Linda Shannon-Hills
The SaddleBrooke Ranch ARTwalk has become an annual event, and the artists participating this year added to the great success. Unlike typical arts and craft shows the SBR ARTwalk provides artists an opportunity to show and even some to sell their work from their homes to the neighborhood visitors. The talents ranged from oil and watercolor painting, local area landscape photography, jewelry and beading, wood bowl turning, paper crafting, gourd design, pottery, model building, glazed ceramics, glass designs, fiber arts which included needlepoint, crocheting, knitting and sewing. Some artists have been doing their craft for many years while others discovered their hidden talents since living at the Ranch.
The weather was great on this beautiful Saturday afternoon in November, which allowed over a hundred neighbors of SaddleBrooke Ranch to tour the open studios as well as displays in their homes and casitas by many talented artists in our community. This year’s event featured 30 artists displayed in 20 locations. Several artists combined together in one location while other artists had a large amount of artwork in their own home. Residents were excited to be able to purchase the various artwork for holiday gifts for family and friends while many found art to adorn their new homes at the Ranch.
It was required that all items displayed must be made or created by a SaddleBrooke Ranch resident only.
The following artists participated in this year’s SBR ARTwalk: Bev Reiman, quilts and basketry; Joe Reiman, models or ships and airplanes from Civil War, WWII and current; Sharon Morey, watercolor painting; Fay Farquhar, Kumihimo necklaces; Steve and Mary Schneck, gourd designs; Larry Strugala, wood turned bowls; Linda Strugala, jewelry; Carole Ericksen, hobby horses, fiber arts and decoupage; Sharon Olivia Marchant, sewing and jewelry; Larry Marchant, fused glass art; Jane Lockett, oil painting; Don Fore, photography on infused aluminum; Susan Swanson, acrylic painting and artistic purses; Vern Nulk, R/C scale aircraft and wood carving; Ginny Mulhern, watercolor and acrylic painting; Lydia Reichard, Jewelry, Sewing, Needlework, Paper crafting, fused glass art; Raynelle Duhl, needlework, sewing, paper crafting, fused glass art and jewelry; Linda Gorman, pet photography on canvas; Leslie Gordon, hand knit golf club covers; Carol Smith, sewing, embroidery, knitting; Stephanie Hendricks, sewing; Madoka Knight, handmade candles and soaps; Cathy Johnson, wine cork designs; Corine Sturdivant, wine cork designs; Diane Fuller, watercolor painting; Gerald Strangio, painting; Bob Hills, photography of Arizona landscapes on tiles and canvas; Pat Kanitz, watercolor painting; Cliff Terry, showing his wife’s oil paintings; and Cheri Utsler, photography on canvas, sewing and embroidery.
This event is a great opportunity to discover the many talents of our Ranch neighbors but also to meet your neighbors and cultivate friendships.
Thank you to everyone for this year’s successful ARTwalk. As with any event of this size it takes volunteers to make it run smoothly. A special thanks goes out to Ken Levitt for donating the street signs and house signs for the ARTwalk from his company, OakleySigns. Also thanks to Bob Johnson for volunteering his help with taking down the signs and Alex Baker and Andrea Marchus for office assistance. Thanks also to ARTwalk director Linda Shannon-Hills.