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Connie DeLuca

Connie Deluca


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Connie DeLuca’s passion for art was sparked at an early age in Rochester, New York, inspired by her father’s creativity and encouragement. A standout artist throughout high school, she pursued her education at the Rochester Institute of Technology, earning a degree in Fine Arts along with a diploma in Advertising Design and Computer Graphics.

Her career began with freelance logo design, followed by work as both a printer and artist at Sibley’s Department Store. She then became an illustrator for General Motors, where she honed her skills for 23 years. In a unique blend of artistry and precision, Connie transitioned into the dental field, where she has spent the past 20 years as a full-time dental technician. There, she applies her talent for carving and detail to create dentures and dental prosthetics, bringing both function and beauty to her patients by capturing resemblance and creating smiles.

Six years ago, Connie moved to Arizona, turning a new chapter in her life and continuing to explore her love for art. She works with many mediums and styles, expressing creativity through diverse forms of design. Connie is active in the Phoenix art community, hosting and teaching Paint Nite events at restaurants, coffee shops, home parties, and women’s exhibitions. Her artwork has been showcased in several exhibitions, including Ground Floor Artists, where she proudly won first place for one of her paintings.

Connie continues to share her art with the community and welcomes connections for both artwork sales and Paint Nite classes.


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Sue Rauschenfels

Sue Rauschenfels


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Sue Rauschenfels grew up in a small town in northern MN in the 1960’s where she spent a lot of time outdoors exploring. Nature was an important part of Sue’s childhood where she learned to play and create with her six sisters and neighborhood friends; building forts, climbing trees, and learning to navigate relationships. She has never lost her love for being in the woods and it is not surprising she enjoys painting trees from the heart and honoring them for their gifts. Sue also enjoys painting Sisterhood figurative artworks and is passionate to spread the message that sisters are to support all sisters and to lift each other up for best life deserved politically, socially and economically.

Sue’s love of nature, color, people and whimsy are often captured in her work. She enjoys telling a story in her artwork which is often as she sees things or dreams of how things should be rather than the realistic narrative. She is currently exploring abstract art and enjoying the challenge and excitement of learning to stretch and express her art voice.

Sue began painting full-time in 2009 after retiring from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She is self-taught and has taken art classes and workshops locally, nationally, and internationally and is grateful to study and to connect with creative artistic mentors for inspiration and for support.

Her artwork is represented in several gallery venues regionally and exhibited nationally in various juried exhibit offerings.

Sue currently enjoys wintering for several months in sunny AZ.


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NASEEM KASSIM

NASEEM KASSIM


ABOUT THE ARTIST

I was born and raised in East Africa and after pursuing further education in the United Kingdom. I moved to Minnesota with my husband in 1967 where my love for arts and crafts developed and grew. My formal introduction to painting was with a watercolor class gifted by my husband. We moved to Arizona 25 years ago and it was not until after my retirement at age 74, that I truly immersed fully in art. Occasional classes and tutorials on YouTube and later, my husband concerting our third garage into an art studio for me has given me opportunity to learn, grow and improve my skills. My family persuaded me to join the Sonoran Arts League which helped me make friends in the artist community and learn from them. And now, I recently joined the Ground floor Artists.

I currently work in both acrylics and watercolor, with a focus on landscapes, seascapes, florals, and wildlife. I am still discovering my style and experimenting with different techniques in both these mediums. I try to paint subjects that reflect my inspiration and love for them and hope that viewers experience the passion and joy I felt in creating them


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Deborah Case

Deborah Case


ABOUT THE ARTIST

I've always been artsy-fartsy, but until well into retirement, I did not devote much time to art.  I was always too busy with other stuff!  Now I find myself retired, widowed and living in Sun City with time to play.  I consider myself a jack-of-all-trades and master of none when it comes to art.  But there are so many art forms and I love them all!  And since the joy is in the creation and the journey of discovery in art, I feel compelled to try them all--watercolor, pottery, collage, mixed media, sculpture, leatherwork, mosaic, wood carving, wood burning, china painting....you name it and I'll try it!  I'm loving the luxury of being able to explore them all.  Maybe at some point I'll become a master of some form of art, but in the meantime, I'll do a little bit of everything!


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Janna Blackburn

Janna Blackburn


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Janna Blackburn has called Maricopa, Arizona, home for the past 11 years, where she shares her life with her family. As a proud wife and mother of three beautiful daughters, she is also soon to become a grandmother for the first time in May 2025. Janna's artistic journey began in her youth, nurtured by her self-taught skills and encouragement from her grade school and high school teachers who recognized her talent. With the onset of empty nesting, she found more time to delve into her passion for art.

Primarily focused on Abstract Mixed Media, Janna draws inspiration from her travels as a Fire Life Safety Account Manager, which have taken her across the diverse landscapes of Arizona.

Much of her recent work reflects the interplay of city architecture, shadows, and the vast desert scenery under the expansive Arizona sky. She believes that art serves as a powerful mirror to society, telling stories infused with emotion, strength, and resilience.


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Adrianne Kaliszak

Adrianne Kaliszak


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Hi there, I'm Adrienne and I've loved art since I was a young child. I enjoy a variety of artistic expressions, but my favorite is drawing, especially cartooning and abstract art. I recently opened an Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCraftShack42 and have a growing YouTube channel that brings me tons of joy. I am married to a wonderful man named Greg and we have a 21 year old daughter named Lily she recently graduated from nursing school and will begin her first job as an RN in July 2025, we are super proud of her and love her beyond words. We have an 8 yr old rescue dog and 3 adorable guinea pigs. I'm super excited to be joining GFA and look forward to seeing where this journey takes us.


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Kelly Abraham

Kelly Abraham


ABOUT THE ARTIST

I hold a degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stout, and have a background as a teacher, having taught art and home economics in public schools across Wisconsin and Minnesota. I've also shared my expertise by conducting workshops on Abstract Painting and Painting with Dots for the Palo Verde Artists in Sun City. My leadership experience includes serving as a Member and Past President of the Appleton Gallery of Arts in Appleton, Wisconsin, the Palo Verde Artists in Sun City, and the Vanguard Artists. In my artwork, I utilize various mediums such as acrylics, pastels, colored pencil, pen and ink, and mixed media. My subjects are diverse, ranging from abstract art and portraits of animals (with a particular focus on cats) to anything Western, including landscapes, cowboys, and flowers. Beyond painting, my related art projects include original needlepoint, beaded purses, designer sport shirts, tooth fairy pillows, and glittery Christmas pins. My artistic philosophy is rooted in the belief that art should be fun and stimulate our imaginations, encouraging experimentation and creation rather than copying, while also knowing when a piece is truly complete.


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Dottie Smith

Dottie Smith


ABOUT THE ARTIST

I was born in Ohio and my family moved to Arizona when I was just 2 years old, so nearly a native Arizonan. Me and my husband Bob (Smitty) of 50+ years have a little piece of heaven just outside of Show Low where you can find us in the summer months, and a home in Peoria where we winter.

I was a busy REALTOR for 30 years with very little time for outside activities; but took up photography in 2011 at the behest of my husband.  Together we’ve traveled thousands of miles tootling through the woods on dirt roads throughout many states looking for wildlife to photograph.  I’ve won several ribbons for these wildlife and landscape photographs at the Arizona Camera Club Council.

After retirement in 2017 I joined a pottery club, and stumbled into water color while attempting to learn to paint on my pottery.  I’ve been learning to paint via YOUTUBE and a number in person classes. With no formal training, my style is simplistic and whimsical; which in addition to paintings, I have incorporated into greeting cards and mugs. My primary medium is watercolor but I also enjoy acrylic.

In an effort to “catch up” for the many years without art in my life, I have joined several art associations.  In addition to Ground Floor Artists; I also am a member of the Westbrook Village Fine Arts Club, Artists Guild of Arizona, WHAM, and Arts Alliance of the White Mountains.  I’ve very much enjoyed the demonstrations and classes available at all the organizations and through these associations I am realizing the many ways and mediums artists use to express themselves.  I really consider myself “an artist in the making”!

We summer outside of Show Low, AZ, and as I spend more time in the beautiful White Mountains, I find my interests are expanding from mostly desert scenes to the wildlife I photographed as well as mountain/landscape settings. I particularly enjoy using my own photographs as reference for my paintings.


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Lisa Lund
 

Lisa Lund


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Art is spiritual for Lisa. She hopes it’s reflected in her artwork.


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Suzan Sammak
 

Suzan Sammak


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Suzan Sammak is a Syrian-born American artist, lives and works in Arizona, United States. After she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Commercial Banking and worked in commercial field for few years, she returned to her passion and studied at the Syrian Culture Center for Art & Sculpture, Suzan worked with different art mediums. Participated in many art group exhibitions between Syria and United States. She was awarded a merit-based scholarship from Scottsdale Artist’s School in Arizona to study with a professional artist. Suzan is committed to her artistic growth and looks forward to sharing her work with a wider audience.


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Gabriele Bitter
 

Gabriele Bitter


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Raised in Europe, I have been influenced by many different painting styles, which can be seen in my own art. My works have a distinguishable look with my strong colors and textures. Many of my compositions are anchored with geometric shapes and lines, creating both balance and tension.

In addition to painting my non-object abstract art pieces I also enjoy painting abstract portraits, creating collages, and mixed media. I enjoy creating prints with modern and old printmaking techniques

My works have been exhibited in art galleries and organizations throughout Germany and the United States. My art was also featured in "Project 36" with Theater Arts West and the Playwrights and Artists Series II, and See Me gallery. And I am an artist at the Finer Arts Gallery in Cave Creek.


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Geoff Culbertson
 

Geoff Culbertson


ABOUT THE ARTIST

My art is a rediscovery. I began studying fine art, but parenthood led me to a different path. Years later, I've returned to painting, finding solace and expression in the process. Inspired by abstract impressionists, I mainly paint landscapes not as literal scenes, but as emotional spaces. I focus on capturing feeling and atmosphere through color and gesture, inviting viewers to experience nature's beauty in a new way.


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Karin Berg
 

Karin berg


ABOUT THE ARTIST

I have always been drawn to pottery ever since I made my first piece as a child. It wasn’t until I was looking for a way to de‐stress from my corporate job that I signed up for my pottery class – and I’ve been a “potter” since. I’ve found the touch, feel, and making aspects of clay addictive. My inspiration comes from many sources even though you might not find explicit direct links to my work. All sorts of primitive pottery, the works of Joan Miro, fabric art, and the clean lines of Scandinavian design are all of interest to me.

I choose to make many types of container forms but am continually drawn back to making bottles or forms with spouts as well as coil built bowls. I use both coil and slab building techniques as I find these techniques restful and endlessly fascinating. My hope is that my pots bring pleasure to those who pick them up and use them.


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Mikkii Bendotti
 

mikki bendotti


ABOUT THE ARTIST

From the time I was a little girl, growing up in Ohio, I have been sketching people, animals, and their surroundings. I can remember sketching horses in second grade. If I did not chatter too much during class, my second-grade teacher would reward me by posting my horse art work on the classroom walls.

As I grew older, rather than taking traditional class notes, I perfected the ability to draw illustrations of what my teacher was teaching us in class. I used the illustrations to study for test and ... Wow! amazed my teacher with making high grades in all of my subjects!

When I had my own students, I taught my students how to use drawings to help them retain information visually. And, they also were very successful in passing tests and being promoted to the next grade.

As an Elementary School Principal, I sketched our students and teachers engaged in the learning process to reinforce the great teaching and instruction taking place. Art in the practical sense has been a constant in my life, because it translates our "Verbal Learning into Visual Learning - and Vice-Versa"

Now that I am retired, I’m working with oils and watercolors, however, I prefer acrylics. Most often, I paint people engaged in the “Human Experience” called life. My goal is to communicate something very unique about the people I paint – something that a camera might not pick up. When I paint a portrait, if successful, there is a point while I am painting, that the person in the painting truly seems to look back at me and – for a moment we become one in the same place within a “Human Experience.” I can think of nothing more rewarding! I have taught others how to draw and paint portraits. I have seen the same joy on their faces when they achieve the personal essence in their art work. And, they too have experienced the “Human Experience.”

As I continue to enhance my “Art Vision and Missions Quest,” I hope to acquire the required knowledge, skills, and experience to be able to create art that reflects one of my favorite Bible verses:
“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ... think (paint) on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

I truly am looking forward to becoming a member of Ground Floor Artists, and have the opportunity to develop both professional and personal powerful colleague relationships. I have been juried into local artists organizations exhibits including*:

  • Arizona Artist Guild (11/19/17, 3/4/18,2/25/18,4/25/21) Now a Juried Member

  • Glendale Art Council (1/10/18,1/8/19,1/3/20)

  • Portrait Artists of Arizona (11/2/19,10/3/19,1/8/20)

  • Scottsdale Artist School (1/28/19,1/21/20,1/8/21)

*Art pieces selected for "Ground Floor Artist Directory" have been previously Juried by one of the above "Local Artist Organizations".


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Joanne Allen-Walker
 

Joanne Allen-Walker


ABOUT THE ARTIST

I’ve been called a creative, mixed media artist, floral designer, crafter and simply an artist. If there was only one simple phrase for everything I’ve done, I’d love it.

Years ago, I started with pressed flowers and I showed samples to a local shop. The owner liked the work but wanted to pay pennies for it. Deflated, I walked out of the shop and noticed a new craft gallery across the way. I walked across the street and presented to the owner. She liked my work and offered me a space. And so started a wonderful friendship that still exists today.

I started with pressed flowers from my garden and then moved to larger flowers, dried and silk arrangements, mosaics and painted furniture. I was also doing craft shows, working with designers and local shops to create custom items.

Since retiring, I’ve been able to allow my creative side to flourish by exploring different ideas and mediums such as art dolls, blackout poetry, and ink line drawing.


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S. Simmerman
 

Sarah simmerman


ABOUT THE ARTIST

From her studio in Surprise, Arizona, Sarah combines vivid colors, dynamic textures, and geometric forms to create bold abstract compositions. Her abstract style has been built from years of practicing art in a variety of styles and mediums. Sarah is inspired by the beauty of the Phoenix area, often using colors and abstracted shapes she sees along the hiking trail. Many of her pieces are introspective, a therapeutic release for emotions and challenges she experiences throughout life. Her original abstract paintings can be seen in exhibitions around the valley, recognizable by her unique style and technique.

Sarah began her studies in art at a young age, taking art classes after school and eventually ended up following this passion to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Throughout her studies, Sarah has experimented with multiple disciplines and mediums but primarily works with acrylics.

www.simmermanfineart.com
www.instagram.com/sarahsim_art
www.facebook.com/ArtbySarahSim/


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Tannaz Rouhani

Tannaz Rouhani


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Tannaz Rouhani is a local artist living in Peoria Arizona. She is a self-taught, full-time abstract artist. With no formal training she has embraced the freedom of abstraction and cultivated a unique, intuitive approach to the arts.

Her creative journey began when she simply sat down with a canvas and a brush allowing instinct and emotion to guide her. What began as a way to relieve stress evolved into a peaceful process of relaxation and self-discovery.

She primarily uses acrylic paints and other elements to achieve her completed artwork. Her artwork reflects the exploration of color and moments of emotion and movement, she creates dynamic compositions. She likes to connect and communicate with her audience and push the limits of abstract expression.


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Michelle Kohout

Michelle Kohout


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Michelle is a clay artist. Her work focuses body image, caretaking, and her experiences.


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Rita Chester

Rita Chester


ABOUT THE ARTIST

A Journey Through Fibers: My Artistic Evolution

My journey as an artist is deeply intertwined with my family's legacy. Growing up, I was surrounded by creativity: my mother's ceramic artistry, my grandmother's vibrant paintings, and my grandfather's skilled woodworking. This constant exposure to different mediums nurtured my artistic spirit and instilled in me the importance of expression. Being a fifth generation quilter, the threads of creativity ran deep, weaving artistic heritage into my very being.

I began my artistic journey as a successful watercolor and fiber artist, my works finding homes in galleries across the United States. Yet, fate had a different path in store for me.

One serendipitous moment on the internet, I stumbled upon an artist crafting stunning bowls using felt. Intrigued, I dove into the world of felting, acquiring the necessary tools and materials. My first wet felted creation marked a pivotal turning point; a new artistic language that spoke to my soul.

Living in Hawaii and now Arizona has shaped my art. Nature's beauty and the cultural richness of my surroundings serve as endless sources of inspiration. Each day, I find myself exploring innovative techniques, refining my vision, and deepening my connection to the art of felting.

I am profoundly grateful for the generosity of fellow fiber artists who have shared their wisdom and for the opportunity to carry on this artistic legacy within my family. Felting, in its tactile nature, has become more than just a medium; it's a reflection of my evolution as an artist, a testament to the boundless possibilities of creative expression.


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Beth Cornell

Beth Cornell


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Beth's artistry is ordinary and extraordinary, visionary, and modern. Her work in acrylic painting is within the definition of raw or brut art. However, she has been known to paint a realistic oil portrait or two. For more than 40 years, Beth has provided artistic products and services. From web and digital graphic design to writing and publishing, her services have propelled clients’ success in industries as varied as home construction, pet services, retail, and spiritual services.

Beth has maintained her standing as a local Arizona artists through participation in regional groups and communities.

- Awarded an Individual Artist Grant from West Valley Arts Council in 2007.

- Founding Board member of AFGA/El Mirage Arts Group 2013.

- Supporting artist at Phoenix Pride's artist alley 2010-2018.

Websites:
www.bethcornell.com
www.benicedesign.com


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