July 2025 Newsletter

Important dates


June 28 – Volunteers put studio back together after closure


June 30 – Studio opens after closure


July 1 through 31 – Members show in SRAL Studio


July 1 through October 7 – Desert Hills Permanent Show


There is no General meeting in July.



There is no Mix and Mingle in July.

President's Message


The Big News is the Studio is almost all freshened up, clean and put back together. It took a little more time than anticipated but the work will be done by June 28 and the studio will open June 30.


If you are in Green Valley this summer, stop by and check it out. Better yet, bring your art supplies and enjoy creating in our lovely studio. Take it a step further and bring an SRAL friend to enjoy painting in good company. I am very excited to see our studio’s fresh, clean look.


While enjoying your summer activities and travels, I hope you are finding time to paint. I am taking a box of art supplies on my travels and hoping to find time to try a bit of plein air painting. Wish me luck.


Arlene is starting to feel better and has been joining in on a few Art League activities. It sure is nice to see her smiling face.


Happy Painting!

Jeani Gustafson

Left to Right: John McGraw, Ellen Meentz, Pam Guard, Jeani Gustafson, Arlene Szypulski, July Lawrence, Rita Valent, and Mike Garcia.

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 July.


SRAL Monthly General Meeting


There will be no General Meeting in July.

Art Exhibits


Desert Hills Permanent Art Display was scheduled to be changed out on July 8. However, we have decided to leave the show up until October 7. If you are unable to leave your artwork until October 7, Jan Harnish will be at Desert Hills on July 8 from 1:00 to 2:00 for you to pick up your artwork at that time.  

Santa Rita Art League Studio Gallery


SUMMER ART DISPLAY


Please bring artwork to display in the studio for the summer. After the studio reopens on June 30, we will need some artwork for our gallery walls.


The wires will be up and there will be tags available so you can hang your own artwork. This work will hang until August 30.

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


·     Gelli Printing Extravaganza II taught by Susan Ettl, a SRAL Member, on July 28 – 29, 2025


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




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


The collage, acylic and mixed media group meets first Wednesday in July from 1 to 3 in the art studio. Our Challenge is experiment. Try new colors, tools, media and have fun.


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 meet on June 2nd and 30th.

They will not meet in July and August.

They 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, except when the studio is closed for remodeling in June, of course. (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.