2023
AAG was the site of the January 29, 2023 meeting to select scholarships. Attending this meeting were six committee members from AAG, Arizona Clay Association and Dyanne Locati representing AWA / Del Decil scholarships, led by Chairman, Tess Mosko Scherer. Tess had a power point presentation showing art major students asking for the chance to receive one of our eleven, $1,000. Scholarship Awards. AAG gives out several scholarships from private donors and the AAG Association. The Arizona Clay Association’s $1,000. contribution was a new addition this year to the program. AWA / Del Decil Scholarship gives three very deserving students $1,000. each for their presentation. The total donation is: $11,200. from all three organizations.
AWA / Del Decil three scholarships were awarded to: Arianna Barley, Claire Taylor and Mehraveh Vahediyan
Student Scholarship Show West Valley Art Museum Address: 8401 W. Monroe Street, Peoria, AZ Dates: February 9 to March 23, 2023 | Student Scholarship Reception: AAG Address: 18411 North 7th Ave. Phoenix, AZ Date: March 21, 2023 Time: 6:30 to 9:00 |
Arianna Barley



Claire Taylor



Mehraveh Vahediyan



Dyanne Locati, AWA Scholarship Chair
Carole Matthews, AWA Scholarship Raffle Table
Del Decil Scholarship Fund
Stella Waters Decil (Del) was a prolific oil and watercolor artist and longtime member of AWA. A popular workshop instructor and juror in Arizona and New Mexico, she was a teacher of painting and drawing for the Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department. She critiqued art students at Maricopa Tech and was a juror of the Youth Division AZ State Fair. She was published in numerous magazines and newspapers, and her paintings hung in several collections in 20 states.
A monetary legacy was bequeathed from her estate to be used for college art students. This program was developed in 2009 under the direction of AWA President, Diane Parnitzke. The program offers up to $3000, to be awarded to the student (s) whose artwork demonstrates artistic merit and achievement in the area of water-media. The winning student (s) receives the scholarship to the school of their choice for tuition/books/art materials.
Joint Venture with AWA and AAG
AWA was fortunate to recently join Arizona Artists Guild Scholarship Committee in the task of finding candidates for the AWA Del Decil Scholarship. AAG is well known among the local colleges and frequently had candidates who submitted water media artworks to their committee. Because of these contacts, and the well-established process, AWA was able to reach a broader group of students to receive our scholarship. Note: the Del Decil Scholarship is given from the fund established by Del Decil in her legacy and does not impact AWA’s operating funds.
Past scholarship recipients:
2018: Michael Loren Diaz
2019: Breanna Kohlmeyer, Kareem Ferreira, Lee Davenport
2020: Ruchi Ukhade, John Bedard
2021: Kelsey Philips and Hannah Schollmacher
2022: Eli Duarte, Emily Kray, Jesus Sanchez