About

Austin, a native New Yorker, spent her later childhood years in Flagstaff. From a young age, art became an avenue of joy, which is seen now in her blend of graphic design precision with textured mixed media collages. She took every possible art class since her teenage years and eventually earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Northern Arizona University in 1986. Since launching her art career, Austin has sold more than 115 original paintings and hundreds of prints through The Artists’ Gallery in Flagstaff and the Sedona Artist Market.

This solo exhibition features a mix of original paintings and framed prints showcasing Austin’s vibrant, whimsical style. Her collages layer hand-printed papers, vintage materials and bold color to create work that draws on the landscapes, wildlife and flora of the American Southwest. Her mixed media process combines acrylics, oil sticks, spray paint, alcohol inks, charcoal, gold leaf, pastels, and collage elements that include pages from old books, letters and journals. The result is richly textured artwork that invites viewers to look closer and discover the details. 

“I believe art should make you feel happy the moment you see it. Every piece I create starts with a feeling — the warmth of a sunset, the way wildflowers push through rocky ground or the flash of a bluebird against a blue sky. I want people to walk into this exhibition and feel joy. I want them to smile,” said Austin.

“When I took a mixed media class at Sedona Art Center, Ruth was sitting diagonal to me. I was impressed with her technique and after I viewed more of her pieces, I knew her cheerful art would make a wonderful exhibit at City Hall during spring and summer. This display promises to uplift the viewer and I hope the public takes time to enjoy this beautiful show,” said Nancy Lattanzi, arts and culture specialist.

Debrosky’s work explores the interplay of sunlight and shadow in Sedona and the Verde Valley. Her 35-painting exhibition features landscapes from all seasons and times of day, including desert scenes, red rock formations and lesser-known views of the area. Debrosky has lived in Sedona for the past 18 years and says this exhibition reflects her deep appreciation for the region she calls home.

After relocating from New York state to Arizona, Debrosky began focusing on the area’s landscapes, working both outdoors and in the studio. She paints in a range of scales and techniques to capture the colors, forms and light of the high desert. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums and invitational shows throughout the United States, as well as internationally in Italy and France. Debrosky’s work has appeared in national publications including “SouthWest Art” and “PleinAir Magazine,” and she was featured in Sedona Monthly’s Open Portfolio in December.

“The varied terrain of the high desert continues to amaze and inspire me,” Debroksy said. “Sometimes paintings find me rather than the other way around. For me, it is usually a blaze of rosy light early in the day or later afternoon. This never fails to stop me in my tracks. As long as I have been painting, there are always new surprises and always more to learn. This keeps me fresh, engaged and going.”

City Arts and Culture Specialist Nancy Lattanzi says, “I am honored to exhibit Christine’s oil paintings and pastels. Her proficiency in capturing varied stages of light is exquisite, accompanied by her soft and subtle nuances that make up her signature style. The skill Christine evokes in her paintings instantly connects audiences to her work. She is a lifelong learner in her craft, open to exploration, and I believe the reason why she is so accomplished. I hope the public will take time to view this wonderful exhibit.”

In 1980 the organization had its informal beginning when Anna Mary Seyfert, a member of the Arizona Watercolor Association, moved to Sedona from Phoenix and started her own local chapter. In 1995 the group started its own 501(c) nonprofit and became NAWS. The organization has grown to almost 100 members from Sedona, the Verde Valley, Flagstaff and the greater Prescott area, as well as from Phoenix.

The group meetings at the Village Baptist Church are open to guests and occur monthly on the fourth Friday from either August or September through May. A big attraction offered to members of NAWS are the multi-day workshops taught by nationally known instructors several times a year. There is one juried exhibition per year and one to two exhibits open to all NAWS members at the Community Library Sedona. Several small monthly critique groups are also offered, as well as a DVD lending library consisting of art instruction videos available to members. A new edition is offering beginning watercolor classes to those not in the organization.

“The last time I exhibited NAWS paintings at the city was in 2017. It is wonderful to have this talented group back, especially in honor of their 30^th anniversary. It is impressive that one woman had the vision to initiate the Sedona chapter so long ago, which currently reaches almost 100 artists in communities all over the Verde Valley. My hopes are that the community takes time to view this special milestone exhibit,” said Arts and Culture Specialist Nancy Lattanzi.

 Taking Flight by Cathy Stedman

Radiating Sunrise by Carol Benally

Carol Benally

Originally from Boston, Benally spent time studying the art of Renaissance masters and impressionists, as well as Native American collections of art she found in the museums in Boston. She then pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. 

After college and intrigued by Georgia O’Keefe and her unique contemporary paintings, Benally ventured to New Mexico where she was inspired by the openness of the land and the artistic traditions of the Native American culture. She then met her husband and made Pinon, Ariz. her home for over 35 years. Her family, including her daughter and grandchildren have lived on the Navajo Reservation, Dinétah.

Making the Sedona area a second home, Benally has continually enjoyed painting throughout the Southwest, as well as painting Plein-air of the Colorado Plateau. Her paintings represent the spirit of the land and sky that evoke the essence of a particular place and time. Painting the scene on location, she uses a range of color, texture and form to describe the landscape with complexity and subtlety. Benally looks for new ways to express spatial relationships and distance with layers of paint, brushwork, gradations and diffusions of light.

“I am always drawn to the irresistible forces that seem to bring me close to the earth with color and brush strokes, where I form and translate the power and spirit of the land and sky. The more I see, the more I have to paint the earth’s abundant beauty and continue my lifelong effort to communicate the emotional connection I feel with my environment,” said Benally.

“Once I visited Carol and saw an abundance of beautifully painted landscapes filling her studio and adorning the walls of her home, I knew I wanted to offer her a solo exhibit. Despite decades of painting experience and having considerable talent, I was impressed to learn how humble she is. This is a great opportunity for the public to meet and learn more about one of our local artists who is a hidden treasure,” said Nancy Lattanzi, arts and culture specialist.

She has received many awards from Plein-air competitions in New Mexico as well as Arizona and has been represented by many galleries in the area. Currently she is represented by West of the Moon Gallery in Flagstaff, Ariz., as well as Sedona Artist Market. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico and Arizona Plein Air Painters.

The Belvins moved to Sedona in 2012 to experience the rugged landscape and vibrant artistic community. Although they are most often side by side, photographing the same sites, they each rely on their own creativity to produce distinct and personal images.

“I have admired Elaine and Bill’s photographs for years. I am thrilled to be able to display their incredible work at City Hall. I hope the public will take the time to view this beautiful and engaging exhibit,” said Arts and Culture Specialist Nancy Lattanzi.

Elaine’s interest in photography was sparked by the beautiful landscapes she encountered while hiking in the Southwest. After a career in information technology, photography became her focus. Wilderness exploration gives her access to remarkable sites, where she uses a combination of artistic and technological skills to create her images. Her portfolio includes landscape and wildlife images from the American West, Canada, Africa, Iceland, France, and the Falkland Islands. “I use the camera to create works of art that capture an expression, a mood, a natural geometry, an exceptional quality of light, or a striking color palette. My computer skills help to bring together the final product. Through photography, I have discovered a way of expressing and representing the things that touch me and, hopefully, touch others,” said Elaine.

Her photographic work has been recognized for its excellence, winning top awards. She is currently a juried artist at the Sedona Arts Center. Elaine has taken an active role serving on the board of the Sedona Camera Club and was involved in creating the Sedona Photography Symposiums, educational events that bring together photographers from throughout the country.

Bill, a former actuary, is a fine arts photographer who found his true passion in capturing richly detailed images of the Southwest, as well as during his world travels. Bill spends hours searching for "secret" locations. His greatest joy is sharing these places with others. “Photography is a journey of discovery. It has taken me to remote corners of the Earth to witness the sublime and the subtle. I find particular joy in capturing desert landscapes. The desert is a tableau of extremes: stark yet stunning, harsh yet serene. I am drawn to the challenge of abstracting the essence of a place or animal in a single frame, conveying its mood and character through composition, lighting, and perspective,” said Bill.

Bill has won many first-place awards in local and regional competitions. He has been published in the Utah Adventure Journal, Shutterbug magazine, and Green Living. He is also a juried artist at the Sedona Arts Center and the Sedona Artist Market.