July 2025 Newsletter

Important dates


No Mix and Mingle in August

No General Meeting in August


Both Mix and Mingle and General Meetings will resume in September.

Presidents Message


Summer is Simply Awesome!


I always thought I’d eventually outgrow my love for summer—but it turns out, I haven’t. There’s something about this season that brings a refreshing sense of freedom and possibility.


As much as I enjoy the slower pace of summer, I’m already looking forward to the energy of our winter season in Green Valley. There’s a special joy in welcoming back our “snowbird” friends and meeting new neighbors who’ve chosen Green Valley as their retirement destination. It feels like a reunion—with exciting new connections waiting to happen.


While the Santa Rita Art League is enjoying a quiet summer, your Board of Directors has been actively preparing for the fall. We held an email meeting in June, followed by our first Zoom meeting in July—which went very well. We plan to continue using Zoom until everyone is back in town.


The Studio has also had a bit of a summer refresh! It’s now reorganized and ready for you to enjoy some creative time. Stop in to see the updated space and check out our donations tables—we’ve received a generous amount of donated art supplies. Feel free to take what inspires you, and if you’re able, consider making a donation to the Art League in return. A big thank-you to everyone who contributed!


For now, let’s keep embracing that summer spirit of freedom and creativity.

Enjoy every moment!

Happy Painting!

Jeani Gustafson

Co-President



New Member Orientation


Welcome to New Members of the Santa Rita Art League!


For the summer, we will not be having new member orientation meetings. However, please visit the studio, ask our monitors questions and begin to learn all that the Art League offers. You can also learn about the League by visiting our website.



If you have a specific question or need, please feel free to contact our New Member Liaison, Sally Bryan. Her e-mail address is SallyB@santaritaart.org.


New Member Orientation will begin again in September.

Mix and Mingle


There is no Mix and Mingle gathering scheduled for August.


SRAL Monthly General Meeting


There will be no General Meeting in August.

ART EXHIBITS

Santa Rita Art League Studio Gallery


SUMMER STUDIO DISPLAY

If you have paintings you would like to share, bring one to the studio to hang for the summer. This show will end on August 31st.


EARLY FALL STUDIO DISPLAY

For the months of September and October, we would like to hang paintings in the studio depicting skies. This includes both representational and non-representational paintings. Bring in your sky paintings on Tuesday, September 2nd between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Diane Conant has agreed to organize our gallery displays. If you need to contact her, her e-mail address is DianeC@SantaRitaArt.org. The wires are up and there will be tags available. 


DECEMBER MEMBERS EXHIBIT

Our next big Members Exhibit at Canoa Hills will be in December. The theme is “Chaos and Harmony”. Painting size is restricted to 24” x 30” and smaller. This is a reminder to get those paintings started.

NEED ART SUPPLIES?


Please stop in the SRAL studio and check out all of the donated art supplies.  People have been exceedingly generous with their donations this summer.  You might find just the thing you have been wanting – or many things you need.  Donations for art supplies are welcome.  We plan to purchase some padded stools for the studio with donation money.

Volunteering at SRAL!


We could not function without the support of volunteers. We know that many have served and may not be able to continue to serve in specific roles. Consequently, we are always looking for new volunteers to support our programs and administrative functions. 


A new addition, at the studio, is a “Volunteer Board”! We need you! Please review the postings on a monthly basis, as new postings are added. periodically. Sign up, ask questions, or find someone to share a job, if it seems a little more than you want to do alone. We really do need you!



This “Volunteer Board” will also be at General Meetings, especially through the fall and winter. Thank you for considering this opportunity! If you have questions, please email Brenda Stewart or contact her by way of the contact information on the back of the Volunteer Board.

Educational Opportunities


MAT CUTTER


When the studio reopens, the new mat cutter will be ready for use. If you would like instruction this summer, please e-mail Kris Martens at KrisM@SantaRitaArt.org. You can set up a time to meet at the studio for training. Please do NOT use the new mat cutter without being trained. We want to be sure everyone knows the proper way to use it. 


If you have matboard pieces you don’t have a use for, we could use them for training. Your matboard donations would be much appreciated. These can be any size. Small mat pieces work for training.

Educational Opportunities at the

Community Performance & Art Center – CPAC


Adult Workshops


"All About Color"


 Taught by Sonsoles (Sunny) Shack on November 4 - 5, 2025


Click here for more information. (Adult Workshops | Community Performance & Art Center – CPAC)




Adult Weekly Classes


"Personalized Painting"

Taught by Fran Sutherland on every Wednesday, November 5, 12, 19, December 3, 10, 17, 2025


"Painting from Life with Pastels and PanPastels"

Taught by Sonsoles (Sunny) Shack on every Tuesday, November, 11, 18, December 2, 9, 16, 2025


Click here For more information (https://www.performingartscenter.org/programs/adult-education/adult-weekly-classes/)




Upcoming Exhibits at CPAC


“Plein Air”

Featuring Work by Arizona Artists

In the Harry and Ann Paxton Gallery and Theater Lobby

September 30 – November 3, 2025

Reception: Friday, October 10th from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

 

"Collage/Mixed Media Celebration III"

Featuring Work by Arizona Artists

In the Harry and Ann Paxton Gallery

November 3 – December 19, 2025

Reception: Friday, October 7th from 5:30 – 7:00 PM


Click Here for more information (Exhibits | Community Performance & Art Center – CPAC)



SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGs)


There are 11 Special Interest Groups and all of them are open to the members of the Art League.


  • ABSTRACT
  • ASSEMBLAGE
  • COLLAGE/MIXED MEDIA and ACRYLIC
  • FIGURE DRAWING
  • LEARNING ABSTRACT


  • OIL PAINTING & PASTEL
  • OPEN STUDIO
  • PLEIN AIR
  • PORTRAIT
  • PRINTMAKERS GUILD
  • WATERCOLOR

On the SRAL website there is a complete description for each SIG.

If you wish to learn more about any of the SIGs, Click Here



Click here for the list of SIG chairpersons and their e-mail addresses.


Below is additional INFO not on the SRAL webpage.

ABSTRACT SIG

                    

The Abstract Group is on summer break until Monday, September 8th at 10 am. Have a great summer everybody!




ASSEMBLAGE


The assemblage group will meet all summer in the studio, on the 2nd & 4th Fridays from 1pm-3pm.



COLLAGE/MIXED MEDIA and ACRYLIC


Next meeting is first Wednesday of August at the SRAL art studios from 1 to 3. Our challenge is " texture". Bring examples or paintings of how you use textures. Also if you want a critique of a painting we are very supportive and helpful.


The group will be meeting one time monthly during the summer on the first Wednesday of the month, from 1-3 pm in the SRAL studio. 


The usual twice monthly schedule will resume in October.


You can contact Janet Johnson by Clicking Here.


All Art League members are invited to participate in this SIG. Get ready for a terrific year.


We will continue with our experiments in composition:

  • Compositional Design: Pyramid
  • Art Principle: Unity
  • Element: Form


Again, it is not necessary for you to participate in our challenges to attend the meeting. Bring something to share or work on, resources to share, etc. We love hearing new ideas and seeing new techniques.



FIGURE DRAWING


This group will not be meeting during the summer months


The Figure Drawing Group meets on the first Saturday of each month from November to April, 9 AM to Noon. We hope to see you then. Have a great summer!



 LEARNING ABSTRACT


This is a new group that is board approved and coming to you all in mid-October, on three Monday mornings each month, including the second, third, and fourth Mondays.


This group will be a work group, painting in the studio and learning together. We will work with artists from the Abstract SIG (formerly known as the Abstract Briggade) and utilize materials from our comprehensive library, as well as YouTube offerings, and more, to support everyone.


Reach out to Brenda Stewart if you are interested in joining the group or if you are interested in teaching using your medium of choice, or a favorite technique. Otherwise, just plan to attend in October.



OIL/PASTEL


The group will resume meetings the first Monday in September.


We are a friendly, supportive, and informal group that allows our members a scheduled time to paint, share ideas, and techniques. We welcome both beginning and accomplished artists alike!



OPEN STUDIO


This popular event occurs every Tuesday from 9AM to 1PM. As recently updated, all members are welcome to use all media types. Oil paint is allowed in the main studio on Monday and Tuesday only, so this is a great time for oil painting, but only an odor-less solvent, such as Gamsol, can be used. Our usual members stop to have lunch at noon. Come and join us for a cool time this summer and bring a lunch!



PLEIN AIR PAINT OUTINGS


This outdoor group will be painting all summer, with a very early start time, on Thursdays, beginning about 6AM to 9AM, as it becomes too hot after that time. A schedule for June has not yet been decided, however many of our group have become full time residents, and we are happy to add anyone else interested in painting outdoors. 


If you would like to join us send an e-mail to Nanci Sheppard. Click Here



PORTRAIT


The Portrait group will continue to gather throughout the summer, although they will not have a model. The group will meet and share their work, including members' works in progress.



PRINTMAKERS GUILD


Coordinators: Karen Keim and John McGraw


In September, we return to our schedule on the second Wednesday and the fourth Thursday of each month (alternate Thursdays in Nov./Dec). Interested SRAL members are always welcome to visit or join us in printmaking. Limited supplies are available for participation. To join the e-mail list, or if you have questions, please contact Karen Keim at KarenK@SantaRitaArt.org



WATERCOLOR


This group will continue to meet every Friday from 9 AM - 12 PM over the summer. (Some of us also meet via zoom most Friday mornings in summer, 9 AM - 12 PM AZ time.)



To contact Valerie St. Marie Click Here

Click here for the list of SIG chairpersons and their e-mail addresses.