ARTree received a generous donation of art supplies and a $500 check from Women’s Painters West (WPW), a nonprofit organization comprised of more than 250 professional women artists.
ARTree is located in downtown Newhall and offers a variety of classes for children and adults. The supplies are a welcome addition, and will help provide more classes.
Many of ARTree’s project can see seen around town including a mural at Newhall Elementary School, a mosaic on the bike path along the Santa Clarita river trail, and several community projects such as mural classes at the Newhall Community Center and Shoe Project at ArtSlam. ARTree members donate their time and experience to bring arts to life in Santa Clarita.
Women’s Painters West was founded in 1921 in Laguna Beach. As a philanthropic institution, they endow a scholarship fund for art students, as well as providing assistance to various community art programs like ARTree.
Some of the early members in the organization were among the great early California women artists, including Mabel Alvarez, Kathryn Leighton, Elsie Palmer Payne and Donna Norine Schuster. Some these works were featured in the Autry Museum of Western Heritage special exhibition “Independent Spirits —Women Painters of the American West, 1890-1945.”
Also included among members are art instructors in all levels of art education. Some exhibit individuality in galleries, museums, and universities and have been recognized and honored nationally and internationally.
Idelle Okman Tyzbir, WPW event chair and local artist, is pleased to see so much happening with arts in Santa Clarita.
“It’s nice to see the effort being made and art more accessible to the public,” Tyzbir said. She added she’d like an art gallery in our community.
“For me personally, I found the need to go outside of our community to find a gallery where I can see my work,” she said. “It is nice to have art displayed in unique places, but as a professional arts, the opportunity to attract the community to purchase quality art is a priority and should be in a professional environment.”
Tyzbir began oil painting in junior high school. She eventually switched to acrylics, which she still includes in her mixed media metal sculptures and some individual paintings. As an adult, she began working with metal and paint with watercolor.
“This allows me to use a medium that actually moves with heat,” Tyzbir said. “Watercolor has a magic that is indescribable.”
For more information about Women’s Artist West, visit womenpainterswest.org.
ARTree is located at 22508 6th Street, Newhall. Information about classes can be found at theartree.org.
