Anna Balentine "Painting is an expression of ideas and individuality. For me, each painting is an extension of myself, and my need to share the beauty I see and feel with others . . ." Creating a work of art always presents an exciting challenge. By painting with emotion and feeling, Anna expresses a personal involvement with each new piece. The intensified use of color and style move the viewer to be part of a particular place or subject. Always seeking new ways of interpreting her environment, Anna welcomes different opportunities in medium and technique. By combining two of her favorites, watercolor and batik, Anna Balentine captures a feeling of wonderful color and vibrancy. Her interpretation of subject matter may involve the use of watercolor, batik, acrylics, or printmaking. Whatever the media, each new work shows a consistent use of glowing color and underlying design. Living in the Southwest since 1971, Anna Balentine has had several shows and her works have appeared in numerous state and regional juried shows. Anna's paintings are included in many private and corporate collections such as: Security Pacific, Harris Trust, Motorola and Scottsdale Memorial Health Systems. Her commissioned works are in demand and hang in many permanent collections. Anna maintains a studio in Scottsdale, Arizona and is currently a member of The Arizona Watercolor Association and the Arizona Artist Guild. She exhibits at fine art galleries in Arizona, New Mexico, and California. Patrick Coffaro Patrick Coffaro is an Illinois native born in 1941. Although he studied at the American Academy of Art Institute in Chicago, he describes himself as a self-taught studio artist. He currently resides in Mesa, Arizona with his wife. It seems strange that he was once intimidated by the idea of doing landscapes considering how vibrant and confident his landscapes seem. Originally working primarily with monoprints of still lifes, he found his style when he began to allow spontaneity and "dabbling around" to direct him. He attributes his vitality and freshness as an artist to his daily commitment to change, experimentation and risk-taking. Color has played a primary role in Coffaro's growth as an artist. "I used to work very bland, very subdued, all earth tones. Everything was quiet. I started working with louder colors surprisingly by accident. I played around with some real bright colors that were laid out on a palette that I had. I guess that kicked it all off." Cecilia Henle Cecilia Henle was born the youngest of nine children in St.Paul, Minnesota. Her parents were active in Cub Scouting and Cecilia would often follow along for the field trips and craft projects, gaining knowledge and an avid interest in the indigenous tribes of the Great Lakes region. She developed an appreciation of Native American philosophy and culture, which has become a major focus in her life. Cecilia paints on hand made bark paper which gives her artwork the quality of ancient cave paintings. Bark paper is believed to be the oldest paper making process in the Western Hemisphere and is still made today as it was in the 14th century. For hundreds of years the Otomi Indians have searched the countryside for bark from downed fig and mulberry trees. The bark is peeled from the tree, washed in the streams and boiled in limewater. The bark is pounded while damp, and the pliable fibers are laid out in the sun to dry. This beautiful primitive paper becomes the perfect medium for Cecilia Henle's pastels. The petroglyphs and pictographs, represented by Henle, are considered an endangered and disappearing ancient art form. Little is known about the purpose of these ancient rock paintings found throughout the world. Although an effort has been made to protect and preserve them, they continue to fade with time. Reginald Jones Reginald Jones specializes in western Americana, horses and wildlife. His paintings are a fresh perspective of country and western life. They capture its mood and its character. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he has been drawing and painting since childhood. His early training in fine art and design was at Louisiana State University followed by studies at the American Academy of Art and the Chicago Art Institute. During the Korean War, he spent two years in the U.S. Army. Discharged from the Army at the Presidio in San Francisco, he stayed in San Francisco and founded the nationally known San Francisco graphic design firm, Unigraphics, which served the design needs of many prominent American corporations. Reginald's thirty years of experience in graphic design with its demanding needs has provided the background for his pursuit of creative art. His knowledge of horses comes from "hands-on" experience. A lifetime of loving and raising horses, buying and selling them has enabled him to paint the horse so masterfully. Reginald and his wife, Alice, now live in Arizona and he has been painting the American West ever since. Ann McLeod In 1979, when Ann McLeod arrived in the state of Arizona, she immediately felt that she was home. Despite the July heat of 105, she stepped from the air-conditioned comfort of her van and exclaimed, "Yes! This is where I belong! This is heaven." Nearly twenty years later, she still feels inspired by the beauty and diversity of the southwest. Ann has found that the Southwest touches her soul and stirs her creativity in a way that few places can. Ann began her art career in her late twenties in Florida when a neighbor recognized her artistic gift and encouraged her to try painting. This was a major turning point in her life. Within one year, she was showing and selling her work. However, realizing the need to go beyond her self-taught abilities, she studied with Staves Donovan, and concentrated on painting seascapes, which proved very successful. During this period of time, she attended a watercolor demonstration by William Draper and consequently began studying with him. Within a few years, she was winning first-place awards and successfully selling in major shows throughout the Southeast. Ann realizes that the power of first-hand experience adds authenticity to her paintings. Over the past ten years, she has taken trips each summer to gather reference material for her work; one of the more important trips that she feels has greatly enhanced her work was a ten-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. "It was this trip that taught me so much about reflected light." Ann's love of nature lends a certain uniqueness to her work that is readily recognizable. Her paintings show her fascination with atmospheric light in the way afternoon sunlight turns a desert arroyo into a place of enchantment and the Grand Canyon into a mysterious world of red, gold and purple. The strength of her work lies in her ability to create a certain mood about a scene and translate that to the viewer. Michael Swearngin Michael Swearngin's interest in the American Cowboy began at a very young age. He was born in Olathe, Kansas, the first stop on the north end of the Santa Fe Trail just outside of Kansas City. As a youth, Michael's grandfather taught him the heritage of the cattleman and rancher. Michael's family moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1973, where he began his art career. Spending sixteen years in the Southwest influenced him to work to develop the rich colors of the Southwest style of painting. Michael's interest in contemporary southwest art and the fading heritage of the American Cowboy combine to form the core of his images. His watercolor paintings create unique imagery inspired by the rugged spirit so vividly seen in the cowboy. He is inspired by local cowboy clinics and cowboy youth camps which instruct students about horsemanship, ranching and prepare them for life and the sport of rodeo. Every image he paints is a precise moment in time - you can feel the energy and motion. In addition to his action pieces, many of Michael's paintings depict the serenity of cowboy life - resting along the fence after a long day or the bond between father and son. Michael chooses vibrant colors and compositions with emotional impact. He uses rich bold colors to draw the viewer into his paintings and aspires to move each of us to reflect upon our own experiences and enrich the lives of others. The high contrast in his highlights and shadows give his images a sharpness that is contrasted by his soft dissolving watercolor washes. In 2002, Michael won second place in the category of oil/acrylic at the ArtWalk fundraiser in California. He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he continues to develop and expand his painting career.