Artist 1 ~ Charles Hilton - chivesta.com
I became addicted to clay after a fun project making mosaics for the bottom of my swimming pool. It became a medium to share my love for the desert; a harsh environment hosting a glorious array of interesting wildlife, where I spend as much time as possible, riding, hiking, and collecting items which I believe have a story to tell. Clay also helps me tell stories of science and history, and I often celebrate events that deserve the time and effort it takes to carve it in clay and temper it in fire.
Our family moved from Michigan to Arizona when I was four, and I grew up down the street from Arizona State and spent as much time on campus as possible, up to the time I got my teaching degree in 1985. After several years teaching Jr. High school students, I pursued an interest in Solar Energy, and became a solar hot water and photovoltaics technician.
A sudden loss of hearing at the age of 40, most likely due to a virus, brought new challenges to my teaching career, so I had to make some more changes, eventually leading me to ceramics. I love a challenge, and ceramics is, at times. My publicly commissioned artwork can be seen in the Enchanted Forest at the Phoenix Zoo, at the Solel Pre-school in Paradise Valley, and at the Mesa Public Library's Dobson Ranch 5 Branch. You can also see it in the Gallery section of my website!
Artist 2 ~ Kyllan Maney - kyllanmaney.com
works with aspects of nature that reminds her of the feelings of tranquility, discovery, spirituality and awe that exist when looking at plants and objects closely. The visual foundation of Kyllan's work is rooted in scientific illustrations, religious icons, human relationships and inspiration from past and current artists. Kyllan enjoys the inventive, creative process of working with mixed media, oil painting and large scale murals.
Currently, Kyllan Maney shows her work at GreenHAUS, Art One Gallery, and Mesa Arts Center Cooperative Gallery. She has also shown her work at Phoenix Art Museum, Mesa Public Library, Starbucks, Alwun House and the Post Office on Mill Ave. She has been a part of numerous mural projects including Mesa Public Library, Mesa Urban Garden, New School for the Arts and Academics, and at Canvas on Roosevelt Row. Kyllan collaborates on art projects for Mesa Arts Center during various festivals.
Along with her professional artist career, Kyllan has been teaching painting and mixed media for over twelve years at New School for the Arts and Academics. She has been the Visual Arts Department Chair for the past five years. She feels that teaching is an ever-evolving process which inspires her artwork. Her education includes an internship at the National Museum of Natural History along with a BFA with a specialization in Painting from Arizona State University.
