Hilltop Gallery & Arts Education Center

Wednesday artists

Impressive results of Wed art classes

Hilltop at festivals

Saturday kids

Budding new artists

We’ll soon be in Pierson (credit PVHS website)

This month we are focused on community outreach, and are proud to announce our first partnership with Pierson Vocation High School in Nogales as part of our new Arts With Schools program.

Teaching this four-week session starting mid-month will be Faith Posey, a Chicago native and now Nogalian with extensive teaching experience and expertise in drawing, painting, stained glass and glazing.  Listed in the “Who’s Who of American Women”, Faith brings a strong passion for her work, plus impressive architectural and construction credentials from Chicago.

“We’re very pleased to have Faith lead this partnership”, noted Gallery Board president Derwent Suthers, “We hope this is the first of many similar programs in schools which have cut their arts program in recent years.”  Only 40% of schools in Santa Cruz County are listed as having arts program, and art teacher jobs go begging for lack of local qualified teachers.

In addition to the classes at Pierson, efforts are underway to launch weekend print-making workshops with Board member Alex Jones (see previous post here. ) Janice Johnson will continue to lead the Wednesday “drop in” classes and Saturday session for kids,  with Anne Jehle taking over for Friday’s painting sessions.

The Gallery is also hosting field trips such as the recent group of visitors  from Silver Springs senior center in Green Valley and local Boys Scout Troops.  During the summer, the Gallery holds kids classes via special partnership with the Superintendent of Schools.   In the Fall we like to support local events, such as the Tumacacori Fiesta, by holding art demonstrations.

In all, our commitment to arts awareness and education  is now stronger than ever, and we thank our members, community supporters and grant-givers for making this initiative possible!