Last Day of 2011 Tour!

It's a completely beautiful day, and it's the last day to visit our 45 open artist studios here in the desert foothills.

Take a look at this video of studios from last year HERE.

And then go to our website at HiddenintheHills.org to plan your own custom tour before you set off!

And don't forget that we have many studio profiles and short videos from this year's tour right here on our blog. Just look in the October and November archives.

Thanks so much for your interest and support of our event and of the Sonoran Arts League!

Jeanne Bonine, Studio No. 29

Jeanne's luscious floral watercolors have made many an art lover devoted collectors over the year. This year, she is also exhibiting paintings inspired by her trip to Kenya. Come by to get jazzed for Christmas with her multiple trees and to see one of the loveliest studios and homes on the tour.

Here is a snippet of Jeanne's offerings:



If you are not seeing a video screen, just click HERE to watch the video.

See you this weekend! www.hiddeninthehills.org

BH Bowman Studios, Studio 13

Abstract painter Barbara Bowman shares her studio with photographer Frank Biondo and ceramicist Vickie Morrow. Be sure to visit on Saturday when she offers live music in the beautiful high Sonoran Desert setting.



If you are not seeing a video screen, just click HERE to view the video.

See you this weekend! www.hiddeninthehills.org

Studio at Canyon del Oro, No. 9

Host Paulette Nikel invites you to visit the most hidden of all the studios hidden in the hills. Desert views like you've never seen before, as well as old master style oil paintings by Paulette, pet and wildlife paintings by Jan Taylor, and unique fine jewelry by Patti Windes.

Take a quick glance at our video to get a taste of what you'll see!



If you are not seeing a video screen, please click HERE to view the video.

Make your own custom map at hiddeninthehills.org. See you this weekend!

Jaye & Les Lawrence Studio, No. 20

We have already profiled the Lawrence Studio, but we did want to share this 1-minute video of what it has to offer. The artwork is unusual and edgy and creative, and you really must stop by!



If you are not seeing a video screen, please click HERE to go the video.

Many thanks for your patronage, and we'll see you on the tour this weekend!

www.hiddeninthehills.org

Desert Rat Forge and Desert Studio, Nos. 8 and 10

Paul Diefenderfer of Desert Rat Forge and his guest artists Liz Carlier, Joshua States and Rodger LaBrash are hitting the iron pretty hard in this demo-intensive studio. They have also joined forces with Desert Studio, featuring host and glass artist David Wheeler and his guests Elizabeth dunlop (water, glass and mixed media) and Jane Odom (glass and jewelry).

Take a look at this short video to get a taste of these exciting artists hidden in desert highlands



If you are not seeing a video screen, please click HERE to view the video.

Make your own custom map at hiddeninthehills.org. See you this weekend!

Linda Blumel Studio, No. 27

At Linda Blumel's studio, you will see unique bracelets, necklaces and earrings, ceramic vessels and sculptures, watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings, mosaic mirrors and myriad other creations.

We offer you a glimpse of it all with this short video!



If you are not seeing a video screen, please click HERE to view.

See you this weekend!
Make your custom map at www.hiddeninthehills.org!

Christoph's Ceramic Studio, No. 31

A fine art ceramicist for 35 years, Christopher Heede creates incredibly beautiful artwork. His ceramics and glass art is inspired by nature, especially the Arizona Sonoran Desert, with its expansive sky, dramatic monsoon storms, and the variety of life.

Take a moment to watch this 1-minute video for a taste of your coming visit to the studio.



If you are not seeing the video screen, please click HERE for your viewing pleasure.

See you there this weekend!

Virginia Brooks Studio, No. 16

Oil painter Virginia Brooks (virginiabrooks.com) invites you to her Carefree studio for beautiful scenery, art and fun conversations with her guest artists: fine jeweler Donna Law (dlawjewelrydesigns.com); bronze sculptor Paula Yates (paulayatessculpture.com); and watercolorist and 2011 HITH cover artist Steve Stento (stevestento.com).

Please take a look at this 2-minute video for a taste of your coming visit to Studio 16!



If you are not seeing the video screen, please click HERE for your viewing pleasure.

See you there this weekend!

Robert Thornley Sculpture Studio, No. 15

Acclaimed sculptor Robert Thornley considers his vocation a living collaboration with the stone, his chosen medium. Robert's sculptures harmonize with the natural surroundings of his desert sculpture garden in the center of  Cave Creek.

Please take a look at this 1-minute video for a taste of what you will find at Studio 15. (www.robertthornley.com)



If you are not seeing the video, please click HERE to be directed to the Sonoran Arts League's YouTube channel.

See you next weekend!

Katalin Ehling Studio, No. 36

Batik artist Katalin Ehling welcomes you to her studio.

Studio 36 continues in its 15th year of offering the finest quality in the art of jewelry, wooodturning, and batiks both on fabric and on paper.

Studio Host Katalin Ehling introduces her just published memoir, WAXING LIFE. In it, she shares her fifty year art adventure, forty of which have been in the art of batik.

 In addition to new works, Katalin will also be featuring some Southwest and other batiks which are highlighted in her book.

Wood vessel by Morrie Elmer

Morrie Elmer, hollow vessel wood turner extraordinaire, returns for his 13th year in Katalin’s studio. His use of exotic woods and precious gems such as turquoise and coral showcase the uniqueness of his creations. 

Fine jewelry by Joan Gould

Jeweler Joan Gould

Third generation Arizona native Joan Gould’s creative spirit finds home in the Sonoran Desert and the San Francisco Peaks just north of Flagstaff. Her one of a kind pieces of fine jewelry are a combination of metals and gems, truly unique pieces in gold, silver and bronze.

Morrie Elmer's wood vessels

All the artists enjoy demonstrating and talking about their techniques. Please join us in a delightful setting, pausing to refresh with a drink and various snack items.

Painted Hills Studio, No. 6

Rub a dub dub,
FIVE maids formed a club
And what do you think they do?

A Batiker, Two Painters,
A Master Printmaker,
And a Metal Embosser too!

Meet them ALL at STUDIO No. 6 ~ The Painted Hills Studio! Join us for Printmaking Demos and Repujado Basics. Catherine will be watercolor painting as time allows.

batik by Cathy Ross

Cathy Ross ~ Colorful Batiks on Paper and Wood (catherinerossstudio.com)

With Sunshiny Faces, watercolor by Catherine Sickafoose

Catherine Sickafoose ~ Snapshots in Watercolor (catherinesickafoose.com)

Untitled I, acrylic by Carole Matthews

Carole Matthews ~ Lively Acrylics

Corn Maiden, etching by Marjorie Rogers

Marjorie Rogers ~ Original Hand Printed Etchings (5acrearts.com/MarjorieRogers.html)

Metal embossing by Lynda Abare

Lynda Abare ~ REPUJADO, the Fine Art of Metal Embossing (acrearts.com/lyndaAbare.html)

See you in the hills!

Laughing Glass Studio, No. 41

Laughing Glass Studio is full of color and light and laughs.

Laughing Glass Studio (www.laughingglass.com) was founded in 1990 by a "corporate refugee" and "truck driver." For 2 years Carole Perry and Don Carroll honed their glass making skills and learned art retailing at outdoor craft fairs.

Serengheti, glass tapestry

A former IBMer, Carole Perry, began developing her signature style and moved from craft fairs to galleries with the acceptance of her unique Glass Tapestries (freehand sculpture made of 1000's of glass threads). Her signature work can be found in top glass galleries from California to Florida as well as in serious glass collections around the world.

Trucker turned artist Don Carroll deliberately placed his emphasis on responding to a growing demand for affordable and functional art glass. His decorative platters, bowls and dinnerware often include designs that reflect his love of the old west and out west. He even uses real gold pans for molds. The past few years have seen a more stylized and contemporary design evolve.

The work coming out of Laughing Glass Studio today is constantly evolving. Last year's muted elegance has given way to contemporary abstracts in bold new colors and shapes. Imagine triangular dinnerware, square bowls and horizontal vessels. Bright colored polka dots abound.

Collaboration between Laughing Glass
and guest artist Claudia Robinson

In addition to art tableware, Laughing Glass Studio is emerging as a preeminent source for unique art glass awards and custom architectural glass, including tables, tiles, light sconces and custom "window" panels. A long and successful collaboration with Claudia Robinson, metal sculptor, has generated The Original Poppy Gardens, HandStand Kids, Ocotillos, tables large and small, and the delightful kinetic sculptures, Wind Totems. This year’s newest collaboration can only be described as “seeing is believing!”

Mixed media, Claudia Robinson

Time to Make Your Custom Tour Map!

Okay, folks, it's time to do a little art research and design your custom tour map. 

Start by clicking HERE.

Click on a studio number and take a gander at the artists showing there. Click on a name and you'll find examples of their art.

Add your favorites artists and studios to your tour with the links provided. 

Print it out when you're done! The studios you chose to visit will be highlighted on the map printout!

You can even save your custom map and come back later to change it. Pretty cool, huh? We love our website. So will you, and ....

See you this weekend!

Karen Leeds & Bela Fidel, Studio 25

Karen Leeds and Bela Fidel promise a colorful visit!

Near the Edge, Karen Leeds

Karen Leeds and Bela Fidel are a “regular stop” on the Hidden in the Hills Tour, specializing in contemporary, abstract paintings and original small gifts. It is easy to access from major streets but it is also tucked away in an inviting desert setting perfect for this show. If you are coming from the south, this is a great first studio to visit.

Lightness of Being,  Bela Fidel

Both artists are well known locally with works hanging in prominent public venues in the valley. Karen (karenleeds.com) works in acrylic, oil pastel, and in vibrantly colored silk paintings and scarves. She is also introducing a new way of hanging her original silk paintings using bamboo, river rocks, copper wire, semi-precious beads, feathers and more. Visit Studio 25 for silk painting demonstrations, and to see her unique and organic alternative to traditional framing.

Bela (belafidel.com) creates elegant abstractions in oils, as well as striking compositions in encaustics (hot wax), a technique dating back thousands of years. Bela says of her art, “My intention is to develop abstract work that is elegant and beautiful. Since elegance implies simplicity, I am seeking to find expression with a minimalist abstraction while also occasionally using geometric and non-geometric shapes.” Bela will be doing encaustic demonstrations on Fridays and Sundays.

Pink Peonies, Corinne McAuley
15" x 6", 27,000 beads

In addition, we are very pleased to host a guest bead artist this year named Corinne McAuley (corinnemcauleyfineart.com), whose intricate tapestries working thousands of beads into complex patterns offers visitors a glimpse of a medium not to be seen anywhere else on the tour. Corinne and her work were recently featured in the Sonoran News. All three artists are juried members of the Sonoran Arts League.

Fall Fire, Corinne McAuley
12" x 12", 42,700 beads

Studio 25 offers informative and fun demonstrations covering six mediums, impressive art galleries, original small treasures for holiday gift giving, and plenty of enticing refreshments. We look forward to sharing our passion and Holiday cheer with you!

BH Bowman Studios, Studio 13

Desert Bloom by Barbara Bowman

Largely self taught, Barbara Bowman draws much of her from the Abstract Expressionism style of the Color-Field genre employed by American artist, Mark Rothko. Like Rothko, Bowman pays vigorous attention to balanced, brilliant hues, depth, and expanding dimensions in mostly duel color fields. Her colors are intricately woven and meticulously layered one on top of the other to create a visual journey. Her pieces literally jump off the wall.

Barbara says, “Personal expression is full of complexities. It’s our bright side, our dark side and the connection between them. And it’s how we relate to our surroundings. Ultimately, it’s about simplifying the complexities to find the perfect balance of who we are.” www.bhbowmanstudios.com/

Through the creative fusion of photography and digital painting, Frank Biondo’s work brings together aspects of impressionism and realism that gives each piece a uniquely distinctive character. The final piece embodies the spirit of both a photograph and a painting.

While in college, Frank majored in advertising art, photography and fine art. He spent his professional career in the advertising world, as an art director for 35 years at New York ‘s top ad agencies, and later establishing his own graphic design studio. When time allowed, Frank would paint in his favorite medium, watercolor. Now he combines his love of photography and painting to create unique works of art that embody both disciplines. www.frankbiondo.com

Vickie Morrow is a tile and mosaic artist and a potter. Most of the time, she even makes tile for her mosaic backsplashes, table tops, mirrors, trays and art pieces.

Vickie also hand builds vessels, bowls and vases. She is always experimenting with different clays, shapes, different construction techniques and the wonderful world of high fire glazes.

Recently Vickie installed a 50" x 50" handmade tile mosaic commission for the new Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Currently Vickie is doing a volunteer mosaic, working with the families of South Mountain for the new Salvation Army South Mountain Kroc Center. Vickie offers mosaic classes from her home in Scottsdale. tileartmosaics.com

Studio 13 is your lucky number for a stimulating artist studio visit!

Hideaway Studio, No. 26

Fine art photography

The three artists in Hideaway Studios all are contemporary artists although in different mediums. Kazu Okutomi's photography is dramatic and decorative, not the usual landscape. He brings the experience of 46 years in fine art and commercial photography taken across the United States to the show. Much of his work is dramatically framed and instantly catches the eye, creating unique pieces for today's homes and offices. (kazuphoto.com)

Green Mystique, Pat Stacy

Pat Stacy works in acrylics and mixed media to create colorful, abstract, contemporary paintings that capture the eye, imagination and heart. Working with symbols, she leads the viewer to ponder the stories and questions in the painting as well as enjoy the shapes, colors and forms on the textured canvas.

Gourd art, Reg McCormick

Reg McCormick (www.omygourd.com) is a gourd artist specializing in unusual design, shape and form. Reg is not your usual gourd artist. You will not find feathers and findings in most of his work, but rather intricate and creative carving and design that embellish and bring the gourd to life.

Hideaway Studio, also known as Kazu Photography Studio, presents a unique variety of work, and should not to be missed.

Linda Budge Studio, No. 14

The Golden Tones, Linda Budge

Studio No. 14 is one of three studios located along the Galloway Wash, with good parking and availability. We invite you to come and see us! Pick up a directory, map, a cup of coffee and a piece of our delicious home made coffee cake. And, while you're munching on that, take a look at our studio featuring Linda Budge, Kyle Hobratschk and Carolyn Sato.

Thorny Path, Linda Budge

Traditional in technique, with an emphasis on value, light and edges, Linda Budge's oil paintings depict wildlife caught up in the act of desert living. Her paintings are a portrayal of the moment, a walk on the wild side, a glimpse into nature. All painted in the classical realistic style she has exhibited for over 30 years as a professional artist. www.lindabudge.com

Artichoke Study, Kyle Hobratschk

Kyle Hobratschk uses the drawing based mediums of watercolor and printmaking to investigate both manmade and natural structures and their spatial relations. Recent work studies modest early to mid twentieth centur residential architecture and means of ornamentation. This body of work has been paralleled with designing and building functional furniture with an emphasis in joinery.  www.kylehobratschk.com

Celestial Voyage, Carolyn Sato

Carolyn Sato's art education in the U.S and in Japan has yielded her unique limited edition bronze sculpturesthat honor" our world's magnificent "Celestial Voyage." She says, “My sculptures emerge from within and beyond—from my soul, my Muse, and the spirit of the piece itself. My job when I sculpt is to open to the pulsing flow-of-life message that unfolds during the co-creative process. www.soulartbycarolyn.com

A visit to Linda's studio means some very good artsy conversation in a relaxed and beautiful setting.

Coyote Crossing Studio, No. 11

Coyote Crossing Studio sits on a hill in Cave Creek, overlooking Grapevine Wash. In addition to being Dick Mueller’s home and studio, it is home to abundant wildlife: the namesake coyotes, deer, javelina, bobcats and an assortment of birds, reptiles and rodents. Most of these creatures find their way into Dick’s art.

Dick Mueller, graphite & colored
pencil artist and studio host

Dick describes his inspiration, ”As the song says, ‘My heroes have always been cowboys’. Growing up with Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and Hopalong laid the foundation for my love of and curiosity about the dress, faces, and activities of the west of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Using photographs (old and new) for inspiration, I try to paint a feeling and/or action with pencils. Working in a very representational style, my intent is to give the viewer a sense of nostalgia, curiosity, humor, peaceful reflection and inspiration.” Dick has been awarded first place in the drawing category at the Phippen Western Art Show in Prescott, AZ twice. www.coyotecrossingstudio.com

Mixed media and acrylic artist Jaxine Cummins considers herself a native Arizonan; she graduated from Tempe High School, raised two sons and attended night school at Glendale College, starting an art career at the young age of 50.  Jaxine says "art" and a couple of great teachers changed her life for the better (a new way to see).  Jaxine loves exploring life through the eyes of an artist.  An eclectic artist, she uses almost all of the media and lets her imagination run wild. Jaxine is known for her exciting colors and her enthusiasm. She also likes getting new artists excited enough to explore. This came out when she taught the boys at Arizona Department of Corrections facility at Buckeye, the most exciting job she ever had. www.jaxine.com

Photographers Alan and Penny Lowy will be demonstrating their hand-coloring B&W photography techniques using colored pencils on digital images. Alan teaches weekend digital photography workshops year-round at his North Phoenix (New River) studio and he also teaches photography at PVCC Community College and at the Scottsdale Artist School. www.cavecreek-photo.com

Gourd artist Karen Friend explains, “One of the things I like about working with gourds is that each gourd has its own personality. I evaluate to see how that gourd can best be utilized with respect to its character and my own vision of how to bring out its hidden qualities."

When the design process begins, Karen creates a pencil sketch on the gourd. She then brings her design into sharper focus with burning and carving tools. For color, Karen utilizes a broad palette of shoe dyes, inks, acrylics, oils, watercolors and colored pencils. For texture: beadwork, precious stone inlay, metal conchos, seeds and natural objects such as antlers and gnarled wood locally harvested on her properties in the desert and in the mountains are used to embellish and enhance the basic gourd design. www.soaringspiritstudio.com

Justine Mantor-Waldie's art works reflect the vistas of the McDowell and Superstition Mountains she views from her Fountain Hills home. Her images focus on the shape-patterns seen across the land as she depicts the shifting abstractions of light and shadow as it is altered by the desert seasons, the time of day, or the weather patterns as they affect the clouds billowing across the sky. Justine achieves her highly unusual effects by using ink, acrylic paint, and oil pastels. www.justjustine.com

We look forward to seeing you this month!