GRANTS

Grants

Tifft Grants

It is SAWG’s unique privilege to recommend artists for consideration by the Tifft Heritage Fund to honor and preserve the artwork of the late Janet Tifft and ongoing scientific work of Dr. William Grant Tifft. Eligible artists who have developed advanced water-based skills may receive a grant to expand their creative horizons by reviewing Janet Tifft’s artwork and honoring her contribution to the art community. As you will see, grant recipients are required to generate a creative response to Janet’s approaches to art.

SAWG member artists that have received the Tifft Grant:

Kat Manton-Jones 2018
Dan Thomas 2019
Terri Gay 2020
Kathy McLean 2020
Tad Lamb 2021
Tracy Lynn Ross 2022
Sandy Walker 2023

Stories of how the recipients used their grant money honoring Janet Tifft:

Kat Manton-Jones, Tifft Grant recipient in 2018, Kat was grateful to have been the first recipient of this generous grant. The greatest benefit she received as a recipient was having the privilege to explore, in depth, the intimate spaces of Janet’s creative endeavors. Bill Tifft, Janet’s husband, was extremely generous in permitting Kat access to Janet’s paintings, sketchbooks, and studio.

View Kat's report on how she used the Tifft Grant to further her art education.

Dan Thomas, Tifft Grant recipient in 2019, Dan was inspired by Janet Tifft's attention to illustrating plants and a few small animals of the desert and so he wanted to try his hand at Botanical Illustration. Painted in order of difficulty were four watercolor illustrations of botanicals.

Review Dan's report on how he used the Tifft Grant to further his art education.

Terri Gay, Tifft Grant recipient in 2020, did a study of Janet Tifft’s process of how she prepared for a painting. Janet would always have a sketchbook with her. Her sketches limited the amount of visual data chosen for her paintings. Her linework is one of Terri’s favorite aspects of Janet’s work. Janet's four step process for painting was sketching for composition, value study, color study, and final composition.. Below is Terri’s example of the Linda Vista Trail sequence using this process.

View Terri's report on how she used the Tifft Grant to further her art education.

Kathy McLean, Tifft Grant recipient in 2020, has chosen to commemorate the artistic life of Janet Tifft by producing an instructional art class for the SAWG membership. We celebrate Kathy’s selection for the grant and encourage you to share in her interpretation of Janet’s artistic approach to art.

"Inspiration in Watercolor from the Janet Tifft Heritage Fund"

Kathy McLean - Instructor

Level: Beginner

Explore painting flowers and milk glass on a contemporary background. This online watercolor class will be a painting inspired by the works of Janet Tifft. It is open to all levels of skill but is especially designed for beginners and timid painters. Janet was an artist and a teacher, and the Tifft Heritage Fund purpose is to honor and share her artistic life and works. With a little investment in quality paper and paints, you can paint this in a 2-hour web class.