LaVerne Kyriss While he calls himself “just a Sunday painter,” you shouldn’t imagine a lazy Sunday afternoon setting for SaddleBrooke artist Jim Morris. Morris is very focused and disciplined about continuing to stretch and grow as an artist. In fact, each year, he sets goals and a theme for his art. “I try to complete…
LaVerne Kyriss Jacqueline Cohen loved art as long as she can remember. She created her first painting in grade school. “In my parent’s home, I had a large upstairs bedroom/studio. The floor was covered with linoleum, and I could make as much of a mess as I wanted,” she remembered. In junior high and high…
Beginning artist finds welcoming community LaVerne Kyriss When Marty Fisher and her husband, Gary, moved to SaddleBrooke about 18 months ago, she had never really explored much about art. Working as an elementary school teacher in Bend, Oregon for 30-plus years, however, gave Fisher some exposure to art in the classroom. “I never studied art…
LaVerne Kyriss “I do art for myself. It’s a way of self-expression, a way to visually share ideas. I’m drawn to the physicality and the mental stimulation of creating something,” reflected Marilynn Davis, as she showed some of the many drawings and watercolors she’s created. “I’m finding that I can’t separate my intellect from the…
Michele Benedict LaVerne Kyriss When Michele Benedict took her first art class at 23, she had no idea where that whim would lead. A newly married Air Force wife in San Bernadino, California, she began studying oil painting at the invitation of a friend’s mom. After a move to Dayton, Ohio she began to teach…
Conquer fear by beginning with the basics LaVerne Kyriss When suggesting neighbors, friends and acquaintances try their hand at painting, drawing or any kind of art, Karen Brungardt encourages people to “step out of fear into fun.” She says that many people have an interest in exploring creative endeavors, but are unsure of how to…
LaVerne Kyriss When Mary Bubla was growing up in Neillsville, Wisconsin, she had two loves, math and art. As the only girl in her senior math class, she decided on math teacher as her preferred career path. But dissuaded by a guidance counselor who told her there was no career in math for a woman…
LaVerne Kyriss “Talent is not the most important aspect in any of the creative arts,” explained Vivian Sathre. “No matter your medium or your forum, you must find your own voice to be successful in any creative endeavor.” “I still copy other artists when I’m trying to understand how they achieved a particular outcome,” she…
LaVerne Kyriss Fran Dorr says she is an eclectic artist, explaining that she works in acrylic, watercolor, collage and most recently in alcohol inks, thanks to a class from Francis Clark. Her subjects range from abstract to scenic landscapes. “Not from photos, but scenes I create in my mind and then on the page,” she…
LaVerne Kyriss Jenni Long worked for her dad in his photography studio in Columbus, Ohio. “I managed the business and he did the creative work,” she said, “until he decided to retire. Then I took over as the photographer. I had always explored creative endeavors and crafts, but I never considered myself an artist.” When…