Marks 50thAnniversary milestone
CAVE CREEK – The nonprofit Sonoran Arts League is celebrating its 50th anniversary year with a new board of directors who are dedicated to promoting art, art education and artists in the Desert Foothills community.
The 2024 executive board includes David Court, president; painter Mel Brook, vice president; glass artist Carole Perry, secretary; and David Shields, treasurer. Court spent more than 10 years serving as the executive director of the Desert Foothills Library in Cave Creek prior to his retirement. Shields is a clinical assistant professor at Arizona State University’s School of Accountancy.
Immediate past president, Patrick O’Grady, a jeweler, remains on the board. Returning board members include multi-media artists Jim Bruce and Robin Ray, painter Beth Zink, and architect Nick Mancusi. Candy Vermillion, owner of Vermillion Promotions Festivals, and Amy Medford, owner of Medford Knife & Tool, are additional new board members.
“This is a pivotal year for us, as we honor our past and look to the future,” David Court, League president said. “Our community has grown significantly in five decades, and it’s rewarding to know that the Sonoran Arts League has been a big part of that growth. At the same time, we’re serving different generations, and we know we must adjust to support them. We need more members and financial support to meet these needs, especially as they relate to our youth and veteran outreach.”
Ways to support the League include becoming a member for $95 or sponsoring an upcoming event or program. The League conducts a variety of art classes at the Sonoran Arts League Studio, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Suite 144, in Cave Creek’s Stagecoach Village. Fees range depending on each class. Veterans and children in 7th to 12th grade can attend some classes for free, thanks to a generous Kiwanis Club of Carefree sponsorship.
The Sonoran Arts League hosts many events and programs throughout the year, including its signature event, Hidden in the Hills.
This year marks the 28th year of the popular artist studio tour which takes place during the last two weekends of November.
The Sonoran Arts League Gallery also showcases and sells diverse fine art from its member artists. The current juried show, “New! Never Seen Before,” is on exhibit through Feb. 29. The gallery is located at 7275 E. Easy St., Suite A104 in Carefree (across from the Carefree post office).
To learn more, visit www.sonoranartsleague.org or call 480-575-6624.
