By Jay Worden

Debra has been drawing ever since she can remember.  She began drawing as a small child and her very first public art display was at age 3 when one of her drawings was shown on “The Romper Room” television show.  At age 12, she won a coloring contest and used her prize money to purchase a set of acrylic paints.  Two years later, her parents gave her a set of oil paints and she has been hooked on painting ever since.  She went on to take every art class she could in high school and then earned her BFA degree in art from Bellevue University in 1978.    In 1996 she traveled to Oregon and studied with Tom Browning, a well known oil painter and the following year she took a plein air painting workshop in Wyoming and fell in love with painting outdoors.  Since then, she has had the privilege to study with such renowned artists as Kevin Macpherson., Scott Christensen, Kenn Backhaus, Kim English , John Cosby and Johnn Burton. 

Debra and her husband, Don, who happens to be serving his fourth term as the Mayor of Ralston, have traveled extensively providing Debra with many scenic locales for her art.  Over the years, Debra has gained a lot of recognition for her beautiful scenic paintings and her natural talents and training have brought her many awards on the local, state and national level.   Within the last two years, Debra and her paintings have been featured twice in the American Art Collector Magazine with the most recent article published in June 2010.  Many of her paintings hang in numerous corporate and private collections nationally and internationally.  She has illustrated three children’s books so far and is a member of five professional organizations for painters. On top of all that, her and her husband have five children between them and they have five grandsons and were blessed  recently with the arrival of their very first granddaughter. 

When asked why she thinks art is important to everyone Debra eloquently responded with…”Art is such a universal ‘language’. My husband and I have had some incredible experiences and met wonderful people as we have traveled the world painting.  Regardless of any language barrier, everyone can understand and communicate through art.  Art can bring people together and can help people see their world through ‘new’ eyes…seeing beauty where they may not have even noticed it, even in mundane everyday things; seeing colors they didn’t even know were there.”  Debra also thinks that …”Creating art is good for the soul whether you create it for your own personal enjoyment or as a career.  It’s a wonderful way to express yourself and your feelings and can be great therapy too!”

In discussing art further with Debra she made the following comment: “…And contrary to what many think, painting and drawing can be learned…and although ‘natural ability’ makes it easier, it definitely isn’t a requirement.”   Debra, is much too modest as I think most of us, after looking at paintings such as hers, would vehemently disagree with her about learning to do what she does as an artist. We all just enviously wish that she was right, but anyone who can paint landscapes and natural scenes like she does, definitely has a natural gift that goes far beyond simply being taught. 

Debra also gave us a list of recent and upcoming juried and invitational exhibitions that she is taking part in, but the list was way too long to include here, so if you would like to know more about Debra and/or her art work, and nearby future exhibitions of her work, she can be contacted through her website at www.debragroesser.com or by calling her at 402-592-6552. 

SAAC welcomes any Sarpy County or near-by artist that would like to be featured in the Artist Spotlight.  If interested, please contact Jay Worden at 402-597-2521 or e-mail  jworden@cox.net.
 

Airbrush your own t-shirt

Students will practice airbrushing then create stencils to help them make their own personalized t-shirt.  Class is 2 hours and includes fun activities, instructions, practice time and a t-shirt.  Cost $20 per person.

Class will be offered twice over the summer. 

4^th, 5^th and 6^th grade

Choose one day-

either Monday, Tues, Wed or Thurs. the week of June 14-17 or July 12-15.  9-11.a.m 

1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd grade students

Choose one day-

either Monday, Tues, Wed or Thurs. the week of June 21-24 or July 19-22.  9-11.a.m 

Contact : Mrs. Earith at rearith@paplv.org  or 669-0611 to schedule your time or circle your week and day and mail to Rhonda Earith 812 Lake Vista Drive, Papillion, NE 68046.

Classes will be held at 812 Lake Vista Drive-Walnut Creek Hills.   

Landscape Painting made easy.

             1^st 2^nd and 3^rd grade students can learn how artist use a variety of techniques and tools to paint.  Pointillism and  Impressionism will be explored and students will create a finished painting on canvas board.  Activities, practice projects, paint, brushes and canvas boards will be provided. 

Cost : $15  Monday June 28^th   9-11 a.m.  Class size is limited.

Contact : Mrs. Earith at rearith@paplv.org  or 669-0611 to schedule your time.

Classes will be held at 812 Lake Vista Drive-Walnut Creek Hills.   

Splatter-drip and flick

2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th grade students can learn to paint like Jackson Polllock

and Dale Chihuly.  Students will use odd tools like brooms, toothbrushes,

squirt bottles, etc. to flick, drip and smear the paint on huge sheets of paper.  

Each student will create their own original abstract work of art.

Cost $10  Monday July 26^th   9-11 a.m.

Contact : Mrs. Earith at rearith@paplv.org  or 669-0611 to schedule your time.

Classes will be held at 812 Lake Vista Drive-Walnut Creek Hills.   

Mrs Earith is a certified art teacher in the Papillion-La Vista School district with 20 years of teaching experience.  If you are looking for art workshops close to home with an experienced art teacher please email or call for more information.  Private lessons also available.

Age 21 and over – $20.00*;  Age 21 and over
Age 12 to 20 – $15.00 (No discounts)
Under age 12 – FREE

*Includes souvenir wine glass and first glass of wine free

(Nebraska Law stipulates that no outside alcohol can be brought onto the
premise.)

Cheers
Staff
17111 S 138th St
Springfield, NE 68059
info@soaringwingswine.com
402-253-2479

www.soaringwingswine.com

Arts Alive! is an annual event to celebrate the arts.  The event is August 28th and 29th at the Shadow Lake Towne Center on 72nd and Hwy 370.  Planning is underway, if you would like to participate in the planning or volunteer at the event, please contact Tonia Kinish at tkinish@hotmail.com or Ryan Horner at 339-9698

The upcoming planning sessions are June 22nd and July 15th, both at 7:00 and at the Sump Memorial Public Library in Papillion.  Feel free to stop in!

There are a few more artist slots available, so we have extended our artist deadline to June 30th.  If you are an artist and would like to participate, our artist applications are available on our website.

<for more information, click here> 

Artist Spotlight

Read the current Artist Spotlight at our website, where we feature Tom Pauley, stained glass artist

Tom Pauley of Papillion, Nebraska became fascinated with stain glass over thirty years ago when he attended some area auctions and saw a number of stain glass windows for sale.  After purchasing a couple of those windows, Tom decided to take a class to learn how to create his own stained glass and he has been working in the medium ever since.  In the beginning, he did a little work with leaded glass, but soon found that he preferred the “Tiffany” method… <read more> 

Area Happenings

 Sign up for the upcoming Storytelling Event
Still time to sign up for the Storytelling Coaching Workshop!
Sign your child up for StoryCamp!
Or, come to Awele’s concert!

http://www.nebraskastoryarts.org/events.html

 Omaha Quilters Guild Annual Show

When:  Jun 18 – 20 2010

 Where:  LaVista Conference Center, 12520 Westport Parkway, LaVista, NE

Description:  Intersection of I-80 & Giles Road @ Exit 442 Friday, June 18th, 9 a.m. to  p.m. Saturday, June 19th, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 20th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For

 etails: www.omahaquiltersguild.org/2010Show/2010qs.htm

Garden Arts for All

 I am excited to tell you about a new program we are offering this summer in partnership with the Lauritzen Gardens.  Garden Arts For All is a 4 week summer program where children ages 5-9 can experience all types of arts and enjoy the lovely Omaha Botanical Garden!  Attached is a flyer.   The cost is $65 for Lauritzen members and $75 for non-members.  Not only will student receive dynamic instruction from Arts For All but as a bonus the classes are in the beautiful and tranquil garden.

<more information>

NE 1% For Art Project:  WSC College Center RFQ/Direct Purchase

Wayne State College and the Nebraska Arts Council are pleased to announce the WSC College Center Project.  Artists working in two-dimensional media who reside in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota are eligible for this project

<more information>

If you have an event to be added to our Area Happenings section, please forward to info@sarpyarts.org

By Jay Worden

Tom Pauley of Papillion, Nebraska became fascinated with stained glass over thirty years ago when he attended some area auctions and saw a number of stained glass windows for sale.  After purchasing a couple of those windows, Tom decided to take a class to learn how to create his own stained glass.   He has been working in the medium ever since.  In the beginning, he did a little work with leaded glass, but soon found that he preferred the “Tiffany” method.  This involves cutting each piece of glass to fit a pattern that he has drawn on paper and then grinding each piece of glass with a   grinder to make sure that all edges are smooth. The next step is to wrap the edges with a copper foil tape and burnish the copper to create a seal all around each piece of glass.  After all the pieces are foiled and sealed, they are then laid on the paper pattern.  Next, flux is applied to the copper lines and a hot soldering iron fuses the copper to the glass to recreate the pattern in glass.  After the entire piece is soldered on both sides, the glass is cleaned and patina is applied to the soldered lines to give them the desired finish (copper, silver, or antique grey).   Tom has done many commissioned stained glass projects over the years, including large projects such as windows, doors, door surrounds etc.  He has also done smaller projects such as lamps, clocks, and collages.  Tom loves working with his hands and with colored glass because…”There are infinite variations of color, texture, and pattern I can use to create patterns that change with the variations of light coming through them. ” 

Tom was born in Chicago, but was raised in Wisconsin until the age of 12 when his family moved to Hollywood, Florida.  After completing high school, he started college in south Florida but his college career was interrupted by his decision to join the Air Force during the Viet Nam War.  He spent most of his military duty stationed in Peshawar, Pakistan, but was eventually stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue where he  met his wife, Linda, who was teaching in Papillion at that time.  They have one grown daughter, Erin. Tom has worked for many years at the old Western Electric Plant, which has gone through several name changes and is currently called Connectivity Solutions.  He plans to retire within the next year, and finally have more free time to pursue his interest in stained glass work.  

Tom thinks…”everyone can enjoy art in some form or another” and he believes that art…”makes us appreciate nature and each other. When you try to recreate a sunset in any art form, be it glass, paint, words or music, you are appreciating that sunset and then [are] more likely to look for other beautiful things to draw, paint, write about or…” in his case, …”try to create in glass.”

Tom’s wife, Linda, retired from teaching in the Bellevue Public Schools for 29 years.  Her retirement allowed her to pursue her own artistic interests, and she established an interior design business out of their home called “Nestfeathers”.  Most of Tom’s larger projects have been commissioned by people who have seen his work first hand, but he has created and installed many stained glass projects in coordination with his wife’s interior design business as well.  Examples of some of his beautiful creations can be seen here in the photographs, but to truly appreciate his work one needs to see his creations first hand.  Samples of his work are on display in the home studio that he shares with his wife.  If anyone would like to see some of Tom’s beautiful stained glass and/or commission him for a particular project, he can be contacted by phone or fax at 402-597-0557 or e-mailed at Nestfeathers@cox.net.

(SAAC welcomes any Sarpy County artist that would like to be featured in the Artist Spotlight.  If interested, please contact Jay Worden at 402-597-2521 or e-mail him at jworden@cox.net.)

Mark your calendars for August 28th-29th at Shadow Lake Towne Center for Arts Alive!  This year we are expanding to a 2 day event to showcase more of the exciting artists from the area.  Arts Alive! is filled with artists demonstrating their craft, musicians, dancers, vocalists, performers, and more all for the community.  This free event was an incredible success last year and we are looking forward to bringing more to it this year.   If you are an artist and would like to participate, our artist applications are available on our website.   We are always looking for people interested in helping to plan or staff the event, so if you or someone you know is interested, please let us know!   <for more information, click here> 
Artist 2 Business Connection  

The Sarpy Area Arts Council is bringing artists and businesses together through the “Artist 2 Business Connection.”  Businesses may choose to borrow artwork and display it for a limited time or purchase the artwork for permanent display.  If you missed our reception, but still want to participate as a business or artist, let us know.  We will be planning more receptions as well as building a website based connection.  More information to follow.

Businesses interested in participating in the program, or artists interested in displaying work can get more information by calling Kim Madrigal at (402) 515-3870 or visiting www.sarpyarts.org.

Sarpy Arts & Soul

Thank you to all who participated and donated for the success of Arts & Soul!  It was a great evening filled with visual art and music and good conversations. 

Your support is what will build programming for the Sarpy Area Arts Council to bring more arts awareness and artist support to the community!

Area Happenings   Jeri Martinez 1st Friday opening this Friday

 
  You are invited to our First Friday open house at the Passageway Gallery, Friday, May 7th from 6-9pm. Jeri Martinez will be the featured artist for the month of May with her show titled “A Moment in Time”. Jeri’s work is at once
bold and yet sensitive in her watercolor renditions,  photography and oil painting. Meet the artist and enjoy the free refreshmnts.
Passageway Gallery
417 S. 11th St. in the Old Market
Show continues through the month of May. The gallery artists have just rotated spots, so there is lots of new art to see.
Stop By!  

Omaha Quilters Guild Annual Show   When:  Jun 18 – 20 2010 Where:  LaVista Conference Center, 12520 Westport Parkway, LaVista, NE Description:  Intersection of I-80 & Giles Road @ Exit 442 Friday, June 18th, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 19th, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 20th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For Details: www.omahaquiltersguild.org/2010Show/2010qs.htm  

Sumtur Amphitheater Grand Re-Opening
 
You are cordially invited to attend the
Grand Re-Opening of the Sumtur Amphitheater
 
Saturday, May 8, 2010 
1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Walnut Creek
11691 South 108th Street (just south of Hwy 370)
RSVP to 827-1111
 
1:00 p.m. – Gates open
 
1:30 p.m. – Ribbon Cutting and Flag Raising Ceremony
 
2:00 p.m. – Key to the City presentation
to local Academy Award winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore
 
3:00 p.m. – Performance by 112 North Duck
 
Free food, prize drawings, children’s activities and more

Application Deadline is May 31st.

Thank you and if you have any questions please email info@sarpyarts.org

http://www.sarpyarts.org/brochure/Artist_Application_AA_2010_web.pdf

In the effort to support the arts in each Sarpy County community, Sarpy Arts will have a booth setup at the La Vista Art Festival on May 1, 2010 at the MCCC/La Vista Public Library from 8:00-5:00.  We are still looking for a few volunteers to help for throughout the day.  If you are available for a few hours or the whole day, please let us know!

We are planning children’s art activities.  Face painting, coloring, artist trading cards, etc.  If you have one of these talents, knows someone who does, or have another activity, please contact us soon! 

Please call or e-mail Ryan Horner at 253-7801 or ryan.horner@sarpyarts.org if you can participate.

Thank you and we are looking forward to a fun Saturday!  You can also visit the City of LaVista website for more information.

By Jay Worden

Christian Lind of Papillion is a network engineer by day, but does street/chalk art as a hobby.  He calls his beautiful artwork “Concrete Expressions” and he is becoming well known for his work in the metro area.   The first thought that comes to mind while watching Christian do his incredible sidewalk art in chalk is why does he do it?  Unlike most artists who have some kind of an end product that they can keep or sell, a sidewalk artist’s finished work is temporary and gone forever within days unless photographed, so why do sidewalk art when you could be creating and selling incredible oils or acrylic paintings?  This is the one question that Christian gets from his audiences more than any other and his answer is, “For me, it is more about the process than the finished product.  I liken myself to a street performer.  Their work is temporary as well.  I am very critical of my own work and have a tendency to keep tweaking and retouching and yet I am never satisfied.  This medium is perfect for me because the time I have to complete a piece is finite.  Once the day is done, work stops.  It is reasonable to say that my work makes it into more homes than a regular artist.  Through photos people take and experience they share.  I am surprised at how much street recognition I get from this hobby.  It’s very personally rewarding.”

Christian was born and raised in Omaha and graduated from Millard South where he was inspired by his high school art teacher, Madelyn Bruning, who has previously been spotlighted on our website as a local artist.  He gives her credit for encouraging and fostering his early artistic talents. “I put that woman through so much hell in high school that I felt guilty when I got older.  I owe it to her to use the gift she helped foster.” Christian continued with his art in college and has a degree in Electronic Imaging and Graphics from Metro Community College.   Ms. Bruning has probably long forgotten about his behavior as a teen, and has to be pleased that Christian continued with his art and is now sharing his talents with the rest of us.  Christian began doing sidewalk art seven years ago.  He had met Matt Seeley who is a local  sculptor and chalk art enthusiast and when Matt became aware of Christian’s artistic talent, he invited him to help him do a chalk drawing for the Summer Arts Festival in Omaha and the two of them have been working together at such events all across Nebraska ever since. “I got hooked on chalk art because it puts you in front of people.  It is a very public form of expression where the audience can see it from start to finish. I enjoy conversing with people as I work.  They can even participate and I encourage that; especially, kids.  I enjoy little budding artists doodling along side me.   It is very child friendly.” Christian and his wife Amy have two children, Joselyn age 7 and Kaiden age 4.  He tries to bring them along with him as much as possible when he does his works of art.

 In the last year, Christian has begun to do sidewalk projects by himself and has been the featured artist for the KXVO Chalk Walk, and the Rockbrook Village Music and Masterpiece event.  One of the photos found here is of Christian doing his chalk art at the “Arts Alive” Festival sponsored by The Sarpy Area Arts Council at Shadow Lake Towne Center in Papillion last fall.

Christian feels that art is important to everyone. “Creativity is important because it helps people grow and yet keeps us young.  A favorite quote of mine is ‘Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.’ I have found a way.  Every time I put a piece of chalk in my hand I feel like a kid….I have found happiness when I use my gifts.  Art is spiritual to me.  To not use that gift seems a waste.  Being able to give back to people and my community gives me a sense of purpose.” 

We certainly hope Christian continues feeling like a kid again and remain the talented adult artist that he has become, and that he will continue sharing his gift with us so we can continue seeing and experiencing his wonderful art form. Anyone who has watched him work can attest to his talents as an artist and most likely have some photos of him and his work somewhere in their photo collections at home.  Children and adults alike are mesmerized while watching him and amazed with his beautiful and professional looking finished products.  Christian is currently enjoying his new found hobby, and is trying to perfect this art form and find his niche as an artist. His work is proof that he is definitely finding his niche.  Christian hopes to turn his temporary art into a paying hobby and eventually find the time to branch off into other more permanent art forms.  He also does pencil portraits upon request.  If you would like to contact or commission Christian concerning his art and help him share his gift with yourself or others, he can be contacted by e-mail at clind3@cox.net  or call him at 402-213-1386.

(SAAC welcomes any Sarpy County artist that would like to be featured in the Artist Spotlight.  If interested, please contact Jay Worden at 402-597-2521 or e-mail him at jworden@cox.net.)