2023 ARTISTS
(listed alphabetically)
Roxanne Almblade: Roxanne is born-and-raised in Arizona, with a passion for her home state. She moved to Payson AZ in 2019 to escape the heat, after living in the Valley most of her life. She can often be spotted on the many scenic hiking trails and lovely spots in Rim Country, painting her heart out plein-air style. She loves landscapes and wildlife — anything to do with the great outdoors. Roxanne paints in the studio too, but restlessness catches up to her, and off she goes again!
Roxanne works full time as an independent professional artist, and teaches acrylics painting at EAC in Payson. She just completed a successful exhibit at a three-month show, the prestigious Celebration of Fine Art, in Scottsdale.
Roxanne uses her artwork to show everyone the beauty she sees in the world. Her work is currently on exhibit in Mimi’s Gallery, in Jerome, and can be found online.
Find out more at RoxanneFineArt.com and RimCountryArtists.org
Emmie Derise’s Artist Statement: I create photography with my HeartFull Moments in mind. The intention is to inspire and uplift every viewer. Sometimes the message comes to me when I capture a beautiful image. Often, a message comes to mind, and then I create an image to give the thought a visual context. Software lets me enhance the images I find in the natural world, to share my vision and create a unique experience. Thankfully with internet my work can reach many people far and wide. An even better experience is having the images and messages in hand. The tactile experience is even more meaningful.
Learn more at HeartFullMoments.com
Janice Hoyt: Janiceis a contemporary watercolor painter who lives and works in Payson, Arizona. A native of Nebraska, her colorful paintings pay homage to her Midwestern farmland upbringing and current Southwestern mountainous region homelands. Her distinctive personal style emanates joy and peace and expresses the vibrational spirit and atmosphere of her surroundings.
Picturesque landscapes, area landmarks, sunsets, sunrises, birds, wildlife, horses, ponderosa pine trees, aspen, and high-country lakes are all brought to life with contrasting and harmonious colors and bold compositions. As the artist explains, “I am a visual storyteller and I welcome you to join me on this journey”.
Janice has lived and worked in Payson since 1996. She is a 4th grade teacher at Julia Randall Elementary School.
Find out more at JaniceHoytPaysonArizonaFineArt.com
Jade Lyn: I must be the person in the world that loves to make jewelry the most. I have loved and made jewelry since I was a Girl Scout and my parents were rockhounds. I love rocks and jewelry. It became Jade Lyn Jewelry.
I love buying new beads, designing and making the lovely pieces and meeting the people I get to talk to while selling my wares. I been at this for over 70 years.
I take pride in the quality of my work. Pieces include necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, and other beaded objects. Most items are crafted from combinations of semi-precious gemstones, freshwater pearls, crystal, and glass beads. The finishings are sterling silver and copper.
Phylicia McCormack: Phylicia loved art as a child, but her dad tried to discourage her by saying that she wouldn’t amount to anything if she pursued it. Nonetheless, after high school she applied and was accepted at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, graduating in 1976 in the field of Visual Communication with an Associate’s Degree in Fine Arts.
Having lived in various states since then, she and her husband have happily settled in Payson. A multi-media artist, Phylicia has developed her own style & technique depicting wildlife, landscapes, western scenes, and family pets. She says, “I thank God that I didn’t give up my artist path, as He inspires me with the beauty that surrounds us all.”
Find her at PaysonArtists.org/Philicia-Mccormack
Strawberry Patchers: The Strawberry Patchers welcome anyone who is interested in quilting at any skill level. The group participates in several local events, make comfort quilts for others, offer classes to members, and engage in a wide variety of fun activities throughout the year. Advancement of quilting art is the group’s goal. was granted a charter from the Arizona Quilters Guild in 1994. Strawberry Patchers meet at 9 a.m. the first Thursday of the month in the activity room of the Isabelle Hunt Memorial Library.
Learn more at StrawberryPatchers.com
Dorothy Perry: Dorothy had three careers in her life. She was a junior high school teacher, a mental health and substance abuse counselor, and then a healthcare administrator, retiring in 2021.
As an adult Dorothy started dabbling in arts and crafts including crocheting, topiary, basket weaving, photography, scrapbooking, and rug weaving. After completing her Ph.D, she found mosaics. She loves that mosaics have an endless number of materials one can use in this art form. She enjoys making art that people can use such as tables, mirrors, lazy Susan’s, and serving trays. Yet, she also enjoys making mosaic wall art that can be hung in one’s home. She loves working with copper – melted copper, wire, ground copper, tiles, and accent pieces.
Debra Reich Schwalm: An Arizona-based artist, Deb loves the looseness, energetic textures, whimsy and transparency of watercolor batik on paper. Her art is featured in galleries and has numerous won awards. Growing up in the Midwest, Deb has always found creative ways to express herself within daily life whether it be home decorating, large mural painting or photography. She has studied Commercial Art and has a Web Design degree. Deb considers herself to be a self-taught artist and continues to hone her skills.
Find out more at AZMountainGirl.com
Sheri Taus: Originally from Moab, Utah, Sheri has been a cosmetologist for 30 years. She has lived in Alaska and on both of USA’s coasts and several central states as well. In 2019, she and her husband landed in Payson, and are loving every minute of it ever since!
Living in Alaska in 2005, Sheri discovered her passion for photographing wildlife and landscapes. Since then, she has pursued her art professionally, training with highly experienced teachers. She is currently close to receiving a master photographer certification.
She says, “My desire is to capture the beauty of the world God created, and share those images with others.”
Connect with Sheri at Facebook.
Kathy Walker: Kathy has always had a passion for horses, wildlife, and the West. Her paintings reflect that love through many acrylic paintings of those subjects—especially horses. Kathy attended Northern Arizona University where she majored in commercial art. She worked as an art director in advertising agencies and had her own graphic design business for 35 years in Denver, Colorado.
Kathy began painting in high school in Phoenix where she also sold many of her first paintings. She has continued painting throughout the last 50 years and has recently begun teaching at Eastern Arizona College. Her work has been displayed in several galleries throughout Colorado, and Arizona, and she has an ongoing exhibit at the Wickenburg Country Club.
Find out more at KathyEWalker.com. Follow her on Facebook.
Julie Wittwer: I retired from 35 years in Information Technology in 2015, started painting, and moved to Payson from the Valley in 2017.
What I love most about art is that there is no “bad” art, only “unappreciated” art. Art comes to life when it invokes a feeling within its viewer. Every day, my eyes capture something or someone that inspires me whether it be a landscape, a person or animal or simply how light is hitting something. For me, my art is ever changing and evolving. Inspiration comes at me from every direction.
I work mostly in acrylic, do some struggling with watercolor, and oil, and recently started my hand at macrame. It’s a journey that keeps me going.
Barbara Zirinsky: Barbara is a contemporary sculptor who lives and works in Payson, Arizona. A life-long resident of Arizona, her whimsical sculptures pay homage to her love of nature. Her distinctive personal style emanates fun and thoughtfulness and expresses her vibrant spirit and creativity.
From a young age she has always dabbled in art. Her bronze wildlife sculptures were exhibited in galleries from coast to coast. She earned an Associates of Arts degree in Graphic Design and graduated with honors.
Barbara’s artwork is intended to spark joy as well as being useful. While continuing to make a place for herself in the art world, we hope that you make a place for her art in yours.
Learn more at PaysonArtists.org/Barbara-Zirinsky
