The artistic genius of Sun City residents will take center stage this fall at the third annual Colors of Sun City Gallery Exhibition. This two-day event, put on by the Pencil and Palette Charter Club, showcases the amazing talent right in Sun City. The exhibition will take place in Prairie Lodge, occupying the Fountain View, Birch, and Cedar rooms, on Saturday, September 19, from 1-5 p.m., and will continue on Sunday, September 20, from 1-4 p.m. Admission is completely free, though voluntary donations are accepted.
The mission of the club focuses entirely on nurturing artists at all skill levels. The club embraces beginner, intermediate, and advanced talents alike — within a warm, supportive, and social environment.
“The club invites Sun City residents to discover, understand, and appreciate the artist within,” said Linda Wadman, vice president of the Pencil and Palette Charter Club. “This annual exhibition acts as a grand culmination of that creativity. Attendees may expect an expansive display featuring over 160 original, handcrafted pieces meticulously created by over 50 distinct local artists.”
The assortment highlights a stunning variety of traditional and contemporary mediums, making sure there is something to capture every eye, including rich oil landscapes, vibrant acrylics, delicate watercolors, soft pastels, detailed pencil sketches, and unique mixed-media pieces.
Bringing an art event of this massive scale to life requires an immense amount of planning, coordination, and cooperative teamwork. Event co-chair Carolyn Gordon emphasized that volunteers operate behind the scenes to make the weekend an effortless experience for visitors.
“It takes a lot of volunteers to put this event together,” Gordon explained. “We have eight individual committees taking care of setup and teardown, serving the appetizers, working the mocktail bar, and coordinating the intake, display, and eventual return of the art pieces, along with all the other activities including the raffle. It takes about 30 dedicated people to help make the event a success.”
Gordon also extended an enthusiastic, open invitation to any residents looking to explore their own creative side, encouraging neighbors to stop by the Pencil and Palette Charter Club’s art room during normal club hours to see what members are doing, gather more information, view inspiring artwork, and pick up membership forms.
Beyond simply browsing the static gallery walls, attendees are given the unique opportunity to experience art coming to life through spontaneous, pop-up live demonstrations scheduled throughout the entire weekend. These participatory sessions give guests an up-close view of the creative process, delivering a rare insight into the technical mastery required to build a professional piece.
“There will be demonstrations by Jim Gruber as well as other random demonstrations in various media on a pop-up basis,” Wadman said.
While observing these live techniques take place on the exhibition floor, guests can also indulge in complimentary appetizers and visit a mocktail bar featuring a menu of refreshing drink options. Lively, festive, and joyful music will ring through the lodge rooms, courtesy of live musical entertainment provided by the Ukuladies.
For art enthusiasts hoping to bring a piece of the exhibition home, select original works of art on display will be available for purchase.
“The key is to look closely at the individual title card placed next to each painting,” Wadman explained regarding how to identify which pieces are available for acquisition. In fact, Wadman noted, “at least six of our artists have items for sale at the Huntley Art Hub gallery at the corner of Main and Route 47.”
To respect community rules and maintain the venue’s non-commercial nature, specific rules apply to these purchases.
“All sales of these paintings must take place privately, after the show ends on Sunday, outside of the lodge and other Sun City common areas,” Wadman clarified.
Another massive highlight of the weekend that visitors will not want to miss is the special art raffle featuring Mighty Minis. Wadman described these exclusive raffle prizes as “small, 5×7 beautiful paintings created with mediums of acrylic, watercolors, and multi-media, with some presented in elegant black frames. These are perfect prizes that are easily giftable.”
Sun City residents interested in joining the Charter Club and exploring membership benefits can do so by visiting the official Sun City Community Association Huntley website at www.sccah.com under the Charter Clubs section. Please contact co-chairs Carolyn Gordon at 772-343-8189 or Linda Wadman at 847-707-2278 regarding the exhibit. Membership questions can be directed to Barbara Schramm at 847-436-0780 or Linda Wadman.
