Happy New Year to One and All!

Emilie Ortega, Incoming President, Quail Creek Fine Arts Painting Club (QCFAPC)

This year our club will welcome new board officers. Before I introduce both the new and current officers, I would like to thank Bill Entwistle, outgoing president, and Jeff Marshall, outgoing treasurer, for their service to the club during the last two years. As the incoming president of QCFAPC, I would like to take a moment to introduce you to the new board for the 2023-24 term.

Emilie Ortega, President

Don, my husband, and I moved to Quail Creek in October, 2017, from Hemet, Calif. Seeking a quiet, peaceful location, Quail Creek fit the bill. I joined QCFAPC right away to increase my skills in watercolor. Since then, I have taken many classes. My medium of choice is watercolor, but I have also painted in acrylics for many years. My goal as president is to have the club meet once a month to share our art, enjoy the camaraderie of other artists, and share our experiences with each other.

Ginny Hutcheson, Vice President

I have enjoyed working in a variety of mediums, including finishing a painting in oil just before going to the hospital to have my baby. Paul Hopman introduced me to scratch board art, and I have been hooked ever since. Currently, I teach scratch board art to anyone who wants to learn. I think it is an exciting medium. Twice a year, I take a workshop with a Master scratchboard artist to continue learning so I can share it with my students.

Carole Washburn, Secretary and Education Coordinator

I moved to Quail Creek in 2015 with my husband Vern Gibbs. We are from Washington State where we spend summers boating and oyster/clam farming on the Puget Sound. We both learned to paint, using pastels, after moving to Quail Creek. We both served on the QCFAPC board as co-vice presidents and education coordinators from 2017 to 2019. I continued to serve as the education coordinator and secretary from 2019 to 2021. I will continue to serve as secretary through 2023. We encourage everyone to give painting a try. You will be surprised to learn what you can do.

Linda Pruitt, Treasurer

We moved to Quail Creek in October of 2019 from Woodland Park, Colo. The low altitude was a draw for us. I joined the QCFAPC a few years later to once again spark my creative side and meet other residents of Quail Creek. When I heard the club was looking for a new treasurer, I knew this was for me. I was the treasurer for our HOA in Colorado and am familiar with the duties involved. I love to work in mixed-media using acrylics and anything that allows me to work outside the lines.

Steve Piepmeier, Founder of the QCFAPC and current Executive Member

The QCFAPC was established in the Fall of 2013. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts and worked for many years in the art business in Santa Fe, N.M. I love all art and mediums. The Creative Arts and Technology Center building was in the final stages of completion and opened Jan. 2, 2014. All the flourishing artists needed a place to meet and share their experiences. Now we offer monthly meetings with show and share, visiting artists, and many classes. We invite you to come and join us. The creativity in the studio is contagious and exciting.

For more information about the club, go to qcfapc.com.