Moving in Bold Creative Directions as Sedona's Creative Resource!
Arts Center Announces New Leadership Structure
These are exciting times at Sedona Arts Center, with new programs, community partnerships, global connections, and dozens of wonderful new creative people becoming part of our organization. Before we talk about our exciting new directions, we say farewell to long-time gallery Director Shirley Eichten Albrecht, who left the Arts Center in July. Our team, board, and artists are grateful to Shirley for her leadership and dedication, and we wish her well.
Cyndi Thau, long-time assistant director of our fine art gallery, has been named the Arts Center's new Gallery Director. She will continue to work with our member artists, volunteers, buyers and collectors, and the general public to ensure a smooth transition. Feel free to stop in and share your ideas and suggestions with her, as she takes the helm of the gallery team and expands our fine art services for collectors, buyers, and visitors.
Adryanna B. Ciera—a local artist, volunteer, and part-time Arts Center team member—has been named Assistant Gallery Director. Her new role will offer Adryanna greater involvement in our operations, programming, and artist relations. Look for her smiling face on your next visit, and bring suggestions, ideas, and friends!
Finally, to complete our recent leadership enhancements, Vince Fazio has been named Deputy Director of Sedona Arts Center. Vince is well known as the head of the Arts Center's School and long-running annual Plein Air Festival, and will be working to create coordinated programming and a new sense of integration between the Gallery, the School, the Sedona Summer Colony, Membership Services, and other key arts center activities.
Executive Director Eric Holowacz, who just celebrated his one-year anniversary in that role, noted that the new leadership structure will continue all the wonderful relationships with gallery artists, community partners, and instructors—and that the Arts Center is positioned to grow, improve, and collaborate.
"Our goal in the coming year is not to change operations, but to enhance what we do, better integrate all of our programs and cultural opportunities, and establish exciting new arts partnerships with the community," he said. "We invite our artists, members, volunteers, friends, and partners to share their ideas about improvements, events, services, and things that would further expand our presence as Sedona's main creative resource."
To offer your input about the Sedona Arts Center gallery experience, and share your ideas to improve gallery programs and services, click here and complete a short survey!
Upcoming Meeting for Current and Past Gallery Artists Join us at 5pm on Monday, August 8 for an Informal Discussion
Calling all current and past Sedona Arts Center gallery artists: we want your input, ideas, and suggestions! With a new team in place, the Arts Center welcomes recommendations, improvements, new services, program opportunities, and suggestions on how we can better serve our creative members. We'll hold the first of several informal discussions on Monday, August 8 at 5pm. Join us and bring your thoughts, questions, and bold ideas for the future of Sedona's most diverse and interesting fine art destination. And if you cannot attend this gathering, look for others later in the year—or share your ideas with us right away by clicking here!
Sedona Arts Center Gallery Features Creative Monsoon in August Blowin’ In The Wind Exhibition Showcases over 30 Local Artists
It’s the monsoon season in Arizona, and Sedona Arts Center’s upcoming exhibition pays tribute to this special time of year. The public is invited to the latest gallery show, Blowin’ in the Wind, on view from August 5 to 30. The group exhibition begins with a free reception on August 5 from 5 to 8pm, as part of the First Friday program, where the public can meet the featured artists and learn more about Fall 2016 creative programming.
The August exhibition is both a celebration of local talent as well as a look at unique landscape and environment. The gallery artists have taken the monsoon season—a magical time in Northern Arizona with cloud formations, afternoon rains, and dramatic lightning displays above the red rocks—as an inspiration. Blowin' in the Wind includes paintings, ceramics, photography, mixed media, colored pencil, jewelry, sculpture, glass, and mixed media by some of our region’s most interesting artists.
Featured in the August exhibition are Suzy Allan (Ceramics), Elaine Belvin (Photography), Mary Lois Brown (Oil), Adryanna B. Ciera (Scultpure), Gale Craig (Acrylic), Richard Drayton (Colored Pencil), Dee Durkee (Fiber), Rita Elaine Elkins (Mixed Media), and Julie Bernstein Engelmann (Oil). Also included are John Foster (Ceramics), Evelyn Gholson (Mixed Media), David Haskell (Oil), Mary Heyborne (Ceramics), Joanne Hiscox (Mixed Media), Sue Horine (Jewelry), Sue Hunter (acrylics), Joanna Irwin (Watercolor), Michael Chesley Johnson (Pastel), Joyce Killebrew (Sculpture), and Mariann Leahy (Ceramics). Rounding out the group show are Susan Moody (Glass), V. Norton (Ceramics), Christie Palmer (Acrylic), Julie Gilbert Pollard (Oil), P. Ronald Schneider (Fine Crafts), Deborah Stromsdorfer (Colored Pencil), Karlene Voepel (Gauache), Karl Williams (Ceramics), Kathryn Willis (Mixed Media), and Joanie Wolter (Sculpture).
As part of its regular gallery programming, Sedona Arts Center will also offers free artist demonstrations all month long, as well as the Summer Members’ Co-op exhibition in the historic Art Barn (see item below). Plan to join us on August 5 for a First Friday opening reception, meet and greet with visiting artists, and a true celebration of creative community. To learn more about gallery programming and opportunities, click here and send us a message!
Members' Summer Co-op Exhibition Opens Soon On View in the Art Barn from August 5 to 29
Art lovers are invited to celebrate the annual Members' Summer Co-op Exhibition, a non-juried art show that features dozens of local artists from Friday, August 5 through August 29 at the Arts Center. Stop by the Art Barn Theater during the August 5 First Friday event for a reception and look at paintings, sculpture, textile art, ceramics, and more!
“The Member Co-op show is a non-juried showcase of local talent and new works, by artists who are members of the Arts Center,” said Deputy Director Vince Fazio. “As we end the summer, all of our buildings are filled with diverse local art for the public to view and enjoy. All the creative people involved are helping us continue the Arts Center's 60-year tradition as Sedona’s source of creative energy and activity."
To learn more about the Members' Co-op, to become a member, or to enquire about upcoming Fall workshops and classes, click here to contact Fazio. And stop by the Art Barn for the Members' Summer Co-op opening reception during the August 5 First Friday event!
Bold New Partnership with Verde Valley School Sedona Summer Colony is America's Newest Artist Residency Program
The Sedona Summer Colony is a brand new American residency program for artists, cultural managers, and creative producers. The program began in June, as a partnership between the Arts Center and Verde Valley School, and has hosted over 100 people over the past six weeks
Participants have come from all over the world, (click here to see who they are) and they've discovered a new sense of wonder and inspiration during their time in Sedona. Their presence and creative energy have helped us establish a unique new aspect for the creative community we call home: America's next great artists colony.
In our own backyard, dozens of wonderful volunteers and supporters have pitched in to make the inaugural program a success, and we thank each and every one of you. Local partners like Sedona International Film Festival, Red Rock News, Sedona Chamber Ballet, Museum of Northern Arizona, Sedona Poetry Slam, and others contributed to make the experience all the more special. Click here for a look back at the inaugural Sedona Summer Colony!
Fire and Ice Partnership with Whitefish, Montana Meet our New Creative Exchange Partners at the August 5 First Friday
Sometime in early 2016, as our planning for the Sedona Summer Colony began, something else wonderful started to happen. Thanks to Montana artist and cultural manager Jan Shanahan, the Arts Center began working on a partnership between our high desert creative community and the charming Glacier Park town of Whitefish.
Thing get going this weekend, when a group of 9 visiting artists will make the journey form Montana to Sedona. While our guests, they will spend ten days in residence: creating, exploring, learning, sharing, and getting to know our arts community. During their stay, we will begin planning a reciprocal residency project—a kind of Fire and Ice Exchange—to send a diverse team of Sedona artists into the mountain paradise of Montana.
We invite you to meet our distinguished creative Far North guests on August 5 during First Friday, where they will be set up in the Arts Center's Special Exhibition Gallery. Stop by the Art Barn to say hello, learn about their work in Montana, and help them get to know our community. The incoming Glacier Park contingent includes Western painters Meagan Abra Blessing and Michael Blessing from Bozeman, artist/designer Linda Katsuda, fiber artist and artrepreneur Edrienne Kittredge and calligrapher/jewelry designer James Kittredge from Cascade, sculptor John Rawlings and art therapist/painter Souheir Rawlings from Whitefish, fiber artist Jan Shanahan from Whitefish, and collage and watercolor artist Sheri Trepina from Kalispell.
Sedona and Verde Valley artists who are interested in an exchange with Wihitefish, and a possible residency in that community next year, can learn more about this new partnership during the First Friday reception. And if you would like to share an experience, host a dinner, or provide hospitality for our guests from Montana, click here and let us know!
State of Arizona Support Increases in a Big Way Arizona Commission on the Arts Funding Nearly Triples
The State of Arizona gave us even more to celebrate with the recent announcement of annual grant awards from the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Sedona Arts Center, which received $10,000 in operating support last year, saw the state's largest increase in arts funding, with an award of $28,000 for the 2016/17 year. If ever there were a time to thank your legislative officials and urge them to continue investing in creative communities, now is that time!
While we are very grateful for the Arts Commission boost, the City of Sedona's small grants program—annual funding available to nonprofit organziations that add value to our local community—was reduced by half to $10,000 in project support for this year. More work can be done to educate Sedona elected people and city leaders: if you want a community animated by the arts and infused with creative experience, greater funding and long-term partnerships are the way to go. If ever there was a time to reiterate this point to local officials, and ask them to make good on the catch-phrase, now is also the time!
About Sedona Arts Center
One of Northern Arizona's first cultural nonprofits, Sedona Arts Center was founded in 1958 and has been building creative community ever since. Our organization now serves as the artistic hub of the Verde Valley, with year-round arts opportunities, an open door for creative people and ideas, and new initiatives like PALET, the recent Afternoon at Eliphante, and a brand new partnership with Verde Valley School to establish the Sedona Summer Colony.
