Image courtesy of Arizona Public Media
‘Leonardo da Vinci’ Film Preview to Air at DesertView Theater
The SaddleBrooke Fines Arts Guild is proud to present a preview showcasing the new Ken Burns documentary Leonardo da Vinci at the DesertView Theater on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. Doors will open at 3:45 p.m.
The two-part, four-hour documentary will be shown on our local PBS channel on Nov. 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. The film, which explores the life and work of the 15th century polymath Leonardo da Vinci, is Burns’ first non-American subject. It also marks a significant change in the team’s filmmaking style, which includes using split screens with images, video, and sound from different periods to further contextualize Leonardo’s art and scientific explorations. Leonardo da Vinci looks at how the artist influenced and inspired future generations, and it finds in his soaring imagination and profound intellect the foundation for a conversation we are still having today: What is our relationship with nature, and what does it mean to be human?
Set against the rich and dynamic backdrop of Renaissance Italy at a time of skepticism and freethinking, regional war, and religious upheaval, Leonardo da Vinci brings the artist’s towering achievements to life through his prolific personal notebooks, primary and secondary accounts of his life, and on-camera interviews with modern scholars, artists, engineers, inventors, and admirers.
The SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild is honored to be asked to bring you a preview of this outstanding documentary. The preview will be 40 minutes long and will be followed by a panel discussion by knowledgeable artists. There will also be time for questions or comments from the audience. This event is free to attend and open to the public, so mark your calendar and plan to attend for an hour of fascinating information.
Teri Jensen Freeman (photo by Tracy Nelson)
Fine Arts Guild New Member Highlight— Teri Jensen
Tracy Nelson
One of the newest members of the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild is Teri Jensen Freeman. Freeman is a painter who specializes in acrylics in the medium of Abstract Expressionism. She paints landscapes using photos as inspiration. In addition to her painting, Freeman is an accomplished photographer who has entered many competitions over the years, and a writer who focuses on memoir essays.
Freeman and her husband Don Townson moved to SaddleBrooke two years ago from Oregon. They found SaddleBrooke through her mother who has lived here for the past 20 years. Between the two of them, Freeman and her husband have four sons. They have been married for five years.
She works remotely for a semiconductor firm in California but is considering retirement so she can focus on travel, family, and her many hobbies. She has lived in the Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, and France, and one of her sons currently lives in Argentina. She and her husband enjoy hiking, RVing, and camping, and they just returned from an extended trip along the West Coast. Her hobbies include reading, writing, cooking, and gardening.
Freeman and her husband have just added a cabana to their home, and she is looking forward to developing her art studio. She envisions inviting other artists to her home to collaborate and is hoping to meet others who are interested in Abstract Expressionism.
If you are interested in learning new art skills and meeting others in the art community, please join the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild. The calendar of upcoming classes, information on membership, and descriptions of upcoming events can be found at www.saddlebrookefinearts.org.
Painting Is Fun at the October 23 Art & Wine
Register now for the next Art & Wine event, sponsored by the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild, which is set for Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Activity Center (64518 E. Galveston in SaddleBrooke One). Join your SaddleBrooke friends and neighbors to complete an acrylic painting in a seasonal theme while enjoying a sack supper and sipping on wine or water.
For just $49 per person, you’ll get an enjoyable evening that includes your art supplies, an apron, food, and two glasses of wine. The instructor and several Guild helpers will guide you every step of the way to make sure you have a fun and memorable experience.
On arrival, you can expect a lively room filled with your friends and neighbors, a relaxing beverage from the “bar,” and a chance to mingle and chat before finding your favorite seat. As you finish eating, don your apron and study the pencil drawing on the canvas. A tray of acrylic paints appears, and off you go with step-by-step instructions.
These fun evenings fill up fast, so register today at www.saddlebrookefinearts.org (click on Event Calendar and locate Art & Wine on Oct. 23).
New Classes Coming for Artists of All Skill Levels
Tracy Nelson
The SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild is a nonprofit organization that provides a wide range of classes to build or enhance the skills of artists at all levels of experience. All classes are located in the Topaz Room at the Arts & Crafts Center adjacent to MountainView Country Club. Membership in the SaddleBrooke Fine Arts Guild is only $25 per year and includes many benefits and activities. Guild members also enjoy a discount on class fees.
Visit the Guild’s website at www.saddlebrookefinearts.org for convenient online registration and payment.
Beginning Drawing, by Laurie Brussel. Tuesdays, Oct. 22 through Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to noon. This is a five-week class for individuals who have always been afraid to take their first drawing class and also for experienced artists who would like to build their confidence and deepen their artistic perceptions. You will learn to shift from our usual analytical processing (left brain mode) to a more creative way of thinking and seeing (right brain mode).
Let’s Paint Trees, by Karen Brungardt. Thursday, Oct. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. There are many types of trees and ways to paint them, especially in watercolor! Come learn to paint pine, fir, mesquite, and maybe other types of trees in this half day of fun.
Wrapped Coiled Basketry, by Nancy McCluskey. Thursdays, Nov. 7 and 21, from 9 a.m. to noon. Learn how to create wrapped coil baskets using paper coil and yarn. You’ll learn how to start a basket, plan a design, and finish the basket’s rim. Examples will be provided of ways to embellish baskets with beads, buttons, and found objects, and ways to use materials other than yarn to wrap the coil.
Let’s Paint a Quail, by Karen Brungardt. Thursday, Nov. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. Quails here in SaddleBrooke are so much fun to watch. The chubby birds are everywhere! Learn to use watercolors to paint a fancy fellow through step-by-step instructions.
Beginning Pastel, by Delys Nast. Sunday, Nov. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. Pastel gives a beautiful, soft texture to any canvas/paper with a myriad of colors available through blending and creative techniques. From artists like Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec and even Picasso, this medium has enjoyed a long history. In this class, we will explore some of the options and techniques in pastel used for creating landscapes, portraits, and abstracts. If you previously took the Art Sampler class, this will take the exploration of using pastels in art further and give you more detail and experience with pastels. Materials will be provided.
Drawing with Colored Pencil, by Laurie Brussel. Tuesdays, Nov. 26 through Dec. 17, from 9 a.m. to noon. Colored pencil is a very impressive, sensitive medium. When used properly, the colors become luminescent. This four-week class teaches you how to use the medium to get the most valued results. Lessons in color theory and composition are also included to help you understand the total color drawing.
Textured Painting Using Stencil, by Theresa Poalucci. Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. This is a mixed media class that uses acrylic paint, alcohol ink, modeling paste, and stencils to make a beautiful, one-one-a-kind original painting you will be proud to hang in your house. These are skills you can use over and over again. All supplies are included except canvas fee, and students can pick their color palette. No drawing skill is needed.