Art by Mary Rochelle Burnham

Rabbi Alicia Magal,  36 x 24" Oil, On Loan from the Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Magal Rabbi Alicia Magal Religious Leader – Author - Philanthropist Rabbi Alicia Magal’s outstanding communication skills are invaluable to a diverse congregation. She leads the congregation with love, creativity, sensitivity and on-going interfaith community outreach. It is her mission to "bring sparks of holiness and joy to the study of Torah”. This year's Philanthropist of the Year award recipient is Rabbi Alicia Magal of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley. The Philanthropist of the Year Award recognizes individuals who consistently commit time and financial assistance to worthy community causes and nonprofits. Rabbi Magal offers opportunities to explore cultural traditions and connect with people of diverse faiths in Sedona and the Verde Valley.

Hollis Underwood M.D,  16 x 20" Oil, On Loan from the Collection of Dr. Underwood Hollis Underwood M.D. Honor Health Scottsdale Hollis (Holly) Underwood M.D., is currently on staff as an Internal Medicine provider at Honor Health Scottsdale. She came to Arizona in May 1994. After a 6 yr appointment in the department of Community Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, she became President of Sonoran Health Specialists, Inc., in February 2000 where she developed and crafted her expertise in Integrative Wellness and Anti-Aging medicine. Dr Underwood served on several boards and organizations including the Center for Women’s Health, Vibetree Foundation and Planned Parenthood. She is a contributing author for The African American Woman's Guide to Heart Health and is also active in several organizations including The Links, Inc.,The National Association of Professional Women and The American Association of Anti Aging Medicine. My lifelong interest in the medical field...

Kimberly McWaters, oil, 36x24", On Loan from the Collection of Mr. & Mrs. McWaters Kim McWaters Technical Institute – Chairman & CEO Kim McWaters is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Technical Institute Inc., the nation’s leading provider of training for students seeking careers as automotive, diesel, motorcycle, marine and collision repair technicians.  McWaters was named Chief Executive Officer in 2003 and led UTI to a successful public offering. McWaters has been a member of the UTI Board for ten years and was named Chairman in 2013. She sits on the Penske Automotive Group Board, the nation’s second largest automotive retailer. In 2014, McWaters was appointed to the Mini Mobile Board, the leading storage company in the nation. She is an active member of the community with a passion for supporting women and children. McWaters has served on the Boards of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix and Fresh Start Women’s Foundation for more...

Portrait Of Beverly Damore , oil,  20 x 16" ,  On Loan from the Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Damore Beverly Butler Damore St. Mary's Food Bank - President & CEO Beverly Butler Damore is active in the community, serving as a member of the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance Board of Directors for six years before joining the staff as Director of Community Relations and Marketing, later serving as Chief Operations Officer and now serving in her fourth year as President & CEO. She is a founding partner of the Phoenix-based corporate communications company Option II Advisors, which specializes in public relations, Web site orchestration, management consulting, community relations, fundraising, and event coordination. Previously, Ms. Damore worked for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and while there, was named co-Interim Chief Executive Officer while also serving as the organization's Chief Operating Officer. Beverly's community involvement began as a rep...

It has been over a year that I have been working on this show and finally this Friday is the opening. I will have five portraits of my chosen subjects and my self portrait, making a total of six from me. It's been quite a journey and I hope that any of you who are in the area will check it out. There will be approximately 55 portraits exhibited from a variety of artists, all original paintings.

Hay Rolls, oil, 5x7" $109 Sometimes, I don't realize how badly I have painted a piece until later. This is usually not only a piece that does not sell, but also one that starts to make me cringe whenever I look at it. I rarely destroy them, because I believe in trying to learn from my mistakes, and believe it or not, sometimes it takes me a while before I figure out what went wrong! Holding on to the dogs, at least for a while, keeps me humble, too. Eventually, the day comes when as a warm up, I decide to paint over the piece. Sometimes, I sand it down and do something totally different. Other times, I repaint and make the needed improvements to the original painting. Then, this time, I kept the theme, and even the location, but changed the view to something I like better. Here is the original painting: Both images are from an afternoon as the clouds were building in the heat. The first was as a storm was coming in and has more edge to it. The end result is a calme...

Thank you, Sara, for your permission to share this on my blog! Robert & Sara Genn Twice-Weekly Letter -- Insight and inspiration for your artistic career. My bad boyfriend Dear Artist, On last night's flight from New York, I read Amy Poehler's memoir, "Yes Please." An actress, writer, director and producer, Amy describes the distinction between that thing you do as an artist and your career as one. "Creativity is connected to passion -- that light inside that drives you." On the other hand your career, writes Amy, is simply a series of opportunities and jobs, and should be treated with some ambivalence. "Learn to let go of wanting it. Treat your career like a bad boyfriend." I'm pleased to report that I am the top earner of rejection letters amongst my peers. My early twenties were spent painting, writing impassioned cover letters and compiling slide packs for galleries of international repute. In theatre, this is called a "cold...