Over my 50 plus year career, I have described my work as semi-impressionistic to at times nearly photo realistic. I apply the oil pigments using the "alla prima" (wet in wet) style in conjunction with more traditional and classical under painting and glazing. In the last few years, I have been creating new techniques blending many different media to speed upand render my subjects in a new and exciting fashion. The most important part of painting to me has always been the use of color and light.
I have always approached painting with the belief that there are no boundaries to getting to the end result. If it works, then the technique is legitimate. although I am basically self-taught, my mother impressed on me at an early age, to seek out answers and to know no limitations. One of the painting greats that I have always admired, Clark Hulings, was a master of light and he embraced total freedom of expression in his painting technique. another influence in my career is the incomparable Michelangelo for his undeniable passion, use of color, unconventional approach to solve artistic problems and his sheer genius!
Although I have painted most all subjects over my career, my love of painting centers on the subjects I love the most, the southwest, the Grand Canyon and Italy. Having grown up in Tucson and spending all of my early years prowling the deserts around me, I learned to see and admire the subtle beauty of the Sonoran desert. The old ghost towns, the long abandoned homesteads and ranches were early fascinations for me. Everyone who has been to Arizona during the summer monsoon seasons knows about the incredible colors and drama that the storms can bring, and the spring colors of the wildflowers and blooming cacti are always an inspiration. But there is a much more subtle side of the desert and that is one that I strive to capture in many of my paintings. The ancient Native American pottery will always be a subject matter close to my heart since I am part Native American.
I have hiked over 500 miles in the Grand Canyon, which opened up a whole new world to me and a greater appreciation for this wonder of the world. In my early years of painting, I was totally intimidated by it, but after starting my hiking there, it became more understandable and smaller scenes that intrigued and tempted my imagination. Now, I approach my paintings of the Canyon with much love and very little fear!
Since my first trip to Italy in 2005, it was love at first sight! I have been there now at least a dozen times and we try to return to this incredible country every 2 or 3 years. Everywhere you turn is another painting. I love the colors and the textures, the old stone buildings, the wooden doors and the window shutters. The flowers and the gardens. My, how the Italians love their flowers! I like to tell people that Italy has working doors that are older than our country! My trips there also include many hours of studying the old masters works. This has taught me many techniques to include into my style and also giving me a great appreciation of not only what they accomplished, but how they must have struggled with the conditions under which they worked and the materials that they had to work with.
I have been very bless to have been able to make a very comfortable living with my art all of my life! I have owned a gallery in Tucson for about 27 years and I taug
ht art in my art school for 30 years. There was about 15 years that I did giclee' printing for myself and for other artists all around the southwest and since the early 90s, I have been producing fine arts and craft shows around Arizona.
I have said this all of my life, "God has given me a wonderful gift. I feel the deep obligation and responsibility to share that with the world in whatever ways that I can."
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Born and raised in Wisconsin, Vickie had a varied and interesting background. She owned and operated several businesses in the restaurant and video industry. She moved to Sedona in 1999 and has worked in the health care industry since then. She retired from the Cancer Centers of Northern Arizona in Sedona in 2015. Vickie studied with a talented jewelry designer for several years before moving from Wisconsin to Arizona.
In 2005 while working at the Sedona Cancer Center, she met Alan Smith when he brought his mother in for treatment.
A wonderful friendship developed over the next couple of years. Early in
2007, Alan asked Vickie to marry him and she said yes! Vickie started showing her designs in the shows that Alan produces throughout Arizona. With his encouragement, Vickie has now jumped in with all her spare time creating fine handcrafted jewelry, one-of-a-kind designs made from all-natural gems and stones from around the world. One of her favorite minerals to work with is the ever-popular turquoise, a mineral that never goes out of fashion. Vickie’s new Everything line incorporates a rainbow of many natural gemstones that goes with just about any color.
Vickie is now producing her art in an entirely new media. With the success of her note cards and Signs of Inspiration & Whimsy, she has started a new line of products called Crazy Critters! These include wall hangings and sculptures with more to come. These new pieces are bright, colorful and will make you grin just to look at them! Each piece is a one of a kind made with either wood or metal as the base, found objects, driftwood, seaglass, clay and an endless supply of imagination! She will also continue to produce her line of Sea Glass Creations called The Lighter Side Of Life. Each of these creations are created with sea glass, driftwood and all things found from the sea. She also makes beautiful
and dazzling Sea Glass Sun Catchers!
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