After the Covid-19 shut down, the Sedona Arts Center Fine Art Gallery re-opened for three days a week during the summer.
Now the gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. As the only employee on the gallery floor, Gallery Manager Valerie Pulido has had her hands full.
She says, “I couldn’t do it without our volunteers. They are so great; they actually help us keep the doors open!”
Sharrie Wadsack has worked at least one day a week for years helping to manage gallery inventory in the computer system at the Arts Center.
“The Arts Center represents over 100 artists so there is a lot of record keeping to do. “Sharrie’s contribution means that Valerie can be helping customers explore the diversity of fine art in our Gallery,” Executive Director Vince Fazio said.
Jeff Spira comes into the gallery a few times a week to help rearrange the artwork. As works find a home with collectors, new space opens up and this might call for an entirely different way of putting the work together. A large diversity of artwork means that it is not just a matter of replacement but of displaying all the work so that each piece is able to be appreciated. As a collector and art consultant, Jeff knows the pleasure of grouping artworks together to make a statement — he also consults with collectors individually through his company, Art in Motion.
There are many hidden volunteers at work in the Sedona Arts Center as well. This year the Arts Center was not able to produce its annual celebration of Loving Bowls as a large gathering, so when the gallery re-opened a significant space was allotted to sell over 1,500 ceramic bowls made and glazed by professional volunteer ceramists in the Sedona area.
Dennis Ott is the head of the Ceramics Department in the School of Fine Arts at the Center. He is also the volunteer chairman of the Loving Bowls event for the past 15 years. All the Loving Bowls sales benefit numerous nonprofits in Sedona. All 1,500 bowls were sold between June and December in the Fine Art Gallery.
Dennis proclaims, “A huge shout-out to Valerie Pulido, our gallery manager. In my 30 years involved with SAC the gallery has never looked so good! Val saved this year’s Loving Bowls [a non-event due to Covid-19] by selling all 1,500 bowls single handedly in the gallery. My hero!”
This year all the bowls were made by just a handful of potters, many working in their own studios: John Foster, Dennis Ott, Neil Kennedy, Bruce Peeks, Greg York and John Post. All the bowls were glazed by Cliff and Katie Hamilton
“Artists are often called upon to volunteer or donate works to good causes and they always do,” Fazio says, “But one of the under-recognized groups that serve the Arts Center and the community in a steady and ongoing way is the Board of Directors. During this pandemic when we have suffered severe loss of income in our usual revenue streams, our board has been spectacular, providing guidance in terms of policy and positive energy in terms of fundraising and staff support as we have learned to fulfill our mission in new ways.”
The Sedona Arts Center board of directors is made up of 11 volunteers: Sedona City Councilwoman Holli Ploog, Bruce Peek, Chuck Spence, Melissa Pontikes, Amy Light, Isabel Simmer, Allison Nichols, Jennifer Epperson, Lewis Guthrie and Gwen Ortmeyer.
Board President and Sedona City Councilwoman Holli Ploog says, “I am grateful for the support of the Sedona community during these unprecedented times. Our volunteers have donated both their time and financial resources to the Arts Center — demonstrating how important this organization is to them and to our quality of life.”
Sedona Arts Center is one of Northern Arizona’s most well-established cultural organizations and serves as the creative heart of Sedona. Founded in 1958, the nonprofit organization is based at the Art Barn in Uptown, and offers year-round classes, exhibitions, festivals, and cultural events that enhance the creative life of the Verde Valley. The Center’s Fine Art Gallery promotes the original works of over 100 local artists and regularly offers special assistance for collectors and art buyers, offers private studio visits, and fosters hundreds of arts education opportunities each year.
The Fine Art Gallery is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10am to 5pm, while the administrative offices are closed to the public at this time. For more information on how you can join our team of volunteers, contact Sedona Arts Center at sac@sedonaartscenter.org or call our administrative offices at (928) 282-3809. You can learn more about the Arts Center’s educational programs, works of art for sale, and special events at SedonaArtsCenter.org.
