Rocky Mountain Hi Artists

Welcome to Rocky Mountain Hi Artists

Download or read the October Newsletter

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Our next meeting is October 16th at the Garden Plaza

Project taught by Andrene

Our little group of painters has been around since 1975, and we're still going strong. Our members enjoy using many mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil and fabric painting. As new ideas and techniques emerge, we enjoy getting together and trying them out.
Over the years we've had many seminars, learning from teachers from all over the country. In the past few years we've used Zoom classes as needed. If you enjoy painting or have ever wanted to try painting, we'd love for you to join us at a meeting or two. You'll meet some amazing people who love to paint. Whether you're a seasoned painter or brand new beginner you'll enjoy yourself, and make a new friend or two. Check our meeting schedule. We generally meet the third Monday evening of each month at 6:30 pm (barring a blizzard...) In the warmer months we sometimes meet to paint in a members backyard or maybe have an art show at a different venue. We try to keep it interesting! Hope to meet you at our next meeting!
Sincerely, Ginny Sparlin, President 2023

RMHi Chapter Columbine Library Display
October for Tole Month

Visit the Decorative Painters Academy

A bit of information on the history of SDP and DAC
(National Museum of Decorative Painting)

In 1972, Priscilla Hauser founded the Society of Decorative Painters (SDP). There were 22 people at the first meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Originally, this organization was called the National Society of Tole and Decorative Painters (NSTDP) and was primarily for painting teachers. In fact, instead of the certification title we know today as MDA (Master Decorative Artist), the original designation was MDT (Master Decorative Teacher). The mission of the Society was to "raise and maintain a national level of high quality in teaching tole and decorative painting; stimulate interest in the appreciation for the art of tole and decorative painting; act as a central dissemination point for information concerning activities in the field of tole and decorative painting". SDP still strives to fulfill the original goals, although now on an international level. Under IRS guidelines, SDP is recognized as a "not for profit" corporation, designated as 501(c) (6).

Ten years later, in 1982, SDP had grown to 17,000 members--What an accomplishment!! Based on a membership survey and the recommendations of a Task Force and the SDP Board of Directors, the bylaws underwent major changes. To quote President Mary Lou Garrison, "The response to the recommendations from this Board proves that the Society is truly a group willing to look to the future, meet the challenges and, best of all, work together to further the goals of the Society".

It was in 1982 that a new corporation was formed, the Decorative Arts Collection Incorporated (DAC). It was the goal of the DAC to collect and preserve outstanding examples of historic and contemporary decorative art, to maintain a museum collection, and to educate. The DAC was renamed The National Museum of Decorative Painting and eventually moved to Atlanta, GA. After several years of trying to maintain the museum it finally closed in 2018 and the former National Museum of Decorative Painting has now been moved to the SDP offices in Wichita, Kansas, and is on display there.

Update: SDP has since been restructured with the SDP Foundation and no longer has offices in Wichita.

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