p r e s i d e n t 's n o t e
South Hill Artists ✫ October 2025 Newsletter ✫ Issue 77
Greetings to all Current and New SHA Members!​​
As we step into September, there’s a natural shift in the air—a turning inward, a slowing down. It’s the perfect time to return to our creative routines, dust off unfinished projects, and dive back into the joy of making art.
Whether you've been painting all summer or are just getting back into the swing of things, this season invites us to refocus, re-energize, and let our ideas flow. Remember: your art doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be yours.
Thank you for continuing to show up, create, and share your creativity and passion with our art league. You’re what makes this group so inspiring.
Let’s make this a month of momentum and renewed creativity!
With creative spirit,

Doreen Koch Allen
SHA President – South Hill Artists
"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."
~ Twyla Tharp
Our Next Gathering Will Be Our:
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​Thursday, October 2, 2025
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Featuring Artists
Celene Ryan, Cole Adams & Darcie Saunders
"Breaking Out of the Frame
Finishing Paintings Without Glass"
Discover fresh, contemporary approaches to presenting your artwork—no glass required. In this hands-on session, we'll explore techniques for finishing acrylic, watercolor, gouache, and collage pieces with a modern, frame-free aesthetic.
We'll begin with an "Is It Done?" Checklist to help you evaluate your work with clarity and confidence. From there, we'll dive into methods for lifting and altering elements to resolve visual distractions.
Finishing Sequence We Will Walk Through
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Creative and clean edge treatments
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Sealing and protecting your surfaces
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Mounting your finished piece to cradle board or canvas
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Installing wire hangers and back details
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Practical tips and materials for durability
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Presentation tricks to elevate your final piece
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​This workshop is a collaborative experience—we’ll tag team to share a variety of professional finishing strategies. Whether you're new to alternative display methods or looking to refine your process, you’ll leave with the tools and confidence to finish your paintings in an open, presentation-forward approach.
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Supplies to Bring
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A small painting close to done, or done, mounting surface, Exacto knife, ruler, Dorlan’s wax & cheese cloth (if you have it). We will provide a sample for you to learn some of the techniques on, before you approach your own painting. Some parts of this process will be participatory and some will just be demo’ed because of dry times
About the Artists
Celene Ryan
Celene Ryan- I have been creating art since early childhood. For the last 35 years I’ve been focused on drawing and painting in watercolor. I also have developed other skills such as pottery, sewing, and weaving. While mostly self taught, I’ve have taken many workshops and classes from other skilled artists such as Catherine Gill, Susan Rasmussen, Barbara Nechis, and Jan Kunz.
My studies in watercolor painting is ongoing and I am adding more mixed media and gelli printing collage.
I’ve attended several colleges such as Foothill College in Los Altos, Ca, College of the Redwoods in Eureka, Ca and University of Alaska, Sitka and received an AA degree.
My profession was a Certified Nursing Assistant.
I am a signature member of the NorthWest Watercolor Society.
Email: jceleneryan@hotmail.com Website: www.CeleneRyan.com
Cole Adams
Cole Adams - Cole Adams is a storytelling artist. She paints with abandon in acrylics and watercolors. Cole has bachelors degrees in Public Relations, Speech Communication Theory and an associates art degree in Watercolor and stained glass. She won first place in Mixed Media at the Western WA State Fair 2024. Cole loves art journaling, painting, sewing & home decor.
Email: woohoocreative@gmail.com YouTube - @colewoohoo
Darcie Saunders
Darcie Saunders - Darcie is an illustrator, a student of many artists and sources, a teacher, and an art mentor to children. She delights in the bold colors of acrylics and also works in collage, murals, and assemblage. She has won awards in the Renton Creative Arts show and the WA State Fair. She delights in any time with a paintbrush in her hand.
Camp Arnold Fall Registration
Camp Dates: October 20 - 24, 2025
Registration: Starts May 1, 2025
Camp registration form is available at the link below:
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Send registration form with your $100 deposit by September 4, 2025 to
SHA 

PO Box 731762
Puyallup, WA 98373-0019
Final payment is due by October 2nd, 2025
Notes regarding camp:
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Check in time is 9:00am. If you arrive earlier, please do not enter the building as
final preparations are taking place.
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Camp menus are set in advance, no changes can be made. If you have special
menu concerns you can bring food. There are refrigerators available to store your
food and a microwave for heating your food.
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Partial scholarships for camp are currently available!​ Click on the link below to get all the information regarding Camp Arnold Scholarships, and access the registration form.
Members’ Corner​​
Do you know of an art show, competition, workshop, class,
Or art exhibit that may interest other SHA members?
To include information in the newsletter, please send the information
To the email below by the first of the month.
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The email address that generates the SHA newsletter is not monitored.
Please send email inquiries to:
Calling All Artists!​​
Want to show off your art?
Explore these upcoming exhibitions for a chance to participate in a show, compete for recognition, and even sell your pieces!
Click the links below to learn more!
Facebook Group
Our Facebook group is a private group for South Hill Artist members. We should think about using it more to share items that may be of interest to our members. Things to share could be books, artists you have learned about, new project ideas, photos of what you are doing, new art tools or supplies that others might not know about, etc. Think of ways you can contribute to our Facebook group.
Handmade Greeting Cards
SHA is also collecting handmade greeting cards to send to members
who may be going through a difficult time or facing illness.
If you’re able, please consider bringing a few card donations for SHA to have on hand.
SHA Membership Information
Membership to South Hill Artists - SHA offers individuals numerous opportunities to create, learn and gather in a supportive and creative atmosphere. Throughout the year there are scheduled live demos, where one can paint and create alongside an experienced professional artist. Twice per year SHA holds a weeklong art camp workshop in Eatonville, at an affordable cost to its members. Membership also gives artists the opportunity to display and sell their artwork in SHA’s annual art exhibit. Members will receive an email newsletter, announcements, an invitation to join the private SHA Facebook group, and participate in various social events.
A paid SHA Membership entitles you to participate in all these activities, September through August. Payment of dues is required 30 days prior to participation in art exhibits and shows. SHA members are encouraged to volunteer and support SHA activities, events, and chartered objectives.
Membership dues are $50.00 for the 2024-2025 SHA year. When joining SHA, please download and fill in the SHA Membership Form. Send the completed form with your check to the address below.
Membership dues can also be paid at the monthly demo meeting. Also, please update your contact information when joining or renewing your SHA membership.
Guests are welcome to attend and participate in an art demonstration for a $30.00 fee. Invite a friend to join us!
Please send your payment to:​
SHA
PO Box 731762
Puyallup, WA 98373-0019
Please Note:
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Posts, information, or details for the website and newsletter
need to be received by the 1st day of the month - to be included that month.
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- The email address that generates the SHA newsletter is not monitored. Please send email and inquiries to: ​​
