Uncategorized

June 28th – August 30th, 2025 in the Gallery

by

(Oro Valley, AZ) – Artists and Makers Studios is excited to announce its upcoming exhibition showcasing the incredible talent and creativity of Melinda Kane. As a dedicated Tucson native, Melinda’s work explores the bizarre beauty of the Sonoran Desert. She enjoys highlighting the brilliant colors, unique views, and interesting native flora and fauna that can be found all around us here in Southern Arizona. Using playful brushstrokes and vibrant colors in either acrylic or gouache, Melinda aims to highlight the whimsy found in common desert scenery. When she’s not painting or enjoying time with her family, this artist can often be found snapping photos of the world around her to inspire future works of art. Many of her paintings are based on photos she has taken on hikes, in her neighborhood, or in unexpected nature spots around town.

Melinda Kane
Colors in the Desert
Opening Reception
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Saturday, June 28, 2025

Artists & Makers Studios – Oro Valley
Steam Pump Village
11061 North Oracle Road, Suite 150
Oro Valley, AZ 85737

Viewing hours are 10:00am – 4:00pm, Thursday-Saturday, and Sundays by chance or appointment. Artists & Makers Studios on Parklawn Drive in Rockville, established in October of 2014 by artist and arts community builder Judith HeartSong, is a 13,000 sq. ft. facility is home to 87 artists, as well as student artists. Artists & Makers Studios – Oro Valley, AZ is a four-year-old jewel box location with talented Resident Artists, 3,575 sq. ft. of studios, galleries, and flex-classroom space. Newly constructed two-story 9,508 sq. ft. studio space in San Gabriel, CA for Artists & Makers Studios’ third location is touring now, with construction set to begin shortly for the three-story 13,902 sq. ft. location in North Hollywood, CA. A&M Studios is dedicated to providing a supportive and vibrant environment for artists to realize their creative goals – through studio practice, collaboration, education, opportunities, networking and connecting with the community beyond our doors.

NEW – Affiliate A&M Memberships for Artists!

by

“Artists & Makers Studios is dedicated to providing a supportive and vibrant environment for artists to realize their creative goals – through studio practice, collaboration, education, opportunities, networking and connecting with the community beyond our doors.”

Part of our vision is to support, each and every day, the artists in our community and beyond. While we host a population of practicing metro-area artists, we also work to help grow the careers of artists with studios elsewhere through the sharing of information & opportunities and connections with designers, consultants, and gallery professionals who place and showcase artists’ work. 

In 2020 we are offering an annual Affiliate Membership to artists which will allow a profile on our high-traffic site, free application for solo exhibits, participation in two Open Studio Weekends per year, promotion of accolades and exhibits through social media as appropriate, and access to special opportunities that come across our Executive Director’s desk on a regular basis.

This membership may be renewed each January, and is just $100. Membership fees may be paid via PayPal by entering the following email address: Judith@ArtistsAndMakersStudios.com

After confirmation of payment, please send your resume/bio, your website URL, 1(one) 300dpi image of your work, and phone number and or email address if you would like them listed on our site with your profile to Judith@ArtistsAndMakersStudios.com

Kathy Moore Wilson, Lifetime Affiliate

by

I love to draw more than just about anything, and I draw and paint nearly every day.  I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil, but it took me years before I considered doing it full time.  In my upbringing and education, it was more of a pastime or hobby, but not a stable profession.  I started my professional career as a cartographer.  It took a long time to evolve from cartographer, to fine artist and illustrator, graphic designer, and then animator.  But the artist in me would not be contained and found a way out.
I started out by drawing maps, using traditional tools such as pen & ink. I later moved on to colored pencils and paint.  I found I had a special love for drawing portraits of children and animals.  These are the subjects I draw and paint the most.

Over the years I began to learn to use a camera, and software such as Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter to create drawings and paintings.  I then learned Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere to create animations and videos to make my drawings move.  This eventually led to my going back to school and earning a Master’s Degree in Motion Media Design.

I have been greatly influenced by children’s book illustrators, particularly when the illustrations are rendered in pen and ink, or black and white pencil.

Chris Van Allsburg, Brian Selznick, and Brett Helquist are three of my favorite illustrators.

The painters who have influenced me are too numerous to list.  I will always love all of the French Impressionists, but Mary Cassatt will always be my favorite.  I love how she took simple domestic scenes and managed to show the wonder and contentment in the everyday.

I love Andrew Wyeth for his emotional, limited palette watercolors, and the illustrator and painter Alan Lee for his pencil, pen & ink, and watercolor forest imagery.  I am also inspired by Edward Hopper for his use of color and light and for also for his ability to capture emotion and to tell a story with everyday scenes.

There are many animators who I admire: Brad Bird, John Lasseter, Glen Keane, Chuck Jones, Joanna Quinn, Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas.  Their stories are flooded with emotion and feeling, and their characters are very real to us.  These fine directors, producers and artists all motivated me to first dip my toe in the world of animation and video, as well as simply inspiring me to be a better artist.

It is important that to me that I express emotion and tell stories and teach with my art.  If I can get an emotional response, then I feel that the art I have created has fulfilled its purpose.

Creating art brings me joy.

Boris Lermontov: Why do you want to dance? [Vicky thinks for a short while]
Victoria Page: Why do you want to live? [Lermontov is surprised at the answer]
Boris Lermontov: Well I don’t know exactly why, er, but I must.
Victoria Page: That’s my answer too.
—From “The Red Shoes”

pendragonartstudios.com

Pin It on Pinterest