Spirit Life is a collection of work by ArtWorks artists which centers on the topic of spirituality. Each piece offers insight to the diverse and personal ways we connect to the things we believe in.
Spirit Life
Featured Artists
Abby
Abby has been coming to ArtWorks since the summer of 2016. She is a very animated girl and you will often hear her singing and repeating word-for-word the movies and TV shows. Her favorite medium to work with are watercolors and drawing but she describes her favorite part of ArtWorks are the crayons, markers and colored pencils. Often the subject matter of her work are “the characters as roles”, as Abby put it, from her favorite TV shows. Her favorite focus characters are the Zoomers. Abby is a very quick and efficient worker; she is very good at knowing what she wants to create. She always starts off with drawing and recreates her pieces on a larger scale. Her work can best be described as anime-inspired and light-hearted. On her time outside of ArtWorks , Abby likes romping which she explains is singing and acting.
Bradley
Brad has been coming to ArtWorks since 2010 and he is part of the ArtWorks Mary T. Paulin gallery program. His preferred mediums are acrylic paint and colored pencil. Brad draws much of his inspiration from books and landscapes. The reference images he finds become the focal point of his work; thus, he depicts mostly people and landscapes. His references are the first part of his process. After he draws everything out, Brad uses a mixed media approach to finish his pieces. Brad’s work can be best described with simplified figures, abstraction and color patches. As a leader at ArtWorks, he is our official tour guide and liaison between the U of A athletic teams and ArtWorks; he is always ready to give a tour and organizes athlete's invites to ArtWorks.
Carol
Carol has been part of ArtWorks since 2012. She is one of ArtWorks’ most active artists. She is a great participant as she is passionate about being helpful, encouraging, and creative. She often works with markers but her preferred medium is acrylic paint. Recently, Carol has been enjoying experimenting with mixed media. She is often inspired by other art, family, friends, and nature and so, her work often depicts flowers, birds, landscapes and still-lifes. She is an artist that actively creates; when she has something in mind, she simply goes for it. Carol’s method begins with a graphite drawing and uses another medium for color. Her work is very colorful, vibrant, and alive. Among her other talents, she is an excellent creative dancer and can recognize an array of songs and musicians.
Chris
Chris has been coming to ArtWorks since 1996. He often works with a mix of paint, colored pencil and watercolor; he is a versatile and flexible artist and can work on any project in any medium. People are Chris’s inspiration and his work is abstract. He focuses on lines, shapes and mark making. Chris works by layering one medium at a time to create his energetic and colorful work. He is very social, funny, and loves to talk. As a people person, Chris loves everyone and it's impossible to be sad around him because he always has something funny to say. One of our artist’s commented, “he is like sunshine.”
Jack
Jack has been coming to ArtWorks since 2005 and he is part of the ArtWorks Mary T. Paulin gallery program. As an ArtWorks leader, he is a teacher’s assistant and enjoys helping fellow artists and guests. He creatively works in many forms of media including film, painting, cardboard and wire sculpture, costume-making and printmaking. His family is his greatest inspiration which is notable in his work that focuses on fantasy story telling and his family’s ranchers background. In his process, Jack first develops his idea and then determines the materials he will use. His work is very diverse, creative and conceptual. Jack says, “my life is a story,” and this is distinguishable part of Jack. He prides himself in helping his ArtWorks family and has a caring heart for his friends and loved ones.
Jennessa
Jennessa is our newest ArtWorks artist; she started in October of 2016. Jennessa loves her family, her dog Pearl, and spending time with her new friends here at ArtWorks. She is a very creative and talented artist. Jennessa is always excited and open to trying different mediums and techniques. One of her favorite mediums is color marker using lots of bright vivid colors. Out of all the bright and beautiful colors she uses purple is her favorite. Jennessa loves to draw just about anything but one of her favorite things to draw are the people in her life. Jennessa is not only a very talented artist but very outgoing and likes to stay active. She enjoys track and field, cheerleading, dancing, and bowling.
Jen
Jen has been going to ArtWorks since 2004 and she is part of the ArtWorks Mary T. Paulin gallery program. As the lead member of the ArtWorks news group, Jen is interested in all of her fellow artists’ lives in and out of ArtWorks and records the news everyone reports each day. Jen is an amazing artist with fabrics, weavings and latch hook projects; her other mediums of choice are drawing and painting. Jen loves drawing hearts, flowers and animals; she says coloring the flowers and hearts fills her with joy, and this is clear when you see her work, which is best described as cheerful, colorful and positive. She has a good-natured attitude and will often let her friends know that she loves them.
Jimmy
Jimmy has been at ArtWorks since 1994. He is a prolific drawer and can draw many art pieces each day. His favorite mediums are pastels, sharpies, watercolors and acrylics. Jimmy is inspired by his environment and often draws things that are on his mind. His work often depicts transportation vehicles such as trains, buses and planes but he is not exclusive to those topics; Jimmy will often draw holiday pictures and Buddy the ArtWorks cat. He is a very process-oriented artist. Since he only works in a specific way, his work is very recognizable in style and subject matter. His work is best described by its angular forms and subject matter. Jimmy loves to stay on schedule; his favorite things about the day are his tea, morning and afternoon coffee, weekly Friday magazine, Buddy and sunshine. Jimmy is notably elated around holidays and loves ArtWorks parties.
Joe
Joe has been coming to ArtWorks since 2001. He is a great performer and is very knowledgeable in music trivia. He is also a talented musician who is able to listen to any song and follow along on his keyboard. In his visual artwork, his preferred mediums are colored pencil and paint. He draws inspiration from classical music and movies as well as as anything cultural; so his work often depicts portraits of important people and historical characters. Joe’s artwork can best be described as well-informed and unique linework, in his process he starts off with a drawing and then he adds his “wavy” and colorful linework to each of his pieces. Joe is a great conversationalist and has plenty of stories to tell.
Joey
Joey has been coming to ArtWorks since 2012 and is part of ArtWorks’ Mary T. Paulin gallery work program. Joey likes to work in a variety of mediums including collage, watercolor, and ceramics. His positive attitude reflects a lot in his work. Joey has many inspirations for his art work; one major inspiration is “Old Tucson” and the subjects of his work usually include cowboys, cowgirls and everything western. His process varies among projects but he is always a very open minded artist that likes to learn how to do new things. Joey’s work is best described as western and happy. He is a social butterfly; Every morning when Joey gets to ArtWorks he goes into every studio and says good morning to all the teachers and artists before he starts his work. He is always smiling and it radiates everywhere he goes to make anyone near him smile too.
Jon
Jon started at ArtWorks in 2015. He came to Artworks with previous experience in other forms of expression such as poetry, dance and music. His preferred mediums are drawing (in both graphite and charcoal), painting and ceramics. His major influences are abstract art, Surrealism and music. His influences are very notable in his work where he focuses on abstracted and distorted figures and objects. His work is best characterized by his use of darker undertones and dreamy and distorted forms. He has expressed that in his free time he likes to go out to the club, coffeeshops and, when time is available, create more artwork from home.
Karen
Karen has been at ArtWorks since 2001. Her favorite art mediums are drawing, painting and ceramics; and her work is often inspired by her fishes Shrek, Nemo and Dora. Karen's main technique is “scribbling” which is best described as layers of overlapping circle line drawings. She can project her “scribbling” style in any media, such as ceramics, watercolors, pastels and mixed media. Her process is all about repetition. Her work can best be described as colorful, repeating, abstract linework. She has an energetic and playful personality. Karen likes to talk and always asks her ArtWorks friends how they are doing and reminds them that she loves them.
Marco
Marco has been coming to ArtWorks since 2006. Marco is a very versatile artist and works with a variety of mediums. He draws inspiration from family and religious icons; so, his main topic is usually his life. In his artwork, Marco is all about process. He can do the same task in different ways and he is very intuitive in the way he works. His work is best described as textural and diverse. As roommates and good friends, Joe and Marco have great communication with each other. Marco is legally blind; so, Joe and Marco are often walking hand in hand. He is also very vocal; he likes to tell stories and gives great speeches at any ArtWorks’ events.
Monica
Monica has been coming to ArtWorks since 2004. She is a multi-talented woman; she draws, writes poetry, sews, and dances among many other things. Monica loves to perform and becomes a star on stage; she may be quiet but in front of a crowd she lights up and entertains. Her preferred mediums when making art are embroidery and color pencils. She is a very family oriented individual; and much of her work is inspired by this. Pop culture and its imagery are also often present in her work; whether it is superheroes and comics, Michael Jackson or other music, classical movies or TV, you can find it here with Monica. Her work can best be described as meticulous and personal.
Paul
Paul has been coming to ArtWorks since 1997. He is a nice, happy person and hardworking artist. His inspiration is nature and his friends and family. He most enjoys working with yarn. Frequently, he uses yarn along with many mediums including wood panels, sand, and paper. Paul’s work can depict a variety of topics including insects, animals and nature. While working he is very concentrated and focused. Paul’s art can best be described as diverse and most is considered mixed media. Although always working, he finds time to be a helping hand to his fellow ArtWorks artists and teachers. Paul is like a big brother and always the well-informed voice of reason.
Pete
Pete has been coming to ArtWorks since 2009. He illustrates his life through his daily drawings using colored pencils on white paper. He has drawn many things; places like Whataburger, people from the old west, and birds, animals, and landscapes. He also enjoys ceramics. Pete will find an image and draw it, then recreate it using clay. At this point he has a menagerie of clay figures! Not all of his drawings are from sources - a lot are from memory (like the drawing of Whataburger). He also labels each and every one carefully in illustrated block letters. Pete knows what he wants to accomplish and he goes for it. His work is best described as a reflection of his world, what he sees and thinks about. Not only is Pete a great artist, he is also a wonderful person. His sense of humor and easygoing personality make Pete’s presence at ArtWorks a definite bonus.
Ricky
Ricky has been at ArtWorks since 1994. Ricky is a really happy person and a great abstract artist. His mediums of choice are acrylic paint, paper and yarn weavings. The yarn weavings, or “wrapping” are a unique style to Ricky; he wraps with different colored yarn things such as bike tires and steering wheels. He can wrap anything given to him. Ricky draws his inspiration from color and textures; therefore, in his 2-D artwork his focus color and the energy in his linework, brushstrokes, and repetition. His art consists of vibrant colors and brush strokes colliding with one another to create very abstract designs. He works at a fast pace but puts an extreme amount of care into each of his art designs. Ricky’s work can best be described as hectic and abstract. One of Ricky’s favorite pastimes is ripping up newspaper and you can find Ricky happily humming to himself throughout the day.
Ron
Ron has been part of ArtWorks since 1999. He is a dedicated artist who strives to get every mark just so. Ron’s patience and attention to detail are evident in his art. He often spends longer than a month working on one piece. Ron loves nature and his favorite subjects are birds and flowers. His preferred art medium is colored pencil. His artwork can best be described as meticulous and beautiful in its mark making. He is very observant and is quick to point out little changes in his environment. Ron spends his spare time reading the Bible and entertains his studio mates when he sings hymns. He enjoys his friendship with Debbie and says that, “She is a nice lady.” Ron is kind, sweet, and caring.
Tina
Tina Collazo has been coming to ArtWorks since 1994 and is very happy here. As part of the ArtWorks Mary T. Paulin gallery program she has enjoyed putting the gallery together and painting to get everything ready. Her favorite mediums are watercolor, acrylic paint and markers. In her artwork she is inspired by desert wild animals in their natural habitat and the landscape in which they live. She is very experimental in her process. She works with different mediums simultaneously to create mixed media pieces with various layers. Her work can best be described as a creative landscape. Outside of ArtWorks, Tina also works at a ceramics studio and on a ranch taking care of horses. She is a busy lady and likes to be part of the community.
Vanessa
Vanessa has been coming to ArtWorks since 2007 and she is part of the ArtWorks Mary T. Paulin gallery program. She is a Teacher’s Assistant and artist at ArtWorks. She helps many people here. In her work Vanessa creates clothing and accessories, and especially loves making shirt designs. Her inspiration is good luck symbols, awareness ribbons, family heritage, astrology and sign language. In her work she focuses on her interests which makes her artwork very diverse. Her work is best described as unconventionally creative and culturally based. Besides her extensive cultural research, Vanessa enjoys Zumba dancing, painting her nails, and being outside. She is also a very giving and loving person; whether it is birthdays or on a day-to-day basis, Vanessa can find little things to show her fellow artists she is thinking of them.
Vicky
Vicky has been coming to ArtWorks since 2013 and she is part of the ArtWorks Mary T. Paulin Gallery work program. She is an artist that likes to work with all different mediums, from ceramics to rubber stamp prints, painting on canvas to 3D sculptures - she really does it all. But if there is one thing Vicky is known for, it’s her graphic-text signs. Her work is inspired by patterns, colors, shapes and her life. Vicky has a love and talent for her craft and that is very evident in the way she works. She is careful and precise with every mark. Her work is best described as illustrative, colorful patterns. Besides visual art, Vicky is an amazing dancer and singer and loves the performing arts. She always makes a lasting impression at the annual talent show.