Our History, ALL ABOUT ART began in 1996

 

THE BEGINNING

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The All About Art Club came into existence in 1996 through the efforts of some creative early residents. Barbara Richards was one of these people. She gathered several talented acquaintances for the purpose of forming an art club where members could work and share ideas. The first meeting, held in 1996 in Barbara’s home, was attended by fifteen people. The Del Webb Corporation encouraged the art community by furnishing a large room in the community center with tables, easels, lockers and bins.

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One of the charter members, Mary Ann Putzier, agreed to teach watercolor classes to share her considerable knowledge with others. There were also some non-resident teachers invited to give classes, including Ushi Niner, who stayed with the club several years teaching pastel portraits.

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MEMBERS

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The All About Art Club has grown tremendously, both in membership and art offerings. From less than 100 members in 2005 membership increased to 335 by the end of 2009. The membership included many retired and active professional artist, some of whom offered to teach classes. New member packets and new member coffees followed by an Introduction to Art Media presented by our instructors tell new members what the club is all about. Prominent visibility at Club Fairs helped increase the membership.

 

NEW STUDIO

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The biggest change in the history of the club was the move into our new art studio. Fundraising activities flourished to pay for everything but the bare walls. Members purchased a personalized tile for The Patron’s Wall, 13 juried artists were selected for a calendar of reproductions of Member Paintings. We sold All About Art Club shirts and conducted lots of sales: the Starvin’ Artist Sale, Art Supply Flea Market, Rembrandt’s Attic Flea Market and a Parking Lot sale. We celebrated with a grandest of cocktail parties at Riverbend. As years went on, our yearly dues helped the club add equipment for all members to use, including a library with books and tapes related to art, supplies, a display mirror to aid instruction and screens on which to display art for the shows.

 

ART SHOWS

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Even though Sun City no longer allowed us to invite guests from outside the community to the Art Shows in 2006, their popularity continued to grow. The Club added a Spring Art Show in 2004. Members sold almost $4,000 in Fall 2008. Delivering flyers to all Sun City mailboxes was a huge undertaking. Lorraine’s Place Restaurant Gallery Wall helped contribute to art sales. The First Saturday of the month sales continue to be successful. Double Vision, a Photography Club/Art Club Exhibit was introduced in 2013. Over the years, various changes were made to the number of paintings, requirements and categories.

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VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

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In addition to all the efforts by many members to keep the club running smoothly, volunteer activities included working with the children on Kids Day in Sun City, making hospice cards with Ross Wetzel. 62 paintings were donated to the Victory House Veterans Home in Walterboro and may still be seen on the walls there. Painted Birdhouses and Golf Shoes were donated to the Women’s Golf club for Relay for the Cure; many paintings were donated for Memory Matters. Summer Art Classes for Kids garnered $1,000 for the St. Jude hospital. In 1999 members painted a large wooden map to decorate the Hardeeville Elementary School. Members also painted and helped decorate a house in Ridgeland to aid Citizens Against Domestic Abuse.

 

ART TOURS

 

Gallery walks included the High Museum of Art in Atlanta in 2005, Charleston Gallery Walk in 2007, Columbia Art Museum and State House Tour and Telfair Museum tour in Savannah in 2013 and in 2015.

 

EDUCATION

 

Judy Fortaleza formed an Education Committee. They planned beginner, intermediate and advanced level courses. At the beginning almost all the classes were taught by Art Club members. In 2001 the teachers included Lorrayne Harris, Dian McCarthy, Elaine Duncan Mary Ann Putzier, Marty Sherman, and Ginny Hughes. “Fun” classes were offered including, painting floorcloths, fabric painting and collage. Open Studios were available which allowed members to come together to paint or draw with the help of leaders. The Education Committee tried various sign-up methods. Classes increased until by 2009 there were thirteen classes in one month. The Club introduced 2 for $20 classes in 2011. An evening DVD series with popcorn added to education offerings in 2013. In addition to regular classes, classes included making cards, drawing from partially clothed life models and acrylic painting on fabric and painting on silk. Our many talented Sun City instructors continue to be the backbone of the club.

 

DEMONSTRATIONS

 

Over the years many well-known artists gave demonstrations at our Quarterly General Membership meetings or taught classes: Christopher Freeman, Mary Segars, Kathy Miller, Lynda Potter, Pam Johnson Brickell, Joyce and Don Nagel, Kaytee Esser, Joan Templar, Jane Emmert, Richard Coyne, Amiri Farris, Mary Ann Putzier, Kelly Logan Graham, Dennis Lake, Daryl Urig, Jon Goebel, Anatol Zukerman, Mary Kelly, Tina Fripp, Vickie Jourdan, Audrey Montgomery and Mary Jane Martin.

 

TECHNOLOGY

 

The Palette was delivered to mailboxes by volunteers until 2004 when it was sent via email. February 2011 brought an improved layout with photos. The club added a website, Suncitypeople.com/art in 2004; it’s now www.scartclub.com. 2004 also saw a telephone installed in the studio; it was later removed. By 2007 the club boasted a color copier, by 2012 a desktop computer and by 2013 a large screen TV set.

 

COMMITTEES

 

The Committees have grown as the club has grown. The Palette, the art monthly newsletter, began in 1999. It was introduced by Dian McCarthy and continued by Elaine Duncan and Carolynn Harcleroad. In 2002, Rose Cannon and Joan Appel were at the helm. Sallie Thompson took over from 2010 to 2016. As of this writing we have no Palette Chair.

 

And through all the years, the members of the Hospitality Committee have kept us in food and drink. The Monitoring Committee has kept the studio open daily. The Room Maintenance committee has kept us clean and tidy. The Library expands every year. The number of committees has increased dramatically and currently, in 2016, there are 17 committee chairs. Several times a year social functions were held, the most talked about event being the Christmas Party of 2001.

 

In 2016, we celebrated 20 years of the All About Art Club. We produced 2 joint murals with over 30 members taking part. We  rented a bus and visited Charleston, taking advantage of several art shows that will be going on. Barbara Bass, a current member designed a “20th anniversary” t-shirt. We had a grand celebration in September, when we will invite as many original members as we can find to an afternoon together. We hope the club will continue to grow!

 

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