Artist of the Year

Artist of the Month

October 2023

1st Place - Marie Picchiotti 2nd Place Justinme Mantor-Waldie

Shattered but not Broken - The large 3 ft. x 3 ft. glass mosaic tile grouted on wood features a pale woman’s face with a piercing gaze looking out directly at the viewer from a window framed by green foliage. Picchiotti shared with the League members that she had initially created the piece years before when she was going through an especially challenging, tumultuous period within her life and personal relationship. Marie explained that the face was different in the original artwork, and after moving to Fountain Hills four years ago and unexpectedly finding love again, she “banged out the original face” but left the rest of the mosaic as it was, remaking the face as it currently is. She finished by saying that it's unofficial title is also a reminder to her, "shattered but not broken.”

2nd Plaace Tie
Justine Mantor-Waldie Adi Reindardtd :

March 2023

Rob Snyder with his hand painted ceramic plate called “Green Eyes.” The piece is one in a series of “Fashion Plates” TM. Fashion Plates are hand thrown plates, bisqued and then hand painted with underglazes. They are then sprayed with a clear glaze and glaze fired to cone 5, about 2,180˚

February 2023

Barbara Zahno, photo “Sunny Morning.”

January 2023

1st Place: Adi Reinhardt shows ‘A Loving Couple”. As I am learning more about life and living, it becomes important to me that I bring a little more love into the world. This couple is one of many expressions with which I try do just that. Love generates from the heart, not from the mind. While I was working on this sculpture, I was full of joy, wanting to create something beautiful, which maybe someone would see. The sculpture is made with black clay, and it is 11 inches high.

2nd Place: Gloria Sanchez holds "Saint Ophelia”. It is is a mixed media piece including gold leaf and Swarovski crystals.


First Place: Barbara Drake The Portrait is an 11x14 oil painting of the artist’s husband, Larry Drake and their dog, a Pappion, named Foxy, at their campsite at the Pine Trailhead outside of Payson, AZ. Larry is an authentic cowboy who has owned many horses and now rides mules. He remains one of her favorite subjects to paint in or out of the saddle. “Thank you” to members of the Fountain Hills Art League for the honor of being the Artist of the month.		2nd Place: Adi Reinhardt My stargazers are looking with open eyes and open hearts into the night sky. What do they hope to find besides twinkling stars? They are in awe about looking into the infinity of the cosmos. Do they find the greater wisdom, a brighter light, more truth, which they are looking for? They know, there is so much more than just getting by and surviving. They are 10 ½ inches tall out of white clay


First place - Rick Allen I want to thank you all for making me feel welcome last night. The ribbon really made my day. “Bliss” is a powdered graphite (General’s) on paper work. It is 10” x 14”, matted and framed to 15.5” x 18.5”. The paper is Strathmore Series 400 (recycled content) Smooth finish, 130 g/m3.. She was completed in September 2021		Second Place - Carol Ofsthun Acrylic on 24 x 26 gallery wrapped canvas I've been painting Aspen trees lately after researching how they grow and change color. I recently saw a beautiful bright red cardinal out the window and thought a couple of them would look nice with the Aspen.		Second Place Cheryl Prather "Dodge On The Rocks", 11 x 14 watercolor/ This old rusty truck sits upon a pile of rocks on the road near the ghost town of Bumblebee, Arizona. I was intrigued by the rust and dust and wondered how the heck they got it u p there on those boulders.,


Lloyd Tarr, received the 1st Place Ribbon. Coming from Illinois I have become fascinated with the desert and the brilliant colors of the cactus flowers. This picture “Big Red” was taken in our yard and is a combination or three separate images combined into one digital image. The red bloom and bud were both taken from the same cactus but combined together to make this image. A third image was made on my computer to make the background. I used a very soft “brush” to blend the flower image into the background.		2nd place, Kay Meyer. "Patch of Light” is a watercolor on 300# Arches 'floated' on the mat. A panoramic landscape of the Four Peaks on a cloudy day with the sun breaking through over an area creating a patch of light.


Gloria Sanchez, First Place “Mystic Sky”is made with Acrylic, ink and semi precious stones		Kay Meyer, Second Place, Watercolor “Bedouin Beat"


Barbara Zahno won first place in the show with her photo “Sunny Morning.”		Honorable mention was given to Sally Atchinson for her watercolor “Traveling Together”	Honorable Pat Reich for her watercolor and ink “Organ Pipe Cactus.”


1st Place winner is Mary Kuhr "WILD AND FREE” is the title of a 16 x 20 framed oil on canvas. This painting is inspired by the Salt River Wild Mustangs, tossing their heads, shaking their beautiful healthy manes while prancing and dancing.		Tied …2nd Place winner is Pamela Shearer The painting, ”Lulu", is a watercolor. It is a commissioned piece for a family in Colorado. Lula is a rescued dog, coming from a puppy will where she had litter after littler of puppies. When the family in Colorado adopted her, she needed therapy to walk and had to learn to play and move around. Now she is a happy dog, living a more normal life. Everyone who sees her is amazed, not only at the painting but, by her story. As I painted her, I was inspired and actually changed my style a little bit. I was privileged to paint her and her sweet spirit.		Tied 2nd Place Winner is Susan Harding "The Gambel quail are a beautiful part of the Fountain Hills landscape. As they scurry in and out of desert cacti and cacti flowers, watercolor artist Susan Harding has captured them in their covey with their new offspring. Her watercolor painting, named 'Cactus Walk' and measures 33"W X 25"L framed. It was inspired by these little feathered creatures


1st Place: Lloyd Tarr's "Lily Pond Blush" is a digital photo that he took of a lily in their pond. He then used a software program to modify the photo to give it painted look.		2nd Place: Bruce Boyce’s “Motion and Color at the Arizona State Fair.” He has used multiple in camera exposure combined with intentional camera motion.


1st Place: Carol McCarty wins with her acrylic painting of a Hawaiian turtle she calls “Rush”.		2nd Place: Mike Isenberg shows his multi-exposure photograph entitled “Times Square #3".


Virginia Wattles		Mary Kuhr