San Pedro River Arts Council © 2016
PO Box 1358, Benson,
Arizona 85602-1358
(520) 586-2611
San Pedro River Arts Council
You can pay your annual SPRAC dues, $15.00 for individual or $20.00 per family by hitting the donate button above.
Note: You may also send your membership payment or donation by check to:
SPRArts
PO Box 1358
Benson, AZ 85602-1358
Hi everyone,
Welcome to September--do you believe how gloriously green the desert is now?! What a wonderful monsoon season we have had (and with any luck, perhaps we'll get more rain yet)!!
Lots of news this month--yay!
I want to start by welcoming our new members to the Arts Council, and note that Kathy Williams' "No Fear" painting ladies have joined us "en masse!" We're delighted to have you all participate in our activities!!
They have begun with a bang, as Kathy has mounted a wonderful exhibit of their work in the hallway at Cochise College Benson Center... So now, when you visit the college--you can enjoy Shannon Fogel's amazing portraits in the main lobby, and then check out the "No Fear!!" paintings in the side hall. Both of these installations will be on display through the end of September during regular college hours (Mon. thru Thurs. 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. and Fridays 8 a.m. till 4 p.m.), so enjoy a mini-excursion and come check out their work!!!
We have just completed the change-out of artwork at the Benson Hospital, and I want to thank everyone who contributed to the new installation! We were able to provide exactly 100 paintings, photographs, prints, (and some beautiful stained glass pieces from new member, Nancy Heller!) for hanging throughout the hospital, and that is a GOOD THING! While the number is down slightly from the previous exhibit, we are still delighted that so many of you felt comfortable in contributing this time; and hope that even more of you will have work to share at the hospital when we do the next change-out (hopefully, in 6 months...).
And now it is time to do a change-out of the artwork at Endeavor Gallery! Boy, has that 6 months flown by!!
I will be sending out more specific information in the next few weeks, but please note that the pick up of current work and drop off of new pieces is scheduled for Saturday, September 25th from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m.
Can't wait to see everyone's new work! Please note that we would love to have some more 3 dimensional pieces to display on our pedestals--sculpture, ceramics, glassware?!--for the new installation, as well as your paintings, photography, and other 2-dimensional works to hang on the walls!
Remember--EVERY member of the Arts Council is welcome to hang your art in Endeavor Gallery--new members, old members, professionals, amateurs, beginners--you just have to show up, as one of the stated missions of SPRAC is to provide venues for our members to display and (hopefully) sell their work to the public!! So don't be shy...and if you have a conflict with dates, please contact me so that we can work something out for you!!!
On top of that, we will be hosting our (hopefully huge) 8th annual Open Photography Show at Cochise College Benson Center during the month of October!! Entry forms and information packets are out and available on line at our website---www.sprarts.org--or hard copies may be picked up at Endeavor Gallery in Benson, the HAA Gallery in Sierra Vista, Cochise College Benson Center, and even at the Benson Feed Store (Thanks to Ed Fenn and family for their continued support!). Or you can even send me an email, and I'll be happy to send you the information so that you can print it all out yourself.
Entries may be made on line, or mailed in, and are due no later that September 28th! We will be receiving the actual photographs at the college on Thursday, September 30th--so please mark your calendars!
This has always been a wonderful event, and we hope this year will be no exception! There are divisions
for amateurs, advanced/ professionals, youth (under 18), "monochrome" (B/W sepia tone,etc), and "digitally enhanced (showing heavy manipulation); and there will ribbons and cash prizes in every division-- with a $100 cash award for the "Best in Show" photograph, plus many $25 "special awards" and a $50 cash prize for the winner of the "People's Choice" voting.
The Gala reception and awards presentations will happen at the college on Saturday afternoon, October 16th from 2 till 4 p.m.--with refreshments, live music!, a raffle, a small silent auction, and a wonderful opportunity to meet and visit with the participating phtographers. This is a FUN event that you won't want to miss!! So--if you take photographs, or have friends that do--please spread the word, and get those entries in!!
Serendipitously, our September "Artists Share" lunch hour program is photographically related, and features a slide show, talk and demo by our own Larry Scott. Larry is a master photographer, and in recent years has been experimenting with "digital painting" using his photographs for reference points to create amazing works of art. (Hopefully, we'll see his work in the October show!!) So, if you are curious about his process, or just want to see some beautiful "art," join us at Endeavor Gallery on our regular "3rd Thursday,"
September 16th, at noon (or come early for a good seat selection!) to see his presentation. Hope to see you there!!!
A bit further afield-- members of the Willcox Art League will be holding their 3rd annual "Art in the
Yard" (Yolanda's yard?!) show and sale on Saturday, September 25th, from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m.
The show features the work of 6 local artists and is always a fun event. If you are planning on
dropping off work at Endeavor Gallery that morning--you can just proceed from there!!
If you still have ANY free time--check out the stunning photography exhibit featuring
"Hummingbirds and Desert Flowers" by Dr. John P. Schaefer (former President of the Univ. of
Arizona and founder of the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson--who just happened to
judge OUR photography show several years ago!) at the Amerind Foundation from now through
October 31, 2021.
The Amerind is one of my favorite places in all of Arizona; and the drive up to Texas Canyon
is even more beautiful than usual thanks to our outstanding monsoon season--so do go if you
possibly can!!
Finally, a quick reminder that we will definitely be holding our annual Yard Sale Fund Raiser in November,
so please be thinking about unwanted "treasures" (of ANY sort) that you might want to donate! More information will be forthcoming as time gets closer!!
So that's all I can think of for now...There is a LOT going on with SPRAC and I hope we'll see many of
you at our upcoming activities!! Do plan on putting something in the gallery for the new installation; and
do get those photography show enties taken and submitted!!! Celebrate the Arts!!!
Linda
p.s. Oh no--just thought of one more thing! If any of you need help with printing or enlarging your photos
for the show--we have the facilities to do so at Endeavor Gallery! We have a high end printer, and a hIgh end person (Chris Blom) who knows how to run it and can help you create the best prints possible!
Chris works at the gallery on Saturdays from 10 till 2 p.m.; so you can just pop in with your photos on a flash drive--or, give her a call at 520 265 2238 to make an appointment. (8 x10's are $5.00 and enlargements up to 19" are just $10.00 each done on archival paper with archival inks...)
The END!!