Viki Nickels
Viki Nickels, Featured Artist of the Month
Viki Nickels
I feel blessed that many gifts have come my way in my lifetime, but none more than an early instinct to create art. This natural impulse has inspired and guided me since I was a young girl growing up in the coastal city of San Diego.
My father had an industrial design business, producing exhibits for large companies and museums. He had incredible artists, wood craftsmen, model makers, architects, draftsmen, and others, and there was always something new and cutting edge. They loved to hang out at our home and our Thanksgiving dinners were always quite colorful. My father and the people who worked for his company inspired me to pursue art.
I loved to draw and paint. I pursued all the art classes that I could and in my senior year of high school was honored to be invited to participate, along with 24 others, in the Senior Art Studio where we received specialized instruction from the art department.
Even though I loved the arts, when I was young, I didn’t know how I could make a career out of it, and I was encouraged to look at other fields. I ended up as the administrator of a dental office. I married, had two beautiful sons, and created a side business dedicated to my own creative work, which at the time was handcrafted porcelain jewelry. I was a member of the Many Hands Cooperative Gallery in downtown San Diego and a founding member of the Poway Arts & Crafts Guild, and I participated in many juried art fairs in the area. In 2001, after a divorce and my sons were in college, I moved to Lake Havasu City, where I met my amazing husband Nick in 2008.
I changed careers and became a Realtor®. Sadly, not much creativity was going on during those busy years.
In 2015, after visiting friends who lived in PebbleCreek, we made the big move along with our sweet boxer, Bailey. The Creative Arts Center was the big deciding factor for me.
Shortly after arriving here, I joined the PebbleCreek fused glass and pottery clubs. Then I joined the Art Club where I discovered the most amazing and unique family of artists.
I paint with rich vibrant colors and unique compositions and paint everything from impressionistic landscapes to abstracts, with the latter being my favorite. Acrylic paints are my favorite medium. One major turning point was participating in Betty Jean Kennedy’s 30/30 Summer Sketching challenge. It was truly a confidence builder and a life-changing experience in my art journey.
When not covered in paint, I enjoy cooking, travel, working in clay, jewelry making, tai chi, line dancing, photography, the Republican Club, the Italian American Club, and the PebbleCreek Community Church.
Art Club Thanks Its Volunteers and Sponsors
Sylvia Armstrong, President
As 2024 draws to a close, I look back at our Nov. 16 Art Show and realize it would not have been nearly as successful without the support of our sponsors and volunteers and the many PebbleCreek residents and guests who came to the show. The January PebbleCreek Post will have a list of the winning artists and the winners of the basket raffle.
The members of the Art Show Committee, who begin planning the event in January and continue working throughout the year, as well as other members whose contributions were invaluable: Kim Harris, Debby Bolton, Loretta Pruett, Donna Mund-Gustafson, Diana Horton Smith, Viki Nickels, Betty Jean Kennedy, Mary Dohmeier, Karen Ludwig, Kathy Foord, Emily Grotta, Cheryl Wagner, and Brian Wagner.
The show would not be possible without the support of our sponsors, who serve so many of our PebbleCreek neighbors:
Gold—$500: Arete Financial Solutions, Wealth Management and Tax Preparation, Burkhart Realty, Desert Sage Landscaping, and Southwest Golf Carts.
Silver—$300: Catitude Arts, Art Education—Bonnie McDonald Lewis, Free Spirit Vacations, Lupo Airport Services, Osborne Jewelers, Pino’s Construction, Rapid Roofing and Pigeon Control, and Roanoke Rental LLC.
Bronze—$100: Argent Solar Electric Inc, Juice Plus, TNT Lighting Pros—Landscape Specialists, West Valley Air Conditioning & Heating, LLC
Donors: Kinetico Water Systems $850 system, Maggie and George Phillippon $250
Patrons of the Arts: Gustafson Family, Julie Kelly, Loretta Pruett
Look What’s Up at the Art Club!
Emily Grotta
Before the year ends, why not take a break from your holiday preparations and take a class with the Art Club, which has several classes in December. Classes are open to any resident or renter in PebbleCreek, but always cost $20 more for nonmembers. With membership just $25, it makes sense to join the club!
Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pet Pastels with Beverly Bradshaw
The first hour of this class will be a demonstration and Q&A, followed by four hours when you will receive individual instruction from the teacher. Beverly has been drawing from a young age and has won awards through the Camelback Gallery juried show. A member of Sonoran Arts League, Arizona Pastel Arts Association, West Coast Pastel Society, Artists in Arizona, and Red Rock Pastel Society, her artwork is shown at BeverlyBradshawArt.com and at The Finer Arts Gallery in Cave Creek, Ariz.
Dec. 10 and 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Landscapes in Oil/Acrylic/Watercolor with Ed Sprafkin
Edward Sprafkin is an impressionistic painter whose favorite subjects include landscapes, portraits, and figures. A popular PebbleCreek instructor, he is just as passionate about teaching as he is about painting. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and finds inspiration in seeing students’ progress to new skill levels. This class has two sessions—you do not need to have taken any prior classes with him.
Dec. 15, 1 to 4 p.m., Acrylic Painting Tutorial with Julie Larsson
This Sunday class is a step-by-step for beginners, from how to hold the brush, mix colors, and apply paint to the canvas. No supplies are needed as the instructor will provide all the materials necessary. The basic principles will be addressed: Instructor will provide directions and techniques on how to mix paint colors, how to hold the brush, methods for loading the brush, and applying the paint to canvas. The process starts with the background and moves to the foreground. Watch as your painting comes alive—it’s all part of the fun and exciting experience in creating a unique, individual piece of art!