Images Arizona: Anthem November 2016 Issue

GOLDY, BONES & CHRISIE FUNARI

Tramonto Anthem Desert Hills New River

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Giving Ava a Voice November 2016 IMAGESAZ .C OM

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Contents

PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

EDITOR/CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jenn Korducki Krenn

ART DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT Jennifer Satterlee

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ana Petrovic

STAFF WRITER Grace Hill

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom Scanlon Monica Longenbaker Gregory Granillo Stephanie Maher Palenque Shannon Severson Katherine Braden Lara Piu Rebecca Zaner

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Loralei Lazurek Keri Meyers Michele Celentano Monica Longenbaker Brandon Tigrett

ADVERTISING SALES Loren Sheck

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ 85377 623-341-8221 imagesaz.com Submission of news for Community News section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2016 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited.

The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

Giving Ava a Voice Goldy, Bones & Chrisie Funari pictured Writer Katherine Braden Photographer Loralei Lazurek P. 58

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Local First A R I Z O NA

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Welcome

I

It’s an annual event that many residents in the Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale communities — not to mention visitors from all over the world — look forward to all year long. Hidden in the Hills, the Sonoran Arts League’s signature event that brings excitement, enrichment and artistic awareness throughout the two weekends that bookend Thanksgiving. This November, the renown studio tour and sale celebrates 20 years.

Picture this: When the original Hidden in the Hills artist studio tour began, none of the participating artists had a website, and only a handful even had cellphones. Word-of-mouth combined with occasional postcard mailings were the informal marketing strategies to promote the original 44 artists and 19 studios.

Lennon goes on tour P. 42

And yet, as is always the case when you’re onto something good, the quality of the event spoke for itself. Two decades later, Hidden in the Hills features an astonishing 188 artists at 47 studios, and the League has grown from fewer than 75 to more than 650 members.

Enclosed is this issue is the official studio map for this year’s tour. Whether you’re a Hidden in the Hills newbie or a seasoned veteran, take some time to plan your journey and make the most of every minute the artists have graciously provided to glean insight into their creative process. Great conversations and potentially lifelong connections await you.

Youth Invasion: PGA Junior League Golf Championships P. 8

Congratulations to this year’s event co-chairs, Pat Bell-Demers and Jane Boggs, as well as the many other League members and artists who have helped make Hidden in the Hills such a huge success.

Here’s to the next 20 years … and beyond!

Enjoy!

Boulder Creek band takes a Holiday Bowl

Baked Gnocchi P. 81

P. 12

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Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

“We found it...Hidden in the Hills!”

ARIZONA’S PREMIER STUDIO TOUR

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS! Engage in the passion and the artistic process at the 20th Annual Hidden in the Hills free, self-guided studio tour and sale!

Purchase original works of fine art directly from nationally recognized and emerging artists.

November 18-20 & 25-27 10 am to 5 pm each day • Cave Creek, Carefree & N. Scottsdale

FREE ADMISSION The collectible 136 page full-color directory shown at right features all participating artists, includes a map and can be purchased in advance for only $5 online at HiddenInTheHills.org or by calling the Sonoran Arts League at 480.575.6624. You can also customize your tour using the interactive map found at HiddenInTheHills.org.

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PGA Junior League Championships Writer Greg Granillo Photography Lonna Tucker

W

We’ve been hearing about it for years now — play is down at courses across the nation, equipment sales are tanking and the demise of the game of golf is upon us. As if that weren’t bad enough, according to the National Golf Foundation, the number of golfers in the U.S. dropped from a high of 30.6 million golfers in 2003 to 24.7 million in 2014.

In response to these numbers, the PGA of America has spent the last few years searching for new ways to appeal to the country’s next generation of golfers.

Enter PGA Junior League Golf.

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It’s one of the game’s fastest-growing programs, and Grayhawk Golf Club is rolling out the red carpet for the league’s championship matches November 19-21.

“We’re honored to host the 2016 PGA Junior League Golf Championship,” says Joe Shershenovich, Grayhawk Golf Club PGA director of golf. “Growing the game of golf is a goal we all share, and hosting this championship is a great opportunity for junior golf in Arizona.”

What is PGA Junior League Golf?

Started in 2011 as a key initiative of PGA REACH, the PGA of America’s charitable arm, PGA Junior

PGA Junior League Golf Championships November 19-21, 2016 Grayhawk Golf Club (Raptor Course), Scottsdale

Krando Nishiba celebrates after holing a 35-foot birdie putt in a playoff that gave Team California the win over Team Georgia in last year's PGA Junior League Championship

League Golf is a national program for boys and girls ages 13 and under. Rather than an individual competition, kids play a scramble format on teams with their friends, complete with numbered jerseys. Each team is captained by a PGA or LPGA teaching professional, who provides instruction and direction.

“The fact that they are playing a scramble relieves a lot of the pressure that comes with playing individually,” says Bob Doyle, PGA player development regional manager for the Southwest.

The scramble format, in which players can choose the best shot between the two of them and both play from that spot until they hole out, encourages teamwork and problem solving.

Krando Nishiba is carried off the ninth hole at Disney's Palm Course after he clinched the 2015 PGA Junior League Golf title for Team California.

“If they hit a bad shot, their partner can help bail them out and they don’t feel discouraged,” says Doyle. “It gives everyone the chance to make bogeys and pars, so the kids enjoy the game more and progress faster.”

Over the past two years, participation in the league has grown by 233 percent. Today, it has more than 30,000 youth participants and 2,500 teams in 48 states and all 41 PGA sections. The program even boasts superstars Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson as official PGA Junior League ambassadors.

The Southwest section of PGA Junior League Golf, which includes Arizona and Las Vegas, went from 22 active teams in its first year to 46 teams in 2016. Doyle believes that number will hit 100 in the near future.

“We have definitely seen an uptick in the number of junior golfers out there playing, and it’s encouraging for the future of the game,” he says.

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Team Concept is a Real Winner Despite rumors of golf’s demise, this summer’s Ryder Cup posted record television numbers, including the most-watched day in Golf Channel’s 21-year history on the first day of competition.

Across all three days of coverage from Hazeltine National Golf Club, the Ryder Cup averaged 4.3 million viewers, peaking with 6.4 million on Sunday on NBC. Overall, average viewership was up 95 percent compared to the 2014 Ryder Cup in Scotland.

So what is the secret to its popularity? Is it intense patriotism? Or is it simply more entertaining to see individuals come together as a team to achieve victory, and to have fun doing it?

Arizona’s representation in the 2016 PGA Southwest section championship came to an end on August 28, when the all-star team from the East Valley, consisting of players from Augusta Ranch, Grayhawk and other area courses, was eliminated by a team from the Summerlin area in Las Vegas. The following PGA Junior League Golf All-Star Teams went on to win their regional competitions and have advanced to the PGA Junior League Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, November 19-21:

It turns out it’s a little of both.

Grayhawk’s Shershenovich, who attended this year’s Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in Minnesota, says the environment was electric, and he can certainly see the allure of the biennial event.

“Golf is traditionally an individual sport, so it’s one of the few times we get to see golfers playing in a team competition,” says Shershenovich. “The pros embrace it, they cheer for each other and they have fun. It seems more real. If I’m a kid watching on TV, it’s powerful stuff.”

Midwest Region: Team Illinois, Cog Hill Golf Club (Lemont, Illinois) Mideast Region: Team Ohio, Mallard Creek Golf Club (Columbia Station, Ohio) Southeast Region: Team Georgia, Crooked Stick Golf Club (Alpharetta, Georgia) Mid-Atlantic Region: Team New Jersey, Royce Brook Golf Club (Hillsborough, New Jersey) Northeast Region: Team Connecticut, Suzy Whaley Golf Academy (Cromwell, Connecticut)

Western Region: Team Northern California, Las Positas Golf Course (Livermore, California) Southwest Region: Team Texas, Twin Creeks Country Club (Cedar Park, Texas) Mississippi Valley Region: Team Alabama, Participants from Bocking Golf Academy at Burningtree Country Club (Decatur, Alabama), The Ledges (Huntsville, Alabama), Valley Hill Country Club (Huntsville, Alabama) and Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Hampton Cove (Owens Cross Roads, Alabama)

Although they didn’t make it to the finals, Grayhawk Golf Club fielded team this year, led by captain Joe “Shoe” Shershenovich (left) and coach Brian Miller (right).

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After watching Reed, Fowler, Spieth and company fist-pump and chest-bump their way around Hazeltine last month, there’s no denying that the boys were having the times of their lives while representing their country. For Doyle, that’s what the appeal is all about.

“It’s all about team, an association with a city or town or country — for the Ryder Cup and these kids,” he says. “They play for their buddies, their home course. It’s a big point of pride.”

Grayhawk Rolls Out the Red Carpet Grayhawk is no stranger to big events, having hosted the PGA Tour’s Frys.com Open, Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf, Williams World Challenge (which benefited the Tiger Woods Foundation) and the Thunderbird International Junior. The PGA Junior League Golf Championships at Grayhawk will be no different, as the club plans to treat the tournament much like a PGA event.

“Arizona may never host a U.S. Open, but to us, this is a major,” says Shershenovich, who sees the event following in the footsteps of baseball’s Little League World Series, hosted annually in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

“When a kid wins their regional and makes it to Williamsport, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he says.

“The level of volunteerism and community involvement is tremendous. I just know our golf community has the potential for the same level of support.”

This year, Shershenovich is focused on setting the standard for future PGA Junior League Golf Championships.

“When the kids compete here in November, we look forward to providing each of the eight teams with the same prestigious experience that the world’s best receive,” Shershenovich says.

“It will certainly be unforgettable for the 10 kids who win the championship, but we’re going to ensure that the other 70 kids and their parents who make the trip also have an amazing experience.”

The PGA Junior League Golf Championship features ninehole matches played in a popular two-person scramble format, with points awarded based on number of holes won. Final scoring is based on the record of matches won, tied and lost.

For the championship event at Grayhawk, each team will play three matches between November 19-20 to determine a winner in the East and West divisions. Those two teams will then compete for the championship title on November 21.

Spectators are welcome during all days of competition. pgajlg.com

Event Schedule NOVEMBER 4 - 6, 2016

Thunderbird Artists Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival

NOVEMBER 25 - 27, 2016 Carefree Southwest Art & Indian Market

DECEMBER 9 - 11, 2016 9th Annual Carefree Christmas Festival Snow sculpture by world-renowned artist Ray Villafane CarefreeChristmasFestival.com Amidst the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion at the Carefree Desert Gardens.

Open 365 days a year.

Life as it should be! Carefree.

101 Easy Street Carefree AZ 85377 | 480.488.3686

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BOULDER CREEK

Writer Tom Scanlon Photography by Diana Thompson and Brett Lackey

BC BAND

TAKES A HOLIDAY BOWL

P

oor Brett Lackey. It was so much easier for him back in the early days of the Boulder Creek High School marching band.

This, by the way, is a four-kid band parent. When his oldest, Danielle, joined the BC band in 2006, she was one of just 33 band members, up from 20 when the band started in 2004.

“The pit consisted of one xylophone,” Lackey remembers, with a mix of whimsy and disbelief. “I could just load the stuff in the back of my truck.”

Ten years later, the BC band is 140 members strong — and, yes, quite strong. The big news around Anthem this fall: Boulder Creek is going to a bowl!

Not the football team, the band.

As another band dad, Eric Olson, puts it, “The Boulder Creek band got invited to play in the Holiday Bowl game and parade this year. It is a pretty big college football game over the holiday break in San Diego, and a big honor to be invited.”

He is rightfully proud of his son, Everett, and his bandmates, who made the Super State Finals last year,

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earning recognition as one of the top 10 bands in the state.

So, the good news is that band director James “Mr. O” O’Halloran is leading the Boulder Creek Jaguar Pride bands to some stunning heights. The not-really-that-bad news: Man, it’s a lot more work for everyone!

Olson notes that the band’s doubling in size in recent years has moved it from Division II up to Division I, the top tier in the state.

“That type of growth requires a big jump in coordination and maturity of the individual band members,” he says. “Competing at that level also requires a more demanding music selection and a physical show with increased marching demands and artistry. In the six years we have been involved, we can certainly see the improvement.”

It’s becoming more of a logistical and physical challenge for the band boosters, made up mostly of parents like Lackey, president of the boosters. Remember how Lackey talked about fitting band equipment in the back of his pickup truck? For the trip to San Diego before the December 27 Holiday Bowl, the band boosters will be renting two of the biggest trucks U-Haul has available.

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“Mr. O. was saying it’s one of the biggest nightmares he’s had to go through in terms of logistics,” says Lackey.

Without the band boosters, he’d have far more headaches.

“Mr. O. has to focus on getting the show ready,” Lackey notes.

“We show up at practice every night, fill up water jugs with water and ice. We went through the sizing of all the uniforms.”

The boosters take care of dozens of other things — all the grunt work that comes with putting on a glamorous show.

Lackey’s youngest son, Caden, is a junior who plays baritone in the band. Before him in the BC band marched siblings Brendan, Lindsey and the aforementioned Danielle, who also played clarinet in the Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University marching bands.

In addition to being a family affair for the Lackeys, each year’s band forms its own family unit. The bonding starts in the summer, with a team-building week.

the kids walk away with a firm understanding of teamwork and the enjoyment of being part of what can truly be referred to as a band family.”

“It is a humongous family forum,” Lackey says. “They have so much camaraderie, such a good time. They start out the year with band camp, which has been in Prescott. By the time they start school, they have 140 friends. It’s one big family.”

What was the vibe of the BC band/family when news came down about the Holiday Bowl?

Olson agrees fully. His son, Everett, follows older sister, Kaitlin, who played at BC and now is in the NAU marching band.

“We were all excited to be able to go to California,” says Everett Olson, “since we haven't gone on a big trip like this before. We were also proud to be chosen to go based on our performance from last season.”

Everett is a senior, and was asked to step up this year.

“I was given the opportunity to lead the trumpet section, which helped me learn more about how to lead and inspire my other colleagues,” he says.

The kids in the band put in a huge commitment, with five hours of class time per week, 10-15 hours of group practice and the expectation they’ll be playing on their own to give the school their best. The marching band is a great mental and physical challenge, with students not only having to memorize notes, but the steps and moves that are choreographed for each one.

“Playing the music is the most fun part about being in the band,” says Everett. “The hardest part is the goal to try to achieve perfection in both our music and marching.”

This band dad sees band as a team sport, “but its takes the meaning of team to a much higher level. Everyone in the band is on the starting team. There is no second string and there is no bench. Each individual, whether a new freshman or a senior, has a unique role in the performance, and the entire band is counting on each other — no musical pun intended! As a result,

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The march to perfection continues through the football season, all the way to San Diego. bouldercreekbandboosters.com

Full Service Print Shop

Frequently asked questions via bouldercreekbandboosters.com: Can I do band and play sports?

Yes! We are usually able to work schedules around each other and we have had many band students participate in various sports activities and teams, even at the varsity level.

What bands are there?

We currently have five band classes during the day: wind ensemble, symphonic band, concert band brass, concert band woodwinds and percussion ensemble. We do marching band in the fall (until November) and concert band in the winter and spring months. We also offer several student-led ensembles that meet outside of the regular school day.

Banners Signs BluePrints Cards Magnets Stickers Labels Invoices Notary

Scanning Faxing Email Binding Laminating Folding Cutting Graphic Design Shipping

Mon - Fri 8:00am - 6:00pm Sat 10:00am - 2:00pm 3655 W Anthem Way, Ste A109 Anthem, AZ 85086-2599 www.postnet.com/az115 az115@postnet.com 623-551-1305

Can I audition to make a higher band?

Yes. Audition dates and times will be announced in March. You may then set up a time to come over and audition. Auditions are not required.

Do all band students march?

Yes. All band students are in the marching band that rehearses Monday and Thursday evenings, as well as some Saturdays. (We’ll send you a schedule!) This is the only high school program at BC in which you are a guaranteed varsity member as a freshman.

What does band camp cost?

The cost for band camp is rolled into the fair share payments made by all band members of the program.

What is fair share?

In lieu of constant fundraising, the BC band parents chose, years ago, to pay a “fair share” fee in order to help fund band activities. These funds are used to pay staff fees that are not covered by the school district, writing/design fees, equipment costs, travel costs for transporting instruments and equipment to games and festivals, entry fees that are not covered by the school district and awards. If this is a hardship for anyone, please speak to Mr. O'Halloran. It is our intention to never leave anyone out of this great activity due to financial reasons.

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COMMUNITY arts // announcements // culture Writer Grace Hill

NOV. 4-5

10TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY BAZAAR The annual holiday bazaar at Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church in Carefree will feature more than 70 vendors selling items of pottery, jewelry, artwork, fashions and accessories. Additionally, there will be a Book Nook of gently used books, a Corner Café with breakfast and lunch options, and a Sweets and Treats Shop selling delicious home-baked goodies.

Proceeds from the bazaar will go to community projects focused on making a positive difference. Free.

Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church, 36811 N. Pima Rd., 480-575-5238, oloj.org.

NOV. 4-6

23RD ANNUAL CAREFREE FINE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL

2ND ANNUAL GRAND PRIX OF SCOTTSDALE GATSBY WEEKEND The Roaring ‘20s are back! The public is invited to attend this Gatsby-themed weekend, which includes period 1920s dress and a black-tie gala; a lawn party with wine, spirits, craft beer and restaurant tastings; an exhibition and race of open-wheeled vintage mini racers; a kids’ race and special kids’ zone; and Charleston competitions. The event proceeds will benefit early childhood

More than 150 award-winning fine

programs. 480-527-9779,

artists will showcase their artwork

grandprixscottsdale.com.

in the 23rd annual Carefree Fine

NOV. 5

Art and Wine Festival. Paintings, drawings, charcoals, pastels, sculptures, bronzes and handblown glass are just some of the work that will be displayed.

Featured artist will be oil painter Darrell Thomas. Attendees will also enjoy live music and the tasting of delicious wines, rums and microbrews. Adults, $3; children 18 and younger, free; wine tasting, $10. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Carefree Desert Gardens and Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., 480-837-5637, thunderbirdartists.com.

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NOV. 4-6

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7TH ANNUAL HERBERGER THEATER FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

The Festival of the Arts is a family-friendly event and will include live music, theater and dance performances, a children’s activity area, film shorts, food, pet adoptions, craft beer tasting and more! Proceeds will benefit the Herberger Theater’s youth outreach programs. Free. 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., 602254-7399, herbergertheater.org.

NOV. 2-6

NOV. 5

Hosted by the Cave Creek

Presented by Local First Arizona,

13TH ANNUAL CAVE CREEK WILD WEST DAYS Merchants and Events Association (CCMEA), this family-friendly event will feature all sorts of fun-filled activities, including bathtub races, mutton bustin’, pig racing, cornhole, bull riding, a horseback poker ride and half pie-eating contest. There will also be a bachelor/bachelorette auction with proceeds benefitting CCMEA, a Miss Wild West Days contest, gun raffle, parade and

this event will celebrate all things local. With more than 100 vendors from around Arizona, attendees can sample and peruse various products, foods and drinks. All ages are encouraged to attend. Admission is free and tickets for food sampling and activities will be available for purchase. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Margaret T. Hance Park, 1134 N. Central Ave., 602-956-0909, localfirstaz.com/

motorcycle run. With music

fall-festival.

by Jan Marrou and a special

NOV. 5

performance from the Prescott

12TH ANNUAL CERTIFIED LOCAL FALL FESTIVAL

good time. Free. 480-437-1110,

LIGHT THE NIGHT FUNDRAISING WALK

wildwestdayscavecreek.com.

This year’s Light the Night

Regulators and Their Shady Ladies, it’s sure to be a wild

Fundraising Walk is hosted by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and will celebrate the survivors of blood cancers through music, entertainment and the carrying of illuminated lanterns. The night, dedicated to bringing awareness to blood cancers, will end with a showstopping display of fireworks. 5-7 p.m. Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 5999 E. Van Buren St., lightthenight.org.

NOV. 5-6

PROMUSICA’S THE MASTERS AT THE MOVIES ProMusica Arizona’s first concert of the season is dedicated to great composers who have scored music for famous motion pictures, including “The King’s Speech,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Big Lebowski” and many more!

The concerts will be performed at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Anthem and American Lutheran Church in Sun City.

See website for prices, show times and location details. 623326-5172, pmaz.org.

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NOV. 5-6

46TH ANNUAL LITCHFIELD PARK FESTIVAL OF ARTS The Litchfield Park Festival of Arts returns for its 46th year.

For two days, art enthusiasts and the general public can peruse original art pieces and crafts from more than 250 fine artists and craftsmen.

There will also be live music and entertainment, delicious food booths, festival eateries, sidewalk cafes and wine

Get Out NOV. 9-13

CHARLES SCHWAB CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

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tasting. Free. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Downtown Litchfield Park, 101 W. Wigwam Blvd., 623-734-6526, vermillionpromotions.com.

NOV. 9

ARIZONA ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY MEETING The latest society meeting features Todd W. Bostwick, Ph.D., RPA, who was a Phoenix

The championship returns to

city archaeologist for 21 years

the beautiful and award-winning

at Pueblo Grande Museum and

Cochise golf course, a Jack

is currently the director of

Nicklaus Signature course at

archaeology at the Verde Valley

Desert Mountain in Scottsdale.

Archaeology Center in Camp

The event will allow fans

Verde. He will be presenting

to watch the 36 top points

“The Megalithic Temples and

leaders of the PGA Champions

Tombs of Malta: Early Religion

Tour. Daily tournament grounds

and Ritual in the Mediterranean,

tickets start at $30 and weekly

3,600 B.C.-2,500 B.C.” Reception

passes are $70. Youth 18 and

begins prior to the meeting

under are free all week when

at 7 p.m. Free. 7:30-9 p.m.

accompanied by a ticketed

Good Shepherd of the Hills

adult. Desert Mountain Golf

Episcopal Church, 6502 E.

Club, 10550 Desert Hills Dr.,

Cave Creek Rd., azarchsoc.org/

schwabcup.com.

desertfoothills.

I M AG E SA Z . C O M No vem b er 2 0 1 6

NOV. 10-13

MTA PRESENTS TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD The American masterpiece, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” defined by author Harper Lee as a simple love story, comes to the Musical Theatre of Anthem and prepares to wow audiences through an award-winning cast and production staff. Adults, $19; students, seniors and children 12 and under, $16. See website for show times. Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42323 N. Vision Way, 623-336-6001, musicaltheatreofanthem.org.

NOV. 11

CAREFREE’S VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION The eighth annual Veterans Day Celebration in Carefree will feature exciting patriotic and military music by Don Morosic and his Main Event Swing Band.

The event will also include life stories from veterans of the armed forces. Light refreshments will be served and Packages from Home will also collect items to send to troops. Free.

3-5 p.m. Carefree Desert Gardens and Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., 480-4883686, carefree.org.

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NOV. 11

ANTHEM VETERANS MEMORIAL CEREMONY Hosted by the Anthem Community Council and the

NOV. 11-12, DEC. 2-3

ETANIA GEMS AND JEWELRY TRUNK SHOW The November 11-12 trunk show at Etania Gems and Jewelry will feature local jewelry artist Jennifer Hanscom, who beautifully creates sterling silver pieces that are timeless and elegant. The December 2-3 trunk show will feature Tumblestone Gems and Jewelry, which makes oneof-a-kind jewelry pieces from tumbleweeds found around the state. 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Etania Gems and Jewelry, 6140 E. Cave Creek Rd., 602-4290505, etaniagems.com.

NOV. 12

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION Kick off the holiday season by attending The Outlets at Anthem’s Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration. The event will display the beautiful lights and decorations on the tallest fresh-cut decorated Christmas tree in Arizona! Free. 5-8:30 p.m. Outlets at Anthem, 4250 W. Anthem Way, 623-465-9500, outletsanthem.com.

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Anthem Veterans Memorial support team, the Veterans Day ceremony will pay tribute to the many veterans who have dedicated their lives to this country. The keynote speaker will be retired Adm. Paul David Miller, who had a naval career spanning 30 years. Prior to the ceremony, a special fundraising breakfast will begin at 8 a.m.

The ceremony will then start at 10 a.m. Anthem Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., onlineatanthem.com/avm.

NOV. 14

TRRFCC FAMILY FUN NIGHT

The annual TRRFCC fundraiser will be held at The Buffalo Chip and will include a bake sale, face painting, raffles, horse painting, silent auction and a chuck wagon dinner. TRRFCC, which stands for Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship, is a nonprofit organization working to make a difference in the lives of K-8 students through horsemanship.

Free. 5-8 p.m. 480-272-0929,

NOV. 15

CAVE CREEK MUSEUM’S MINER’S DINNER

The Big Heap will return for its last

awaits guests as they dine outside

show in Cave Creek and will feature

by the historic Golden Reef Stamp

urban and boho furniture, clothing,

Mill at the Cave Creek Museum.

accessories and exotic relics —

After the chuck wagon dinner,

something you won’t see at every

guests will be able to see the stamp

show. The event will also include

mill in action, along with watching

artists, live music, gourmet food

blacksmiths at work, panning for

trucks and performances. $7; kids

gold and enjoying the music of

12 and under, free. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Down Home Arizona. The night

The Big Heap, 3841 N. Schoolhouse

will also include a silent and live

Rd., 480-329-6118, thebigheap.com.

auction. Reservations requested. $55 per person. 4-8:30 p.m. Cave Creek

NOV. 14

488-2764, cavecreekmuseum.org.

Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Dr., 480-

FCC CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT The 6th annual charity golf tournament at Mirabel Golf Club in Scottsdale raises funds for the Foothills Caring Corps, a nonprofit organization supporting older residents in the Northeast Valley. The event will also include hole-in-one prize opportunities, raffle prizes, auction items, drinks and hors d’oeuvres. $400. 8:30 a.m. Mirabel Golf Club, 37100 N. Mirabel Club Dr., 480-488-1105, foothillscaringcorps.com.

THE BIG HEAP RETURNS TO CAVE CREEK

A beautiful night under the stars

trrfcchorsemanship.org.

NOV. 18-20

NOV. 18

UNDERSTANDING FLAVORED OILS AND VINEGARS Presented by Merle Lehman, owner of Gourmet Blends AZ, this class will discuss the best barrel-aged balsamic vinegars and citrus- or herb-infused olive oils, plus how to purchase them locally. The class will also include tastings of different oils and vinegars. $19.99. 3 p.m. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Bldg. B, 480-488-1090, azfcf.org.

NOV. 18-20,

25-27

20TH ANNUAL HIDDEN IN THE HILLS The much anticipated Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour and Sale of Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale is back and celebrating its 20th year. With more than 180 local artists in 47 studio locations, this year is sure to be a hit! Participants can expect to admire and buy impressive paintings, sculptures, jewelry and more. Free, self-guided tour. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 480-5756624, hiddeninthehills.org.

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NOV. 19

3RD ANNUAL AMERICAN MADE MATTERS DAY Support American-made products during Watson’s Hat Shop’s third annual American Made Matters Day. The event will showcase the highquality hats manufactured and built right inside Watson’s Hat Shop, and will also feature American-made watches by professional watchmakers A.M. Cook Wristwatch. Also included in the evenings activities will be raffle prizes and food and drink selections by Indigo Crow.

Watson’s Hat Shop is the Arizona ambassador for the American Made Matters organization. Free. 4-8 p.m.

Watson’s Hat Shop, 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd., Ste. 148, 480-595-9777, watsonshatshop.com.

NOV. 19-20

Annual Carefree Christmas Festival,

6-8 p.m. Las Tiendas Center, 6130 E.

December 9-11, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Cave Creek Rd.

on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.

DEC. 9-11

to 5 p.m. on Sunday; and Carefree

CAREFREE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

February 10-12 from 10 a.m. to 5

Save the date! The ninth annual

p.m. Admission is free. For more

Carefree Christmas Festival will

information, visit carefreeazfestivals.

return the second weekend in

com or call 480-488-2014.

December. This family-friendly event

Artisan Gifts and Chocolate Festival,

the Arizona desert. There will be

ARIZONA MUSICFEST KICKS OFF 26TH SEASON

a stunning display of lights, an

Arizona Musicfest is better than

appearance by Santa, real snow,

ever before! Starting off the season,

a holiday gift market, nighttime

from October 28 through November

carriage rides and much more.

7, is Arizona Musicfest’s inaugural

Free. Friday and Saturday: 10

Fall Fest, a four-concert schedule

a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. to

featuring Melissa Manchester and

5 p.m. Carefree Desert Gardens

the Midtown Men: The Original Cast

and Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion,

of Broadway’s Jersey’s Boys. New

100 Easy St., 480-488-2051,

and old patrons can also expect

carefreechristmasfestival.com.

23 concerts throughout the season,

offers a magical winter holiday in

which includes Chris Botti, Mirage:

SONORAN ARTS LEAGUE FINDS NEW LOCATION

Visions of Fleetwood Mac, The

Sonoran Arts League has found a

Romance and many more. For more

A joyous Christmas it will be when

new home at Stagecoach Village in

information on ticket prices, show

guests attend AZDance’s holiday

Cave Creek. Sonoran Arts League

times and locations, visit azmusicfest.

event. Many talented dancers will

executive director Pat Bell-Demers

org or call 480-840-0457.

dance to favorite Christmas and

says, “This new space will allow us

holiday music under the artistic

to consolidate resources into one

direction of Kenda Newbury.

location and permanently house

SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL AWARDS CASH GRANTS

AZDance is a nonprofit professional

programs, offices, classrooms,

The Soroptimist Live Your Dream:

dance company that integrates

meetings, events and public art

Education and Training Awards

professional dancers with those who

spaces.” The address for the new

for Women provides cash grants

have different abilities. Check website

location is 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd.,

to women who are bettering their

for ticket prices, show times and

Ste. 143 and 144. The League’s

lives through additional schooling

location. 602-787-7738, azdance.org.

Gallery at el Pedregal will remain at

and skills training. To be eligible

DEC. 3

el Pedregal. For more information,

for the award, applicants must

visit sonoranartsleague.org.

be women who provide primary

AZDANCE PRESENTS A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS

SANTA AND FRIENDS HOLIDAY EVENING

22

all dressed for the holiday season.

Manhattan Transfer, A Broadway

financial responsibility for themselves and their dependents; attend an

Join Santa and his helpers for a

MAGIC BIRD FESTIVALS ANNOUNCES 2016-17 SCHEDULE

holiday event at Las Tiendas. Guests

Magic Bird Festivals is happy

a vocational skills training program;

will meet local artists at Bryan’s

to announce the schedule for

and need financial assistance. The

Black Mountain Barbecue, Western

their popular Southwest-inspired

application deadline is November 15,

Delights, Saddle Up Gallery and

festivals, featuring live music and

2016. For more information, contact

Etania Gems and Jewelry. Guests will

performances, international cuisine

Cynthia Driskell at 480-488-9095 or

also enjoy the baked goods of Las

and artist exhibits. The schedule

cdpt@aol.com.

Tiendas newest addition, It’s a Divine

is as follows: Carefree Southwest

Bakery Shop. And kids will love

Art and Indian Market, November

meeting the Mobile Minis, tiny horses

25-27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 9th

I M AG E SA Z . C O M No vem b er 2 0 1 6

undergraduate degree program or

Redefining cancer care starts here.

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W

When Anthem honors veterans at the fifth annual Veteran’s Day celebration on November 11, a very special guest will give the keynote address. Retired Navy Adm. Paul David Miller is the former Commander in Chief United States Atlantic Command and served concurrently as NATO Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. In addition to numerous personal, foreign, unit and campaign awards, he is a recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Medal from the U.S. Army, Navy (five awards), Air Force and Coast Guard.

Service to country comes naturally to Miller and his family. His father served as a second class petty officer with USS Farragut (Driving 348) during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He recalls growing up with then-Chief Petty Officer H.S. Miller, who was heavy on discipline and taught values

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ADM. PAUL DAVID MILLER

Highest Honors Writer Shannon Severson Photo by Mike Spinelli

engendered in our nation’s finest: duty, responsibility, accountability, integrity and the simple value of hard work.

Both of Adm. Paul David Miller’s sons went on to serve as naval officers and are Iraq veterans. One was a Navy doctor with the Marines during two Iraq deployments, and the other on a guided missile cruiser in the Persian Gulf.

“Between my father, my sons and myself, our family has more than 70 consecutive years of military participation,” says Miller.

As someone who rose to the highest ranks of the United States military, it is notable that Miller was not a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

“I joined the Navy because the draft was ongoing,” says Miller. “I had completed an MBA at the University of Georgia and draft letters were being received. For me, it was easy to seek out a Navy recruiter and join to secure a slot in naval officer candidate school.”

After completing Officer Candidates School, he was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve in December 1964. Upon completing initial sea tours, the last of which was a missile destroyer with deployments to Vietnam, it came time to make a decision. It was 1969, and Miller could leave the Navy or stay.

He decided to extend for one more tour of duty, this time in Washington, D.C. There, he met then-Lt. Ron Tucker, now an Anthem resident and retired rear admiral, and began a friendship that has spanned more than four decades.

In the post-Vietnam era, Adm. Elmo “Bud” Zumwalt had been appointed chief of naval operations by President Richard Nixon, becoming the youngest person ever to serve in that role. Miller

remembers him as a dynamic individual, responsible for modernizing personnel guidelines and instituting policies that eased tensions with minorities.

Zumwalt keyed in on policies that would attract and retain young officers. His changes to the patterns for promotion were key to Miller making the Navy his career.

“I was very fortunate to be part of the eligible field who was promoted early,” says Miller. “As with any opportunity, once you’ve demonstrated that you have the ability to perform, you get the chance to do it again. After my first early command, I went to the Naval War College and then to the Pentagon on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations.”

Miller’s upward trajectory continued.

He attended an executive management program at Harvard Business School and went directly to command a guided missile destroyer. He then worked for the commander in chief of the Pacific.

Miller was then the executive assistant for John Lehman, who was Ronald Reagan’s young Secretary of the Navy. In 1986, he commanded the USS Enterprise (CVN65) Battle Group, then the U.S. Seventh Fleet, and finally the U.S. Atlantic Command and served as NATO Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic.

All that was left was to be named to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But this appointment was not to be, and Miller retired on October 30, 1994. He took with him a lifetime of adventures and leadership lessons that were immediately put to use in a private sector career. Leaving earlier than his four-star contemporaries allowed him to go to industry in a leadership role.

“I left the Navy simply because I ran out of altitude and air speed,” says Miller. “I went into industry because

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Adm. Paul David Miller

there was an opportunity to be rewarded for performance.

When one door closed in the military, another opened in industry. I was able to provide for my family in another way — through success in business.”

Miller went on to serve as president and CEO of Sperry Marine, a maritime navigation equipment company, and then as chairman and CEO of Alliant Techsystems, an aerospace defense sector company specializing in rocket propulsion, missile and ammunition production. Since retiring from industry, he serves on the boards of directors for Donaldson Teledyne and Huntington Ingalls Industries.

As a veteran, the switch to civilian life was a huge change.

Miller had to swiftly transition from leading the entire Atlantic Command to managing finance, manufacturing, sales and international markets. He didn’t have much time to miss being in the military because he was so busy. Miller took on the task as just another assignment and went to work.

“I was comfortable in a business leadership role because I had learned many of the tenets of leadership from my father and from my time in the military,” says Miller. “It’s about making the right decisions and putting the right people in leadership roles. As in the Navy, you have to know and trust that your people are doing what they need to do and doing it with excellence. Then, you can spend time on business units and operating divisions that need more focused help.

“Leadership is absolutely key. You need to have the facility and ability to communicate personally with employees at all levels.”

Miller made it a point to spend as much time with the employees on the manufacturing floor as he did with

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management. Similarly, when he was on an aircraft squadron or ship, he spent equal time with the mechanics as with the top brass in the ready room.

“It’s important that everyone feels like they’re working on one goal, and that’s to make the company successful,” says Miller.

Miller doesn’t often speak publicly, but was drawn in by the information that Rear Adm. Ron Tucker sent him. He was impressed by the work of the Anthem Veterans Memorial committee and the individuals who will represent the wars in which they participated. This, coupled with the uniqueness of the memorial, made this event especially compelling.

“As a veteran, and having a family of veterans, it’s been our honor and responsibility to serve,” says Miller. “Our family continued the work that members of our armed forces have done since 1776 in ensuring our freedom and giving us the greatest country on Earth in which to live.”

The Anthem Veterans Memorial ceremony will take place on November 11 at 10 a.m. in Anthem Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy. Ceremony attendees are encouraged to arrive early to attend the fundraising breakfast provided by the St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Parish Knights of Columbus beginning at 8 a.m. There is limited seating and parking, so lawn chairs and off-site parking are encouraged.

The ceremony will last approximately 70 minutes and lead to the 11:11 a.m. memorial moment when the sun's rays pass through the ellipses of the five Armed Service pillars, casting a perfect solar spotlight over the mosaic of The Great Seal of the United States. onlineatanthem.com/avm

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Hidden

Hills

in the

FEATURED

COVER ARTIST LINDA KORSTAD

I

If ever there was an artist who could inspire others to follow their dreams, it’s Linda Korstad. The South Dakota native overcame many hurdles on her way to becoming an accomplished mixed media sculptor, but she never gave up. Her hard work and persistence paid off, as Korstad’s whimsical piece, “Wishing and Hoping,” was chosen by the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League to be this year’s featured piece of fine art on the 20th annual Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour and Sale artist directory.

Photographer Faberman Photography

Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer Photographer Greg Korstad

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The artist directory has become a staple of the popular tour, which features a record 188 artists at 47 studios this year during the last two weekends of November. While patrons can customize and download a map at hiddeninthehills.org, the four-color, glossy artist directory includes a comprehensive listing of participating artists with an image of their art; a large, easy-to-read map of the studios; and advertisements from participating artists.

Carole Perry, the event’s marketing chair, says the artist directory has become a collectible over the years.

“Back in 1997, our budget for the entire tour was $250, so we didn’t start printing the artist directory until 1999,” says Perry, a glass artist who has opened her studio to patrons for all 20 years of the tour. “Our first cover featured a brilliant piece by Claudia Hartley. As Hidden in the Hills grew, we found that people not only collected the directories, they looked forward to learning who the featured cover artist was.”

Celebrate 20 years with owners Carole Perry and Don Carroll!

Sculptural Glass ... ... and Functional Glass

And Introducing ...

New Guest Artist ~ Fine Jeweler MANON

Each year, participating artists are invited by the Sonoran Arts League to submit original pieces for consideration during a cover artist selection process, which took place in May. More than 100 pieces of art were submitted before the committee chose Korstad’s piece for this year’s milestone anniversary artist directory.

“There were some amazing entries, as there are every year, but Linda’s sculpture stood out,” Perry says. “We all actually wanted it for the cover last year, but as we were using multiple images that year, we couldn't seem to make it all fit together aesthetically. The minute we saw her submission this year, I think everyone knew this was the absolute statement piece for our new directory image, and it had to fill the cover.”

Studio 16 ~ Hidden in the Hills 480.488.6070 www.LaughingGlass.com studio@LaughingGlass.com November 2016 IMAGESAZ .C OM

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A Scottsdale resident, Korstad exhibits her work in a Prescott gallery, Van Gogh’s Ear, and she has been a juried artist in the prestigious Sculpture in the Park Show and Sale in Loveland, Colorado for eight years.

Her career path took her on many turns, and it wasn’t until she gave herself permission to completely trust herself that she pursued sculpting as her vocation.

“I pursued art several times during a span of 30 years,” Korstad says. “There was something holding me back each time, but I always ended up returning to art in the form of photography, printmaking, painting and now sculpture.”

With a business administration degree, Korstad landed a job in her 30s in advertising. Following her love for animals, she eventually settled into a career of training, exhibiting and breeding Afghan Hounds, a striking breed of dogs known for their long silky coat and aristocratic, aloof demeanor.

Her love affair with these hounds combined with hard work lasted 25 years, and resulted in many nationally-recognized champions.

When a back injury made it difficult for her to continue her passion with the Afghan Hounds, she decided to revisit her first love and explore the possibilities of art-making.

She was drawn to working with clay, and with the encouragement of her husband, Greg, she immersed herself in her work. She also made a point of surrounding herself with talented ceramist friends and seeking the help of mentors.

“I’m like a little fish in a big pond,” she says of her artist colleagues, whom she holds with such high regard. “Being in their presence inspires me to be better.”

Her whimsical creations begin with clay components using iconic shapes and forms. These components combined with found objects are reconfigured in a subtle, contemporary way, with a slight humorous spin to create her mixed media sculptures.

“I love to incorporate recycled materials in my work,” she says, adding that she’ll sometimes spend

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the day scouring thrift stores, flea markets and antique shops for quirky items. “I spend a lot of time experimenting with repetitive concepts, so I’ll often buy multiples of oddities and store them in my studio bins until I’m ready to play.”

Her colorful studio houses two kilns, dozens of paint canisters and glazes, buckets of brushes and bins of sculpting and texturizing tools. It is full of sculptural pieces in various stages of completion.

“Sometimes I’ll start a piece and need to wait until that special something shows up to complement it,” she says. “When working with clay using handbuilt techniques, I’ve learned timing is everything. It can be a hurry-up-and-wait process, but the time is worth the wait.”

Yellow Post-it notes and magazine clippings are strewn around her studio, helping her keep track of her thoughts and inspirations.

“When ideas come to me, I add them to the list, and Greg helps me organize my list of lists,” she says, laughing.

Korstad, who will exhibit and sell her mixed media pieces at studio 14, says she still has to pinch herself about being selected as this year’s Hidden in the Hills featured artist.

“Becoming a full-time artist has been quite a journey, and being recognized in this way is a true honor,” she says. “My current work is the result of working with a talented team of mentors and my intense drive for pushing the materials to a high level of finish. Although the prospect of getting the work to a higher level can be daunting, I have learned to surrender and just let things happen.”

The Sonoran Arts League is selling the 20th anniversary Hidden in the Hills artist directories for $5. Proceeds help raise funds for the League’s youth scholarships and other educational programs. The directories can be purchased at the League office at 6051 E. Hidden Valley Dr., Ste. 2.

480-575-6624 hiddeninthehills.org

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THE WEST ARTIST CURT MATTSON

STORIES OF

Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer Photographer Bryan Black

I

It’s a bit off the beaten path, but a trip to Curt Mattson’s studio 9 during the 20th annual Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour and Sale is well worth it, especially if you love the explosive action of buckaroos and the lore and grandeur of the West.

Set on two and a half acres with Cave Creek Regional Park as a backdrop, Mattson’s home and studio embody the spirit of the West with breathtaking sculptures, evocative oil and watercolor paintings and freehand charcoal drawings, each one telling a unique story about cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle and life on the ranch.

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“Cowboy art is inherently narrative, and I strive to bring people into the contemporary and historic worlds of the buckaroo, horsemen and horsewomen,” Mattson says, adding that his goal is to enrich the lives of others. “I’m only successful if my work is uplifting, compelling and brings beauty into other people’s lives.”

Growing up on a ranch with 50 horses, Mattson began riding at the age of 5. He credits his ranching experience with helping him achieve precise composition for each original piece he creates.

“Whether I’m sculpting, painting or drawing, I’m able to capture the movements and rhythm of the horses, cattle and buckaroos because my life has been centered around that world,” he says.

Always pushing himself to improve and refine his skills, Mattson has a very strict daily regimen. Each morning, he and his wife and business manager, Wendy, take “the boys,” horses Trucker and Quinn, out for a ride. Then he draws in the morning in one studio, sculpts in the afternoon in a second studio and finishes at night by painting in the same studio where he draws.

Drawing is a fundamental skill that Mattson works hard to perfect through his freehand charcoal drawings.

“I work very hard at it,” he says, adding that a good story is important, but it’s not enough. “I have tremendous respect for the great illustrators who were disciplined in their studies. Strong design is critical for art to be excellent. My artistic challenge is to create work that is so compelling, no one can walk by it.”

Best known for his sculptures, Mattson has won numerous prestigious awards, including the Cyrus Dallin Award for Best Sculpture at the Quest for the West Art Show and Sale at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis; the Cowboy Artists of America Founders’ Award; Best of Show at the Phippen Museum Fine Art Show in Prescott; and Best of Show at the National Western Fine Art Exhibition and Sale in San Dimas, California.

“I have a very high view of sculpture,” Mattson says. “It’s a long-lived medium, and I owe it to my collectors to create work that stands the test of time.”

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While Mattson is a great storyteller, he’s very particular about which stories he sculpts.

“A story has to be sculptural and worthy of a bronze,” he says. “A great bronze will tell a good story and be accurate 100 years from now. Not only does it have to be anatomically correct, its mass, texture, light and design must work together to tell an accurate story.”

Walking into his sculpture studio, one is struck by the beauty of finished bronzes on display. Propped up near his sculpture stand is a guitar and his black Nevada snap-brim cowboy hat.

Certificates of awards and honors cover part of the wall, and in the corner is a mirror.

“The mirror helps me assess the reverse image of a piece I’m working on,” he says. “It’s important to keep a fresh eye as you progress with your work so you can make corrections.”

Much of his work focuses on showing how smart horses are and how well the horseman relates to them. “I don’t think we know one-tenth of how smart they are,” he says of the horses.

While some other artists work from photos, Mattson depends on his innate knowledge to sculpt.

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“I’ve been immersed in this way of life, so I know the difference between a cowboy team roping and one who works on the ranch,” he says. “The gear is different and even their behavior is different. On the ranch, the buckaroos work hard to keep the cattle quiet. That’s not something you’d know if you’re taking photos during a rodeo.”

He is most proud of his breakthrough pieces where suddenly, something clicks. Two recent examples include “Over The Moon” and “Souvenir Collectors.” Other examples include “Wild Horses, Wilder Women” and “Test of Wills.”

On average, he produces limited editions of nine bronzes, and on occasion, he’ll have the foundry make limited editions of 20 for smaller pieces.

“I try to keep the price points where my work is affordable, but at the same time as close to one-of-a-kind as possible,” he says.

While Mattson had dabbled in watercolors in the 1990s, he began painting seriously with the medium a few years ago after seeing famed watercolorist Edward Borein’s paintings on display at the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

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“I’ve always loved his work, and I felt learning this new, challenging medium would teach me to see differently, which is vital for innovation,” he says.

Soon after, Mattson expanded his skills to include oil painting, pushing himself to try a different medium that was technically opposite of painting with watercolors.

“Oil paintings have always been a big part of cowboy history and they are more marketable, but I’m more passionate about working in watercolor,” he says. “They have a feel you can’t get with any other medium.”

Mattson will exhibit new sculptures, paintings and drawings during the Hidden in the Hills tour, including new limited edition watercolor slates that start at $50. Prices for his original fine art reflect his breadth of work, ranging from just a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Visitors to Mattson’s studio will also have the chance to meet his guest artist, jeweler Beth Benowich.

5 TH ANNUAL CAREFREE

November 25 - 27, 2016 ( Friday, Saturday & Sunday )

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Carefree Desert Garden 100 Easy Street, Carefree, AZ

FREE ADMISSION - Vetted Southwestern and Native American Fine Arts and Crafts - Live Music and Native Hoop Dancing - Tasty Food Concessions

magicbirdfestivals.com | 480-488-2014

“Cowboy art is part of our country’s DNA; horsemanship is better now than it’s ever been, and it’s an exciting time to view and own Western art,” Mattson says. “There’s so much depth in the stories, and cowboy art holds up against every genre of art, if it’s excellent.”

The 20th annual Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour and Sale takes place during the last two weekends of November (November 18-20 and 25-27). A signature event of the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, Hidden in the Hills features 188 artists in 47 studio locations throughout the scenic Desert Foothills communities of Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale.

480-575-6624 hiddeninthehills.org

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Lennon GOES ON TOUR

L 42

Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Michele Celentano

Lennon Hammond is a smart kid, no doubt about it. He started reading basic words when he was not yet 2, then got interested in math and logic. He seemed a little introverted, particularly when compared — and how could you not?

— to his twin sister, Noelle. She jumped on stage the first chance she got, taking after mom, Jackie Hammond, who sang, danced, acted, directed and did dozens of other performance-related things.

For several years, Noelle would be on stage and Jackie would be behind the scenes, with Jeff and Lennon taking in the show from the seats.

After getting her start in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jackie and her husband, Jeff, came to Arizona, launching the Musical Theatre of Anthem in 2008. It was not long after the February 23, 2007 birth of the twins. Noelle was 4 when she made her debut in MTA’s production of “Seussical,” and she has kept right on acting.

Looking back on it now, it seems pretty clear that Lennon wasn’t just mindlessly watching. He likely was analyzing, figuring out how things were done — even imagining himself up there with his sister.

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“My son showed no interest in acting,” says Jeff, who does MTA’s website and helps out with other out-of-thespotlight tasks. “I thought that, like me, he was happy just to be in the audience.”

Jackie knew better than to push her thoughtful, sensitive

boy. When he didn’t show interest in the theater, “I wasn't disappointed at all,” she recalls. “I thought if it was meant to be, it would be. I never wanted to force it upon him.”

After about three years of watching Noelle blossom, Lennon took an acting workshop. In the summer of 2014, he — like any other child who auditions, as is MTA’s policy — was cast in “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” When little Lennon, then 7, took the stage, his mother wasn’t just proud, she was taken aback: “I saw a light in his eyes.”

Two years later, 9-year-old Lennon decided to try auditioning at a production that didn’t share MTA’s cast-everyone policy.

Indeed, for this show, the vast majority of hopefuls would be instantly rejected.

It was a little nutty — seriously, a kid with two years acting experience is going to get cast in a national, touring show?

Yet the casting people liked the audition tape the Hammonds sent in, and asked to see Lennon in person. So Jackie and Lennon flew to New York to audition live.

After the audition, Jackie phoned her husband. After he answered, she put Lennon on the phone.

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Notable Musical Theatre of Anthem alums:

“He told me, ‘I got it!’” Jeff says. “I could barely understand him, he was so excited. He was just screaming, and Jackie was screaming in the background. I started tearing up, I was so emotional.”

And that’s how Lennon Hammond, still learning the craft of acting, was cast in the national tour of “Fun Home.” This is the show that rocked Broadway, delighting audiences, wowing hardened critics. Ben Brantley of The New York Times called it “a rare beauty that pumps fresh air into Broadway.” It won five Tony Awards, including the coveted Best Musical.

So, yes, landing a featured role in a coast-to-coast tour was a pretty big deal. Who could blame Lennon when he was told he got the part of John, and went a little nuts?

“I thought, ‘It must be another callback,’ because I couldn't believe it was happening,” he recalls. “But when I realized it was for real, I was screaming and jumping on the hotel room bed out of excitement.”

Soon after the shock, delight and general hysteria died down, it was time to get to work. Like, real work. Preparing for the tour launch in Cleveland last month, final “Fun Home” rehearsals were starting at noon and continuing long into the night, with breaks for meals, plus school and homework for the child actors (there are several adults in the play).

“The most challenging is probably tech because of the long hours,” Lennon says. “The most fun is getting to know my new friends and working with such wonderful people.”

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• Maggie Eley: attends Wagner College, rated the No. 1 theater school in the country by The Princeton Review. Maggie was a National Youth Arts Award winner.

• Julia Davis: attends Arizona State University (Lyric Opera Theatre). Julia was a National Youth Arts Award winner as Artist of the Year.

• Maddison Lopez: attends Hillsong College in Australia for worship music. Also a National Youth Arts Award winner.

• Derek Scullin: attends Brandeis University, starred in “The Last Five Years” there.

• Kailyn Toussaint: pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater as part of the Arizona Repertory Theatre.

• Sofia Wylie: cast on the Disney Channel’s “Andi Mack.” Also featured on “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Lennon describes his character, John, as “enthusiastic, playful, cares about his siblings and wants to please his parents.”

“He is having the time of his life!” adds his mother, who will be chaperoning Lennon on the tour. Jeff and Noelle flew to Cleveland for the tour’s preview shows, then returned to Anthem for more MTA shows and Noelle’s schooling.

This is double pride for the Hammonds: proud as parents, proud as MTA founders.

“We have had MTA alumni go on to attend musical theater programs at colleges,” says Jeff. “But this is our first alum that has been cast in a show this big.”

The show isn’t yet scheduled for Phoenix (it might come to Tempe), but dad and sister will catch Lennon again when the tour comes to Las Vegas and Los Angeles on its final leg.

Lennon is especially looking forward to California, “because I have been there before to Disneyland and Universal Studios, and my birthday will be in Los Angeles.”

Though Jackie will be traveling for the next half year, the show will go on at MTA, with her staff putting on more performances, and maybe launching another star or two. musicaltheatreofanthem.org

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REMEMBERING

THE STORM Writer Tom Scanlon

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These days, Josh Miller lives a relatively quiet life with his wife and daughter in Anthem. But he grew up half a country and a full lifestyle away, in Louisiana.

Miller is from Lake Charles, a waterdominated Cajun town near a river, two lakes and three bayous.

Good times back when he was bridging from a boy into a man involved duck hunting, fishing and maybe taking down a gator or two.

“We’d skin ‘em and cook ‘em,” he recalls, his light, swampy accent thickening a little with the memory. “A couple of them were just monsters.”

Like lifestyle quicksand, some of his

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Speaker: Josh Miller

old crew never really left those days.

“I’ve got some buddies and cousins who are full-blown marsh rats,” he says with a laugh.

Miller had bigger plans, so he left the bayou for law enforcement, then joined the Marines, thinking he would train as a helicopter pilot. It turned out he was colorblind, which grounded that idea, so Miller became a foot soldier.

Though just 22 at the time, Miller was something of an elder statesman.

“I was one of the older guys in boot camp,” he says with a chuckle. “They would look at me like I was an old guy, which is funny, now that I’m 49.”

After boot camp, Miller was in the reserves, then was called to active duty at the end of 1990, as debate was brewing over how to handle Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein’s invasion of oil-rich Kuwait.

With things still up in the air, Miller spent New Year’s Eve on a plane to Saudi Arabia. There, he joined thousands of other U.S. troops, transitioning from a solid defense of Saudi Arabia to a possible full-blown run at the invaders.

Once all of the forces were in place, the United States issued an ultimatum to Hussein: leave Kuwait or face a full attack by the multinational force. The deadline of January 15, 1991 came and went with no response, and Desert Shield became Desert Storm.

Miller had a front row seat for the shockand-awe show of American bombing raids.

“The night the air campaign began,” Miller says, “I watched the planes fly over the first series of sorties — that was witnessing history.”

Speaking of history, Miller participated in one of the shortest ground wars on record. Though the Iraq War is but a military asterisk, and might seem like no big deal now, it was pretty scary at the time. The thinking was that if Hussein had used chemical weapons on his own people, why would he hold back when the Americans came at him?

Miller and his mates were issued chemical suits, and prepared for the worst with rigorous drills (“Gas! Gas! Gas!”). It was a creepy time to be an American soldier, but when the order came, Miller joined the “storm” into Kuwait on February 24, 1991.

The Iraqis were said to be fierce soldiers who would fight to the death, but proved more ready to quit than ready to die. As Miller and other missile-armed Humvees and tanks roared north, Iraqi soldiers would rush up to them — not to attack, but to surrender.

“They were shell-shocked, just devastated from the air campaign,” Miller says.

Suspicion of them quickly turned to pity.

“We tried to give them MREs (meals ready to eat), water — there was just a deluge of men walking south, waving white flags.”

Desert Storm is also known as the 100-hour war, which is how long it took ground troops to clear out Iraqi opposition.

Josh Miller was honorably discharged in 1995, taking with him the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the National Defense Medal and the Southwest Asia Service Medal. He and his wife, Nanette, settled in Anthem in 2000, though Josh returned to the Middle East as a contractor from 2006 to 2007.

At 10 a.m. on November 5, the 12th annual Daisy Mountain Veterans Parade starts at Gavilan Peak Parkway, winding through Anthem before ending at the Community Center. This year's parade will honor the time that America stood up to a Middle East bully, and liberated a small country from its invaders.

"On the 25th anniversary of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, we honor the services and sacrifices of Gulf War veterans,” says Frankie Ruiz, parade cochair. “Please join us at this year's parade.”

Josh Miller is this year’s grand marshal.

“To be a part of the parade is very humbling,” he says. “With the first Gulf War, policing and my time in Iraq, I know of men and women who sacrificed much more than I did, and it's with those people in mind that I find this such an honor.

Remembering those who gave much more.

“I know it’s not Memorial Day, but I’m still thinking about those who have given more. Old timers from World War I and World War II, and everyone else who got done what needed to be done. When the government said, ‘We need you,’ they went.

They just went.” daisymtnvets.org

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Amy’s LEGACY Writer Rebecca Zaner Photographer Michelle Perry

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“Things won’t always turn out as you hoped or planned, but if you seize opportunities, act diligently and fairly, and show goodwill toward others, you’ll enjoy a full, rich life, unburdened by regrets.”

These words were once spoken

by Amy Bennett, a spirited, talented and full-of-life young woman who passed away two years ago in a tragic accident.

Shocked and heartbroken, Amy’s family and friends were left to pick up the pieces and endure a life without their beloved Amy. “Amy had a special zest and passion for life,” Amy’s mother, Pat Bennett, shares of her daughter. “When I think of Amy, I think of her spunk, laughter and joy — everything was joy.

She was a true example of living life to its fullest.”

Because of Amy’s optimistic spirit and love for life, her family founded the Amy Bennett Foundation, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) taxdeductible organization, shortly after her passing, to continue Amy's dreams and keep her memory and spirit alive.

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“Our family was sitting around the living room planning her celebration of life, and the idea just came to us,” Pat says. “We have all these ideas floating around, and we feel that Amy would want us to do this and is directing us right now as it’s happening. She would love what we’re doing.”

“It’s a way to pay forward her love for life,” adds Terry Bennett, Amy’s father.

Amy was killed in a collision with a truck as she biked to her job at the Jackson Hole Playhouse in Jackson, Wyoming. One mission of the foundation is to lend support to biker protection advocacy, already achieved in Wyoming. Currently, 25 states have passed a threefoot bike law to maintain at least a three-foot separation between vehicles and bicycles.

Other art organizations the foundation lends its support to include Starlight Community Theater, which Pat co-founded and where Amy first performed; Dynamic Motion Dance Academy, for which the foundation matches their $500 scholarship each year; and Jackson Hole Playhouse in Jackson, Wyoming, where Amy was struck while biking to the theater to perform.

“We love to help these organizations that are connected to Amy,” Terry says. “I hate to say it’s exciting and fulfilling because it hurts so badly, but the byproduct is certainly making a difference.”

“Wyoming is where Amy was hit, and we strongly believe she would still be with us today had this law been in place,” Pat shares. “Wyoming had turned down this law for 16 years. It became our mission to pass the law especially in that state, which we finally achieved with the passage of Wyoming’s House Bill 0085, ‘Amy’s Law.’ “Wyoming became the 25th state to pass the three-foot bike law. We still have many more states that need this law passed, and we plan on seeing it through so that no one else has to endure what Amy did. Our sincere hope is that no more lives will be lost due to unnecessary accidents like Amy’s.”

Also, to continue Amy's joy for the arts and theater, the foundation created a scholarship fund to enrich the lives of youth and college performers who share Amy’s passion for the arts.

“We have chosen various organizations to sponsor through our scholarships,” says Terry, “including the International Thespian Society, in which high school seniors can audition for a scholarship at a conference where universities gather to watch the auditions and promote their programs.”

Amy’s alma mater is the University of Northern Colorado, which also benefits from the Amy Bennett Foundation in the form of a scholarship each year to a musical theater student.

“It is important to our family to sponsor this university because Amy was there,” Terry says. “It was her dream school.”

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New and upcoming scholarships include Arts Council of the North Valley and a namesake foundation scholarship.

“We’re launching our own scholarship this year that will be a national opportunity for students to submit performance videos to us online to win scholarship money,” Pat shares.

Scholarships Supporting the Arts

live inspired WWW

amybennettfoundation.com facebook.com/AmyBennettFund/ 623.640.8479

A Nonprofit 501(C)3 Corporation. • 39506 Daisy Mountain Drive, Ste.122 #159 • Anthem AZ 85086 pat@amybennettfoundation.com

Those who wish to support the foundation can do so in various ways. Visiting the foundation website provides a direct link to donate money for scholarship funds.

There is also a specific account set up at MidFirst Bank in Anthem, where supporters can walk in and make a direct deposit donation. Their fundraising goal this year is $10,000. Those wishing to hold fundraisers to benefit the foundation may also do so by contacting the board.

“Yes, of course it’s hard for us without Amy,” Pat says. “Some days it hurts so badly.

But we do this because people need help. It’s not about being the best, it’s about passion, dedication and sharing joy. Those are the qualities we look for because those are the qualities that Amy had.”

The efforts of the Amy Bennett Foundation are monumental in implementing change to keep bikers safe. Donations are highly encouraged to help the Bennett family fight for laws that could save a number of lives.

In Amy’s words: "Keep reminding yourself this: everything is exactly how it should be.

It’s all about the discoveries, growth, decisions, hardships and successes along the way that make our lives even more fulfilling and beautiful in the end. Love yourself first and do what brings you joy. You only get to live once so live it!"

623-640-8479 amybennettfoundation.com bit.ly/ABFSmile

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Design with a

M

Marcus Jeremy McElhinney’s designs are not pretty. You won’t stop in front of them and say, “How adorably cute!”

No, there are no lovely flower patterns, chirpy pastels or kitschy cowboys in his hotel, bar, restaurant and corporate work.

Just the same, you won’t be afraid to plop down on one of his lobby chairs, or bang your fist enthusiastically on a McElhinney bar. You might even want to bang-bang your fist, as this is the rugged visionary behind Bang Bang Designs.

His is a muscular vision, flavored by industrialism but also by a sleek, modern look. He uses wood, metal, concrete and steel for attractive pieces that will last long after we’re gone.

Asked about his style, McElhinney gives a deep chuckle.

“Difficult to describe,” he decides. “Got some industrial roots, but also a very high-level finish. Some of it is a little French industrial, but also very contemporary.”

He is proud of the look and functionality of his work.

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BANG Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Bryan Black

“We do a lot of hardwoods with steel or different metals,” he says. “The key for us is all the designs are fresh, very unique. We try not to regurgitate what we see around town.”

Looking for Wild West kitsch, or a cacti-peppered Southwestern vibe?

No Bang Bang for you! But if you’re pondering something different — even if you can’t quite picture it — McElhinney’s place might be just what you need.

After establishing a strong footprint with hotel, restaurant and corporate work, Bang Bang Designs is about to launch an ambitious home furniture showroom, all custom-made.

“We’re going to be literally building furniture in the back shop and selling it in the front showroom,” McElhinney says. “Everything modular. Furniture like you don’t see anywhere else.”

He’s not just talking the talk, he’s welding the weld and chopping the block. Indeed, just because McElhinney’s designs are muscular and well-grounded, it doesn’t make them unattractive or even commonplace. Bang Bang’s Instagram page provides visual evidence: a robust, dual-colored conference table for the Better Business Bureau; the “Psycho-Cubist Steel Cloud of Doom,” an intergalactic-style light fixture now in its final resting place at Found:Re Hotel in Phoenix; a gorgeous (and, likely, indestructible) walnut conference table with steel legs; a sleek, powerful steel wine rack; and sliced tree tables on steel hairpin legs.

To see Bang Bang Designs at work, check out the sparks-flying video by Derek Ellis on Vimeo.

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The past works and new pieces McElhinney is just buffing out are almost a blue-collar art.

“I’ve always been an artist,” says McElhinney, a youthful 42. “I went to school for fine art. Then in my 20s, I moved to Barcelona and got a job building special effects, learned how to put things together and create industrial designs.

After doing that for years and moving back to Los Angeles to build military vehicles, I came to Phoenix. Just a strange coincidence led me here.”

When he settled here a decade ago, he developed a vision of his professional life: “I wanted a company that incorporated some of the technical aspects I learned with my artistic side.

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That was the genesis of Bang Bang Designs.”

As his business has grown, McElhinney has added staff, focusing on the designs but also keeping his hands in the fabrication and building phases.

“The method of construction is important to us,” he says.

“We’re building heirlooms we want to last forever. At the same time, we want them to be beautiful.”

Bang Bang’s swanky industrial work can be seen in the interiors of Mexx 32 restaurant, the Pita Jungle downtown and the new Found:Re Hotel in Phoenix, where “we did an enormous lighting package.” You probably won’t see some

of Bang Bang’s more interesting furniture work, created for startups in the sizzling Phoenix business world.

“We’ve done a lot of very cool corporate stuff,” McElhinney says. “These are definitely furniture pieces with a lot of personality. It’s not static office furniture. Corporations are trying to appeal to younger employees with workspaces where people feel more relaxed — a feel that’s less like school or work but more like at home or in a club.”

And now Bang Bang is getting ready to shoot off into homes around Phoenix.

“Our showroom on Indian School Road is going to be all custom furniture, one-of-a-kind or very limited edition, all my designs,” McElhinney says.

The Bang Bang founder is quick to shoot off about his collaborators, particularly Jason Wenk and Steve Mott.

“Jason has been with me for about five years (which is basically the beginning) and is the shop foreman and talented fabricator,” McElhinney says. “He has been very instrumental to the growth of the company. Steve has been with me about a year and a half, and is also a very dedicated and talented fabricator.”

McElhinney is part designer, part fabricator, part operator.

He says he takes pride in designing unique pieces “and not regurgitating common ideas. We start with raw material and cut, grind, sand, weld, finish every piece in the shop here in Phoenix. I believe in working hard and being prolific, experimenting and using a range of materials.”

With a launch planned in mid-November, the new showroom will be at 2143 E. Indian School Rd., with one-of-a-kind and limited-series pieces for sale. Everything, McElhinney notes, will be designed by him and handmade.

Want to be part of the team that makes what lands in your home? McElhinney is happy to do custom-made pieces.

Bang Bang Designs will come out firing with the new showroom, which McElhinney envisions as far more than pure commerce.

“The store will also have coffee and Wi-Fi for designers, architects and creative people to come sit, work, discuss projects, etc.,” he says. “I want it to be a hub for creative people in the city.” bangbangdesigns.com November 2016 IMAGESAZ .C OM

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Giving

Avaa Voice

Writer Katherine Braden Photographer Loralei Lazurek and Keri Meyers

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“So, who is Ava?” That’s the question Chrisie Funari, president and founder of the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children (ACFC), wants everyone to be asking.

It’s been four years since Chrisie started ACFC after losing her 5-year-old daughter, Ava, to cancer. Her goal was to help families who were going through the same thing she and Ava had, as well as to raise awareness of pediatric cancer.

Since then, she’s seen ACFC grow in incredible ways.

“It’s been unbelievable how much the community has embraced us,” she says.

For the past few years, Chrisie worked from her home. However, with the organization growing quickly, she knew she had to find a bigger place.

In February 2016, ACFC officially moved into an office in Scottsdale. A small core of contracted employees and more than 100 volunteers keep the foundation running smoothly.

Volunteers work in the office, host different fundraising activities and help pack and deliver Sunshine Packs. Every child that ACFC works with receives a Sunshine Pack, filled with age- and gender-appropriate donated items such as blankets, water bottles or coloring books. The older children might get journals or iPads — something to help with the long hours of traveling or stationary treatments.

In Arizona, nearly one child a day is diagnosed with some form of childhood cancer. That’s about 350 families every year in Arizona alone. Since 2014, ACFC has served more than 200 families, giving away Sunshine Packs, assisting with travel and aiding with other expenses. “[The growth] far exceeds my expectations,” says Chrisie. “I’m humbled by it.

It’s been so exciting to watch [ACFC] grow in honor of Ava’s memory and as a legacy to her life.”

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On November 6, ACFC will host the third annual Swing Fore Kids Cancer. The fundraiser has seen great growth, from 100 guests raising $50,000 the first year to 200 raising $100,000 the second year. This year, ACFC hopes to raise $150,000.

All proceeds go to the families ACFC helps support. The organization works with social workers on a case-by-case basis, determining each family’s need for financial assistance.

The families then receive cash assistance ranging from $500 to $2,000, helping to pay for medical bills, travel expenses, rent and groceries.

Chrisie tells me of one family who was driving to the hospital for treatment on bald tires. ACFC replaced their tires so they could travel safely. ACFC helped another family travel to Houston for treatment when all of their son’s treatment options had been exhausted in Arizona.

Whatever their individual need, all families working with ACFC receive a check, a Sunshine Pack and information on local resources. ACFC also assists with families’ financial planning, walking them through what to expect. The organization’s family respite program provides family

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outings, like a ballgame or a day at family camp, free of worry.

This year, Chrisie is aiming to make Swing Fore Kids Cancer “more interactive and fun.” She is incorporating the many celebrities who support the foundation with a “beat the pro” friendly competition.

“You hit a ball to qualify,” closest to the pin will then During the shootout, you Whoever is closest to the pin

Chrisie says. “The 10 people be matched with a celebrity. hit, then the celebrity hits. wins $1,000.”

Kendra Scott is donating jewelry for a mystery grab, while Enterprise will display its line of exotic luxury cars, including a Maserati, Tesla and Lamborghini. For the kids, Chrisie promises a bounce house, magician, face painting and balloon animals. There will also be a red carpet, bar and buffet, raffle and silent auction. Anyone can access the online auction, even those not planning on attending.

“Last year, we had a guy bidding from Italy,” Chrisie says.

Auction items include an intimate dinner with Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul “Goldy” Goldschmidt

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“We want everyone to be aware, to know that it could happen to anyone.

Cancer does not discriminate.�

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and Jim “Bones” Mackay, caddy for professional golfer Phil Mickelson. The two men are the honorary chairs of the event and passionate about ACFC. “When Ava was diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, it was a shock to our family,” says Jim. “Since we were neighbors [with Chrisie] at the time, we immediately became involved. Our kids were friends with Ava and her siblings, and we were there every step of the way for Ava's battle with cancer.”

Jim’s children even started Ava’s Angels, a philanthropy program dedicated to helping children with pediatric cancer.

His wife, Jen, is ACFC’s board vice president.

“We are honored to be involved and hosting this year's event with the Goldschmidts,” says Jim. “Swing Fore Kids Cancer is a blast for everyone, and it's a great event that supports children with cancer right here in our community.”

money for a great cause. My wife and I enjoy hosting and attending every year and seeing our friends and the community come together to support kids with cancer right here in our backyard.”

Besides raising money for children with cancer, Chrisie hopes Swing Fore Kids Cancer will also bring awareness of pediatric cancer to the community.

“We want everyone to be aware, to know that it could happen to anyone,” Chrisie says. “Cancer does not discriminate.”

The biggest thing that Swing Fore Kids does is give ACFC a voice.

“It gives us a chance to talk about [pediatric cancer],” says Chrisie. “We’re starting a conversation that matters, is important and needs to be recognized.” azcancerfoundation.org

Paul agrees: “You can have a lot of fun while raising

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41307 N. Club Pointe Dr. Offered at $750,000 Perfection has an address. No expense has been spared on this highly sought-after Castile model home on a generous private preserve lot. You will feel like royalty in your palace of 12-foot ceilings, travertine stone floors and custom window coverings, lights, fans and closets. With your owned solar system, your annual electric bill averages less than $300.

Merillat furniture-style cabinets, slab granite and stainless General Electric Monogram Professional series appliances complete the spacious kitchen. A recent remodel includes beautiful stacked stone in the family room, a custom living room bar with a wine chiller and refrigerator, master and family room sliders, exterior paint and an air-conditioned garage with overhead storage.

The magic continues outdoors with the gorgeous 6.5-foot-deep, 24-by38-foot resort-style Pebble Tec pool/spa; 1,766 square-foot refinished cool

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decking; outdoor kitchen; gas fireplace and fire pit; ramada; and extensive flagstone in the front and back.

Other features that make this home special are the 311.3 square-foot golf cart garage; a room that can be used as a media or workout room, nursery or second office; a six-zone HVAC system with a dedicated thermostat for each bedroom; a 2016-installed security system; and a nine-month-old water heater.

Please call Linda for your private showing Linda Rehwalt RE/MAX Professionals

39504 N. Daisy Mountain Dr., Ste. 106, Anthem 602-402-1136 lindarehwalt@azrealty.com

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ARIZONA Writer Grace Hill Photographer Brenna Zumbro

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Many people can describe their lives as being complex, busy and stressful — so much so that they often rely on others to prepare their meals. For some, dining out, fast food and microwaves have become an everyday occurrence and means of survival. If people have one less thing to worry about, like cooking, then isn’t that better in the end?

A growing trend supported by many health-conscious people argues that in fact, it isn’t better. Spending more time cooking and eating quality food actually de-stresses a person. A healthy, homecooked meal then becomes an event that heals the mind, body and soul, something that busy and stressed out individuals absolutely need.

This finding would suggest, then, that more time should be spent in the produce aisle. However, to truly retrain the way the mind thinks about food, one must November 2016 IMAGESAZ .C OM

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FACTS ABOUT ARIZONA FARMS (FROM THE ARIZONA FARM BUREAU, AZFB.ORG) • Arizona agriculture is a $17.1 billion industry, with more than 15,000 farms and ranches.

• Most farms in Maricopa County are less than 10 acres.

• Dairy is Arizona's leading agricultural product.

• Yuma County is known as the “Winter Salad Bowl Capital.” They produce almost all of the veggies consumed in the United States during the winter months.

• Pinal County is home to one of the few remaining sheep ranches that herd their sheep to Coconino County by foot using the historic sheep driveways in the state.

• Arizona ranks second in the U.S. in head lettuce, leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, cauliflower and broccoli production.

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look beyond the grocery store and take a much different approach to selecting what to eat. An approach that provides a deeper connection with the Earth’s bountiful crops. This can be done by selecting foods directly from local farms.

Both large and small farms offer a myriad of seasonal items that not only taste better but are nutritionally better for us. Since they do not require shipping, individuals can eat produce at its ripest and freshest. Even during the colder months, while other states deal with freezing temperatures, local farms are able to grow an abundance of produce. In addition, farms provide access to animal products, such as meat, eggs and milk.

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Of course, these foods can be found at the grocery store. However, purchasing directly from local farms encourages communication between the community and the farmers.

This relationship provides consumers with an understanding on what, how and when food grows best on the farm. It also communicates what role the farm plays in sustainable agriculture. Ultimately, if a person wants to know what they are eating, then purchasing directly from local farms makes the most sense.

If a trip to a local farm seems too large of a task, then look to alternative resources for local food. Community-supported agriculture (CSAs) and farmers markets bring the food closer to home. Some CSAs even deliver food directly to your doorstep.

Additionally, many local butcher shops sell only sustainably-raised meats from local farms, instead of factory-farmed meats. And getting farm fresh food doesn’t mean that dining out can’t be an option any longer.

Certain restaurants now offer a farm-totable experience, where they only provide menu options from local food sources.

With the growing desire to return to more natural ways of living, now makes for a perfect time to get to know the local farms and pick food that will nourish the body.

Don’t think of it as something that should be done; think of it as something that must be done. It’s time to heal the mind, body and soul.

Share your favorite local farm experiences with our Images Arizona Facebook or Instagram pages using the hashtag, #iamAZproud. facebook.com/imagesaz instagram.com/imagesaz

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Brenna Zumbro Hometown: Payson Current: Flagstaff

Professional experience: When she was a high school senior, Brenna received her first camera from her grandmother for Christmas. In college, she studied journalism, and from there went to photography school per the recommendation of a professor. She graduated from the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography in 2008, after studying under National Geographic photographer Chuck Plate. With Chuck as her inspiration and her studies under her belt, Brenna has been building her business ever since Why is it important to you to document farms in photographs? “I want people to know where their food comes from and show how much work goes into the process. I want to give the food and the people who grow it value, so that people start to support local farming.”

Describe your favorite farms to photograph and/or your favorite farm photograph? “It all depends. All the farms I’ve been on have been unique for different reasons. The largest farm I’ve photographed was Duncan Family Farms. It’s pretty amazing how much they grow. From the technology they use to the people they employ, it was pretty amazing. The most impressive part was that Arnott, the owner of the farm, still spends time in the field and knows the people who work for them. For a different reason, I love Rabbit Run Farm and others like it. They are small farms and the people on them work harder than anyone I know. They really care about what they produce and are always trying to improve.” brennazumbro.com

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GRAND PRIX OF SCOTTSDALE Writer Lara Piu

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The second annual Grand Prix of Scottsdale roars through the city’s downtown area throughout the first weekend in November. Inspired by the Grand Prix of Monaco, this unique vintage mini race enables racing teams, spectators and participants alike to step back in time and experience the glory of the Roaring ‘20s.

Surrounded by classic vintage cars from that era, the event is a three-day cinematic celebration complete with a lawn party, gala, food, music, vintage kart racing and, of course, awards. All of the hoopla supports downtown Scottsdale while raising a ton of fun and money.

“We have created a legendary event that will forever be recognized as a tribute to American heritage, community accord and a first-of-itskind experience that started in our hometown of Scottsdale,” says Jack Gee, Grand Prix of Scottsdale

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co-producer. “There is nothing more rewarding than to see an idea turn into reality and become a success.”

Experience

Grand Prix of Scottsdale November 4-6 Downtown Scottsdale Gala: $100 Lawn party: $40 Kids’ race participants: free Main event spectators: free

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More than 20,000 people are expected to experience this Gatsbylike event that turns back the clock on the streets of downtown Scottsdale. Festivities commence with a Gatsby Under the Stars Gala, held November 4 on the Marshall Way Bridge. The gala is hosted by the Grand Prix’s charity partner, Southwest Human Development, a nonprofit serving 135,000 children and their families each year through more than 40 early childhood programs and services.

New this year is the Gatsby Lawn Party on November 5 and 6, also hosted

by Southwest Human Development. This event will provide an eclectic culinary festival experience complete with more than 30 craft beers and wines, with food provided by some of the Valley’s top chefs. Guests are encouraged to wear their finest Gatsbystyle attire while enjoying big band music, choreographed dance performances and a special cigar bar complete with club seating.

Also on November 5, Concours d’ Kids will host race-themed crafts, games and a mini Grand Prix driving experience for younger drivers, appropriately named the Grand Prixni.

The main event Grand Prix is held at 11 a.m. on November 6. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane will serve as the master of ceremonies and pace-car passenger for the race, where up to 40 vintage mini racers branded with a variety of local businesses, corporations and charity logos will navigate around a more than half-mile road course with teams of six drivers.

The festivities wrap up at 5 p.m. with the vintage victory trophy presentation, hosted

by Victory Brewing Company.

The main event is free; visit the website for an auxiliary event timeline and pricing. grandprixscottsdale.com

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A JOURNEY THROUGH

ODYSEA

Writer Grace Hill

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Fall in love with ocean life at Scottsdale’s newest attraction, the OdySea Aquarium.

This marine-life adventure destination opened on September 3 and holds the title of the largest aquarium in the Southwest.

Located next to Butterfly Wonderland in the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community, the two-level, 200,000-squarefoot facility wows even the most unimpressionable person.

The Aqua Lobby starts the experience in an unforgettable way.

Guests eyes immediately capture an array of brightly colored fish swimming in large glass spheres that hang from the ceiling.

And if that does not surprise guests, the shark tank visible inside the bathroom should do the trick!

After the lobby, a journey begins down the windy paths of the aquarium. With more than 50 exhibits, 30,000 animals and 500 species living at OdySea, a full immersion into the underwater world occurs. An unparalleled adventure such as this requires a few hours to complete in its entirety.

Along the journey, guests encounter sea life of various kinds. The American and Rainforest River exhibits showcase animals like freshwater turtles and true piranhas. The Otter Banks feature adorable Asian small-clawed otters. And the ever-popular South African penguins call Penguin Point home. Guests then travel to Stingray Bay to touch the cownose rays and bamboo sharks. Those hesitant for such an up-close encounter might start at the Tide Touch Pool. With more than 37 feet, this touch pool boasts many small creatures, including sea cucumbers, sea stars, hermit crabs and sea snails.

The Deep Ocean Escalator then plunges guests into a tunnel, where eagle rays, whitetip reef sharks and rescued sea turtles swim all around them. From there, guests’ eyes enlarge as they come across the magnificent Sharks of the Deep exhibit — a feature that holds more than 200,000 gallons of water and more than eight different species of sharks, including California leopard sharks, scalloped hammerheads, blacknose sharks and bonnethead sharks.

While many familiar animals call the aquarium home, guests

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OdySea Aquarium 480-291-8000 also find bizarre sea creatures like the moray eel and the nautilus. Beyond the bizarre, the Jewels of the Caribbean exhibit features clown fish, banded butterflyfish, sea horses and giant jawfish. Guests then move to the Great Barrier Reef attraction where all sorts of sea life live, including angelfish, harlequin tuskfish, foxface and a variety of redbreasted Maori wrasse fish.

9500 Via De Ventura, Scottsdale Sunday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Adult (Ages 18-61): $34.95 Child (Ages 3-12): $24.95 Student (Ages 13-17 or with college ID): $29.95

In addition, the Living Sea Carousel, a one-of-a-kind feature of OdySea, whisks guests away through a living sea adventure. The aquarium also has a 3-D theater that provides guests with an in-depth discovery of “Underwater Giants,” an exclusive OdySea film. Lastly, the SeaTREK experience allows participants 9 years and older to suit up and go underwater surrounded by thousands of colorful and curious sea creatures from the Indo-Pacific region of the world.

Senior (Ages 62+ with ID Card): $32.95 *Children 2 and under are FREE

Guests feeling a little fatigued or famished by the excitement of the day’s journey can refresh themselves at the Lighthouse Cafe, a 28-foot authentic lighthouse. The menu offers delicious items like the artisan brick-oven pizza and gourmet burgers, as well as a nice selection of beer and wine. Once guests have finished the day’s journey through the underwater world, the final stop should be at the OdySea Treasures Gift Shop to purchase a keepsake item of the day.

The OdySea Aquarium showcases the amazing world of the ocean in the most beautiful and spectacular way. Don’t miss out on this experience. Take a trip there today! odyseaaquarium.com

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Whether planning for the holidays or a weeknight dinner, baked gnocchi is a great go-to meal. The soft, pillowy dumplings are tossed with luscious tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked until the top is golden and caramelized. This comforting dinner is easy to assemble and a welcome addition to any table.

Baked Gnocchi Yield: 4-6 servings Baked Gnocchi Ingredients: 16-ounce package potato gnocchi 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup onions, chopped 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano) 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning pinch of sugar pinch of red pepper flakes 6 ounces baby spinach 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed ½-inch thick grated Parmesan cheese to taste salt and pepper to taste

Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sautĂŠ until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sugar and red pepper flakes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Partially cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil with a generous pinch of salt. Boil the gnocchi according to the package directions, about 3-5 minutes

or until they float to the top.

Drain the gnocchi and add to the tomato sauce. Stir in the baby spinach.

Once the spinach is just wilted, stir in the mozzarella cheese and transfer the mixture to a large baking dish (or four individual baking dishes). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the top is slightly golden brown.

Remove from the heat and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

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As an alternative to pie this Thanksgiving, turn instead to homemade Pumpkin Swirl Brownies. These rich, fudgy bars are layered with a creamy, pumpkin swirl for a special holiday touch that’s bound to please both adults and children alike.

Yield: 9 servings Pumpkin Swirl Brownies Ingredients: For the pumpkin swirl: 5 ounces cream cheese, softened ½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin filling) ¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice 1 egg, beaten For the brownies: 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon salt 5 ounces unsalted butter, softened ¾ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish. Optional: For easy removal, line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving two of the sides long enough to hang over the edges.

Prepare the pumpkin mixture: Whisk together the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, pumpkin spice and beaten egg until well combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed for about one minute. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and continue mixing until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined (do not overmix). Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and, using a rubber spatula, smooth the top to form an even layer.

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

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Place spoonfuls of the pumpkin mixture on top (you may not need the entire mixture). Using a clean butter knife or chopstick, swirl the pumpkin mixture into the brownie mixture.

Bake the brownies at 350 F for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting into squares.

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