine, and Watercolor Magazine, to name a few. To add to her portfolio of awards, Jacqueline has also been the recipient of two national grants from prestigious foundations: The Jackson Pollack-Lee Krasner Foundation Grant, and The Stephen King-Haven Foundation Grant. 60

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XI GUO RED LILY

SIZE: 20ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on paper

MY WO RK IS ALL ABO UT my obsession with the beauty of the lifecycle. This painting is inspired by the decaying flowers in my bedroom. It was the late fall afternoon. I was so moved by the shadow of the decaying red lily petals in the warm sunlight, I desired to catch the gloomy sentiment at that moment. I did not focus on the facial expression; instead I spent most of the time on the figure, the transparency of the fabric, and the flowers on the floor.

X I G U O • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (FL) • WWW.X I G UOWATE RCOLOR.COM

Xi, Signature Member of American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, and Northwest Watercolor Society, is an international award-winning artist. Her paintings have been exhibited in China, France, England, Taiwan, Italy, Hong Kong, South Korea, Greece, and Vietnam, and have won numerus prices. Her articles and paintings have been featured in the International Artist Magazine, Art of Watercolor Magazine and Watercolor Artists Magazine. Xi’s paintings were included in the Best of Watercolor- Splash 16, 20 and 21, published by North Light Books. 61

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TERRY COOKE HALL

SIZE: 30ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel with gold foil

UNDERCOVER ANGEL

O N E O F TH E TH I N GS I STRIVE TO D O when designing a painting is to map out a way to infuse a few surprises for the viewer. In my plan for this piece, my idea was to use as little of the figure as possible. I began with a touch of realism in the model’s face and hat, then shifted into a stylized abstraction of her image. The whimsical

use of color and texture on the shawl and sky above the gilded orb suggest a conceptual realm. In the end, all melts away into a lustrous circle of gold, intimating a concealed beauty wrapped in an enigma as she hovers in an imaginary world.

TE R RY C O O K E H A L L • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (MT) • WWW.TE R RYCOOK E HALL.COM

During the mid-70s, Terry’s passion for art led her to numerous courses and workshops in life drawing, graphic design, and illustration, eventually leading to a fine art career as a professional artist in 2009. Since then, she has earned awards and a museum purchase while exhibiting in 30 major museum shows, as well as through several gallery group exhibitions. Residing in Bozeman, MT, Terry’s contemporary style is a result of her West viewed through the lens of 30 years of work in design and illustration. 62

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ANNE HARKNESS

SIZE: 48ʺH x 48ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

HAVI N G LIVED I N MAN HATTAN FO R YEARS, passion for the city never leaves me. Both city and bridge are wrapped in the corals of sunset. Somehow, I forget the harshness of urban life when the sun washes the city in reflective oranges and peach after a rain. The bridge’s impressive structure is the focus, with its cables, walkways, and massive arches. The loose mark making ties together

the drama of sky, reflections, the elusive joggers running toward us, and the bridge. The colors skip back and forth with dancing joy throughout the piece. I used predominantly primary colors to infuse this piece with simplicity of focus. This icon, the Brooklyn Bridge, strong and regal, stands as a watchman guarding entry into this fine city.

A N N E H A R K N E S S • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (NC) • WWW.AN N E HAR K N ESS.COM

Anne is an alumna of the Atlanta College of Art, and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from The Maryland Institute, College of Art. Her work as an art director in NYC for 15 years has embodied her work with a graphic element that viewers can detect in her paintings. During the past few years, her pieces have been featured in national and international shows, galleries, and museums. 63

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LEAH HOPKINS HENRY WONDERLAND SIZE: 24ʺH x 18ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

SH E WALKS AM O N G the colorful flowers in a world she created. With eyes shielded against the brilliant sun that gives her energy, she watches her friends dance to the music of her time. Almost smiling, she takes in all the sights and sounds of her surroundings. She is open to what her future will bring. Wonderland is intended to transport you back to another time when things seemed so simple. I want you to catch that feeling of joy and wonder, that sense of freedom that comes from within. I’m combining my love for nature and music to make this happen. I realize that this doesn’t represent our world right now, but I hope it helps you escape, if only for a moment.

L E A H H O P K I N S H E N RY • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (GA) • WWW.LEAH HOPK I NSH E N RY.COM

Using her portrait skills, Leah created a series called Soul Shine. These paintings combine realistic figures in imagined backgrounds. Having been in numerous national exhibitions, she was most recently a finalist in the 2020 Portrait Society of America Member Show and won the Hudson Valley Art Association Award in the 2020 AAPL Grand National Exhibition. Leah is honored to have her painting Warriors Walk hanging at Ft. Stewart – 3rd Infantry Division, GA – honoring its fallen soldiers. She is a co-founder of Atlanta Fine Arts League. 64

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

DYANA HESSON

FOUR GENERATIONS TO COME, MILKWEED AND MOTH, WHITE MOUNTAINS, AZ SIZE: 50ʺH x 40ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

TH IS PAI NTI N G CELEBRATES renewal in the White Mountains of Arizona on the 10th anniversary of our state’s largest wildfire, the Wallow Fire. While much of the Grand Canyon State is hot and void of botanical color in the summer, the ApacheSitgreaves National Forest in northeastern Arizona is alive with color. And while White is a great description for this region in the winter, in August, the warm greens of treeless, velvet valleys collide with the cool greens of thick pine-scented forests, from 3,500 to 11,500 feet in elevation. I find endless inspiration here in the woods, senacas, and sky.

DYA N A H E S S O N • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.DYANAH ESSON.COM

Botanical artist Dyana loves a good adventure. As a kid, she was always happiest exploring the outdoors and rarely settled down to read a book all the way through. She has a case of incurable wanderlust, and a love affair with God’s creation. Dyana has been a professional artist for 30 years and is a founding member of the Phoenix Zoo Art exhibit program. Her series, The Colors of White, will be featured in Arizona Highways Magazine in June 2021. 65

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LISA HEWETT AUTUMN JOY

SIZE: 24ʺH x 18ʺW MEDIUM: Acrylic on canvas

I TITLED TH IS PI ECE Autumn Joy because despite life’s hardships, the mountains always bring me renewal, restoration, and joy, especially in autumn when the leaves blaze with color beyond imagination, the wind whispers of the hope and excitement of changing seasons, and the mountaintops are kissed with the first hints of winter snow. I hope that wherever you are, when you view this painting; you can hear the sounds of the wind carrying the sweet smells of autumn, feel your spirit lifted, and find joy in your current season of life.

L I S A H E W ETT • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (CO) • WWW.LISAH EWET TFI N EART.COM

The heart of Lisa is a teacher, mentor, artist, adventurer, and woman of faith. Thus, she combines these gifts to create artwork whose vision and messages inspire and encourage. Additionally, she uses the Visual Arts as a platform to mentor women through trauma recovery and personal and artistic growth. Her award-winning artwork has been exhibited in Oklahoma, Colorado, and in national and international virtual exhibitions, including National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society, American Women Artists, International Society of Acrylic Painters, and more. 66

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PAULA HOLTZCLAW

SIZE: 30ʺH x 40ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

THE GOLDEN HOUR

TH E G O LD EN H O U R, that magical span of time when the sun is close to the horizon. Whether shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset, the daylight and the landscape appear softer, warmer and redder. As a landscape painter, I strive to capture and hold on to the

feeling of a moment in time. The beauty of the sundrenched clouds was the inspiration for my painting, The Golden Hour. A moment to welcome the gift of a new day, a new beginning, or perhaps be a reminder of this gift at the close of the day.

PA U L A H O LTZ C L AW • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (NC) • WWW.PAU LAB HOLTZCLAWFI N EART.COM

NC artist Paula is known for exquisite light-filled paintings of unspoiled and undeveloped landscapes, executed in a unique blend of classical realism and impressionism. “I am a painter of our increasingly threatened Low Country wetlands – coastal country where water meets sea – of twilight and dawn: times of mystery and transition.” Paula’s paintings are collected nationally and shown in national, international, and museum exhibitions. Paula and her husband live in Waxhaw, NC, a small community known for its horse farms and antiques. 67

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DONNA HOWELL-SICKLES

SIZE: 24ʺH x 22ʺW MEDIUM: Mixed Media

A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

MY LOVE O F FI G U RE D RAWI N G, the American West, and mythology fueled my creative process from the very beginning. I use the cowgirl to tell current stories for and about women, using an eclectic collection of images and ideas from both the past and the present. My art tells the stories of Western women, our animals, and this rich land on which we depend, with dignity

and joy. It reflects my admiration for the strong Western women and connects those women’s stories to other women’s stories from around the world. We are all on an interconnected journey. I strive to communicate the value found in embracing the beauty and vitality that continuously surround us, and the importance of choosing joy whenever the opportunity arises.

D O N N A H O W E L L-S I C K L E S • H E R ITAG E CI RCLE & MASTE R M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.DON NAHOWE LLSICK LES.COM

Donna has taken the image and idea of the cowgirl beyond charcoal lines and into reality. She identifies with the self-reliant, hard-working spirit of the cowgirl and has been exploring the layers beneath the cowgirl’s engaging exterior for more than 40 years. In 2007 Donna was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Her work is in the collections of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, the C.M. Russell Museum, and other prestigious museums. 68

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KARIN HUSTY

WALK BY THE WATER SIZE: 49.5ʺH x 37.5ʺW MEDIUM: Oil and Cold Wax on 1.25” Cradled Wood Panel

I AM ATTRACTED TO TH E SPACE where the sea meets the land. Have you walked by the water on a long pier and seen the deep indigo hues that peek out between the waves? This piece features the ocean’s expansive views in cool blues; Contrasted by the geometric shaped docks in oranges that depict the warm surfaces under your feet. The repetitive lines and marks were scratched into the upper layers of wax revealing colors from below and this created texture. My goal is to achieve a unique balance of Abstraction and NonRepresentation in my work, always leaving openings for the viewer to fill-in their own experiences. Whatever my intention, I strive to discover unique compositions and use bold expressive color and texture.

K A R I N H U ST Y • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (GA) • WWW.KAR I N H USTYART.COM

Inspired by the luminosity and textural qualities of Oil and Cold Wax medium, Karin boldly abstracts her subjects with unique compositions and complex color. Awarded the President’s Purchase Award and BFA degree from North Georgia College and University in Art and Music, Karin’s artwork is held in public and private collections worldwide. She shares her passion by teaching workshops and on-line classes and served as President of her local art council. Currently, Karin is seeking gallery representation with her intriguing new body of artwork. 69

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PEGGY IMMEL

SIZE: 16ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

LUNCHTIME

A H I G H D ESERT WI NTER on a small ranch in northern New Mexico is the setting for this evocative scene. The local ranchers toss bales of hay from the backs of pickups for the livestock when snow covers the natural grass that grows so abundantly in the fields. The cattle

in this pasture are on their way to a picnic of scattered hay. I love the unique beauty of the land and culture throughout the southwest. On one of my excursions, I discovered this scene in Arroyo Seco, a small village north of Taos, and was inspired to paint Lunchtime.

P E G GY I M M E L • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (N M) • WWW.PEG GYI M M E L.COM

Peggy’s work portrays southwestern landscapes near her home in Taos, NM. Her paintings have been included in museum exhibitions, featured in magazines, and received awards including the Best of Show Trustees’ Award in 2014 at the Millicent Rogers Museum Miniature Exhibition in Taos. She is a Signature Member of Plein Air Artists Colorado and a Master Signature Member of Plein Air Painters of New Mexico. Peggy is represented by Wilder Nightingale Fine Art, Taos, NM and Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM and Durango, CO. 70

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JANE INGOLS UNSHORN

SIZE: 48ʺH x 36ʺW MEDIUM: Acrylic on canvas

TH IS U NSH O RN M ERI N O SH EEP offered many interesting challenges for me. The somewhat placid expression as it waits to be sheared, the empty notch of a previously tagged ear and the bits of hay still clinging to the tips of the thick wool are a few. The sense of warmth and protection of this animal’s coat certainly inspired me. My hope was to capture the beautiful dimension and textural elements of the wool through the use of light and a dramatic portrait-like setting.

J A N E I N G O LS • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (GA) • WWW.JAN E I N GOLS.COM

I have always found inspiration in the natural world. My focus for many years has been on painting wildlife, particularly the birds of the Southeast United States. I feel that each animal has a unique story to tell, a personality to capture. Most recently I have begun exploring domesticated animals as a new subject. My work has been collected nationally and I am a Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists. 71

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

SUSAN N. JARVIS

SIZE: 42ʺH x 96ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

SUNSET IN SPANISH FORK, UTAH ALTH O U G H MY CU RRENT FO CUS is still life and figurative work, I decided to accept a landscape commission. Just the thought of painting a beautiful country sunset after having been indoors for a year seemed therapeutic to me - and indeed it was! When viewed from a distance this painting feels traditional, but closer examination reveals areas of loose abstract brushwork. Radiating from the

center of the painting my brush strokes are smooth and edgeless in order to portray the properties of sunlight. Toward the perimeter the fields and soil are layered with crisp unblended strokes. During the dark winter days just the act of painting this beautiful work provided welcome relief from my social isolation and, simply put, restored my soul.

S U S A N N. J A R V I S • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (UT) • WWW.SUSAN NJARVIS.COM

Susan transforms ordinary objects into elegant still life subjects by painting them with rich color, fascinating texture, and tempting sensuality - sometimes capturing their essence quickly, while other times paying attention to every little detail. Many of her images are oversized, which lends an air of joyful absurdity to her work. She is represented by the Karges Gallery in Carmel, CA. Her art studio is located in Salt Lake City, UT, where she teaches adult oil painting classes and workshops. 72

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

LAURA TRYON JENNINGS

SIZE: 30ʺH x 40ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

POINT OF VIEW

A N EW EN G LAN D COASTAL LAN DSCAPE awaits my decision. Sun-washed floors invite me to sit and reflect while an open door draws me to the scent and promise of a sun-kissed deck. The simple setting belies the still but

ever-changing complexity of reflective thoughts, filtered light, angles, and shadows. There are several times throughout each of my days when an inside or outside choice will be made.

L A U R A TRYO N J E N N I N G S • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (MA) • WWW.LTRYONJ E N N I N GS.COM

Laura is an award-winning nationally exhibited New England-based artist. Drawing from multiple art residencies in Provincetown, MA, Laura has an eye for incorporating environmental nuances inviting and transporting the viewer into her world. Her work is among the collections of bestselling authors Mary Higgins Clark (family collection); Carol Higgins Clark and Christina Baker Kline; Grammy award-winning singer Bruce Hornsby; news reporter Joan Lunden; and Harvard University. She is a Copley Artist at the Copley Society of Art in Boston, MA. 73

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MIMI JENSEN

SIZE: 18ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

OUTLAWS

“FO RM FO LLOWS FU N CTI O N.” The architect Louis Sullivan coined this famous phrase to declare that the form of an object should reflect its purpose. He attributed the idea to an ancient Roman notion that a structure must exhibit three qualities: solid, useful, and beautiful. Great design (form) delights the senses. I especially admire it in utilitarian objects that often go unnoticed. Inspired

by their beautiful designs, I gathered a grouping of such objects that have been outlawed, banned, or shunned: a perfect but lowly incandescent light bulb, a candystriped plastic straw, an aerosol spray can, a Cuban cigar box, a vintage opium pipe, and a well-used tube of cadmium red oil paint, all overseen by one of my favorite outlaws – James Dean.

M I M I J E N S E N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (CA) • WWW.M I M IJ E NSE N.COM

While a graduate student, Mimi was selected for her first commercial gallery exhibition, which led to subsequent exhibitions and launched her professional painting career. She has exhibited widely and has been featured in numerous publications: American Art Collector, California Home+Design, Fine Art Today, New American Paintings, Professional Artist, Southwest Art, The Artists. For the past 30 years she has been represented by galleries in San Francisco and the Bay Area, Boston, Santa Monica, and Santa Fe. Her paintings are in collections worldwide. 74

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KRISTA LEE JOHNSON

SIZE: xxʺH x xxʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

OLD FRIENDS

I HAVE A PASSI O N FO R PAI NTI N G PEO PLE, especially when they are unaware of me and feel no need to “strike a pose.” This painting is from a photo I took in Essaouira, Morocco. There is a very busy harbor filled with fishermen setting sail, working on boats, selling fish, and

laughing and joking with one another. I saw these two men sitting on a sea wall together; I don’t know whether they had returned from fishing or were waiting for the tide to change so they could head out. I loved their quiet companionship. I knew I had found my next painting.

K R I STA L E E J O H N S O N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (M N) • WWW.K R ISTALE EJOH NSON.COM

Krista’s paintings showcase her exquisite technique and deeply expressive style. Krista was juried into the online show Her Story at Manhattan Arts in 2020. In 2019 she was awarded the Staff Choice Award by the Art Renewal Center for her painting “The Boys.” The painting was included in the 14th International ARC Salon and exhibited in Barcelona at the European Museum of Modern Art and Sotheby’s in New York City. Two of Krista’s paintings were finalists in the Portrait Society of America’s 2018 competition. 75

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ANNA KASABIAN

SIZE: 10ʺH x 15ʺW x 15ʺD MEDIUM: Porcelain

CROWN JEWEL

I CREATED CROWN J EWEL at a purposeful turn in my hand-formed shapes. Created in the dark days of the pandemic, it was important to me to express a dramatic lifting of spirits. I felt that could be accomplished with a

very vertical sculpture that reached upward to the light. The abstract sculptures I create are anchored in nature themes, namely flowers and sea waves, and I titled this work Crown Jewel after the hibiscus of the same name.

A N N A K A S A B I A N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (MA) • WWW.AN NAKASAB IAN PORCE LAI N.COM

Anna has been working in ceramics for 18 years. A self-taught sculptor, her work is in public installations in several public venues across America, including Chicago’s architectural landmark, the London House Hotel. Collectors of her arctic white, nature-themed abstract sculptures are here and abroad. She has exhibited her work in Boston, Florida, Rhode Island, New York and Charleston. Invited to be part of the famed designer Holly Hunt’s Artisan Collection, her work is in showrooms in Boston, New York City, Miami, Dallas, Chicago and LA. 76

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JULIE TSANG KAVANAGH

GIRL WITH DAHLIAS SIZE: 20ʺH x 16ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

TH E PARALLELS O F GARD EN I N G and parenting inspired this piece, Girl with Dahlias. In the past few years, I started growing both ornamental and edible plants in my garden. Gardeners know (or quickly learn) that while plants need nutrient-rich soil to thrive, they also need exposure to the elements to grow strong roots. Over-watered and coddled plants won’t grow deeper roots to seek water, making them more susceptible to drought. As a parent, I strive to provide a nurturing environment for my children while still giving them space to explore, take risks, and make mistakes. Just like my spring garden, I look forward to seeing my children grow into strong and resilient adults.

J U L I E TS A N G K AVA N A G H • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.JTSAN G FI N EART.COM

Julie is a classically trained artist working primarily in oil. Drawn to the timeless genres of portraiture, figure, and still life, she is interested in exploring the interplay of value, color, and form that evoke emotions. Inspired by the beauty and signs of the seasons, she is currently focused on combining her love of floral with portraiture. Her work can be found in both domestic and international collections. Julie lives and works near San Francisco, CA. 77

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SHELBY KEEFE WYOMING SLOUCH SIZE: 28ʺH x 22ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

AS A PARTI CI PANT of the annual “Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West” I am constantly on the hunt for compelling painting subjects that fit all things western. My yearly trip to Wyoming to visit my sister and her family gives me the opportunity to photograph subject matter for painting inspiration. I found this old barn less than 5 miles from my sister’s llama ranch and that day, the sky looked so vast and dimensional with those perfectly spaced and shaped clouds, I felt like I stumbled upon and truly remarkable landscape. Standing in front of this painting I hope that you can feel the dry heat of a late August day, see the breeze blowing the clouds over your head and hear the grasses swish and sway at your feet. Maybe you can smell the old wood and become curious about what relics might be found inside that barn. I was certainly tempted to take a peek inside, but the possibility of snakes and other critters kept me on the right side of the fence. Wyoming Slouch is a painting that will take you to that moment in time by getting all your senses involved.

S H E L BY K E E F E • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (WI) • WWW.STU DIOSH E LBY.COM

Shelby earned a BFA in 1981 and soon after, embarked upon a career in graphic design. It was in 2005 when her success as a fine artist allowed her to become a full-time painter. Her paintings have become noticed nationally and published in Southwest Art and Plein Air Magazines--both being honored as the cover artist. An award winner and teacher, Shelby has been invited to participate in museum shows, and plein air painting competitions. Shelby is a Signature Member of OPA, AIS, and AWA. She has galleries in the west and her native Midwest. 78

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DEBRA KEIRCE

SIZE: 18ʺH x 27ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

HOISTED

TO M E, TH IS PAI NTI N G I LLUSTRATES that we are never alone. Even when we are striving to achieve the seemingly impossible, help is available if we reach for it. Sometimes it’s virtual. Sometime’s it’s knowledge passed down from previous generations. Sometimes it’s

a strength that someone planted in our soul long ago. That metaphorical helping hand is always there. It’s part of the human condition. We require connection for our physical and mental health. We are social animals, and we rely on one another for survival.

D E B R A K E I R C E • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (VA) • WWW.DE B KART.COM

Debra Keirce has painted realistic fine art full time since 2010 in her Northern Virginia studios. She specializes in palm sized miniature art, but creates pieces as large at four feet tall and you can learn more at www.DebKArt.com. While her subject matter and size vary, every painting has a job. A painting by Debra Keirce makes your heart smile. Can you feel the breeze? Hear the birds chirping? Taste that grape? Good. Mission accomplished. 79

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JAYA KING

SIZE: 36ʺH x 72ʺW MEDIUM: Encaustic

DELTA CURRENT I AM A CALI FO RN IA G I RL, native to the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout my life, no matter where I’ve lived, the surrounding landscape has been a constant source of inspiration. After moving to the rural outskirts of Sacramento a few years ago my landscape changed. It took some time to begin to appreciate the new agricultural scenery. The Delta became increasingly more

alluring. I was fascinated by the disappearing expanse — how the marsh and farmland vanished into the obscure horizon. I found myself exploring the winding roads, mentally dissecting the shapes and colors of this subtly beautiful ecosystem. The turning point in my landscape practice was inspired by the abstracted geometry of the Delta. Delta Current is the culmination of this inspiration.

J AYA K I N G • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.JAYASART.COM

Jaya is a California native based out of Sacramento. She enjoys pushing the boundaries of her two favorite mediums, acrylic and encaustic, by focusing on texture and color. Her dynamic semi-abstract paintings marry the balance of technique while conveying a sense of grandeur and movement. Jaya is represented by Sparrow Gallery in Sacramento and her artwork is in the permanent collections at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, CA, and the Museum of Encaustic Art in Santa Fe, NM. 80

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LESLIE KIRCHNER

SIZE: 12ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

PRECISION TIMING – BLUE HERON TH E BLU E H ERO N FO R M E REPRESENTS patience, tenacity, and perseverance. They can stay perfectly still for as long as it takes to catch prey. They are completely focused on the task at hand. They remind me of something ancient, in that they probably resembled what pterodactyls must have looked like as they flew across

the sky. They are also elegant birds, particularly during breeding season with the feathers on their necks and backs displayed for their partners. In this piece I chose to portray their patience in waiting for just the right moment to strike.

L E S L I E K I R C H N E R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.LESLI E K I RCH N E R.COM

Leslie paints both Western and wildlife subjects. She thoroughly researches those subjects, as well as their habitats, vegetation and anatomy. Leslie has worked with many of the subjects she paints, including cougars, bobcats, birds of prey, and reptiles, in order to lend authenticity to her work. Her work has been shown in museums, galleries and art shows across the country. Leslie is a member of American Women Artists, Oil Painters of America, California Art Club, Women Artists of the West, and Artists For Conservation. 81

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KIRSTEN KOKKIN YOUNG DANCER SIZE: 97ʺH x 45ʺW x 28ʺW MEDIUM: Bronze

TH E KN OWLED G E THAT ART was my language of communication, came to me when my parents took me to The Alte Pinacotheca in Munich, Germany, when I was 8 years old. I knew then my fate in life was visual Art and I have worked with this fantastic medium since. The hunger for education and exploration have sent me on journeys all over the world. It started in Oslo at the Art Academy 1970 and that cycle was completed when I came back as an associated Professor in 2000, 30 years later. There have also been educational and working travels to Sweden, Italy, Australia, Finland, Austria, China, India, and USA, to where I immigrated in 1987. I always say that USA, made me the Artist that I am today. USA made it possible for me to flourish in my figurative, classical language in Art. My passion for the human body, humanity, and beauty, took form in the shape of Dancers and sculptures in dramatic movements. But parallel I developed a skill for portraits, and I was lucky to create monumental busts and monuments of some of the most interesting and accomplished people. I call myself a monument builder, but the language of Art is what I strife for in all my creations.

K I R STE N K O K K I N • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.KOK K I NSCU LPTU R E.COM

Kirsten was born in Oslo, Norway. She started her art education at 17 at the Art Academy of Norway. In 1987 she moved to the USA and soon marked her presence in the community of figurative sculptors here and internationally. Kirsten has executed 97 public monuments, and her artwork is placed worldwide although mainly in the U.S and Norway. Presently she resides in Loveland, CO, and Oslo, NO, where she maintains her studios and production. Kristen is a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society, NY. 82

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DEBBIE KORBEL

SIZE: 42ʺH x 41ʺW x 34ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze, Mixed Media

LOVERS

I CREATED TH E LOVERS SCU LPTU RE by portraying clowns, characters that we normally think of as being silly, engaged in a moment of passion. I thought it would be a nice dichotomy to see the emotion under their make-up

and masks—kind of a metaphor for how we all run around with a certain level of decorum but underneath we are flesh and a whirlwind of emotion.

D E B B I E K O R B E L • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (CA) • WWW.DE B B I E KOR B E L.COM

Debbie’s work has been collected and exhibited internationally. She is thrilled to include Steven Tyler of Aerosmith as one of her collectors. Her work has appeared on television shows and been featured in numerous magazine and newspaper articles, including American Art Collector, Western Art & Architecture, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Artillery Magazine. In 2018 her work was displayed on a banner in NYC’s Times Square. In 2020 her work was presented in a solo exhibit at MOAH, The Museum of Art & History, Lancaster. 83

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KIM KORI OBLIVIOUS

SIZE: 24ʺH x 11.5ʺW x 8.5ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

A M OST U N USUAL BI RD, the greater roadrunner is native to the Southwestern desert. The one in this sculpture is sunbathing while perched atop a prickly pear cactus. In his sleepy state he is oblivious to the lizard, even though it is one of his favorite meals. I see roadrunners occasionally in Sedona, AZ, where I live but they are usually running. They actually can run up to 40 miles per hour. Once while I was walking in the forest land behind my house, I saw one perched on top of a tall tree, and it inspired me to sculpt one that was resting.

K I M K O R I • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.K I M KOR ISTU DIO.COM

Born in Pennsylvania and now living in Sedona, AZ, Kim is inspired by the abundance of nature surrounding her home. She specializes in entwining her imagination with reality in her bronze flora and fauna sculptures. Kim tends to push the boundaries in bronze with her intricate style. She has 15 public placements and has won several awards. Kim is a Master Signature Member of American Women Artists and Signature Member of Society of Animal Artists. 84

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CHRIS KRUPINSKI AFTER THE GAME SIZE: 22ʺH x 15ʺW MEDIUM: Transparent watercolor

FI RST O F ALL, I am not a beer drinker. But I love the color of beer and the soft, cloudlike look of the foam. My initial challenge in painting beer was to be able to capture the look and feel of the foam. I now have a series of three beer paintings. “After the Game” adds another dimension, though. I grew up in a baseball family and have always loved the sport. There have been many, many times after a baseball game spent with family or friends discussing the game over a beer (wine for me). This painting recalls so many of those fond memories.

C H R I S K R U P I N S K I • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (OH) • WWW.CH R ISK R U PI NSK I.COM

Chris is a Dolphin Fellow of the American Watercolor Society, Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain Watercolor Society, TWSA (Master Status), Watercolor West (Master Status), and Allied Artists, to name a few. She is the recipient of more than 200 national and regional awards. She has shown internationally in China, Thailand, Taiwan, Holland, Italy, Turkey, Greece, and Russia. Chris has been published in major watercolor publications and has been a featured artist in numerous leading national art magazines. 85

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SUE KRZYSTON DISTANT DRUMS SIZE: 30ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

D ISTANT D RU MS WAS A challenging painting for me. (I love challenges!) I wanted to play with the warm shadows cast on the soft gray background to give a very 3-dimensional quality and bring life to all the beautifully beaded pieces that I selected for this composition. I wanted the colorful beadwork of the Plains Indian moccasins, the strike-a-light bag, and drum beater with the horsehair “tail” to surround the aged character of the stretched rawhide drum.

S U E K RZYSTO N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.SU E K RZYSTON.COM

Sue is known for using light and shadow to bring the Native American artifacts that she uses as the subjects of her still life paintings come alive. She has been commissioned to paint pieces for the Washington DC offices of the Arizona Senators and Congressmen, and is an Honorary Artist Member of the Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ. She is represented by Rowe Gallery, Sedona, AZ and Sage Creek Gallery, Santa Fe, NM. 86

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KATE LACKMAN

SIZE: 16ʺH x 16ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

FLORA

WITH H ER H EAD TH ROWN BACK and an inner peaceful countenance, the young woman appears to feel the euphoric hope of a new day. Inner peace has been challenging during the 2020 pandemic and the things that we find hope in sometimes must be imagined. Imagination is represented in this painting by the brightly

colored flowers swirling around her. After a long and often scary year, hope of returning to the things we love has been prevalent in the joys of art and the creativity and resiliency in the people the world over. May we throw back our heads in the coming years and find peace.

K ATE L A C K M A N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (OH) • WWW.KATE LACK MAN.COM

Kate’s paintings explore the inner emotions of humanity. Her work seeks to read the mystery behind the surface of our faces and body language. Kate has a love of storytelling which can be seen in the allegorical settings in which her subjects find themselves. Kate’s emphasis is on expression, with strong lights along with color used to enhance the mood. Her figurative work can be found in many permanent collections throughout the world, including the Decorative Arts Department of the Louvre in Paris. 87

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LANEY

SIZE: 15ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on gessobord

ON A GRAY DAY IT IS A Q U I ET M O RN I N G with fresh snow on the old Cottonwood roots and dry grasses. The mood is the muffled silence of a winter Wyoming landscape. In the cold, still morning, a coyote investigates the location for

the telltale signs and sounds of moles under the white snow cover. The key for a successful hunt is to not disturb the snow or dry grasses to alert prey underneath.

L A N EY • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (WY) • WWW.SU N NYBAN KSTU DIO.COM

Rocky Mountains native Laney is a naturalist wildlife artist. Every rock, snowflake, animal and bush has its place in the natural environment. Her art centers on the landforms, plants and animals, each with its own individual personality. She considers them all her friends and equals in the net of life and time. Laney’s paintings are in the permanent collections of the National Museum of Wildlife Art and other institutions and private collections. Her life history book, “To See Beyond Looking” was released in 2016. 88

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JEANNE CRAIN LEEMON DRESSED IN WHITE SIZE: 24ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

PAI NTI N G FLOWERS ALWAYS brings me joy. White flowers in particular are an exciting challenge for me to paint, so when this huge bouquet was sent to me as a gift, I had to paint it. The lilies’ petals reminded me of satin, and the petals of the hydrangeas reminded me of the intricacy of lace—so there they were, all dressed in white satin and lace. As a female artist, I strive to balance femininity and strength. In this painting my goal was to communicate not only the elegance and innocence associated with white flowers, but also boldness and confidence—all qualities which I believe are shared by women.

J E A N N E C R A I N L E E M O N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (TN) • WWW.J EAN N E LE E MON.COM

Always inspired by beauty and light, Jeanne paints still-life, figures and landscapes in oil and pastel. She is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, and a member of American Women Artists, Oil Painters of America, International Guild of Realism, National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society, and the Portrait Society of America. An award-winning artist, Jeanne’s paintings have been accepted into numerous juried shows. She has been featured in American Art Collector and International Artist magazines. 89

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JHENNA QUINN LEWIS

IT’S A BIRD IN THE HAND AFTER ALL SIZE: 24ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

ART IS MY WAY O F communication and expression. I endeavor to capture a wondrous glimpse of a moment held in time and share it with the viewer. During the pandemic, I have been re-learning pencil drawing and have many drawing model statues in my studio because of it. I loved the idea of incorporating the wooden hand as a perch for a goldfinch, whose springtime song is very uplifting, and placing them on a stack of books, which are always plentiful in my home. The process of titling a work is sometimes a challenge for me, but working on this piece and finding a play on words for its name was a joyful process.

J H E N N A Q U I N N L E W I S • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (OR) • WWW.J H E N NAQU I N N LEWIS.COM

Jhenna Quinn Lewis is an American oil painter of avian and still-life subjects whose meditative compositions and detailed realism blend the tenets of Japanese wabi sabi with a sense of light like the old masters. She pays attention to the smallest details and balances them with austerity and atmosphere. Her work invites the viewer to slow down, be patient and look. She is represented by Meyer Gallery in Santa Fe, NM; Trailside Galleries in Jackson, WY; Hanson Howard in Ashland, OR; and, InSight Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX. 90

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NANCY LILLY

SIZE: 20ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Pastel on panel

SENTRIES TO THE SUNSET NATU RE D I D N OT G ET TH E M EM O in the spring of 2020 that a virus was killing off mankind. Nature, I learned, carries on with resolute loyalty to every challenging season. On walks far into the countryside I encountered cactus springing up into bloom along with native Texas Bluebonnets. With literally no other place to go, I could tarry across the meadow and take time to carefully

scrutinize the humble prickly pear cactus. Though wild, gnarled, and lacking apparent symmetry, I found cactus to possess a proud stateliness. Each pad seemed a note in a mysterious sonata. I felt I had discovered unsung heroes of resilience and came to realize I had been gifted with a vital lesson about the beauty of endurance.

N A N CY L I L LY • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (TX) • WWW.NANCYLI LLYARTIST.COM

Nancy’s paintings depict the vibrant play of light found in the scenery and famed landmarks of Texas. Her award-winning depictions of historical Texas missions are known for their luminescent handling of shade and sunlight. Nancy is a Signature Member of The Pastel Society of America, a member of the American Impressionist Society, and has exhibited with The International Association of Pastel Societies Juried shows. She works from her home in Round Rock, TX, that she shares with her husband and two Pomeranians. 91

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JAMIE LINDHOLM

SIZE: 18ʺH x 18ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF GEOGRAPHY AND VIEWPOINT O BSERVE D EEPLY LISTEN intuitively COLOR harmonically EXPRESS meaningfully. Once drawn to an idea, I wander paths of observations, research, and whisperings until it is ready to be manifested. My current work is an interconnection of all. The result is not a snapshot of the individual, but rather the entanglement of the totality. They are intertwined and woven connections of subject with environmental

and color energies -- the product of sensory experiences discovered in the investigative process. Through the intricate layering and weaving of images and color, the conceptual energy wants to uplift the viewer to possibly awaken an awareness or innermost knowledge of our interconnectedness. The Interconnectedness of Geography and Viewpoint is about how our interactions affect and effect our points of view.

J A M I E L I N D H O L M • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.JAM I E LI N DHOLM.COM

Jamie identifies her evolved style as a blend of Conceptual Realism and Allegory. She intricately weaves and layers seemingly unrelated images in patterns to gradually emerge a subject of that interconnection. The imagery is at once intensely energetic and strategically understated. Her work has been exhibited throughout the U.S., as well as Sweden, and is in the permanent collections of the International Securities Exchange; Dancker, Sellew & Douglas; Somerset County Parks (NJ); and private collections in the United States, Australia, and Sweden. 92

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LINDA LINDSAY

‘M’AKHOTSO, MOTHER OF PEACE SIZE: 60ʺH x 19ʺW x 17ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

FRO M MY EARLI EST M EM O RI ES, I have been keenly interested in peoples from all over the globe. As an adult, I have travelled extensively to understand this beautiful and complex world - the humanity that means so much to me. ‘M’akhotso symbolizes the generations of people who have come to, and have been part of, shaping this continent. Representing their dreams for a brighter future, she likewise embodies our shared hope of universal peace…for all who are now part of our world and for those who come to join it. The birth of my model, ‘M’akhotso, reconciled a family rift. Her name, given by her grandfather in Lesotho, reveals the promise of healing, as ‘M’akhotso means Mother of Peace.

L I N D A L I N D S AY • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (BC)

Determination to represent the depth of the human spirit in figurative form compels Linda’s ceaseless focus on anatomy and expression. From California, Linda moved to Canada, starting a family. Travels in Africa, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia ignited her compassion for humanity, and for what binds us all. It is the central theme of her terracotta and bronze sculptures. Actively participating in exhibitions, Linda’s works grace collections in Canada and America. She is an empowering instructor and senior member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. 93

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DEBRA LOTT UNMASKED

SIZE: 48ʺH x 36ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

MY PAI NTI N G U N MASKED personifies the crisis of the 2020/21 pandemic. It expresses our collective anxiety elevated by quarantine, isolation, fear, trauma, frustration, and loneliness. The figure is a captive of the virus, faced with a sudden loss of her routine, community, health and livelihood. She is caught in a moment of uncertainty and indecision holding her only salvation: her mask.

D E B R A L OTT • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (KY) • WWW.DE B RALOT T.COM

Debra is a figurative artist who creates oil paintings that empower women and reflect upon the human experience. Her paintings often explore social, political, and contemporary issues. Debra’s large-scale paintings are created in richly colored palettes and the alla prima style. Her techniques include naturalism, expressionism, semi-abstraction and figurative distortion. Debra’s work has been funded by grants from the Kentucky Foundation for Women, awarded for commitment to positive social change in Kentucky. Her work will be featured in the International Artist Magazine, May/April 2021. 94

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LINDA LUTZAI DOT

SIZE: 14ʺH x 11ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

AUSTRALIAN SH EPH ERDS ARE an American breed whose origins can be traced to the Basque region of Spain. Some then went to Australia to herd sheep. The story continued with their move to the US along with sheep, and this set the foundation for the Australian Shepherd known today. They became popular in the 1950s rodeo shows, where they were hailed as “blue dogs” performing extraordinary feats. They are very intelligent, athletic and loyal. They love to cuddle up and many smile an “Aussie Smile” when feeling sheepish or a bit embarrassed. Dot’s father came from a rodeo. She loves to play frisbee and help out at her human mom’s law firm.

L I N D A L UTZ A I • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NY) • WWW.LI N DALUTZAI.COM

Through my experience as a professional ballerina, I aim to infuse my still life paintings with the drama live theater evokes. This passion overflows into my love for animal portraiture, which gives me a great sense of happiness as a painter. My portraits have been included in the Richeson75 International Animals, Birds and Wildlife, and NOAPS “Best of America” Small Works National Exhibition. I was also awarded First Place in the oil category for the 2020 Trekell Pet Portrait Competition. 95

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ELLEN STARR LYON ESCAPE

SIZE: 40ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

AS A M OTH ER, I AM H U M BLED by the intensity of the teenage years. Most often I am kept at arm’s length, and can offer only support – at best helpful, but often left feeling helpless. Painting my teens is a way for me to process this experience and document these emotionally charged but fleeting years. With that comes the need to explore and portray my experience of being woman/wife/mother. My roles are ever-changing, and I use self-portraiture to reflect that. This was painted at the beginning of the pandemic as a touchstone to carefree memories. Working on this and other series of self-portraits has focused me on deep work while also working full-time outside the home and parenting children through an ongoing global crisis.

E L L E N STA R R LYO N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (I N) • WWW.E LLE NSTAR R LYON.COM

Ellen is a figurative painter focusing on modern portraiture revolving around feminism, motherhood and coming of age. She is a current member of PoetsArtists, Portrait Society of America, American Women Artists, NOAPS, Hoosier Salon, and Indiana Artists. Ellen has shown at Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, OH, Abend Gallery in Denver, CO, WMOCA in Wausau, WI, Woman Made Gallery and 33 Contemporary in Chicago, IL, and online exclusives on Artsy through 33 Contemporary Gallery. She has been published in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine highlighting artist self-portraits. 96

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GAYLE MADEIRA TAKING THE A TRAIN SIZE: 24ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on aluminum panel

TH IS G ENTLEMAN IS FRO M TH E ERA of the song “Take the A Train” written by Billy Strayhorn for Duke Ellington in 1941 about the then-new A line of subway service that runs through New York City. The era was one in which people dressed up to take the subway or go to the grocery store. Their elegant style was a daily occurrence, not reserved for special occasions. The map of his face tells his story, every crease showing the roads he has traveled to get to this seat on this day in this modern New York City subway. His body language is reserved yet polite as he waits patiently for his stop without computer devices to amuse or distract him.

G AYL E M A D E I R A • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (NY) • WWW.GAYLE MADE I RA.COM

Gayle (b. 1969 Texas) is a contemporary artist based in NYC. Her art education includes Grand Central Academy, New York Academy of Art, Art Students League, and SUNY Purchase (BFA). Gayle’s work has been exhibited at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, MEAM Museum, Sotheby’s, Salmagundi Club, National Arts Club, and Principle Gallery, among others. Her paintings have appeared in magazines, books, and films and have been finalists in many competitions including Figurativas, Art Renewal Center, and Portrait Society of America. 97

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BARBARA J. MASON NESTING

SIZE: 34ʺH x 21ʺW MEDIUM: Pastel on paper

TH E STI LL LI FE-LAN DSCAPE combination painting demonstrates a subtle view through a set of transparent nesting glasses. The stacked nesting glass objects create a complex design that is softened by the cool landscape background. The complex composition allows the viewer’s eye to travel, climb upwards on a journey and rest on the calming colors in the blue sky. It is much like the balance of life with its ebbs and flows of complex issues interwoven with calm moments of peace and reassurance. I find that this painting tells an indirect story that we can all relate to as human beings.

B A R B A R A J. M A S O N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.DRAGON FLYSTU DIOCR EATIONS.COM

Barbara’s still life paintings combine hyperrealism with vibrant color and abstract forms to put a modern twist on traditional classic images. Barbara is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, the Pastel Society of the Southwest and the Degas Pastel Society. Her artwork is included in the UTSW Hospital permanent collection, the Springfield Clinic Imaging Corporate Collection, Richardson Texas Public Library and Advanced Foot & Ankle Clinic’s Permanent Collections. The Pastel Journal magazine recognized Barbara in the Top 100 Artist Competition. 98

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JANIS MATTSON

SIZE: 12ʺH x 14ʺW MEDIUM: Graphite Pencil on Fabriano Paper

PIE BIRDS

I N A WO RLD FI LLED WITH LOW Q UALITY mass-produced items, there is something special about beautiful things with age and history. I have a particular affection for old yellow ware bowls like the one in this drawing. The vintage flour canister is one of a set of four from the late 1940s or early 1950s. They belonged to my mother and

hold special meaning to me. I still use them today. When baking, I’m a fan of old-fashioned pie birds to vent steam. One day the idea for this drawing popped into my head: A freshly baked berry pie with a bird in it, next to a berryeating bird on a bowl; thus, the name Pie Birds.

J A N I S M ATTS O N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (VT) • JAN ISMAT TSON2.WIXSITE.COM/ARTIST

Janis, a Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists, works in both graphite and colored pencils. Her work has been juried into numerous national and international exhibits, including the Society of Animal Artists Art and the Animal, The Bennington Center for the Arts Art of the Animal Kingdom, and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s Birds in Art. She was awarded a Gold Medal of Honor in Graphics from the Audubon Artists and the Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit’s John Stanley Hoffman Memorial Award. 99

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SALLY MAXWELL PRECARIOUS POSITION SIZE: 24ʺH x 72ʺW MEDIUM: Colored scratchboard

D U RI N G TH E FI RST STAG ES of lockdown during 2020, many people were put in a precarious position having to make decisions about their children’s schooling or their work. The people in positions of power also faced the dilemma and whether to enact restrictions on movement of humans. We all felt damned if we did or damned if we did not. This Cougar is facing that as well, with a goal in mind, ready to leap off an Aspen tree. If she puts too much weight on one of the smaller branches it may snap and warn her prey plus inhibit her jump. Careful co-ordination of a push off from the trunk as well as even weight distribution was necessary for success. Wonder if she made it?

S A L LY M A XW E L L • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.SALLYMAX WE LL.COM

Sally has been working in scratchboard for over 53 years, 48 of those using color in the medium. She is recognized by the International Society of Scratchboard Artists as a Master, Society of Animal Artists as a Signature Member and American Women Artists as a Master Signature Member, and through her association with Ampersand Art Materials, has taught a generation of artists how to use the medium. Her work is found in collections Internationally, in US Galleries, plus Museum shows. 100

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JILL MCGANNON

SIZE: 36ʺH x 48ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

LUMINESCENT

I’M STAN D I N G O N TH E ED G E of the marsh with the sun going down, illuminating the clouds above with a warm orange glow, and it’s all reflected in the water. The quiet is broken only by an egret fishing nearby. I try to paint slowly enough to get the drawing, values, and color right, but fast enough to finish the painting before the light

changes. The light has changed now, but I’m finished. I leave with my painting and a sense of satisfaction. I’ve learned something new today, some subtle color or value change, or drawing correction that I didn’t notice the last time I painted plein air. I never tire of trying to capture the magical beauty of light.

J I L L M C G A N N O N • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (GA) • WWW.J I LLMCGAN NON.COM

Jill received her BFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Georgia in 1985 and her MFA from UGA in 1988. She has worked as an artist for over 30 years, supplementing painting sales with portrait and landscape commissions and teaching. She paints plein air and in the studio, and her landscape paintings can be seen in galleries in Atlanta, GA, Blue Ridge, GA, and Bluffton, SC. She also has a painting this spring in the OPA National Exhibition in Escondido, CA. 101

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GEORGENE MCGONAGLE HAWK-EYE

SIZE: 20ʺH x 10ʺW x 6.5ʺW MEDIUM: Bronze

IT IS EARLY M O RN I N G, and you must lie down with me. Look up carefully, as a clever bird is nesting above in a tree. Quiet! Suddenly, I hear a high-pitched screech, and I see the bird spread his powerful wings, as if lifting the sky. With his incredible eyesight he spots his prey, and with a quick, sudden turn, dives downward to catch it. Then, graceful as the wind, this elegant beauty returns to his nest. In the cool evening, he reappears, and begins to slowly circle around me; my protector and companion -- Georgene’s Red-tail Hawk.

G E O R G E N E M C G O N A G L E • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.G MCGONAG LESTU DIO.COM

Georgene graduated with honors with a BA degree from Southern Methodist University, and then taught biology, while successfully wining several City and State golf championships. Her family also experienced significant adventure travels! From her varied life experiences, Georgene found delight sculpting realistic children and animals, though now she sculpts using a freer, stylized form. Georgene’s sculptures are permanently placed in many schools and parks, and in Colorado, publicly placed at National Jewish Health, Coors Field, Boys and Girls Clubs, Children’s Hospital, and American National Bank. 102

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DEANNE MCKEOWN CROW BOAT

SIZE: 23ʺH x 25.5ʺW x 8ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

WH EN I BEG I N A SCU LPTU RE, it’s like a negotiation with ideas, materials and chance. Inspiration may spring from observation, reading, poetry, or a dream. Each idea is a struggle to bring an incomplete and intangible thought process to a visible form, satisfying my mind and expectations as a form of communication. This beautiful boat-shaped piece of wood tickled my imagination, and I knew I would have to devise a new life for it. My ongoing fascination with the concept of boats was a starting place, combined with my love of ravens and wordplay. Crow Boat was the result, a sort of fantasy ship of fools. Since corvids don’t set out to sea, their boat requires wind and wheels, transforming into a mythical prairie schooner.

D E A N N E M C K E O W N • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.MCK EOWN GALLE R I ES.COM

Much of the inspiration for Deanne’s work comes from observing the wild creatures who inhabit the high desert surrounding her home in Sedona, AZ. These critters are frequently transformed through the lens of history, folk lore, humor, and political/ social satire. Her work has been shown and received awards in a number of museum exhibitions and is included in numerous private and public collections. She is a Signature Member of Women Artists of the West and American Women Artists. 103

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KRYSTII MELAINE

SIZE: 48ʺH x 48ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on Belgian linen on panel

FLAMINGO FLAMENCO

FLAM I N G O FLAM EN CO BRI N GS TO G ETH ER my love of birds, the curves of Art Nouveau, and the bold pink and black colors of Art Deco. These flamingos are carefully arranged so that their black beaks form a pinwheel pattern while their necks loop around in a sinuous design. Painted at much larger-than-life size, I was able

to capture the texture of the feathers as they catch the light and cast rich coral shadows. The textured white background gives the impression of strong equatorial light bleaching out the colors, leaving only the warm shadows to glow like a happy memory of exotic tropical vacations.

K RYSTI I M E L A I N E • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (WA) • WWW.K RYSTI I M E LAI N E.COM

Announcing her decision to be an artist at age four, Australian-born Krystii pursued her creative passions throughout art school and a fashion design career. Five years studying traditional tonal realism focused her on portraiture, wildlife, and horses, which expanded to include Native Americans and cowboys upon her exploration of the American West. Krystii’s distinctive artistic voice combines the rich traditions of realism with abstract and modern themes. Numerous awards, magazine articles, and museum purchases and exhibitions attest to the quality of Krystii’s paintings. 104

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KAMI MENDLIK

SIZE: 24ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on primed boa

BLACK WATER POND

BLACK WATER PO N D IS A PI ECE I NSPI RED by childhood memories of my siblings and me swimming with the lily pads in the black pond behind our house in Minnesota. I was simply fascinated by the lily pads, especially their root system. We would grab hold of the stems connected to their roots and try to pull them out to clear space for swimming. Try we would; they did not let go

easily. I distinctly remember their smooth stretchy feel, their bright yellow color, and the spring of each lily pad as it held tight to where it was grounded, connected to the earth below. Remarkable. As I move through this life, I realize how much we can learn from one of nature’s wonders, the waterlily.

K A M I M E N D L I K • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (M N) • WWW.KAM I M E N DLI K.COM

Growing up on her family farm in Minnesota, Kami’s daily wanderings taught her to have a deep love and respect for the natural world, which later provided her with the inspiration that has led her on a lifelong journey as a painter. Kami’s work has been featured in numerous international and national exhibitions and magazine articles. She is a member of OPA and a Signature Member of AIS and AWA. Kami is the founder of the St Croix River School of Painting in Stillwater, MN. 105

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NICOLE MONÉ

A DAY LIKE ANY OTHER SIZE: 24ʺH x 18ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

TH E SU BJ ECT O F TH E PAI NTI N G is an attorney who, due to the pandemic, moved his everyday business dealings from Midtown Manhattan to his home library. In this painting I chose to illustrate his apparently effortless success at retaining a foothold in normalcy during this unprecedented time. This is A Day Like Any Other as we see him and his handful of associates dealing with the day’s paperwork. Not unlike the portrait’s subject, I feel fortunate that my own perspective remains largely unaffected by the year-long quarantine.

N I C O L E M O NÉ • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NY) • WWW.N ICOLE MON E.COM

Drawing from her life experiences, Nicole often uses humor or nostalgia as she endeavors to make an emotional connection between painting and viewer. Her representational works reside in collections throughout the U.S. and abroad. They’ve appeared in many American magazines, international publications, and were also used in SHOWTIME’s Ray Donovan (Season 4). Her works have exhibited at MEAM and Museo Pablo Serrano (Spain), Natural History Museum and Sotheby’s (Los Angeles), Salmagundi Club and National Arts Club (NYC), and the Butler Institute of American Art (Ohio). 106

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SHERRIE NIELSEN

SIZE: 12ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

TOO CUTE

I ENJ OY CREATI N G ART THAT EXPLO RES the lives and characters of animals in situations that are often realistic, and, at times, imagined or allegorical. I fell in love with the joyous expression of this pup in a reference photo. The picture was otherwise uninspiring, with one paw cropped off, the pup laying against a plain white blanket.

I decided to change the blanket to provide a colorful striped background and lift the dog up to show his entire gesture. Engineering the stripes and some of the blanket folds out of my head, expressing the cute fuzziness of the dog, and capturing the charm of his expression were fun challenges in creating this work.

S H E R R I E N I E LS E N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.SH E R R I E N I E LSE N.COM

Sherrie is a California figurative artist with a passion for animals and nature. Her primary mediums are oil, charcoal, and colored pencil. Her artworks have been juried into international, national, and regional shows, and have received recognition and awards. Sherrie studied art at Mount San Antonio College and CSU Long Beach. She received her MFA from CSU Fullerton. She is a member of Oil Painters of America and American Women Artists. 107

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EILEEN NISTLER

SIZE: 10ʺH x 13ʺW MEDIUM: Colored pencil

TA DA!

“D O WHAT IS M EAN I N G FU L, not expedient.” Jordan Peterson After a long Wyoming winter, dandelions mean that it is truly spring. I enjoyed playing with them as a kid and adored the bouquets of dandelions my own children brought me. When dandelions turn white and fluffy there are great flocks of goldfinch that come to snack on the

seeds. My intention with this piece was to elevate the lowly flower to the grandness it deserves. My work is inspired by Baroque painters Rubens and Caravaggio. I am a true and devoted follower of the chiaroscuro style, which creates drama like a spotlight on the characters of a play. My medium of choice is colored pencils. I love the precision and I detest washing paint brushes.

E I L E E N N I STL E R • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (WY) • WWW.E I LE E N N ISTLE R.COM

Eileen was born in the beautiful Inyan Kara area of the Black Hills in Wyoming. She left for 17 years to pursue an education and short career as an architect; but then the magic of Wyoming called her back. She now lives in the house on the family ranch in NE Wyoming in which she drew her first paintings as a child. Much of her inspiration comes from living and loving on a working ranch in Wyoming. 108

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BARBARA NUSS

SIZE: 24ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

SHEEP MAY SAFELY GRAZE I N MY PAI NTI N GS, I TRY TO EVO KE a feeling that invites viewers to interpret a scene with their own memories. They are a gentle reminder of how life was before the onslaught of creeping urbanization and technology. It was a time when we could idly lie under a tree watching changing cloud formations floating by. As a landscape painter, I paint many plein air studies as well as teach

plein air workshops. Often, I have to show my students how to turn an uninspiring scene into an appealing one, as I did with Sheep May Safely Graze. The original scene was a boring green pasture with grazing horses on a bright sunny day so I transformed it into a place where I wanted to be.

B A R B A R A N U S S • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (M D) • WWW.BAR BARAN USS.COM

Nationally recognized landscape painter inspired by the Maryland countryside, Barbara is the author of the popular book “Secrets to Composition,” now in its sixth printing. She has shown in Paris and Amsterdam, plus in numerous national exhibitions across the U.S. where she has won Best Landscape awards in several of them. Barbara is represented by the Berkley Gallery in Warrenton, VA, and the McBride Gallery in Annapolis, MD. 109

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DYAN J. PADGETT

SIZE: 26ʺH x 26ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

ESSENTIALS

LIVI N G I N TH E M I DWEST, I conceived Essentials as a work of art to celebrate the region’s strong agricultural heritage. An amalgamation of dairy, grain, and farm products, each carefully detailed and precisely described, comes together to form a resplendent

impression of farming’s vitality. However, the painting took on new meaning as artists across the country moved their studios into their homes and continued painting under “shelter in place” COVID restrictions, and everywhere people scrambled to purchase essentials.

DYA N J. PA D G ETT • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (M N) • WWW.DYAN PADG ET T.COM

LI FTI N G TH E SKY: AM ERI CAN WO M EN ARTISTS

POKEY PARK LA MASCARADE SIZE: 22ʺH x 11ʺW x 13ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

A WO LF I N A MASK. I have used masks for dress up, to pretend for fun, but never to hide behind. Throughout history many women have hidden their talents, some even resorting to using pen names to have their work accepted and respected. I’m lucky to have been born in the age where a woman’s talents could bloom and grow in her own piece of soil in full sunlight. La Mascarade is one of the 12 animals created for a totem series based on the Chinese Zodiac. I changed some of the Chinese animals to Southwestern ones The dog becomes a wolf, the pig morphed into a javelina, and the rooster became an owl.

P O K EY PA R K • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.POK EYPAR K.COM

Pokey is renowned for her enchanting wildlife bronzes. Her extensive repertoire of uniquely expressive animals contains creatures both exotic and everyday. Recently Pokey has been inspired by lesser-known threatened or endangered species. recent highlight began in 2013 when she was commissioned to create 36 Animal Habitat sculptures for the Expansion to the Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University’s Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA. Her work is on permanent display in a museum and public communities around the country and international. 111

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VICTORIA PARSONS HIDE AND SEEK

SIZE: 49ʺH x 30ʺW x 19ʺD MEDIUM: Wood - Ancient Bristlecone Pine

WH I LE O N A TRI P to Jackson Hole, WY, one beautiful spring day I enviously had the pleasure of observing river otters in a stream joyfully playing and interacting. What a treat! They always bring a smile to my face, make me happy, and remind me how life should be lived. To me, no other animal seems to display such a playful approach and zest for life as do these special animals. While we seemingly take life too seriously many days, the river otter shows us just how playful and thrilling a day can be and simply how to love and live life.

V I CTO R I A PA R S O N S • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.VICTOR IAPARSONSSCU LPTU R E.COM

For over 30 years, Victoria has been creating one-of-a-kind and bronze edition sculptures. She is the foremost one-of-a-kind fine art sculptor in rare bristlecone pine and burl wood creations. Her work has been featured and awarded in prestigious museum exhibitions with the Society of Animal Artists, National Sculpture Society, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s “Birds in Art” and Artists for Conservation. Her work can be found in fine art galleries and numerous private collections. 112

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PRISCILLA PATTERSON

SIZE: 12ʺH x 16ʺW MEDIUM: Acrylic on paper

TO SAIL UPON THE WIND

TH E WRI G HT BROTH ERS BEGAN BU I LD I N G a flying machine in their Dayton, Ohio bicycle shop in 1899, eventually traveling to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1900 to test their machine. By 1903 they had made numerous flights, unmanned and manned, making

changes and improvements with everyone. This 1903 Flyer superimposed over a vintage map of the Carolinas Outer Banks reflects an early view of the times. To quote French student of flight Louis Pierre Mouillard, the Wrights were “to sail upon the wind.”

P R I S C I L L A PATTE R S O N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (I D) • WWW.PR ISCI LLAPAT TE RSON.COM

An artist Fellow member of the American Society of Aviation Artists, Priscilla Messner Patterson and her husband reside near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She is member of the Canadian Aviation Artists Association, Northwest Air Force Art Association, Coast Guard and Air Force Art Programs and is also a certified law enforcement artist. Priscilla has won numerous awards and honors from the American Society of Aviation Artists, including their Distinguished Service Award in 2012. Her website is www.PriscillaPatterson.com. 113

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ANNE PEYTON

SIZE: 11ʺH x 14ʺW MEDIUM: Acrylic

DABBLER

I LOVE D U CKS. Ever since I was a small child, I have had a fondness for ducks. My mom said that I would ask her to take me to the park, first to feed the ducks, then to draw them. These many years later, I really enjoy going to the local parks or the Phoenix Zoo ponds to sketch the

wild ducks from life. It is a wonderful exercise to sharpen my drawing skills and also a lovely way to spend the morning outside in the fresh air. This painting is from one of those sketching trips. It’s a fond remembrance of a sunny morning spent with the local mallards in the park.

A N N E P EY TO N • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (AZ) • WWW.AN N E PEYTONART.COM

Anne started drawing birds as a child in Fort Collins, CO, where she spent hours coloring birds that came to her grandfather’s feeders. A longtime birding enthusiast, Anne travels throughout the West observing, photographing and field sketching birds for future paintings. Anne believes in getting close to birds. She is an education volunteer at Liberty Wildlife, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Phoenix, AZ. This enables her to work with non-releasable raptors in classrooms and other public venues and teach drawing classes for students. 114

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ELIZABETH POLLIE

SIZE: 40ʺH x 40ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

SLOW RISE ANTHEM

TH ERE IS AN ARC TO N EARLY ALL earthly things. They rise and fall adhering to cycles and rhythms that are abundant and seamless. Slow Rise Anthem is a tribute to the natural patterns that define our world. Rather than the sometimes-jagged pace of events influenced by humankind, the natural patterns of the cosmos

are by comparison far more subtle and in many ways, reassuring. Throughout the ages of storms and drought, she rises. Throughout the history of our hopes and despairs, she rises. Before we were “us” and far beyond the sweeping tides of this life, she rises and rises and rises.

E L IZ A B ETH P O L L I E • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (M I) • E LIZAB ETH POLLI E@AOL.COM

Elizabeth’s personal art history extends back decades. Art as a path, a language, and a personal frontier has been present from the time of her childhood. She earned her BFA from The College for Creative Studies, where she later taught. Her paintings find their power in discovering the extraordinary in everyday life. Elizabeth’s work has received a strong reception in the art world, collecting numerous awards as well as media coverage. Her work resides in numerous collections throughout the country. 115

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CLAUDIA POST WRAPPED IN SHAWL SIZE: 33ʺH x 23ʺW MEDIUM: Pastel

I M ET LI N DA GARCIA, a mature woman like myself, who wanted the experience of modeling for a portrait. She had silver hair, was full figured and had beautiful blue eyes. I asked her to look directly at me with strength and confidence. I made her silvery hair soft, wispy, and sensual. I wrapped her in a Metropolitan Art Museum shawl and positioned her hands in a challenging and feminine way. I worked on a custom ampersand board with a dark background, with several of my favorite brands of pastel, using a majority of Sennelier intense soft pastels, Terry Ludwig for my darks and sharpened Gallery Mungyo pastels for detailed drawing. I enjoyed working with this model and the concept of direct strength yet soft compassion.

C L A U D I A P O ST • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CT) • WWW.CLAU DIAPOST.COM

Claudia, a professional Fine Artist for over 55 years, is a Master Pastelist, Signature Member of the AWA, elected member of the Salmagundi Club, American Artists Professional League, Academic Artists Association, Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists, Connecticut Pastel Society, Elected Member of Lyme Art Association, Connecticut Women Artists, etc. Emotional empathy with people and other subjects is the essence of my work. I have completed hundreds of fine art paintings, worked as demonstrator, juror, judge, and currently conduct a Studio Atelier for the gifted. 116

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SARA POST

SIZE: 36ʺH x 48ʺW x 1.5ʺD MEDIUM: Oil mixed media on wood cradled board

TOWERS

TOWERS SERVE AS M O N U M ENTS — they represent power and strength—to the firm grasp of those who build them. From time to time, we are forced, as a culture, to rethink who and what is powerful, and to reevaluate our beliefs and behaviors. We are living in such a time—with many issues demanding awareness and action. Towers is

part of a series of works entitled This Is Not A Dream: A Pandemic Diary. It reflects the reality of processes around cultural change—the cracking and shifting of old monuments, the need to construct societal forms that reflect new paradigms.

S A R A P O ST • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.SARAPOSTART.COM

Sara’s paintings are layered mixed media constructions. Her work has a diarist’s approach to current cultural and political events. She was a resident in abstract painting at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in 2018 and will return to Mass MOCA for another residency in 2021. Her wall works are in collections at Kaiser Health and Alta Bates in California as well as other public spaces nationally. Gallery representation includes Sparrow Gallery, Sacramento, CA, and Sager-Braudis Gallery in Columbia, MO. 117

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HEIDE PRESSE

SIZE: 24ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen panel

SKILLFUL HANDS

SH E O BTAI NS WO O L AN D FLAX and makes cloth with skillful hands. Proverbs 31:13. “February...The linen is ready to go to work on and six two bushel bags all ready to sew up. That I will do evenings by the light of a dipped candle for I have made enough to last all winter after we get to Oregon. Now

my work is all planned so I can go right along. I have cut out two pairs of pants for George. Now it is March... I have worked almost day and night this winter. Have the sewing about all done but for a coat and vest for George. So I am about ready to load up.” Keturah Belknap 1848.

H E I D E P R E S S E • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (FL) • WWW.H E I DE PR ESSE.COM

Heide finds beauty in the simplicity of everyday life, utilizing dramatic lighting and rich palettes. Her work received the First Place Award in the Oil Painters of America 2020 Fall Showcase, and is exhibited in the Eiteljorg Museum’s Quest for the West, and at the Buffalo Bill Art Show in Cody, WY. She is currently at work on paintings and drawings based on an 1848 Overland Trail journal which will be featured in upcoming museum exhibitions. Representation is Wild Horse Gallery in Steamboat Springs, CO. 118

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DEANN L. PROSIA

SIZE: 12ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Line etching

CITY ESCAPE

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FASCI NATED how society has historically built beautiful and interesting architecture to fill the needs of people and their everyday lives. Through my line etchings I’m structurally creating images by building up layers of crosshatching, creating tone. My work has the feeling and textures of other printmaking methods, such as aquatint. Using a sewing needle and

working on copper plates I get the desired fine lines and details I like. I enjoy people revisiting my etchings and seeing something different each time. Etchings that are approximately 2” x 2” can take up to 20 hours to create – the largest pieces, such as City Escape, take over 200 hours. I ink and hand pull my own etchings.

D E A N N L. P R O S I A • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (NJ) • WWW.DEAN N LPROSIA.COM

New Jersey artist DeAnn has exhibited in over 300 shows, winning numerous awards. She is Vice-President of the Society of American Graphic Artists. Her work is included in the permanent collections of The Rockwell Museum - A Smithsonian Affiliate, Corning, NY; The New York Historical Society Museum and Library; The New York Public Library Print Collection; the Jundt Art Museum, Spokane, WA; and the Stedelijke Musea, Belgium. DeAnn’s work can be found on Artsy, Artnet, and at The Old Print Shop in NYC. 119

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BF REED

SIZE: 19ʺH x 27ʺW MEDIUM: Soft pastel

IN THE COMPANY OF SPHERES MY J O U RN EY AS AN ARTIST has found me intrigued by light and how it defines form, sending me on a search to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface. I never met a shadow that I did not like. I started on this path about 20 years ago when I purchased the blue and white balls because I was struck by their form, contrast, and

elegance. Then I had to figure out the right arrangement, which took several years and many iterations until I arrived at the composition with the mirror. This led me to depart from my normal style and add a hint of romance. This painting is the current step on my journey of creating a clear, graphic representation.

B F R E E D • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NC) • WWW.B FR E E DFI N EARTS.COM

BF is a coastal award-winning artist who is originally from Philadelphia, PA. She is a graduate of Temple’s Tyler school of Art with a major in Graphic Design. This influence still shows in her attention to detail in both her representational work as well as her abstracts. Her work can be found in collections locally and abroad. She is represented in New Elements Gallery, Color + Water Gallery, and Maddy King Davis gallery. 120

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MARDIE REES

SIZE: 33ʺH x 46ʺW x 18ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

SOUL OF THE FORWARD AND FAITHFUL, WWII U.S. MARINE RAIDER MEMORIAL TH E M EM O RIAL PRESENTS A G RO U P of WWII U.S. Marine Raiders tackling sloped terrain in the jungles of the Pacific. At right, a Navajo Code Talker quickly relays information on forward operations before his radio signal is picked up by the Japanese. Ahead, a Marine and his German Shepherd scout the dense foliage to avoid a potential ambush. At the ready, the Marine Raider holds

his Browning Automatic Rifle close to his chest while keeping an eye out for snipers hidden in the trees. The panel behind the three men serves to provide a visual context of place with additional Raiders visible through the vegetation. The work embodies the Marine Raiders working together with conviction, cooperation, and commitment to succeed in their mission.

M A R D I E R E E S • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (WA) • WWW.MAR DI E R E ES.COM

Mardie (b. 1980) is a figurative sculptor with a BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. She has created life-size bronze sculptures for museums, hospitals, schools, and collectors, and has won many accolades for her emotive sculpture, including Soul of the Forward and Faithful, currently in the Pentagon. An Elected Member of NSS, she is a two-time recipient of the Beverly Hoyt Robertson Memorial and a multiple award winner in Portrait Society of America’s International Competition. Mardie is represented by Nedra Matteucci Galleries. 121

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DIANA REUTER-TWINING CAROUSEL RABBITS

SIZE: 72ʺH x 61ʺW x 27ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze Rabbits on Stainless Steel

AS A YO U N G CH I LD I was often taken to The Carousel at Glen Echo Park in Maryland, where we rode the beautiful carousel. Part of my joy was the anticipation of choosing which of the magnificent carved wooden animals to ride! There were ostriches, lions, horses, and giraffes, but my favorite was the rabbit. As if this wasn’t exciting enough, there was an arm that hung slightly to the outside of the platform which held a golden ring. As your animal passed by this ring the game was to capture the ring, thus allowing you to have a free ride. In my sculpture, Carousel Rabbits, I imagined that the rabbits had escaped the carousel and were perpetually gliding through space.

D I A N A R E UTE R-T W I N I N G • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (VA) • WWW.B RONZE D.N ET

Growing up in the rural South and the American West, Diana’s focus is on the natural world. Through her art she hopes to engage people in becoming stewards of the natural world. Habitat lost is habitat lost forever. Her award-winning work has been included in the National Sculpture Society, The Society of Animal Artists, and the Salmagundi Club’s Annual Exhibitions and is in the permanent collection of Brookgreen Gardens. She is Master Signature, Emeritus member of American Women Artists. 122

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ELIZABETH RICKERT

SIZE: 48ʺH x 60ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

AQUARIUM I

I HAVE LO N G BEEN ATTRACTED to koi and I thought I knew them, but something extraordinary happened to me when I discovered a raised koi pond with a window on the side. Suddenly I could see the koi from underneath and from the side, in all their spectacular beauty and individuality. This opened up the possibility of making a

huge painting where the viewer could immerse himself in the pond with the fish. As I painted these fish, I found that I was painting myself. I was neither the flashy fish nor the most colorful or perfect fish; I was the hidden fish, the one you had to look a little harder to see. Which of the koi is you?

E L IZ A B ETH R I C K E RT • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (N M) • WWW.E LIZAB ETH R ICK E RT.COM

Elizabeth started as a sculptor almost 50 years ago, and worked in ceramic. She also worked in pastels, and now oils, focusing mostly on images inspired by nature. Even now, as a painter, she approaches nature with a sculptor’s eye: seeing the way shapes and forms and light and darkness interact. Stylistically, her work often involves detailed impressions of her many natural subjects. She has been fortunate to find museums, galleries, artist residencies, and private and corporate collections that support her work. 123

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ANNIE MURPHY-ROBINSON EMILY AND THE RAM SIZE: 60ʺH x 42ʺW MEDIUM: Sanded charcoal on paper

TH IS PI ECE IS ABO UT the moment before; it is about potential and possibility. The figure is my daughter Emily she gazes at the ram, almost willing it to life with her touch. The ram gazes out at the viewer, as if he has caught us looking at this magic about to happen. My work allows the viewer to glimpse a private world of the female: hesitant, insecure and often unaware of the power that she holds. My own experience as a young adult was both beautiful and traumatic. My secondary concern is with beauty: aching, haunting, and desirable. More often than not, my subjects meet the eyes of the viewer, inviting them to look, and to connect with their own experience and vulnerability.

A N N I E M U R P HY-R O B I N S O N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.AN N I E M U R PHYROB I NSON.COM

Annie was born in 1967. She has a BFA from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (94) and an MA from Sacramento State University (2002). Annie’s work is figurative and mainly of her two daughters. Her work is about the space of youth where “magic” unfolds. Defining identity through experimentation; i.e., the clothing, the gaze, and the pose, among other things. Also prevalent is the relationship with animals and the magic that happens in that connection. 124

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GLADYS ROLDAN-DE-MORAS

SIZE: 36ʺH x 48ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

SUMMER IN TEXAS

RAD IANT, EXQ U ISITELY G LEEFU L D RESSES shine in colorful contrast to the blissfully pink skies of an alluring San Antonio afternoon. I captured the peaceful, captivating moment at which members of intrepid Escaramuza teams showed a great spirit of admirable candor and remarkable camaraderie as they prepared to compete.

Rule compliance is extremely important: a team mother is seen adjusting her young daughter’s harness. In a few minutes, the girls will be saluting the lively crowd while the band plays the traditional entrance hymn, La Marcha Zacatecas.

G L A DYS R O L D A N-D E-M O R A S • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.ROLDAN DE MORAS.COM

Gladys’s paintings often spotlight Spanish culture, including courageous, gallant Escaramuza girls daringly riding horses sidesaddle in a rodeo-style festival; romantic Flamenco señoritas clad in exuberant Andalusian dresses; and elegant, delicate damsels in intimate, exquisite poses. A native of Monterrey, Mexico, she has lived in San Antonio for 30 years. Gladys’s work is often inspired by her love of classical music. Her talent has landed her work in many important private and public permanent collections nationally and internationally. 125

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IRENA ROMAN WAYNE

SIZE: 32ʺH x 21ʺW MEDIUM: Transparent watercolor on arches cold press paper

PO PU LATI O N AG I N G IS RAPI D LY becoming a global phenomenon. By 2050, 20 percent of U.S. citizens will be ages 65 and older. Although it’s been scientiﬁcally proven that creativity actually peaks in later life, America’s youth-obsessed culture more often than not unfairly equates advanced years with impairment. Where does an aging society turn to for inspiration? What do we want to believe about older individuals? Now, more than ever, we need new metaphors. Wayne is from my ongoing series “Second Wind,” portraits that challenge and confront stereotypical views of aging by focusing on the vitality and creativity of individuals who have found a new vocation; their active and passionate engagement with creative pursuits developed after age 65.

I R E N A R O M A N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (MA) • WWW.I R E NAROMAN.COM

Irena is an award-winning watercolorist who holds Signature Membership with the American Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Watercolor USA Honor Society and the New England Watercolor Society. Her paintings are in many public and private collections, including the permanent collection of The Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA, and Toray International Inc., Tokyo, Japan. Her work has been featured in The Artist’s Magazine, The Art of Watercolour magazine, Splash; The Best of Watercolor, and in many other publications. 126

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ROSETTA

SIZE: 3.5ʹH x 32ʹW x 3ʹD MEDIUM: Bronze

CHEETAHS ON THE RUN LEG EN DARY FO R ITS I N CRED I BLE SPEED, capable of reaching 70 miles per hour in the heat of the chase, the cheetah’s non-retractable claws grip the ground as its legs gather beneath the arched back and then, with amazing speed and strength, the spine stretches out to full length, propelling the cat forward to then gather its legs again and repeat the rhythmic stride. With its head

held perfectly level as if connected to its prey with an invisible thread, this amazing cat can execute lightningfast sharp turns, using its long tail for balance. This happens so fast that it can only be fully appreciated with slow motion photography or frozen in time in bronze! This installation is in Dowagiac, MI.

R O S ETTA • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.ROSET TASCU LPTU R E.COM

Rosetta free-lanced in graphic design before devoting her life to sculpture. Shown in many fine galleries across the U.S., she is a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society, Distinguished Signature Member of Society of Animal Artists, and a Master-Signature Member of American Women Artists. She has exhibited extensively in juried and invitational shows, with work included in the permanent collections of museums, municipalities, schools and universities, as well as many other public and private collectors, and has garnered numerous awards along the way. 127

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VANESSA RUSCZYK

SIZE: 30ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

SACRED DATURA AT SUNRISE WHAT’S I N A NAM E? Datura wrightii, Toloachè, Belladonna, Jimsonweed, Thorn Apple, Devil’s Weed, Angel’s Trumpet, Sacred Datura… These names give us an idea of humans’ view of this plant - beautiful, frightening, holy, unkempt. All are fitting, but I chose Sacred Datura for the title of this painting to give the viewer a sense of the reverence I feel towards the plants

that have evolved to fill special needs in the natural world. Several moths with appropriately descriptive names like sphinx moth and hawk moth are pollinators for this beautiful flower. Plants and insects rely on each other for the survival of their species. The pleasure we receive at the sight and fragrant smell of this plant is irrelevant to them, but not to us.

VA N E S S A R U S CZYK • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.STU DIOSOLE DAD.COM

Vanessa creates fine art portraits of the native flora of the American West. Her award-winning paintings of flowers and plants give the viewer a close look at plant structure and natural design, immersing them in that small world on a large scale. She was raised in New Mexico, and has lived in Southern California since 1999, where her home studio is surrounded by hills of native chaparral that inspire her work. 128

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KRISTEN SALAI

SIZE: 21.5ʺH x 48ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

BOX OF DONUTS

N OTH I N G TRANSPO RTS M E BACK to childhood quite like a trip to the donut shop. Walking up to a bright, glossy display case and seeing all the choices placed before me makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. It is my

hope to recreate these same feelings for my viewers. When viewing this painting, I want them to automatically start trying to find their favorite, feel the thrill of possibilities, and then take that with them into their day.

K R I STE N S A L A I • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (VA) • K R ISTE NSALAI.SQUAR E.SITE

Kristen’s hyperrealist paintings focus on sugary foods that hold nostalgic significance from childhood. She has been in group exhibitions at the Rockport Center for the Arts in Rockport, TX, the Aanna Reyes Gallery in San Antonio, TX, the Hindes Academy of Fine Art in San Antonio, TX, and the Texas State Galleries in San Marcos, TX. Kristen lives and works in Richmond, VA.. She is a student at Texas State University and will graduate in May with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting. 129

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BARBARA SCHILLING SNOW SHADOWS SIZE: 30ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

MY ART HAS ALWAYS BEEN a fluid, evolving process. I love to experiment with new ideas and techniques. Over the past year or so my work has become bolder, more Expressionistic. I love the tactile feel of pushing thick paint around and layering in juxtaposing color notes. The subtle colors found in a winter snow scene lend themselves so well to that. While my work is still representational, it now is more about textures, colors and energy.

B A R B A R A S C H I L L I N G • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (M I) • WWW.BAR BARASCH I LLI N G.COM

Barbara’s work, while representative of her subject, shows a bold and expressive use of textures, colors, and brushwork. She paints primarily still life and landscape en plein and studio. She is a retired Art Conservator. In 2017 her floral paintings received a record number of awards from American Art Awards for excellence in Impressionism. She has been recognized as a Signature Member in both AWA and OPA. She is represented by galleries in Michigan, Ohio, and Colorado. 130

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MEGAN SEITER

SIZE: 20ʺH x 26ʺW MEDIUM: Colored pencil

DOLORES

D O LO RES IS A CO LO RED PEN CI L D RAWI N G named for my grandmother, whose green thumb and beautiful gardens are a source of inspiration for me. This piece features a large-scale flower arrangement with an abundance of colors and diverse textures. It’s drawn on Canson pastel paper, which has a sanded surface that can stand up to multiple layers of pencil. I worked with Caran d’Ache

and Prismacolor pencils, applying light and even layers of pencil to build the specific colors and textures of each flower. Working this way creates a vibrancy in the drawing that just one or two layers alone can’t achieve. Dolores is meant to offer a moment of peace in our hurried world; shining light on a moment of beauty that would otherwise be forgotten.

M E G A N S E ITE R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.M EGANSE ITE R.COM

Megan specializes in colored pencil still life drawings. Originally from Rhode Island, she received her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, and in 2009 moved to California to pursue her career as an artist. Megan’s work is distinguished by her attention to fine detail and nuance in color. She works with wax-based and oil-based colored pencils, building layers of color that add depth and luminosity to her works. Each drawing reflects her love for color, texture, and subtle value shifts within her subjects. 131

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CLAUDIA SEYMOUR

SIZE: 16ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Pastel on UArt board

ROBIN’S EGG

CLASSI C STI LL LI FE PAI NTI N GS usually present a few objects arranged to present a theme or story. I contemplated a new type of still life, in which many—or a crowd of—objects are arrayed to form a cohesive whole, as opposed to a simpler traditional design. Robin’s Egg is the latest of my “crowd” paintings—an assemblage of blue and white objects, arranged to emphasize their

differences in hue and design. All these classic colors are offset by the brilliance of lemons. Included are a piece of Cornish ware bought when we lived in England, pieces of antique French enamelware, an old Persian pot, and other treasures from my life. My hope was to create a unified composition with sparkling bits of yellow joy.

C L A U D I A S EYM O U R • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CT) • WWW.CLAU DIASEYMOU R.COM

Claudia paints vibrant still lifes and florals in oil and pastel. Committed to representational art, she uses light and color to emphasize the beauty in both everyday and rare and antique objects. She is President Emerita of the historic Salmagundi Club in New York, as well as a member of numerous art organizations. Claudia is represented by J.M. Stringer Gallery in Vero Beach, FL, Susan Powell Fine Art, Madison, CT, Handwright Gallery, New Canaan, CT, and Gladwell and Patterson in London, England. 132

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ALISA SHEA

THE COMMON THREAD SIZE: 25ʺH x 16ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on paper

TH E CO M M O N TH READ WAS I NSPI RED by reference photos taken at a local flea market. I’m a sucker for color and vintage patina, so these items really appealed to me. I’m also an avid sewist. Between each painting, I take about a week away from the easel in order to spend time sewing; nearly half of my wardrobe is handmade. I have received a lot of feedback about this piece, and almost without fail, viewers describe how it evokes fond childhood memories of seeing a mother or grandmother sew. I love how this painting brings about such warm recollections for so many people; it makes me think about how watching me sew also might be a salient memory for my own two children one day.

A L I S A S H E A • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (NY) • WWW.ALISASH EA.COM

Alisa is a child of the 70s from Normal (yes, Normal), IL. Despite a clear passion and aptitude for fine art, Alisa was persuaded to forego an art education in favor of more practical pursuits. In 2013, following her husband’s diagnosis of Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease, she decided she should no longer defer her artistic goals, and left an established career in health outcomes research in order to pursue painting full time. She works exclusively in watercolor from her home on Long Island. 133

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LINDA SHORT SPIRIT IN THE SKY SIZE: 36ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Scratchboard

TH IS M O M ENT, I hear no sound except the zebra scraping, scratching, struggling with his dust bath. There, dancing in the warm summer rays, dust; each particle shimmering, sparkling to and fro as it floats back to earth. The zebra’s struggle ends, giving way to silence. The sun warms my cheek, and sparkling shimmer settles across the plain… there is peace. A feeling which you cannot see, you cannot hear, wraps around my soul — Spirit in the Sky.

L I N D A S H O RT • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (MT) • WWW.LI N DASHORT.COM

Linda’s work features wildlife frolicking in their natural habitat: a zebra giving itself a dust bath to bobcats on the prowl. She is the 2019 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s featured artist of the year. Finding scratchboard while building her house was the gold at the end of a journey through oils, acrylics, ink, and pastels. Scratchboard is where she fell in love. It is all in the details, using blades, knives, and needles to create art. 134

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SHELLEY SMITH

EAT, DRINK AND BE CHERRY SIZE: 34ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on linen

I BELI EVE TH ERE M UST BE SO M ETH I N G unique about my paintings beyond that of a photograph – if my painting is just like a photograph, then what’s the point of the painting? I’m magnetically drawn to places with character – with history and stories to tell. They are well worn, like a favorite pair of jeans. In fact, I see beauty in these structures and present them as such, demonstrating my admiration for the subject by making the old, storied place look good. One of my viewers articulated it as I hadn’t done for myself: “You create romanticized images of all these places,” he said. I stopped in my tracks, thought about it a minute, and lo and behold, I agreed. He was correct. Correct indeed!

S H E L L EY S M ITH • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (WI) • WWW.SPU N KYBOH E M IAN.COM

Knowing her colors before she could talk was an early indication of the importance of color and aesthetics rooted in Shelley’s personality. In addition, she was born with a naturally curious, analytical mind. These seemingly disparate traits are demonstrated in her work by clean lines, careful perspective and overall composition. Shelley is best known for capturing nostalgic American “sights often seen, rarely noticed” – everyday subjects triggering the viewer’s imagination for their history, irony or isolation. Shelley is a member of AWA, OPA, AAPL and API. 135

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SIANA SMITH

SIZE: 48ʺH x 60ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

9.9.2020,37.7018464419476, -122.40675640172758 TH IS TITLE I N D I CATES the date Sept. 9, 2020, and the location for Bayshore Roundhouse’s ruin. On that day, the California wildfire generated plumes of smoke which blanketed the Bay Area and turned the sky an eerie dark orange. Bayshore Roundhouse, once built for the most expensive steam engine, is now obsolete and burned to

a ruin. I painted my daughter looking for the sublime in an apocalyptic environment, posted in crumbling buildings against graffiti-covered walls. I portray the rebellious and exploratory spirit of the next generation carrying on living despite the falling world they inherit from their elders.

S I A N A S M ITH • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.SIANASM ITH.COM

Siana’s painting practice stems from her perspective on the world as an immigrant, a mother, a woman, and an artist. Her subject matter includes her daughter, lipsticks, purses, belts, jewelry, and crumpled tissues. Siana was awarded 2nd place in the AWA 2020 Spring Online Show. Two paintings were included in the 2020 De Young Open Exhibition. She graduates from CCA 2021 with an MFA. She holds an M.S. in Computer Science from Cal Poly Pomona and a B.S. in Horticulture from Huazhong Agriculture Univ., China. 136

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LOUISE SOLECKI WEIR CLAUDIA WITH A SCARF SIZE: 20ʺH x 13ʺW x 13ʺD MEDIUM: Polymer gypsum with oil

I WAS EXCITED TO SCU LPT Claudia because of her classically Medieval Madonnalike qualities. The wideness of her eyes together with her small chin create a lovely oval-ness to her face. It is a beauty that strongly reminded me of wood carvings of the Madonna, such as those by the Medieval artist Tilman Riemenschneider, and of the stylized paintings of preRenaissance Madonnas, and angels such as those by Cimabue. In my approach to this work, I admit to being quite taken with historical colorations of sculpture which are reemerging in contemporary sculpture. I am also intrigued with how the addition of costume suggests a historical context. She is completely contemporary, yet rings with history.

L O U I S E S O L E C K I W E I R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (BC) • WWW.LOU ISESOLECK IWE I R.COM

Louise is a Canadian-born, internationally trained, clay/bronze sculptor and art therapist. She is known for her expressive and sensitive approach to sculpture and her ability to capture her subjects. Louise has created works commissioned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver and the Vancouver, British Columbia, Law Courts. She has been a finalist in portrait competitions in three countries and has been awarded honorary Signature Status in the Federation of Canadian Artists for sculpture. 137

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CAROL STROCK WASSON

SIZE: 24ʺH x 26ʺW MEDIUM: Pastel on mounted sanded pastel paper

WINCHESTER BARN

TH E O LD ER BARNS I N TH E RU RAL AREA where I live are a favorite subject of mine; they tell a story of history, age, survival, and beauty. They are slowly dissolving, breaking down, falling apart back into the landscape, and are quickly being replaced by the newer, uglier aluminum structures. The newer barns are built with cold metal and

put up quickly, while the older barns are made of wood and still show the hard work and love that generations have put into the land to carve out a living for their families. The only way that I can preserve that memory of a forgotten era is to paint what is left of them.

C A R O L STR O C K WA S S O N • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (I N) • WWW.CAROLSTROCK WASSON.COM

Carol’s work encompasses the genre of the rural area she lives in, focusing on color, shape, and design in the plein air tradition, as well as in the studio. Though she is known mainly for her work in the pastel medium, she also works in oil, monotype prints and watercolor. Her work is included in the museum collections of the Richmond Art Museum, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette and Indiana State Museum, as well as many private collections. 138

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SUSAN HELEN STROK GARDEN PARTY

SIZE: 30ʺH x 22ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on cradled board

TH IS PAI NTI N G WAS I NSPI RED by an old sepia family photograph of a woman in a flowered hat. The photo was a bit hazy and indistinct, so I opened my mind to play. I knew the title was going to be Garden Party. My Muse kept telling me to add different flowers, fruit, and birds, and this is the final result. I look at her and realize that she is Gaia, the Earth Goddess, walking through a barren world consumed by storms. She is the earth in bloom, attracting life, asking it to stay alive. “Join my party!” she says. “I will bless you with my love. Have hope, and bloom again.”

S U S A N H E L E N STR O K • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.SUSAN H E LE NSTROK.COM

Susan is a contemporary figurative artist who is currently creating a body of work in sepia-toned paint inspired by old family photographs. She is drawn to the softer, muted tones of a limited palette that evoke a mysterious sensation of timelessness. With her sepia paintings, she is telling the stories of her long-ago family, while also celebrating her history. Susan wants the images to remind the viewer of their own heritage, and the importance of remembering the past. 139

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OCEANA RAIN STUART POESIA

SIZE: 35ʺH x 7ʺW x 7ʺD MEDIUM: Cast Bronze with Granite Gase

I NTI MATE, internal dialogue, introspection and self-love are explored in this sculpture entitled Poesia. This work is one of several bronze sculptures from the artist’s sculpture series “Beautiful Aspects of Darkness.”

O C E A N A R A I N STU A RT • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.OCEANARAI NSTUART.COM

Oceana, a multi award-winning sculptor, has exhibited in over 60 museums and galleries, including Leonardo Da Vinci Society, Natural History Museum, American Women Artists, The Louvre Museum, and the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sicily. Recent honors include Art Renewal Center, Portrait Society of America and The Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona. Oceana’s Reminiscence was included in the Nova Collection as part of the 2021 Lunar Codex/Artists On The Moon program that sends nano-fiche based time capsules to the moon. 140

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KIM TAGGART

SKY DAPHNE’S MELODY SIZE: 24ʺH x 36ʺW MEDIUM: Powder graphite/graphite

TH E SKY M I M I CS the Maestro’s baton motions bringing a written score to life. The scarf represents the absence of performances these days as music halls are closed. But just as the scarf is free to blow in the wind, mandates cannot remove the melody in one’s heart and soul. Kim names her sky series after women she knows—personifying their characteristics. This composition honors twins Daphne and Melody. These exceptional young ladies are the kind of people you want to hang out with—they celebrate life so well. The cancellation of concerts or school didn’t inhibit their passion for life or music. Kim is privileged to know them. (Daphne did mention that an upright bass doesn’t play the melody).

K I M TA G G A RT • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (KS) • WWW.K I MTAG GARTSART.COM

After earning a BFA from Kansas State University, Kim’s pursuits led her to a successful graphic design business. In 2017, she re-launched her art career with Extreme Graphite that she brands with her TAGG ART logo. Influenced by the Precisionist style of Charles Sheeler, the emotional traits of Grant Wood, and Mable Dwight’s drawings, her technique emerged as an emotional saturation of tones. From delicate to bold, so much can be said without color. Eva Reynolds Gallery in Overland Park, Kansas, presents Kim. 141

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JUDY TAKÁCS

EMILIE, THE TENTH MUSE, THE ONE WHO SEES SIZE: 48ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

EM I LI E IS A RARE G EM at an art opening. She’s pure patron, appreciator, creative spirit, lover and follower of art… without being an actual art-maker herself. In Greek Mythology, there were nine beautiful, youthful muses…all daughters of Zeus, with names like Melpomene, She Who Sings. There were muses for dancing, flute-playing, poetry, and even for astronomy and comedy, but inexplicably none to inspire the visual arts. For my Goddess Project, where I re-imagine the mythology of all religions through a contemporary feminist lens, I cast elderly art-lover Emilie as the much-needed tenth muse… for the visual arts, Emilie, The One Who Sees. Her paintbrush mandala and iconic pose echo Sargent’s Isabella Stewart Gardner. Her Front-International Summer Art Festival admission bracelet shouts 21st Century Ohio.

J U DY TA KÁC S • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (OH) • WWW.J U DYTAKACS.COM

Judy, a Figurative Realist, paints strong women with a feminist focus. Her series, Chicks with Balls: Judy Takács paints unsung female heroes debuted its first solo museum show in 2020. Takacs reimagines mythological heroines from all the religions via The Goddess Project. A winner of 13 Best in Show awards, she’s been featured in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, exhibited at museums, colleges and galleries throughout the nation. Judy hosts a weekly Facebook Live “TV Show” Living Figuratively, all about loving and living with figurative art. 142

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ANGELA TROTTA THOMAS ELEGANT SANCTUARY SIZE: 36ʺH x 24ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

AS TH E PAN D EM I C CO NTI N U ED, my need to enjoy comfortable spaces and the beautiful surroundings of Charleston increased. The Sanctuary is a beautiful hotel on Kiawah Island not far from my home. Its huge lobby is one of the most inviting interiors I have ever seen. One day I decided to mask up and go to The Sanctuary to photograph their lobby and outside views. My painting, Elegant Sanctuary, was created from these photos. The sunlight shining through enormous lobby windows was incredible and became the focus of this painting. Many people have expressed to me that viewing this painting makes them feel like they just want to sit and enjoy this beautiful space and sunlight. That is exactly the reaction I was hoping for!

A N G E L A TR OTTA TH O M A S • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (SC) • WWW.AN G E LATROT TATHOMAS.COM

Angela’s paintings depict bygone memories as well as comforting spaces during the pandemic. Angela is the only licensed artist with Lionel Trains LLC. She has been painting scenes and genre paintings of Lionel trains for 30 years. Her work has been featured in many national exhibits, as well as the Smithsonian and Everhart Museums. Angela began painting interiors, staying home during the pandemic. She felt the need to paint spaces that would evoke comfort in such isolating times. Angela is represented by ReinertFineArt.com 143

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SUE STEELE THOMAS

SIZE: 18ʺH x 26ʺW MEDIUM: Gouache on watercolor paper

TANGLED IN THE FOREST

TAN G LED I N TH E FO REST I LLUSTRATES a classic BMW 328 automobile entwined in a fantasy forest. As the car moves into the overgrown tangle of vines and flowers, there is an ethereal warmth and complexity to the entanglement. The two subjects are connected and yet separate entities in the composition. The BMW 328 becomes the mirror for the growth as it floats into the

swirling world. As the car gently moves into the thicket of the forest, it becomes a part of the living world of nature. The painting allows you to move slowly into a world that does not exist in reality but only in your dreams. The car and nature overlap, complement, and share the space. One is not more important than the other.

S U E STE E L E TH O M A S • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (VA) • WWW.STE E LETHOMASSTU DIOS.COM

Sue’s paintings are conceptual compositions of automobiles and nature sharing space. Her paintings have merged nature and the automobile in a colorful juxtaposition of the mechanics with each subject. Her painting medium is gouache and the intrigue never ends in making each shape flat and smooth. Sue’s paintings have been exhibited in invitational, juried, and solo exhibits throughout the country. Discipline and hard work continue to inspire the dream with mastering the craft. She continues to produce emotive art and holds an MFA in painting. 144

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MARGERY THOMAS MUELLER RETURN

SIZE: 102ʺH x 60ʺW MEDIUM: Graphite and India Ink on Yupo Paper

RETU RN TO O N E’S PLACE. Where do we find ourselves? Where can we be alone with the density of an environment that allows compilation of our history, our passages, our longings. It is the liminal space that we all live in at one time or another. The changes that leave us disconnected. The landscape is the constant. The trees are the constant. They differ but they are always available. We can return to it when we need to find the place. When we need to adjust. When we need to know that there is a continuum in the universe.

M A R G E RY TH O M A S M U E L L E R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (N E) • WWW.MAR G E RYTHOMASM U E LLE R.N ET

Margery trained as an artist in New York and Italy. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, she worked as an interior designer for over 40 years. Margery began painting full-time in 2011. She has had solo shows, juried shows, and commissioned projects. Awards include: Nellie Taft Painting Award; Bradley University International Print and Drawing Competition, third place; and BWAC Wide Open 7, Curator’s Award. Margery draws on Yupo paper and explores many mediums that create a dialogue with their intersection on the totally smooth surface. 145

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CATHRYNE A. TRACHOK

THE SIMPLE PLEASURES SIZE: 30ʺH x 22ʺW MEDIUM: Charcoal on Rives BFK

TH E PI ECE TH E SI M PLE PLEASU RES is one in a series I have been doing on horses. Drawing has always been my first love, and the challenge of drawing horses is one of my favorites. Years ago I discovered a rag paper used in printing, and the charcoal working with the tooth of the paper gives a really great feel to the image. Add to that a beautiful horse enjoying a bath, and this piece was a simple pleasure to do. I feel leaving the background blank helps to emphasize the beauty and grace of these amazing animals. Hopefully the viewer will enjoy this drawing as much as I enjoyed drawing it.

C ATH RYN E A. TR A C H O K • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.CATH RYN ETRACHOK.COM

Cathryne has been an artist for over 35 years. She is currently working out of her studio in Napa, CA. In the past few years she has been accepted into many National Juried competitions, won Best of Show in the AWA National Show in Scottsdale, AZ, along with other awards through the years. She is represented by Cheryl Newby Gallery in South Carolina and Mary Williams Fine Arts in Boulder, CO. She is enjoying every day, painting and drawing in her studio. 146

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KAROL TUCKER TAMARA

SIZE: 18ʺH x 14ʺW MEDIUM: Oil

WH EN I PAI NT A PO RTRAIT, my goal is to try to capture a feeling, a moment, or a thought the model might be thinking showing in an expression that passes across their face. In this case, our model was posing for the last time before relocating to Hawaii and there may be a bit of a melancholy feeling revealed in her expression. I hope she is happy in her new home and bringing as much joy to those around her as she brought to us!

K A R O L TU C K E R • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (NC) • WWW.KAROLTUCK E R.COM

After managing the family business Karol retired to pursue her first love drawing and painting portraits and figures. She has a BFA from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and was awarded the Durham Arts Council 2001-2002 Emerging Artist Grant which enabled her to study with nationally known teachers. She has participated in many local, national, and International competitions garnering awards in some. In 2014 Karol was included in A Stroke of Genius the Best of Drawing Special Edition Portraits and Figures. 147

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CARMELLA TULISZEWSKI WALKS OF LIFE

SIZE: 24ʺH x 20ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on 300 lb Arches Cold Press WC Paper

I CAM E U PO N TH IS SCEN E in a New Jersey neighborhood on a hot, sunny afternoon. The shoes are a display of the growth and diversity of a single family living on that street. A ragged work-boot, well-worn sneakers, baby’s first step shoe, a rainbow flag, and the wheel from a favorite old car all tell the story of lives well lived. A family off in many different directions but still a single unit of trust and support.

C A R M E L L A TU L I SZ E W S K I • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (PA) • WWW.CAR M E LLATU LISZEWSK IART.COM

Carmella is an award-winning watercolorist with a focus on still life and florals. She holds a BFA in Illustration and began her career as a commercial artist. A defining characteristic of her work is saturated color enhanced by dramatic lighting. She has earned Signature Status in The National Watercolor Society and Watercolor Honor Society, as well as other respected watercolor societies within the US. Carmella has exhibited with The American Watercolor Society, The National Watercolor Society, The Signature American Waterrmedia International Exhibition, and Watercolor USA, to name a few. 148

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AISLYNN UNDERWOOD SELF PORTRAIT SIZE: 18ʺH x 14ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

SELF PO RTRAIT: My first oil painting teacher said “everyone should do a self portrait.” I was in quarantine, so I did. I have always been fascinated by people: thoughts, feelings, motivations, deepest fears, greatest joys. Can we find comfort in our shared experiences, feel compassion for another’s life different from our own? The human experience, if we live long enough, is more marathon than sprint. Being drawn to people in the throes of life, I strive to take on people’s images with reverence and a hope and desire that I express fully what I am being shown. Everyone needs to be seen. It is my hope and ever-present goal to first “see” and then to express that for others to see as well.

A I S LYN N U N D E R W O O D • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (WA) • WWW.AISLYN N U N DE RWOOD.COM

Born in the Midwest, Aislynn studied ballet/modern dance and music. Her passion for the arts led her to attend Stephens College for dance, but she now holds a B.S. in Psychology with graduate studies in mental health. After entering the atelier program at Gage Academy of Arts in Seattle, she was drawn to figurative and portrait work in a number of mediums. Aislyn’s deep love of movement, the human experience, and self-expression are at the heart of her work. 149

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DIANA UNREIN

THE BARONESS - KYRIA SIZE: 18ʺH x 21ʺW x 10ʺH MEDIUM: Porcelain

TH E BARO N ESS - KYRIA embodies a powerful, rebellious woman within a historical context. Drawing on my ancestral English and Greek Cypriot heritage this sculpture incorporates a blending of contrasting elements. The bodice has Cypriot lace given to me on my wedding day that has been imprinted into the porcelain. A contemporary version of an Elizabethan ruff is replaced with a flaming gold collar. Her headdress displays Delftware designs from the 17th century. The porcelain sculpture has been cold finished in oil paint.

D I A N A U N R E I N • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (KS) • DN U N R E I N.WIXSITE.COM/MYSITE

Diana is a contemporary figurative painter who lives and works in Hays, KS. A native of the Republic of Cyprus, she came to Hays to attend university as an undergraduate. She earned her BFA and MFA in painting from Fort Hays State University. A founding member of the Artists at Work Studio – a cooperative working studio of five female artists. Her work has been exhibited regionally and resides in numerous private and international collections. Diana is represented by the Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City. 150

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KIM VANDERHOEK

THEY MADE MAPS OF THE SKY SIZE: 40ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

ESCAPE. H OW MANY TI M ES did you wish you could escape 2020? Working on this during lockdown allowed me to travel virtually. What surprised me was how strongly people responded to this view. Quite often viewers would share fond memories of past travel experiences, where they would go once they were able, and how much they missed seeing loved ones. It underscored how deeply art can touch another person. This piece was inspired by a photo I shot looking through an airplane window during takeoff out of Milwaukee, WI. My goal for this was to capture a feeling of vertigo when looking out an airplane window.

K I M VA N D E R H O E K • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (CA) • WWW.K I MVAN DE R HOE K.COM

Kim believes it is essential to paint with commitment and to fearlessly experiment. She has a BFA degree from the California College of the Arts. Her work has been featured in Southwest Art, American Art Collector, PleinAir Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur and American Artist. Recent awards include Art Renewal Center International Salon Finalist and an Honorable Mention in Southwest Art Magazine’s Artistic Excellence Competition. Kim is represented by Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA, and Charleston, SC, and Chemers Gallery, Tustin, CA. 151

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RANJINI VENKATACHARI

SIZE: 9ʺH x 12ʺW MEDIUM: Colored Pencil on Film

SURREAL CONVERSATIONS

FRO M BU I LD I N G RO BOTS TO SO LAR PAN ELS, Origami has been an inspiration in several practical applications. It has also been one of the biggest creative muses when it comes to my work. Each work evokes a different emotion via narrative, visual clues which are incorporated

using color, design, models, and props. Set as a conversation between something man-made and nature, the dialogue between the objects establishes a cheerful tone to imagine a surreal story for the viewer.

R A NJ I N I V E N K ATA C H A R I • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.VIVI DPE NCI LS.COM

Ranjini is a fine artist working primarily for more than 15 years in the medium of colored pencil out of her studio in San Ramon, CA. She also teaches locally and across the US. Her work has been juried into several shows, including the Salmagundi Annual non-member exhibition, Leading Masters of Contemporary Realism, California State Fair, Women Painters of Washington and Colored Pencil Society of America’s International shows, and U.K. Color Pencil Society International show. Her works have been published in numerous art publications. 152

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SUZANNE VIGIL

SIZE: 23ʺH x 29ʺW MEDIUM: Colored pencil on drafting film

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66 HAVI N G RECENTLY RELO CATED to New Mexico, we headed out on day trips exploring the famous Route 66. It was lined with old neon signs and motels, most of which were in disrepair. We stopped at a roadside joint to eat. I saw an old jalopy with a great reflection in its window

of the motel and snapped a picture. Then, sitting right next to us, was an old man eating his tacos. I caught his eye and took several more photos, knowing he would become the driver of that jalopy in my next drawing.

S UZ A N N E V I G I L • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (N M) • SUZAN N EVI G I L.SM U G M U G.COM

Fascinated by the figure, Suzanne Vigil has explored it through colored pencil for many years. Two things explain Suzanne’s art: drama in lighting and angle; and the narrative. She looks for a story and asks the viewer to stay and be curious about this piece. Her art lingers on the edge of gritty as she looks beyond the beautiful flower to make sure the reality of the thorns appears. A Washington DC native now living in Albuquerque, Suzanne has multiple pieces displayed in Santa Fe. 153

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KATHRYN VINSON PRICKLY PEAR PATCH

SIZE: 12ʺH x 24ʺW x 16ʺD MEDIUM: Stone (Green Onyx, Orange Alabaster, Limestone and Aspenwood base)

PRI CKLY PEAR CACTUS are fascinating to me; they grow in large clumps on virtually no water and still manage to bloom with a merry sweetness. Bees are drawn in droves to their abundance and they produce a fruit that must be harvested carefully. The spines teach us to be respectful, but the flowers and fruit teach us to enjoy the desert for its beauty. I wanted to celebrate this hardy desert dweller with stones — Onyx and Alabaster — that reflect light with the luminous quality of translucent petals and cactus pads. I used limestone to bring the movement seen after a summer storm when sand has swirled in drifting patterns around the plants, leading the eye around the patch to see the rhythm of the wind.

K ATH RYN V I N S O N • SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (CO) • WWW.KATH RYNVI NSON.COM

Kathryn is a sculptor in Loveland, CO. Her work is primarily delicate botanical works carved from stone. She has work in the permanent collection of the Idaho Botanical Gardens and is a Women Artist of the West award winner. She has exhibited at the National Sculpture Society show at Brookgreen Gardens, NC, the Colorado Governor’s Show, a two-person show with Ellen Woodbury at the Loveland Museum Gallery, and six years at the Loveland Sculpture in the Park. Currently represented by Wild Horse Gallery, Steamboat Springs, CO. 154

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SUSAN E. WALKER

SIZE: 18ʺH x 32ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on canvas

THE RED CAR TRAVELS ON

AERIAL VI EWS ARE O F PARTI CU LAR I NTEREST to me lately; I work with two great FAA Certified Drone Pilots. This view of a bridge, with all the lines going thisway-and-that in contrast to the two pillars, made me gasp. Took my breath away, literally. The tension in the composition is balanced by the calm mass of surrounding water. Noticing the water allowed me to

breathe again. Then I noticed the red car and a narrative began to form in my imagination. Where was that car going and why? I put the tension, the calm, and the narrative together into a painting; hence, the title of this piece, The Red Car Travels On. (Credit to pilot Lionel Flynn)

S U S A N E. WA L K E R • ASSOCIATE WITH DISTI NCTION (WA) • WWW.SUSANWALK E RSTU DIO.COM

Artistic risks are balanced by Susan’s strong academic training. She has a BFA in Studio Art from the University of California, Davis, where she studied with mentor Wayne Thiebaud. Susan also completed a two-year residency program at the University of Washington in Drawing & Painting. Her paintings are in corporate collections and private residences throughout the United States. Currently, Susan serves on the Board of Trustees for the Women Painters of Washington as Exhibitions Co-Chair. 155

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CARRIE WALLER

SIZE: 22ʺH x 28ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on paper

LIGHTBULB MOMENT

EVERY DAY WE RELY O N LI G HTBU LBS. Lightbulbs are utilitarian objects that work for us, and we take for granted how valuable they are in our lives. As an artist, I rely on lightbulbs to help me work. I love to take

workhorse objects and celebrate their beauty and value in my paintings. In Lightbulb Moment I turned the table on lightbulbs and am paying tribute and spotlighting these beautiful objects. It is their turn to shine.

C A R R I E WA L L E R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R WITH DISTI NCTION (AR) • WWW.CATH RYN ETRACHOK.COM

Carrie is a watercolor artist working in a realistic, detailed style. Her degree in Interior Design and studies in Graphic Design as well as her time spent living in Europe and Asia have influenced her as an artist. Her unique works are bold, vibrant, and dramatic. Carrie has won numerous awards and has been published in many publications. She is a Signature Member of NWS, AWS, WHS, LWS and MSW. 156

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KATHRINE LEMKE WASTE FIG AND FLOWER NO. 2 SIZE: 22ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on Arches 300 lb paper

“TH E VI RUS IS SLOWI N G US D OWN to the speed of poetry.” — Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. An abundance of figs, a flood of morning light and the surprising gift of an autumn bloom on my dogwood tree created a much-needed moment of stillness and calm. I made a series of paintings about these simple gifts of nature during the pandemic, with more to come.

K ATH R I N E L E M K E WA STE • H E R ITAG E M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.LE M K EWASTE.COM

Kathrine Waste’s visually poetic images have often been described as ‘luminous.’ Her works are distinctive in the way they capture light and reflections. Simple, ordinary objects are transformed through her imaginative eye.” — Bonnie Gangelhoff, Southwest Art Magazine. Kathrine was a visual columnist for the Sacramento Bee and has been featured in American Art Collector Magazine and Southwest Art. She is a Past President, Master Signature, and Heritage Member of American Women Artists. Representation: Sparrow Gallery, Sacramento; Bonner David Galleries, Scottsdale, NYC; @kathrinelemkewaste on Instagram

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SHARON WEAVER

SIZE: 11ʺH x 14ʺW MEDIUM: Oil with Gold Leaf

GOLDEN TIME

I NSPI RATI O N SO M ETI M ES CO M ES in a flash. While hiking on a plein air trip near Carmel, Sharon was transfixed by a backlit cypress tree. That is when her gold leaf series was conceived. “I was pulled in by the lattice work of the cypress trees. The negative space formed a lovely pattern against the misty cliffs on the other side of the

bay. I wanted to share the mystery of the place, and adding gold leaf helped to achieve a wonderful glow.” Sharon continues to explore the ethereal quality of gold leaf in her landscapes series, The Golden Hour. Inspired by the California Impressionists, she is always exploring ways to push beyond the limits of oil paints and canvas.

S H A R O N W E AV E R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (CA) • WWW.SHARONWEAVE R.COM

An artist member of the California Art Club whose art has been featured in Plein Air Magazine, Sharon has been juried into the Oil Painters of America National Exhibition and the Carmel Art Festival. She is a founding member of PAC6 Painters, a group dedicated to painting the American West. A PAC6 trip into the Eastern Sierra resulted in a successful museum exhibition. In recent year, her creative integration of gold leaf in landscapes has added unique and dramatic pieces to her body of work. 158

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PAM WENGER

SIZE: 14ʺH x 19ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on Saunders Waterford Hot Press

MORNING ROUTINE

TH E REFEREN CE PH OTO FO R Morning Routine was taken in a little in a town near Barcelona on the last day of a trip with some painting friends. During breakfast, we noticed this gentleman pouring over his newspaper— momentarily uninterested in his pastry and coffee. It was clear that this was a part of his daily practice and I loved the composition with the tiles in the background.

When I begin planning a figurative painting, I always think about what it is I’m trying to convey and what my biggest challenges are going to be. With Morning Routine - it was obvious to me that I needed to get across the man’s intense engagement with his reading material.

PA M W E N G E R • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (PA) • WWW.PAMWE N G E R.COM

Pam Wenger is best known for her portrait and figurative watercolor work. Her pieces have been exhibited and won awards in local, national, and international shows. She has also had paintings displayed in magazines including The Art of Watercolour, Watercolor Artist, Artists Magazine, and Splash Magazine. Pam started painting after she retired from a career in public education and now she teaches watercolor workshops and presents demonstrations for local and national art organizations. During this past year, she has focused on teaching her classes online. 159

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DANIELA WERNECK

SIZE: 22ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Watercolor on aquabord (clay panel)

THE GREAT KISKADEE

WH I LE H I KI N G I AM A RO MANTI C and sensitive person, I had been involved with children in the foster care system for some years, which has influenced my art a lot. Since then, I have tried to portray a liberating feeling in my paintings, which, with the use of symbolic elements, could involve the spectator in a fairy tale. In this painting,

the Kiskadee bird is a reminder that you cannot live your life to the fullest worrying about what others feel, concern with your judgments, or opinions. The cuckoo clock symbolizes time, and the sunflower symbolizes happiness. This painting is a reminder that is time to love yourself without carrying the weight of the world.

D A N I E L A W E R N E C K • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (TX) • WWW.DAN I E LAWE R N ECK.COM

Daniela is a realistic self-taught watercolor artist, based in Houston, TX, whose work combines what is the most traditional in watercolor methods with a contemporary look. Focusing on realistic figurative, her works of art gives us a sense of hope and freedom, with fresh air of innocence and purity. Her paintings have received numerous awards in national and international competitions. Her work has been published in books and magazines and included in many private collections in the USA and abroad. 160

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LIANE WHITTUM MILLE FLEUR SIZE: 40ʺH x 30ʺW MEDIUM: Oil on panel

TH IS PAI NTI N G IS O F O N E O F MY OWN chickens named Flower. She is a Bantam Mille Fleur Cochin. The term “mille fleur” is French for a thousand flowers and was the term used to describe a certain type of flower pattern and style of background decoration in tapestries and illustrations from the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The term was adopted to describe the beautifully mottled feather pattern of certain breeds of chickens. Flower is one of only a few of my flock who have survived numerous attacks from predators, including hawks, foxes, weasels, coyotes, and bears. She has raised her own chicks and is a very protective nurturer. I think this painting is a reflection of her personality, confidence and determination to live.

L I A N E W H ITTU M • ASSOCIATE M E M B E R (N H) • WWW.LIAN EWH IT TU M.COM

Liane’s recent series of paintings is a reflection of her time spent in her rural home in Hill, NH. The New Hampshire countryside provides endless inspiration for her. Liane transitions among still life, landscape and plein air work, primarily in oil paint in a classical realism style. Liane received her BA in Studio Art from New England College and is a member of AWA, OPA, IGOR, Newburyport Art Association, and a juried member of the NH Art Association. 161

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LIZ WOLF

STANDING WATCH SIZE: 49ʺH x 18ʺW x 16ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

MY LOVE FO R AN I MALS in nature has always stirred my soul and been a source of inspiration. I often find myself connecting the animal spirit with the human form. In northern Wisconsin I frequently encounter deer, but only for an instant, and in that moment their presence is like magic. I see the deer as a very powerful spirit, yet having gentle guardian qualities. They are known for great vision, hearing, and scent, and their antlers have been said to be a symbol of antennae, making them very aware of their surroundings. I believe we too should always be very aware of our surroundings.

L IZ W O L F • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E M E M B E R (N M) • WWW.LIZWOLFSCU LPTU R E.COM

Liz received her BFA and MFA at NIU. Her career began with Ann Nathan’s gallery in Chicago and Elaine Horowitz Gallery in Santa Fe. She has had countless shows from coast to coast. Liz won the museum purchase award at Cowgirl Up!; 2021 will be her 15th year at the show. True to her calling you will find her working in many materials: bronze, wood and clay. She is represented by Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe, NM and Mockingbird Gallery in Bend, OR. 162

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STAR LIANA YORK

SIZE: 210.5ʺH x 17ʺW x 12.5ʺD MEDIUM: Bronze

BOBKITS

WH EN A CHARACTER EM ERG ES from a work I’m sculpting, I feel touched at a deeply intimate level. The process of creating expressive personalities that have a convincing inner life of their own is the most satisfying aspect of

my art experience. I want my subjects, whether animal or human, to have a captivating, positive presence that I can feel when I have them around me.

STA R L I A N A YO R K • MASTE R-SI G NATU R E & H E R ITAG E CI RCLE M E M B E R (N M) • WWW.STARYOR KSCU LPTU R E.COM

Star’s career as a professional sculptor began over 45 years ago, and much of the recognition she has achieved comes from a body of work created after moving to the Southwest in 1985. It reflects her introduction to the Western narrative and Native peoples, indigenous wildlife, as well as ancient rock art. Her work succeeds in capturing authentic aspects of the past and interpreting historic figures with convincing realism. A credible character and personality are apparent in her subjects, rendered with empathic artistry. 163

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS American Women Artists would like to thank the following generous patrons and sponsors for their support for Lifting the Sky: Elevating the Works of American Women Artists.

PATR ON S November 1, 2020 – May 1, 2021

Art Fluent Kathleen Abdallah Diane Arenburg Candace Bengs Ms. Elinor Boyd Earline Burke Douglas & Rachel Burbank Aleta Carpenter Valerie Collymore Fine Art Stan Cross Margaret Day Sandy Delehanty Lucky Dickens Christine Drewyer Gail Fulkner Jann Haynes Gilmore, PhD Mary D. Garrard Dyana Hesson Charles & Paula Holtzclaw

Bill Jonas & Lisa Gleim-Jonas Mariko Kamio Julie Ann Kanoff James & Sherri Kelcourse Christy Knowlton Martha Knowlton Robin Knowlton & Stefan Sekula Pete & Barbara Krengel Elayne Kuehler Janna Leapson Janet & Robert Lee Family Fund Barbara Lynes Dorothy Mass Bob & Diane Mason Nancy Mengebier Dwane Milnes Katherine Moniz Kenneth & Nancy Mullen Susan Obert

Air Float System LLC Ampersand Art Supply American Easel Art of the West Artwork Archives LLC Bella Muse Productions Blick Art Materials Chavant, Inc. Cherry Art Products Fine Art Connoisseur

Frame Destination French Escapade Fuji Spray Gold River Gallery itransport4u Jerry’s Artarama JFM Enterprises Montgomery Frames Principle Gallery Savanna Gallery, Phoenix Zoo

Leslie Pratt-Thomas Bettina Redway Jeanne Reavis Cindi Rich Charles & Jennifer Sands Grace Schlesier The Family of Kathleen J. Smith The Trachok Family David Terrio Edmund S. Twining III Diana Reuter-Twining Laurie Stevens Lian Steinberg Carol Swinney Dr. Robert Waste & Kathrine Lemke Waste Mary Jean Weaver Lauren Woolcott Sachiko Zuckerman

S P ON S OR S

B OAR D OF D I R E CTOR S Christine Drewyer– President Aleta Carpenter – Vice President Jeanne Reavis – Treasurer Lisa Gleim – Secretary Valerie Collymore Sandy Delehanty Jann Haynes Gilmore, Ph.D. Dyana Hesson Janet Lee Diana Reuter-Twining Gladys Roldan-de-Moras

E X E CUTIVE D I R E CTOR Amanda Zimmerman 164

Savoir-Faire Sculpture Depot SourceTek Southwest Art Magazine Terry Ludwig Pastels Unison Colour Vasari Artists’ Oil Colors Wind River Arts

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