Meet the Artists
John Horejs
For people with complicated and busy lives, having peaceful interior spaces is crucial. Collectors across the United States, including former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, Microsoft’s Paul Allen, and Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn, have found a touch of elegant and peaceful simplicity in John Horejs’ warm, rich oil paintings.
Horejs has been a full-time artist since 1986. His work has been included in exhibitions at the Springville, Utah, Museum of Art, the Boise Art Museum, and the Museum at the College of Southern Idaho. His work is also included in the permanent collections of the University of Montana Museum of Art and Idaho State University, as well as the permanent collection of the State of Idaho in the reception area of the Governor’s Office. He has also been featured in American Art Collector Magazine and in numerous one-man and group exhibitions in galleries across the country.
One of the key elements of Horejs’ work is its peaceful simplicity. “I paint exclusively in oils, using two brushes and seven colors plus white,” he says. “My paintings are done on hand-made custom contemporary box canvases with no frames, which have become a trademark.”
Horejs draws the inspiration for his paintings from the breathtaking landscapes of the Western United States. Most of his work is done in-studio using his own photographs of lush landscapes, gardens, clouds, and deserts. Along with his regular studio work, he also loves the challenge of creating commissioned pieces for private and corporate collectors.
When he is not painting, Horejs enjoys hiking and photography. He and his wife Elaine have been married since 1973, and they love spending time with their nine children and spouses, and their 21 grandchildren.
In a world that seems increasingly complex and unsettled, Horejs strives through his paintings “to bring peace, grace, elegance, and beauty into the lives and interiors of my collectors."
Exhibits
- The Finer Arts Gallery in Cave Creek
- On the Edge Gallery in Scottsdale
- Sky Harbor Airport (2015 and 2019)
- Gallery at El Pedregal
- Sonoran Arts League Center for the Arts
- Arizona Designers and Craftsmen various exhibits
- Arizona Art Alliance various exhibits
Patricia Isaacson
Pat Isaacson was a programmer and systems analyst for many years, working for IBM in Salt Lake City and Honeywell in Chicago and finally starting her own business. “There was always something new to learn when working with computers. It was a creative and rewarding vocation for me.”
In the early 90's Pat developed a love of glass art and started collecting glass pieces. In 2009 she decided to try her hand at creating glass and purchased a small kiln. Little did she know how it was going to take over her life! She has now added a second kiln and any available funds are spent on classes, glass and tools. (and her electric bill!)
“I enjoy selecting the color schemes and combinations for my glass pieces, and strive to create patterns and shapes that please my eye based on years of experience in making and appreciating art, and influenced by my love of architecture and mathematics.”
Pat is a Juried member of the Sonoran Arts League and Arizona Designers and Craftsmen.
Glass Education
- Pittsburgh Glass Center
- Phoenix Center for the Arts
- Milkweed Arts Studio
Houston Llew — Spiritiles
Every Spiritile represents the story of our indefatigable inner spirit and the enduring bonds we hold with the people we love. From the beginning, Houston Llew sought to epitomize this inspiration through a very specific art form — vitreous enamel. A medium as ancient as Mesopotamia, with glorious historical artworks in royal jewelry, imperial goblets, and emperors’ treasures, enamel is an illustrious medium that Houston cast in a new, radiant form.
With its metallic base as canvas and its myriad glass colors as “paint,” what makes this work unique is the story wrapped around the sides of each piece. Some Spiritiles quote authors and poets, others philosophers and fellow artists, but every piece is designed to connect to a motivation of the self.
Each Spiritile is crafted first by laying powdered glass, or “frit,” onto a perfectly cut copper canvas, using a series of stencils for each layer of color, playing cards, and hand sifters to carve out the design. Once delicately aligned and layered, the glass and metal is carefully placed in the red-hot kiln to keep the glass from shifting, and timing is of utmost importance. Once fired, the enameled piece is removed from the kiln and cooled under a planchet.
The natural “crazing marks” (small cracks in the fired glass) that occur in enamel increase the luminescence of the glass. By rolling a pin over the surface of each piece after cooling, the light refraction in the glass increases and the enamel becomes malleable enough to frame.
Discovering how to wrap enamel in three dimensions around a frame was one of Houston’s most significant design achievements. By using a thin sheet of copper and precisely aligning the glass edges, each Spiritile is molded and affixed to a solid wooden frame, wrapping the story, author, and Houston’s signature around the sides.
Spiritiles may be displayed by hanging on a wall or by placing on a shelf or a table.
Kim Walker Art
Kim Walker is an internationally recognized artist, mother of four, grandmother of nine, and loving wife.
Kim's son Robby began attending community college in 1992 at age 9. While transporting him to and from college, Kim decided to attend classes herself. She became the first person in her family to receive a degree — a B.F.A. in Painting from Arizona State University — and had the unique experience of taking some classes with her son. Robby completed a PhD in Computer Science. With great pride and joy she refers to this experience as a magical part of her journey.
Since then, Kim has developed a unique style of painting that incorporates pressed flowers and natural elements. During her degree program she absorbed the many offerings of her instructors and is very grateful for that experience.
Kim always knew, however, that she wanted to find her own voice in her art. Beginning in December of 1999, in an attempt to assuage her grief over the untimely death of her mother, Kim took almost daily walks. “One day while resting on a mountain trail a breeze wrapped around me and it felt like a hug. I looked up and all around and it became crystal clear that nature reflects not just beauty but also hope and inspiration and healing as well as many metaphoric lessons that can touch all of our lives in profound and limitless ways. We are all warmed by the same sun and held by the same gravity. I knew I wanted to share these feelings as well as the actual botanicals with the world. I stopped many times on my walk home that day and picked up random botanic elements not knowing how, but still knowing these elements would become part of my art.”
Kim continues to evolve her processes of the inclusion of actual botanicals in her art, each day making new discoveries in her studios, one in Arizona and one in Baja. She also writes an original poem for each painting to further express her reverent gratitude for the gifts of nature.
Kim's art is represented in galleries and juried and invitational exhibits nationwide and is included in private, corporate, and municipal collections all over the world.
Exhibits
- 2024 Arizona Pastel Artists Assoc., Spring International Show Finalist, Phippen Museum, Prescott, AZ
- 2024 Flower Power, Camelback Gallery, Bronze Award
- 2024 Best in Medium Award, Camelback Gallery, for pastel
- 2022 Arizona Pastel Artists Assoc., Spring International Show Finalist, Phippen Museum, Prescott, AZ
- 2022 Arizona Pastel Artists Assoc., Membership Show, Finalist
- 2022 Camelback Gallery, “My Best Work of 2022”, Finalist
- 2021 Camelback Gallery, Finalist Bronze Award “Autumn”
- 2021 Arizona Pastel Artists Assoc., National Spring Show, Merit Award,
- 2021 Camelback Gallery, “Spring Forward,” Finalist 2021 Camelback Gallery, “Shades of Green,” Bronze Award
- 2020 Camelback Gallery, “Into the Wild,” Finalist
- 2020 Camelback Gallery, "Red," Finalist
- 2020 Camelback Gallery, "Happiness," Finalist,
- 2020 Camelback Gallery 2020 Featured Artist (One Year)
- 2019 Arizona Pastel Artists Assoc., Membership Show, Finalist
Beverly Carlson-Bradshaw
Beverly Carlson-Bradshaw is a gifted, natural born artist who has been creating art since childhood. She is now a full-time pastel artist who continually challenges herself to work in new ways, whether by trying a new palette or in applying new techniques, this artist remains dedicated to the process of learning.
As a young girl she would create drawings of the animals she found on the family farm in Montana. By High School she had moved on to working in oil paints. She later attended classes at Eastern Montana College, Billings, MT while working with important artists, such as Ben Steele.
With a previous career in Interior Design, Beverly has a great sense of balance and form, and she harnesses the best of that experience in her art. Her life and career took her to Seattle, WA where she continued to study art in the evenings at the University of Washington and she attended workshops with well-known artists Ned Mueller and Clark Elster. It was during this time that Beverly started focusing on pastel painting which she found was an excellent way to combine her strengths of drawing and painting. It has become her chosen medium.
Since retiring five years ago from her thriving career, Beverly now lives and works in Cave Creek, AZ. She is a full-time artist working in the medium of pastels. Her love of the landscape has only increased since moving to the desert and she fills her day by observing nature and creating masterful, pastel artworks based on her impressions of the beauty that surrounds her.
Gallery Representation
- The Finer Arts Gallery, Cave Creek, AZ
- Pinetop Gallery, Pinetop, AZ
Beverly has attended workshops and received a number of achievements and accolades.
Workshops
- Jude Tolar (2019 - Scottsdale Artists School)
- Liz Kenyon (2019 - Scottsdale Artists School)
- Christine Debrosky (2020 - Scottsdale Artists School)
- Tony Allain (2020 - Online Workshop with Redrock Pastel Society of Nevada)
- Nancie King Mertz (2020 - Online Workshop)
- Albert Handel (2020 - Plein Air Workshop Sedona, AZ)
- Margaret Dyer (2022 – Figures in its Environment Scottsdale Artists School)
- Barbara Jaenicke (2023 – Painting the Poetic Landscape Scottsdale Artists School)
- Tony Allain (2024 – Arizona Pastel Artists Assoc., Workshop)
Memberships
- Arizona Pastel Artists Association
- West Coast Pastel Society
- Plein Air Artists of Arizona
- Red Rock Pastel Assoc.
Natalia
My name is Natalia and I’m a former Architect living in Ukraine 🇺🇦. I’ve always loved working with my hands creating mixed media art and crafts.
When I retired from my formal career, I started my own craft business. I design and make beautiful dolls and ornaments in the Ukrainian tradition.
My daughter and grandson live close by and help with the delivery process. It’s such a delight to create whimsical felt toys 🧸 for all to enjoy.
Marjie Risk — Same Moon Creations
Born and raised in Arizona, Marjie has an appreciation for the environmental diversity of the area in terms of habitat, elevation, plant life, etc. With over twenty-four years in natural resource management, she has found that her art is inspired by the beauty of nature and some of the precious natural resources of Arizona: water, copper, and turquoise.
Her studio name, Same Moon Creations, was derived from the connections we have with each other and the world around us. No matter where we are or where we go, we all look upon the same moon. She strives to create environmental and natural resource based artwork using various types of metal and handcrafted, hand-fired ceramics. Her work varies from ceramic creations with supporting metal structures to stand-alone metal sculptures. Most recently, she has developed a series of whimsical steel creatures that are unique and made largely from salvaged metal. She really enjoys creating different visual effects with steel and copper patinas on her metalwork and exploring the varied possibilities of the unique blend of glazes on her ceramic pieces.
Marjie has exhibited her work at various locations in the Phoenix and Tucson areas as well as in Vail and Breckenridge, Colorado, and various locations in Northern California.