Verde Valley News – El Valle Artist Association (EVAA) Artist of the Month for September is Mike Trulson for his watercolor painting titled SAC.
Ever since I can remember, drawing and painting has held a place in my soul. I was always drawing in Grade school, cartoons mainly. When art classes became electives in Junior high and high school I made sure I was enrolled in a class every semester. I enjoyed the biographies of the great masters.
Being honest with myself and the reality of pursuing fine art as a career, (I had no desire to be a starving artist) I enrolled at the “Burnley School of Professional Art. Back in the early 70’s it was a well-known Commercial Art school in the Pacific N.W.
After graduating it was suggested I relocate to an area of the country with a larger advertising presence. Seattle was still a relatively small city. I did not want to move away from friends and family so after a time of trying free-lance work I resigned myself to the fact that art would be one of my hobbies.
When life, marriage, children, full time job, etc. became of paramount importance I put away the paints and tended to the task at hand. Forty years later retired, and with lots of time to spare, it was my time to get back in to something I had always loved doing and that was painting.
I have painted in all different mediums but watercolor was what I had finished with 40 years earlier so that is what I decided to jump back in with.
My style is my own in as much as I do not emulate anyone, though I do study the masters and contemporary artists I try to do what comes naturally.
Choosing Sedona as a place to retire was a perfect fit for me. Artists abound and classes are abundant. I do not believe you ever stop learning. And lest I forget, the magic of the landscape and light found in the Southwest is inspiration for us all.
The next EVAA meeting will be held on Oct 13th at 1pm at the Methodist Church in Cottonwood, AZ. For more information see elvalleartists.org. Each meeting includes an Artist of the Month selection, artist demonstration, workshop opportunities and information. There is still time to get in on the next workshop with Jan Saunders, Not Just Any Card on September 24. Participants will explore many techniques for creating beautiful cards including iris folding, collage, adding ephemera and watercolor. Call (928) 274-1788 to sign up.