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8 imagesarizona.com April 2022 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. #7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 | For appointments 480.575.8080
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10 imagesarizona.com April 2022 What's Inside?TABLE OF CONTENTS SUSPENDED IN SPRING 62 BACKYARD BLOOMS 38 IT TAKES A VILLAGE... OF VEGETABLES 52 16 COMMUNITY 8224RECIPE A VITICULTURAL CELEBRATION
602.375.7500 | SANDERSONLINCOLN.COM | PHOENIX - 2121 W Bell Rd | SCOTTSDALE - 15345 N Scottsdale Rd, K140 S ANDERSON LINCOLNS ANDERSON LINCOLN Our journey is written in the stars . Through the history of Lincoln, there have been countless visionaries, designers, engineers, retailers, and owners along for the ride – a constellation of individuals coming together for one mission: to elevate life on the road. 2022 LINCOLN AVIATOR
From toilet paper and cereal boxes to wedding invitations and — you guessed it — magazines, it all boils down to the same paper pulp. The mills that produce it are struggling to keep up with demand while worker shortages and shipping bottlenecks further exacerbate the problem. We, like so many other businesses in the community, have been challenged to find ways to overcome these obstacles.
Joseph J. Airdo Graphic Designer Meaghan Mitchell
Copyright
Carefree, AZ. imagesarizona.com623-341-822185377
If you are feeling as though you could use even more uplifting stories about the people, places and things that make our community sparkle and shine, I encourage you to visit our website — imagesarizona. com — for additional content, including extended versions of some of the stories in this month’s issue, special podcasts and more.
Publisher,ShellyCheers!Spence
You likely remember when, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, toilet paper was in short supply. Who could forget, right? You have also likely noticed that there are just some products that are still missing from store shelves. Depending on the particular product, there is a fairly strong chance that its absence is due not to the scarcity of the item itself but rather an insufficient supply of its packaging — especially if any part of that packaging is made of paper.
Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416
12 imagesarizona.com April 2022Publisher
Managing Editor
Shelly Spence
Images Arizona magazine 623-341-8221shelly@imagesaz.com
You may notice that this month’s issue of Images Arizona looks and feels a bit different. The truth of the matter is that the world has been a weird place since the spring of 2020 — and we are not immune from that. After all, any true journalism entity is a reflection of the world in which it exists.
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Fortunately, we have an amazing team that is not only incredibly creative but also committed to continue serving the community. It remains our mission to provide both a superior reading experience and tremendous value for our advertising customers. These pages as well as each and every word and graphic that is printed on them reflect that mission.
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Festival director Debbie Hunseder says that the recent designation is a huge accomplishment for the Verde Valley Wine Consortium on behalf of local grape growers and winemakers.
17imagesarizona.com April 2022
Writer Shannon Severson Photography Courtesy of Verde Valley Wine Festival
The festival kicks off Friday, April 29 with a VIP platinum winemaker dinner at the beautifully restored Old Town Cottonwood Clubhouse. Attendees will enjoy premium wines and a meal prepared by Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room and Osteria’s executive chef Chris “Smithers” Smith, music performed by the What’s The Big Idea jazz trio and an energetic live auction featuring travel packages, local goods and exclusive experiences.
T
“There are many surprises in store for our guests,” Hunseder says.
At this year’s Verde Valley Wine Festival — which benefits the Arizona Vignerons Alliance and the Arizona Wine Growers Association — wine enthusiasts can taste the best of what the region has to offer.
“What better way to celebrate this achievement than with Northern Arizona’s foremost wine and culinary festival of the year,” Hunseder queries. “Having this designation boosts awareness of our region and the characteristics of wines made here.”
There is a lot to celebrate in the world of Arizona wines, not the least of which is that the state’s Verde Valley has been officially declared an American Viticultural Area as of the end of 2021. This identifies the region as a distinct, federally recognized grape-growing region characterized by unique climate, soil and elevation. The coveted designation allows wineries to label their bottles as estate wines.
18 imagesarizona.com April 2022
19imagesarizona.com April 2022
For winemakers like Barbara Pierce, who is co-owner of Bodega Pierce Winery, this year is a return to tradition and the chance to showcase her own acclaimed wines made from 18 different Arizona varietals. Pierce says that her wines are designed to express the high desert terroir of the Willcox Bench, which is another designated American Viticultural Area.
“Bodega Pierce is operated by two generations of award-winning Pierce family winemakers with decades of international experience and accomplishments since 2010,” Pierce says. “We have participated in the Verde Valley Wine festival since 2016 and see it as a venue to expose, showcase and educate the public about our wine, our path into the industry and the excitement we see for the future of Arizona wines.”
Then, on Saturday, April 30, more than 3,000 attendees are expected at Cottonwood’s Old Town Activity Park — the site of this fifth year of celebration which features a growing list of 20 Arizona wineries and multiple Arizona brewers and distillers along with culinary offerings to delight the tastebuds, craft vendors to satisfy the shopping bug and live music throughout the day from three local bands.
As an established winery with a rich history of celebrated vintages, Pierce says that the festival helps to raise the overall profile of all Verde Valley wines. Bodega Pierce has made donations to the VIP platinum dinner silent auction and will also have a booth at the Saturday event.
20 imagesarizona.com April “The2022cacophony of love for Arizona wine — with the sum being greater than the parts — is just a palpable energy we have missed. Kris Pothier “
VIP Platinum Winemaker Dinner
Friday, April 29 | 6–9 p.m.
“Because we have such spread-out wine-growing regions, it is great to get three different areas to one location,” Pothier adds. “Consumers can try [many] brands all at once. The cacophony of love for Arizona wine — with the sum being greater than the parts — is just a palpable energy we have missed. This festival
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“[It’s] equally exciting to meet new folks and introduce them to our wines and our region.”
Instagram:verdevalleywinefestival.com@verdevalleywinefestival
Verde Valley Wine Festival
Saturday, April 30 | Noon–5 p.m.
805 N. Main St., Cottonwood $99+ | verdevalleywinefestival.com
Experience
Old Town Activity Park
“We want to make the public aware that Arizona wine continues to improve,” Pierce says. “It helps raise all ships with the tide.”
Kelly Bostock, a wine worker at Dos Cabezas WineWorks, says that the festival’s two-year hiatus took a toll on the organization’s ability to work to its potential, but the return of the festival gets the ball rolling again in a big way.
“It’s always fun to see the familiar faces who attend every year,” says Bostock, who also represents the Arizona Vignerons Alliance, which lobbies at the state level for winegrower representation and works with growers throughout the entire state of Arizona to bring a focus on education and information gathering — including outreach to media, wine critics and experts — to help promote the growing regions.
Cottonwood Community Club House
187 E. Pima St., Cottonwood $35+ | verdevalleywinefestival.com
That tide has been boosted by the advocacy of the area organizations supporting the festival.
Kris Pothier, president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association and coowner of the charmingly avant-garde Chateau Tumbleweed Winery in Clarkdale, says the AWGA represents more than 100 vineyard owners, grape growers, winemakers and supporting businesses. The organization works with lobbyists and lawmakers on a grassroots level to establish enduring relationships and further modernize Arizona wine laws.
has always been a fun and successful one. Getting in front of a diverse crowd is so important and this is what we all look forward to.”
Pothier says that it is a great feeling to be able to share wine with large groups of happy people, such as those at the Verde Valley Wine Festival.
[ ]
Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377
ARTIST
GraceReneeGallery.com480.575.8080
Wine & 4–7appetizersp.m.
CONTEMPORARY GLASS ARTIST
Seth Fairweather
Grace Renee Gallery
Seth’s sculpture is meant to invoke conversations, particularly about the absence of individual thought in today’s society. His creations are powerful and provocative, and truly original.
22 imagesarizona.com April 2022 GRACE RENEE GALLERY APRIL ARTIST
Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon.
Thursday,RECEPTIONApril21
CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY CAREFREE ARIZONA
COMMUNITY 2022
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
Through April 30
Through April 10
FLASHDANCE: THE MUSICAL
Arizona Broadway Theatre presents its production of “Flashdance: The Musical,” based on the popular 1983 feature film about a welder who dreams of going to a prestigious dance academy and becoming a professional dancer. See website for price and times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org
April 1
Through April 3
April
Through April 15
24 imagesarizona.com April 2022
ARTRAGEOUSLUMINESCENCEGALA:
Don Bluth Front Row Theatre presents its production of “Camelot.” $28+; youth, senior, student and military discounts available. Don Bluth Front Row Theatre, 8989 E. Via Linda, Suite 118, Scottsdale. 480-314-0841; donbluthfrontrowtheatre.com
PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL
VITA TAX PROGRAM
Fountain Hills Theater presents its production of “Ripcord,” a play about a cantankerous woman who is determined to get rid of the woman with whom she has been forced to share her quarters at a senior living facility. See website for price and times. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org
Through April 24
CAMELOT
RIPCORD
The Phoenix Film Foundation hosts its annual event. See website for prices and schedule. Harkins Scottsdale 101, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd., Scottsdale. phoenixfilmfestival.com
April 2
Scottsdale Arts will host its annual fundraiser benefitting dynamic and diverse performances, exhibitions and arts education and outreach programs. The gala will feature a Hollywood-style, livestreamed red carpet event; culinary and beverage stations; a silent auction, performance artists; a specially designed, three-course dinner; a dynamic live auction; and an energizing and enigmatic grand finale performance by Quixotic. See website for prices and time. Scottsdale Stadium, 7408 E. Osborn Road, scottsdalearts.orgScottsdale.
IRS-certified volunteers will provide basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. Free. Tuesdays and Thursdays. By appointment only. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; mastersofcoin.org
ARCHITECTURE THAT WILL ASTOUND
The Holland Center will welcome Nicolette Bonnstetter for a virtual presentation about architecture. Free. 10:30 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org
The Texas Tenors will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest for a concert of repertoire ranging from country to pop and Broadway to classical. $49+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org
April 2
FRENCH CLASS
April 2
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Desert Foothills Library will host an eight-week beginner’s French class that will focus on conversation, using practical vocabulary for everyday situations. $80. Fridays 11 a.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
Rock the District will host its annual event, featuring music by celebrity headliners as well as artists and bands made up of students from across the Phoenix area. All proceeds will benefit the Cave Creek Unified Education Foundation. $20+. 6–10 p.m. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. rockthedistrict.net
ROCK THE DISTRICT
April 3
THE TEXAS TENORS
April 1
Celebrate America’s love of automobiles and aircraft. Enthusiasts and owners can mingle and take in some of the finest examples of domestic and foreign automobiles and aircraft from around the Valley. The event will feature a mix of classic automobiles and vintage aircraft manufactured prior to 1980. Free. 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. SkyRanch at Carefree, 8302 E. Cave Creek Road, Carefree. carefree-wheels-wings.com
BROADWAY BOUND
CAREFREE CLASSIC WHEELS AND WINGS SHOW
Scottsdale’s premier adult choir Upscale Singers will perform a concert featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Disney, “Grease” and ABBA. $30; discounts available for youth. 2 p.m. The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. upscalesingers.com
April 1–May 20
April 3
Southwest Shakespeare Company will perform “Shall I Compare Thee: The Sonnets,” an extraordinary celebration of life, love and the pursuit of happiness in a post-COVID world. $35+. Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. swshakespeare.org
April 4
Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre will present its youth production of “Disney's High School Musical, Jr.” See website for price and times. Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre at Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664; desertstages.org
The Holland Center will welcome Larry Charles for a four-week workshop during which participants will learn techniques for painting desert landscapes. $250. 9 a.m. RSVP. The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B, Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org
AMERICAN LEGION CEREMONY
April 5–26
April 8–17
April 4
FLORA AND FAUNA OF NAMIBIA
SHALL I COMPARE THEE: THE SONNETS
LITERATE FOODIE CLUB
April 7–17
Literate Foodie Club will host a discussion of Bronte Aurell’s “ScandiKitchen: Summer.” The club’s volunteer cooks will serve a sampling of foods related to the book. $10. 12:30 p.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
April 9
LEARN TO PAINT DESERT LANDSCAPES
Carefree Desert Gardens will welcome Desert Botanical Garden’s former cactus collection manager Scott McMahon, who will take attendees on a journey to Namibia — home to some of the most iconic succulents in the world, some of the oldest exposed rock formations and many familiar animals adapted to survive in the desert 2022
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April
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
COMMUNITY
Arizona Musicfest will present a technically stunning, authentic and explosive concert showcasing two decades of Paul McCartney’s music from The Beatles to Wings. $35+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org
American Legion Post 34 will honor several Medal of Honor and Purple Heart recipients during a ceremony that includes a meal, a raffle, a silent auction, a live auction and live music. All proceeds will benefit the Arizona chapter of the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, which establishes a $35,000 educational scholarship for every child who loses a parent serving in the United States Marine Corps or any federal law enforcement agency. $10. 4 p.m. American Legion Post 34, 6272 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. azpost34.com
THE MCCARTNEY YEARS
DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, JR.
Scottsdale’s premier adult choir Upscale Singers will perform a concert featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Disney, “Grease” and ABBA. The event will include a cash bar, a raffle and a buffet dinner. $85. 5:30 p.m. Cochise Geronimo Clubhouse at Desert Mountain Golf Club, 10333 Rockaway Hills Drive, Scottsdale. upscalesingers.com
Desert Foothills Library will host a virtual book club featuring David Mitchell’s “The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet.” Free. 10 a.m. RSVP. dfla.org
April 14–19
April 15–May 1
GET LIT BOOK CLUB
April 14 and 26
April 16
Desert Foothills Theater will present its teen production of “Les Miserables.” The show will be performed on an outdoor stage designed and constructed specifically for the epic musical event. See website for price, times and location. 480-488-1981; dftheater.org
WALK, TALK AND TASTE
environment. $5+. 9:30 a.m. Carefree Town Council Chambers, 33 Easy St., Carefree. 480-488-3686.
LES MISERABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
The Desert Awareness Committee will host a hike during which attendees may sample edible desert plants. Free. 8 a.m. Desert Awareness Park, 38100 N. Vermeersch Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org
BROADWAY BOUND
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SUDS
LIBRARY BOOK CLUB
Fountain Hills Theater will present its production of “Suds,” featuring more than 50 well-known songs that topped the 1960s charts. See website for price and times. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org
Desert Foothills Library will host a happy hour book club featuring Que Mai Phan Nguyen’s “The Mountains Sing.” Free. 5 p.m. RSVP. See website for location. dfla.org
April 12
April 10
April 21
KEB’ MO’
CAREFREE ART NIGHT
EMANUEL AX
April 23 and 24
April 21
One of the world’s pre-eminent pianists Emanuel Ax will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest for a concert of classical music. $41+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org
COMMUNITY
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will welcome iconic music artist Keb’ Mo’ for a concert of songs addressing topics such as immigration, depression, female empowerment and more. See website for prices. 7:30 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org
April 23 and 30
April 16–Oct. 9
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will present an exhibition of seven large-scale hanging works by Los Angeles-based Mandan/Hidatsa artist Teresa Baker. Combining Native American craft traditions using buffalo hide, willow and other natural materials with artificial materials like AstroTurf and synthetic yarns, the exhibition will contain new works made in response to the landscape of northeastern Wyoming on the high plains — beneath the Bighorn Mountains — and inspired by the vastness of that area, the unique geological formations of giant rocks, petrified logs and the sky. $10; student, senior and veteran discounts available. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480874-4666; smoca.org
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
28 imagesarizona.com April 2022
CINDERELLA
Galleries throughout Carefree will host an event that offers art enthusiasts an opportunity to enjoy live music and refreshments as they stroll through the breathtaking shadows of Black Mountain in search of their next masterpiece. Free. 4–7 p.m. See website for participating galleries. visitcarefree.com
Ballet Etudes will perform a two-act ballet following the kind-hearted Cinderella, her wicked step-mother, her two clumsy step-sisters and her loving fairy godmother. $21+. Saturday 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday 3 p.m. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.
Big Bronco — a staple of the town of Cave Creek that offers sophisticated homeowners beautiful, artisan-made furniture, décor and gifts — will host a community event featuring live music, food, drinks and more to celebrate and commemorate its 22nd anniversary. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit local horse groups. Big Bronco, 6602 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 480575-7025; bigbroncocavecreek.com
April 2022
TERESA BAKER: CAPTURING SPACE
April 22
BIG BRONCO ANNIVERSARY PARTY
April 18
JUBILATE CONCERT
Jubilate Conservatory will perform a pair of recitals featuring voice, violin, viola, and cello soloists. Free. 1 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
WATER IN THE DESERT
The Verde Valley Wine Festival will host a special event that will include premium wine and culinary options, a live auction and live music. See website for price and time. Old Town Cottonwood Clubhouse, 805 N. Main St., Cottonwood. verdevalleywinefestival.com
April 24–May 1
VIP PLATINUM WINEMAKER DINNER
BROADWAY BOUND
April 30
Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will perform a concert of water-themed choral music — including sea shanties, rivers, weeping and baptism. See website for prices. April 24 3 p.m. at The Church at Litchfield Park, 300 N. Old Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park; April 26 7:30 p.m. at Velda Rose United Methodist Church, 5540 E. Main St., Mesa; May 1 3 p.m. at Camelback Bible Church, 3900 E. Stanford Drive, Paradise Valley. orpheus.org
Scottsdale’s premier adult choir Upscale Singers will perform a concert featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Disney, “Grease” and ABBA. The event will include a cash bar, a raffle, a silent auction and a buffet dinner. $55. 5:30 p.m. Fenlon Hall at St. Patrick Catholic Community, 10815 N. 84th St., Scottsdale. upscalesingers.com
Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest for a night of laughter, dancing and foot-stompin' fun as they capture the infectious humor and unbridled spirit of The Blues Brothers. $35+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org
29imagesarizona.com April 2022
April 29
THE OFFICIAL BLUES BROTHERS REVUE
April 29
Salt River Brass will perform a concert of popular and classical music from George Gershwin’s more than two dozen scores for Broadway and Hollywood. $18+; student and senior discounts available. 3 p.m. Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa. saltriverbrass.org
April 24
RHAPSODY IN BLUE
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MUSEUM ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR
April 2022
April 30
April 30
YOU COME, TOO
Applications for the Sonoran Arts League’s visual arts scholarships are now open to students who have excelled in the visual arts field and have enrolled in higher education at which they plan to continue their artistic studies. A total of $4,000 will be awarded. Applications must be received by April 13. sonoranartsleague.org
English Rose Tea Room will host a celebratory afternoon tea in preparation of the release of the new major motion picture “Downton Abbey: A New Era.” Costumes are essential while “Downton Abbey”-inspired gifts, music and photo opportunities will be available. $55. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. RSVP. English Rose Tea Room, 201 Easy Street, Carefree. 480-488-4812; carefreetea.com
Bell Bank Park will host an event that will feature the area’s best food trucks, live music, vendors, games and more. $5+. 3–10 p.m. Bell Bank Park, 1 Legacy Drive, Mesa. bellbankpark.com
May 14
COMMUNITY
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
April 30 and May 1
VERDE VALLEY WINE FESTIVAL
The Verde Valley Wine Festival will return for its fifth year, featuring more than 20 Arizona wineries and a variety of Arizona brewers and distillers as well as dozens of culinary options and local crafters/exhibitors. Attendees will also enjoy live music throughout the day from three local bands. See website for price. Noon–5 p.m. Old Town Activity Park, 187 E. Pima St., Cottonwood. verdevalleywinefestival.com
RETURN TO AFTERNOONDOWNTONTEAPARTY
Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform a concert of music that celebrates coming home, coming together, making a spiritual journey and spending time with loved ones. $18+; student and senior discounts available. Saturday 7:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 15 E. First Ave., Mesa. Sunday 3 p.m. La Casa De Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. 480-305-4538; sonorandesertchorale.org
ARTS LEAGUE SCHOLARSHIPACCEPTSAPPLICATIONS
YUM FOOD-FEST
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West recently announced the appointment of Michael Zirulnik as its new development director. Zirulnik will be responsible for engaging locally, regionally and across the country, with philanthropic interests to establish the museum as the premier institution to support the art, culture and lifestyle of the American West. He comes to the museum as an experienced professional with two decades of involvement in intersecting industries including higher education, healthcare, aviation and the arts. scottsdalemuseumwest.org
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looking forward to this show for the whole year,” Carll explains. “Many will be seniors and this will be their last performance on an Arizona stage before they go on to pursue the arts in different ways.
Writer Shannon Severson
Carll notes that this final production of a very successful six-show season will be the theater’s teen performance and has attracted a large cast of the most talented teens in the “They’veValley.been
More than 70 million people in 44 countries and 22 languages have seen “Les Misérables,” the powerful musical theater adaption of Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name. The show is the sixth longest-running Broadway production of all time — and now the school edition is coming to Carefree’s Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion April 21–30, courtesy of Desert Foothills Theater.
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“‘Les Misérables, School Edition’ is going to be performed as our season finale and it is our biggest show of the season,” says director Sandi Carll, who is also Desert Foothills Theater’s interim managing director. “We are so excited for it and to be able to perform it at the beautiful Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion outdoors will make it a truly magical evening.”
The show is another landmark in a season that has seen the arts come roaring back. Carll says there’s an axiom in the theater community that says, “Intermission is over!” Performers are ready to get back to creating great things and Desert Foothills Theater has been doing that all year.
MaddenRobbyPhoto//CampSummerTheaterFoothillsDesert
A Thrilling Conclusion
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This is the second time that Desert Foothills Theater has concluded its season with a show under the stars at Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, which has given theatergoers the opportunity to enjoy the surrounding gardens and visit the shops and restaurants that surround the Carefree Sundial. Carll says that 800 people came to watch “13: The Musical,” which was the season finale show last year and was extremely well-received.
These end-of-year teen shows feature many young people who have participated in Desert Foothills Theater’s youth programs since they were small. This season finale helps set the stage for the theater’s program of five summer camp sessions for children ages 7–13 in June and July.
‘“Les Misérables’ requires a lot of acting chops and musical talent. This performance will challenge them, but they’re excited to have the opportunity to tackle a show that has a rich history on Broadway and as a touring Creatingproduction.”anoutdoor
“We have a wonderful team that is eager to create the set for the French battle scenes,” Carll says. “The big scene in the show that everyone comes to watch is the battle scene. Our focus is finding a way to tell that story in a very exciting set piece — the barricade. That will help us tell this dramatic story and lead to the conclusion as the town goes to battle.”
set from scratch is a challenge in itself, but “Les Misérables” is a particularly tall task — one that Carll is confident her talented team of designers and set builders will meet and exceed.
stretching the reach of the program beyond the Cave Creek/Carefree area.
Desert Foothills Theater has considerably expanded its outreach to the community this past year with a successful afterschool theater arts training pilot program at Paradise Valley Unified School District’s Grayhawk Elementary School. There is also a new partnership with Notre Dame Preparatory High School, which has a brand new performing arts center on its campus.
“13 The Musical” // Photo by Rob Madden will challenge them, but they’re excited to have the opportunity to tackle a show that has a rich history on Broadway and as a touring production. Sandi Carll
“War of the Worlds” // Photo by Rob Madden
“We want to go out into the community,” Carll says. “Kids need the opportunity to have an outlet where they can come together, feel joy, be creative and support each other in a different way. Learning how to be in a musical together and taking on the responsibility of learning lines, dances and music is important.”
Experience Les Misérables, School Edition April 21–23 and April 28–30 | 7 p.m. | Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion | 101 Easy Street, Carefree See website for price | dftheater.org
Desert Foothills Theater will host its June summer camps at Notre Dame Preparatory High School,
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Desert Foothills Theater's Superheroes Acting Class // Photo by Sandi Carll
This performance
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“I am absolutely excited to build on the momentum we’ve enjoyed this year,” Carll says. “There is going to be something for everyone in our 2022–23 season. I want the community to know that we’ve got you covered. We are going to continue our incredible programs. We also have plans for a play and musical for adult performers, shows for teens and a really popular adult workshop for improv that we are bringing back.
Carll says that Desert Foothills Theater has worked with original artists here in the Valley for different performance pieces and welcomes that collaboration. The program presents many opportunities for community involvement, from volunteering to performing and sponsorships.
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Instagram:dftheater.org@desertfoothillstheater
“We are here to serve this community in a variety of ways. Desert Foothills Theater has been a staple in town for so long. We want to continue the legacy of quality entertainment — a fun night out is available for everybody.”
Looking toward the 2022–23 season, Carll says that the future is bright. She adds that the support of The Holland Center, led by executive director Jennifer Rosvall, and community partnerships have been the foundation for keeping a thriving performing arts program in this corner of the Valley. It can be a challenge without a dedicated physical building, but that hasn’t stood in the way of producing quality programs, which elevates the community for all ages.
Writer Shannon Severson
Photo Courtesy of Mary's Backyard Blooms
The hardened clay soil of our dry desert might not look like fertile ground, but with a bit of careful tending, timing and persistence, a colorless and barren backyard can teem with colorful blooms — even year-round!
T
“I would spend my summers picking peas, collecting vegetables and watching my grandma can pizza sauce,” Shirley says. “I think it made me who I am. It gave me my strong work ethic.”
“The flowers just bring pure magic to my desert backyard,” Shirley explains.
It’s amazing what growing things can do for your soul. Mary Shirley “
The Valley gardening community is full of flowergrowing enthusiasts who have found connections on social media — particularly Instagram — where they share photos of seedlings to bouquets as well as trade tips and even seeds.
Some of her favorite surprises have been daffodils, dahlias and hollyhocks. A pack of hollyhock seeds she
Mary Shirley grew up in Tennessee, working in her grandparents’ “massive” garden. It shaped her as a gardener and as a person.
When she moved to Arizona nearly seven years ago, she wanted enough land for chickens and a garden of vegetables and flowers. But the flowers brought her so much joy that she soon found herself replacing the vegetable beds in favor of flowers.
MARY’S BACKYARD BLOOMS
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MARY’S BACKYARD BLOOMS
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Photos Courtesy of Mary's Backyard Blooms
Shirley says that the gardening community here in Arizona is like nothing she’s ever experienced; she’s found her fellow gardeners to be generous and inspiring. Sharing online has led to camaraderie and some great results in the garden. The benefits don’t stop at what can be arranged in a vase.
threw out on the desert soil has now come back year after year with mostly just rainwater.
“The garden and growing things have given me such peace, hope and passion,” Shirley says. “I hope my flowers and posting will inspire those passions and hope in other people — even in difficult times. For me, personally, it has made such a difference in my life, my mental health, and my outlook on the world. It’s amazing what growing things can do for your soul.”
roses] take my breath away,” Shirley says. “Some even smell like citrus. They’re bred for their scent and dozens or hundreds of petals and they grow here so easily.”
Instagram: @marysbackyardblooms
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One of her absolute favorite flowers to grow is roses. Specifically, David Austin roses, of which there are more than 200 varieties. These beauties are bred by an Englishman of the same name and in his nearly 60 years of work he has drawn a dedicated following. Some have so many layered petals they appear to be “[Davidpeonies.Austin
THE POTTER’S BENCH
Photos Courtesy of The Potters Bench
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“By the time it gets really hot in June, they’ve grown enough to shade my plants and I don’t have to rig up shade cloths,” she reveals.
“I feel we all need a little boost,” Walker says. “Growing up in Colorado, my parents always had a garden. I didn’t really like it at the time because it meant pulling weeds on Saturday morning, but I appreciated it. When my husband and I bought our first home 22 years ago, we had this little 8-by-10 garden bed that we started and that was really fun.”
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“People are just shocked to learn that we can grow these flowers here in Arizona,” Walker says. “It’s been fun to educate people and help them realize we tweak our growing season a little and can grow almost everything anyone else can grow. The bonus is we can really grow year-round. That’s one of the biggest plusses for vegetable gardens, especially. We can harvest from our vegetable gardens year-round if we choose to.”
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That small garden bed has blossomed into an acre of land in Queen Creek, a master gardener designation from University of Arizona and a full-time business — The Potter’s Bench, a flower farm and garden consultancy that includes a website and blog, newsletter, workshops and a Community Supported Agriculture bouquet subscription service.
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Those big moments in life?
Sunflowers are planted successively — a tray of seedlings goes in the ground every week so they’re ready to sell throughout the season. The tall, large-headed sunflower stalks and blooms are strategically planted on the south and west sides of her vegetable garden, creating a natural shade screen.
Walker starts thousands of seedlings indoors and plants everything in full sun. Her summer crop bursts forth full of zinnias, cosmos, celosia, amaranth and lisianthus, planted in blocks of color. She is also a David Austin rose enthusiast and has at least 40 shrubs from the purveyor.
THE POTTER’S BENCH
Leslie Jensen
Stephanie Walker also finds gardening and being out in nature to be therapeutic.
Instagram:thepottersbench.com@the_potters_bench
Photos Courtesy of Cottage Garden
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COTTAGE GARDEN
blooming season, she brings bouquets to friends who might need a lift and sells bouquets — mostly to other Romanians in her community. It helps finance her seeds and Addedsupplies.benefits
COTTAGE GARDEN
“I recall my mom bought a packet of zinnias and that’s the first thing she planted, along with a Rose of Sharon tree,” Moghina says. “I helped her plant and weed and water. When I was married 20 years later and moved to Arizona, it was a whole new ballgame; I had to re-learn a lot.”
to her verdant space include watching her children play, observing the comings and goings of bugs and insects and a little hummingbird who has made the Moghina garden its home since they moved in.
Duringbulbs.the
She and her vegetable-gardening husband have made gardening a priority in every home they’ve owned and have transformed blank slate backyards into magical oases teeming with flowers that attract pollinators for the vegetables. With five children, they have quite a few helpers in the garden.
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Michelle Moghina’s earliest gardening memories were working in her family garden in Romania. The family escaped communism when she was nine years old after her father swam the Danube into Serbia and settled first in New York City as a religious and political refugee. The family eventually moved to Michigan and her mother’s first requirement was to have a garden.
Instagram: @azcottagegarden
of plants that won’t grow well in Arizona by finding flowers similar in texture and color. For instance, most lavender doesn’t like our climate but Egyptian or fern leaf lavender does. David Austin roses figure prominently in her gorgeous garden, as do ranunculus, salvia, wallflowers, society garlic and various winter and spring
“She eats from my hand,” Moghina says. “She chases away the birds and bees and flies to me when I come into the garden. It’s worth all the work to be able to watch my kids enjoying the garden.”
VISIT IMAGESARIZONA.COM TO READ AN EXTENDED VERSION OF THIS STORY, FEATURING MARY SHIRLEY, STEPHANIE WALKER AND MICHELLE MOGHINA’S TIPS FOR GROWING A GORGEOUS GARDEN IN ARIZONA. EXTENDED VERSION
Moghina is known on social media for her charming cottage garden design. She works to mimic the look
“American Legion posts are really getting smaller and smaller, because [many younger] veterans do not want
With HonorAmerican Legion Post 34 Celebrates 75 Years
Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Fran Booth
More than one decade ago, a thousand officers and men of the American Expeditionary Forces came together to form the nonprofit organization known as the American Legion.
Founded on the pillars of veterans affairs and rehabilitation, national security, Americanism and children and youth, posts popped up across the country, providing the men and women who have served the United States of America an opportunity to continue to do so while also supporting one another in the process.
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“There is a camaraderie that you have within a post,” says Dan Schwerdtfeger, commander of American Legion Post 34. “Those who join the military make up
only 1% of the population. It is such a small group. So we need to stick together and continue to watch each other’s Membersbacks.”ofAmerican
Legion Post 34, which was chartered on Jan. 2, 1947, have been doing exactly that while simultaneously giving back to Cave Creek and Carefree’s charitable organizations for more than 75 years. Schwerdtfeger says that longevity is quite an accomplishment considering many other posts have closed over the years due to declining membership and insufficient financial support.
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He adds that the brotherhood and sisterhood that American Legion posts provide is not something that can be replicated or substituted via the “Butinternet.wehave been fortunate because we are located in a unique area as far as Cave Creek being a little tourist town,” says Schwerdtfeger, noting that while national American Legion membership has declined by more than 3 million members over the years, American Legion Post 34’s membership and financial support actually continue to increase.
“Our post right now has about 500 members and we [organized] one event this past January that raised about $20,000. That was during one event. All of that money is donated to several different charity groups to support veterans.”
With a mission to support and advocate on behalf of veterans, active military and their families, American Legion Post 34 consistently reaches out to assist veterans and others in need. Recipients of the post’s support include the Veterans Heritage Project and the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.
“We support not only those within our community through
to belong to a post,” Schwerdtfeger says. “They would rather just support one another through social media — which is kind of sad.”
Since its charter on Jan. 2, 1947, American Legion Post 34 has been welcoming veterans from all branches of our armed forces. Photo Courtesy of American Legion Post 34
Since its charter on Jan. 2, 1947, American Legion Post 34 has been home to veterans supporting one another while simultaneously giving back to Cave Creek and Carefree’s charitable organizations. Photo Courtesy of American Legion Post 34
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that the same support is extended to every veteran who may have fallen on hard times or is struggling in some way. After all, as much as the general population wants to help those who served our country, no one better understands a veteran’s situation than another veteran.
“They still have to put their own boots on, but we help them with counseling, finances, education and anything else that they may need,” he says.
Each event will feature a theme that reflects a certain era — be it that of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts — complete
In celebration of its 75th anniversary, American Legion Post 34 will host several exciting educational and themed events throughout this year. Schwerdtfeger says that the post is eager to share its rich history, values and honorable work with the communities it serves.
different crises but also veterans in other communities,” Schwerdtfeger says. “Our post last year donated more than $60,000 to the MANA House, [a peer-support organization of homeless and formerly homeless veterans]. Those funds help them to get back on their feet, get a job and get back on the right
“There will be nostalgia at every bend as we transport people back in time to places our veterans knew,” Schwerdtfeger adds. “While we will share veteran stories throughout the years, we also will showcase the war eras and our veterans’ role in supporting freedom. For each event, living veterans will be invited to attend so they can be honored by all in attendance.”
American Legion Post 34 is also committed to making the communities of Cave Creek and Carefree better places for all as its members volunteer with and make regular donations to Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center, often speak at schools and even assist with scholarships. It is all in the name of fulfilling their continued sense of duty to their country — which is just another benefit of belonging to an American Legion post.
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Schwerdtfegerpath.”adds
“When you get out of the service, you feel kind of lost,” Schwerdtfeger explains. “Supporting another veteran and others in the community gives you a great feeling of still being in the military.”
Dan Schwerdtfeger
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We want to honor our past members who are no longer with us and what they started while also celebrating our current members — especially the fact that they are home and they are alive.
The commander adds that while the majority of American Legion Post 34’s membership is made up of Vietnam War veterans, its members’ ages run the gamut. The post’s youngest members, having just gotten out of the military, are 21 years old while its oldest members are 95 years old.
“I think that we are down to only two members who are World War II veterans,” Schwerdtfeger says. “We want to honor them. It is such a delight to be a commander at this point in time and to watch how this post is flourishing with young members who are coming in to support our older members.”
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The events will be celebrations for sure, but they possess much deeper significance, as well.
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with entertainment that transports veterans and the community at large back to that moment in time. Schwerdtfeger likens the events to the USO shows that take active service members’ minds off of where they are and what they are doing while giving them a little bit of a taste of home.
“We want to honor our past members who are no longer with us and what they started while also celebrating our current members — especially the fact that they are home and they are alive,” Schwerdtfeger says.
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
Photography by Carl Schultz
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Established in 1976 by former Scottsdale resident Mark Miller, the Scottsdale Community Garden Club occupies about seven acres at the northeast corner of the Scottsdale Community College campus. More than 200 garden members and co-gardeners bring 186 plots to life with green lettuce, red tomatoes, yellow squash, white cauliflower and everything in between.
That interest increased exponentially in the spring of 2020 when, faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, people began looking for outdoor recreation options through which they could safely continue to actively engage their minds and bodies. It just so happens that gardening offers a whole slew of other benefits as well.
“I think that a lot of people are now focused on eating healthier,” says Paul Wright, vice president of the Scottsdale Community Garden Club. “Growing your own food is a fantastic way to eliminate any kind of processing or middleman playing with your food before it gets from where it was grown to where you are going to eat it.”
Gardening has been proven to burn calories, build strength, relieve stress, improve memory, increase confidence, foster connections and, of course, encourage healthier eating habits.
Over the course of its nearly 50 years in existence, the Scottsdale Community Garden Club has seen a lot of interest from people who aspire to grow their own vegetables but may otherwise lack their own space or equipment to do so.
O
The nonprofit organization offers gardening experience for everyone from the novice beginner to the master gardener. The club provides water, wheelbarrows, soil amendments and tillers and its members provide a sense of community, camaraderie and experimentation.
“
Paul Wright
What we are doing at our club meetings and just on a day-to-day basis is sharing our knowledge and our practices with one another so that everybody is doing a better job of growing vegetables.
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“Our charter is education,” he explains. “What we are doing at our club meetings and just on a day-to-day basis is sharing
“I have been an amateur vegetable gardener for most of my life,” Wright says. “I grew up on the East Coast in New England and used to grow tomatoes with my father in the summertime. I moved to Arizona in the 70s and started to garden in my own backyard. In the 80s, I moved to a new home and kind of lost the time and space to do that.”
PLANTING THE SEEDS
In addition to all of the space and tools they need to be successful, members have access to the limitless resource that is their fellow gardener.
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“There are some folks in the club who are master gardeners,” Lange says. “They can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about gardening.”
“It is a community yet, at the same time, we each have our own little canvas,” Lange says. “And we can put whatever we want in there. For anybody who has got garden interest, the club has done a phenomenal job at organizing a very affordable way to garden.”
Wright’s friend eventually suggested that he join the Scottsdale Community Garden Club and he did so in 2008. He eventually served as the club’s president for four years before handing the baton over to Ron Lange, who developed an interest in gardening while growing up in Texas.
Lange moved to Arizona 38 years ago and, all the while, maintained gardening as a hobby. He, like Wright, learned about the Scottsdale Community Garden Club through a friend about eight years ago and jumped at the opportunity to join it — primarily because it would allow him to be in the company of others who shared his interest.
Wright adds that he often asks for advice from those with neighboring plots and other Scottsdale Community Garden Club members who have visible success with one vegetable or another.
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our knowledge and our practices with one another so that everybody is doing a better job of growing vegetables.”
Moreover, the club sees gardeners of all ages getting their hands dirty in the soil — everyone from families with young children to retirees, each of whom works their plots during different times of the day.
“We are full and we have been for the past five years,” Wright says. “We have a waiting list that currently stands at somewhere around 20 or 30 people.”
At one point, the Scottsdale Community Garden Club attempted to coordinate harvests and donate vegetables to the school but its regimented curriculum made that a bit too difficult to accomplish. In lieu of that, the club has begun making donations twice a year — once during the holidays and once in the spring — to the food insecure on campus and in the greater community.
Wright adds that, in recent years, the club has increased its engagement with Scottsdale Community College.
Wright adds that the makeup of the Scottsdale Community Garden Club’s membership is a reflection of Arizona’s population as a whole.
“We have a plot that is dedicated to the folks in the school’s culinary program,” he says. “The club also provides a scholarship that is awarded annually to a student in the culinary program. It essentially covers their tuition and fees for a year.”
NURTURING THE GROWTH
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“I think that the diversity of the club’s membership has become extraordinarily unique compared to what it was 12 or 15 years ago,” he explains. “It reflects the Valley in that we have a lot of residents in Maricopa County who come from all kinds of places. We have folks from different parts of the country and even other countries around the world who have moved to Phoenix and want to grow their own food. The changing membership has been fun to watch.”
Having recently become a grandfather, Lange takes particular pride in being able to share his harvest with his daughter, who feeds the vegetables to her son in a pureed state.
He says that although there are some vegetables — such as onions and garlic— that cross growing seasons, one of the most important things that aspiring gardeners need to familiarize themselves with is the specific timing that they should plant each type of vegetable.
“Come November and December, everyone has got broccoli to burn, so to speak,” Wright says. “So when the crops are really coming in, we have, for the past several years, made donations to charities in the Valley such as Andre House, which is a nonprofit organization in Phoenix that focuses on folks who need a meal.”
Most recently, the Scottsdale Community Garden Club and Scottsdale Community College have joined forces to create pollinator pathways — pesticide-free corridors both in the garden and on campus of native plants that provide nutrition and habitat for pollinating insects and birds.
HARVESTING THE CROP
“One of the things that have become really clear to me since joining the Scottsdale Community Garden Club is what you should plant when,” says
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Wright adds that aspiring gardeners need only spend a little time researching local resources, like those available on the club’s website, and they will be shocked at just how much food they can grow on even a very small amount of land. He suggests starting with the soil itself.
Lange, cautioning that the availability of plants at home improvement stores is generally not a very good guide. “But Arizona is an absolutely fun place to have a garden because you actually have two growing seasons.”
“Certain types of tomatoes do fantastic here in the Valley while others do not,” Wright says. “If you have never had romanesco, go ahead and try to grow it. If you have never grown your own Brussels sprouts and you like Brussels sprouts, go ahead give it a shot. The Scottsdale Community Garden Club allows folks to indulge in their own particular fantasy.”
Ultimately, it is all about experimentation — something that the Scottsdale Community Garden Club facilitates even better than in your own backyard thanks to its communal atmosphere.
Instagram:Facebook:scottsdalecommunitygarden.com@scottsdalecommunitygardenclub@scottsdalecommunitygarden
“The native soil in Arizona is not like the soil in most of America,” Wright says. “Where I grew up in New England, you could just throw tomato seeds on the ground and you would get tomatoes. But our soils tend to be pretty clay-like. They need to be amended with some acid and compost.”
The fall/winter season is especially good for growing broccoli, cauliflower, beets, lettuces and peas while spring/ summer planting is ideal for tomatoes, sweet corn, carrots, squashes, potatoes and peppers.
62 imagesarizona.com April 2022 Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Dean Hueber
Photographer Dean Hueber takes tremendous pride in his collection of hummingbird images, a portion of which is the subject of this month’s photo essay.
Of all the incredible creatures on this planet, hummingbirds are among the most magical. When you catch a glimpse of one outside of your window, you cannot help but stop whatever it is that you are doing and watch as it levitates while elegantly dancing from flower to flower.
When other techniques failed to capture the images he wanted, Hueber attended a hummingbird workshop, where he learned how to use multiple high-speed flashes with a much slower camera shutter speed.
“The images were made using a bank of four off-camera strobes, set at a speed of 1/16,000 second, to render the birds exceedingly sharp,” he explains. “The camera itself was set to a much slower speed — 1/150 or so. The camera was on a tripod, I sat still in a chair and the birds seemed to acclimate quickly to both my presence and the flash units, ultimately paying no mind to either in the slightest.”
“Hummingbirds’ flexible shoulder joints allow their wings to rotate 180 degrees, which allows them to fly forward, backward and upside down and to hover,” he says. “I would like to see this structural design integrated into our flight technology.”
“[These images] were captured in Sedona during the summer hummingbird migration in a location that is renowned as a resting and refueling stop for the birds as they journey from their northern origins to southern destinations,” Hueber says.
Hueber adds that hummingbirds are truly fascinating creatures — ones with unique abilities that humans have yet to tap into.
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However, thanks to camera technology, we do have the ability to stop time so that we can fully enjoy the enchantment of these typically quick-moving creatures.
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Hummingbirds are a great reminder that sometimes new techniques and tricks are needed to capture the images we want. Dean Hueber “
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Each species of hummingbird makes a distinctly different sound when it flies. So you can tell immediately what type of bird it is from the sound their wings make. Dean Hueber
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Having grown up in a suburb of Buffalo, New York, Dean Hueber always possessed a strong love for nature and the outdoors.
When Hueber became a father, he purchased an SLR camera to take photos of his son. With the technology finally in his hand, he also began taking photos of nature. He took a couple of seminars and a workshop to find his technical footing, studied images relentlessly to find places to explore and different styles and perspectives and has had a passionate love affair with landscape photography ever since.
“Beauty is my photographic motivation,” says Hueber, noting that he has more recently discovered a love for wildlife photography. “The animals are in themselves striking, but I try to capture them in ideal lighting with attractive backdrops.
“The romantic lure of the open road and the sense of adventure that a photography trip affords are part of the attraction for me as well. The journey is always a big part of the equation, and though the photos do not always make it to print, the experiences are rarely throwaways.”
Hueber attended graduate school in northern California and journeyed to camping destinations along the state’s coast in the Redwoods and witnessed the spectacular beauty of Lake Tahoe. However, it is his first trip to Yosemite National Park from which his photographic aspirations originate.
“The power of Yosemite was spectacular and overwhelming,” he explains. “I spent the weekend awestruck, never having imagined that such pure beauty could exist. I had always loved nature, but that was the first time I had truly desired to take photos of it.”
“I had no idea where these places were or what they were called; only that their beauty and majesty touched my soul,” Hueber says. “I knew that I needed to see these magnificent places with my own eyes.”
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At a very young age, Hueber would climb the water tower in his hometown’s local park so that he could obtain an unobstructed view of the stars and the moon rising or setting. Later in life, he decorated his college dorm room walls with pictures of the Grand Tetons, Yosemite and Mount Denali.
Beauty is my photographic motivation. The animals are in themselves striking, but I try to capture them in ideal lighting with attractive backdrops. Hueber
pbase.com/deanhueber About the Photographer
Dean
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
a body of research that includes how Wright’s mentors used architecture, cities and landscapes to advance social and spatial justice at the turn of the 20th century are just two of the reasons that the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has engaged Gray to lead a new collection of programs that will be known as the Taliesin Institute.
The programs are intended for architecture and design students, new and established design professionals and the broader public interested in learning about the history and future of organic architecture principles, which were established as the core of Wright’s work.
The Taliesin Institute will embrace a broad range of work, including the development of a consortium of leading architecture schools that will send students to study at the two Taliesin campuses — Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin and Taliesin West in Scottsdale — with a particular focus on hands-on work aligned with Wright’s insistence on learning by doing.
The institute will also offer public classes, symposia and workshops that reflect the evolving nature of Wright’s principles of organic design and their relevance to the way we live now, and in the future.
Gray says that Wright was committed to educational reform — a value that was perhaps passed down to him by his aunts who, in 1887, founded the first co-educational boarding school in
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“Frank Lloyd Wright was always trying to use education to improve people's lives and to advance democracy,” says Jennifer Gray, a noted Wright scholar who recently was the curator of drawings and archives at Columbia University’s Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. “That is something that I am really interested in, as well, because I also believe that education is very important for our society and our
When most people hear the name Frank Lloyd Wright, they think of his many amazing architectural achievements. From Taliesin West — the iconic architect’s winter home which is nestled right here in the arid foothills of Arizona’s McDowell Mountains — to his vacation home Fallingwater built in 1936 atop a gushing waterfall in southwestern Pennsylvania and the Guggenheim Museum in New York, there is no doubting the accuracy of that However,association.Wright was on the vanguard of so much more than just architecture. Just as often as he was coming up with innovative ways to transform the spaces in which we live, work and play, he was coming up with innovative ways to transform the space between our ears.
and ahead of its time in terms of the types of curriculum that it offered, such as nature studies and chemistry labs,” Gray says. “Those are now part of our education but were brand new at the time. Wright took that one step further and founded his own school — the Taliesin Fellowship.”
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is a lens into a much broader set of questions that have to do with the society in which we are living. It leads to discussions about our rules, our laws, our politics, money, power and all of the other things that we, as a society, struggle with on a daily basis. Gray
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“We are still in the process of developing the strategic plan but, generally speaking, we want to distill the essence of the Taliesin Fellowship, take its essential qualities and move them into the contemporary moment,” Gray says.
Hands-on learning was an integral part of the Taliesin Fellowship’s pedagogy. Gray says that a typical day might have consisted of a group breakfast followed by coursework, farming, architectural study, afternoon tea and, finally, a film
and studied with Wright, the Taliesin Fellowship provided a total learning environment integrating all aspects of the apprentices’ lives with the intent of educating responsible, creative and cultured human beings.
She suspects that it will also be a key component of the Taliesin Institute.
a very diverse set of things that you were learning and how you were learning them,” Gray explains. “But the active component was key.”
“They taught architecture there but they also had all other kinds of practices happening — graphic design, fine arts, film studies, performance, dance, literature, philosophy and music,” Gray says. “It was very multifaceted in terms of the kinds of learning that was taking place there. The curriculum was wide-reaching. Wright would say that of all that falls under the umbrella of architecture.”
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“The historical context of what people thought in the past as well as what worked and did not is a way to grapple with a variety of different problems and apply them to our current situation,” explains Gray,
In other words, the lessons that the Taliesin Institute aspires to offer will be relevant to a broad range of individuals. After all, the questions that Wright asked and the solutions he proposed had profound impacts on so much more than just architecture. Moreover, they are oftentimes the same discussions or very similar to those that we are having today.
She adds that Wright was also an amateur farmer throughout his entire life and valued nature, farming, food and the environment. She predicts that, given our current climate situation, those things will also play a major part in the educational experience at the Taliesin Institute.
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“We might also have rising seniors come through the summer before their college year. And, ideally, we will also have lifelong learners — people from the general public who are just interested in architecture, Wright or any of the subjects that will be offered at Taliesin Institute.”
“I also think that it is important for different kinds of learners to come to the institute,” Gray says. “Students who are in a Masters of Architecture program might come to do an exchange program at the Taliesin Institute. We might also have professional architects who can take continuing education credits there.
recalling her earlier sentiments about architecture being a lens into a much broader set of societal issues. “It gives you some more tools to actually change your own community and your own society for the better.”
Gray adds that Wright’s questions and solutions are particularly timely at the moment because the social divisions and economic issues that were present in the time that he was working — especially during the early
20th century — are very similar to those that we are experiencing today.
“So I think that his lessons have particularly relevant applications,” she says. “Our solutions might look different now, but [Wright] was already asking them 100 years ago. So I think that it is really interesting to probe how he was tackling those things and how that might help us to tackle them today.”
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IMAGESARIZONA. COM TO READ AN EXTENDED VERSION OF THIS STORY, FEATURING MORE ABOUTINFORMATIONJENNIFERGRAY AND HER INSIGHTS INTO THE REMARKABLE WORK OF FRANK LLOYD VERSIONEXTENDEDWRIGHT.
“I am very excited to be part of this new venture and look forward to exploring and advancing Wright’s ideas about architecture, education, community, the environment and more and how they remain relevant for us today,” says Gray, who will be under contract with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation while she completes other projects and will join the foundation full-time this summer.
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Gray is therefore eager to see how the Taliesin Institute can help its students to have a positive impact on people’s lives, just as Wright aspired to do many years ago.
“We will use the early months to focus on fleshing out the strategic plan for the institute and then announce specific programs as they are ready to come online. Everything will be done to start with small, focused programs that can be fine-tuned and scaled up as the opportunities allow.”
Proudly celebrating its 23rd anniversary in business this year, Cowbells Western Interiors offers a broad collection of western interiors that has grown tremendously over time and is ever-changing.
and pair wonderfully with Arizona’s upscale homes and makes them available to customers at her spectacular showroom in Cave Creek’s Stagecoach Village.
Aspiring to provide a unique experience to each and every one of her clients and visitors, Nichols says that the experience owning Cowbells Western Interiors over the past 23 years has gifted her the opportunity to meet many very talented and eclectic artisans. She is honored to be able to introduce them and their work to the community.
Nichols finds beautiful furnishings and exceptionally crafted treasures that work well with bold western style
STAGECOACHVillage
After a long career in the restaurant industry, Deb Nichols decided that it was time for a change and moved to Arizona from Fountain, Colorado. With a degree in fine arts and a great knack for design, Nichols put her passion to work, founding Cowbells Western Interiors — a unique and specialty source for rustic and refined home interiors.
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Cowbells Western Interiors
77imagesarizona.com April 2022Stagecoach Village in Cave Creek | 7100 E. Cave Creek Road | stagecoachvillagecc.com
Breakfast highlights include the Southwest Sunrise Sandwich — featuring two over-medium fried eggs, ham, avocado, tomato, cheddar and chipotle aioli on sourdough toast with seasoned potatoes — and the Flat Tire Burrito — boasting bacon, sausage, potatoes, green chilies, scrambled eggs and shredded cheese in a whole wheat tortilla with salsa on the side.
DINING GUIDE
Local Jonny's Tavern and Cafe
“We have the best burgers in town,” says general manager Rebecca Harding. “We make everything that we possibly can in-house — including our seasoned mayos, our sriracha ketchup and our secret seasonings.”
The dinner menu, served Wednesday through Saturday nights, is bursting with flavorful appetizers like carnitas tacos, calamari and nachos as well as entrees such as Southwest Chicken Pasta, layered with roasted and sliced chicken, spicy chipotle cream sauce, green onions, cherry tomatoes and penne pasta.
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo
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However, the heart and soul of Local Jonny’s Tavern and Café is and always has been its commitment to the community, as is evident by its new job shadowing program with which it provides job skill training to special needs students.
That experience includes a selection of specialty burgers, each prepared with house-made ingredients and served with potato wedges. Whether you choose the Cowboy Burger topped with grilled onions and jalapenos or the Southwest Burger crowned with green chilies and chipotle aioli, you simply cannot go wrong with a nice, juicy, madeto-order burger from Local Jonny’s Tavern and Café.
“We make sure that we do as much as we possibly can in the local school system and we donate to every local fundraiser, sports team and event,” Harding says. “We are community-driven and all about honesty, dependability and great service.”
Local Jonny’s Tavern and Café 6033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek localjonnys.com480-488-7473
Welcoming hungry patrons since 2014, Local Jonny’s Tavern and Café’s staff strives to make each and every person who walks in feel as though they are coming over to a friend's house to enjoy a meal and share an experience.
You simply cannot go wrong with a nice, juicy burger from Local Jonny’s Tavern and Café, prepared with house-made ingredients and served with potato wedges.
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Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse 7212 Ho Hum Drive, Carefree keelerssteakhouse.com602-374-4784
Selections include Judy’s Bloom, featuring house-made limoncello with St. George Citrus Vodka, elderflower, strawberry, lemon and sparkling wine; Chamoflauge, a martini with chamomile-infused Botanist Gin, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, lemon and absinthe essence; Bells and Whistles, a Moscow mule amped up with Corazon Tequila, sweet red bell pepper, lemon, ginger beer and basil; and Monkey See Monkey Do, featuring Monkey Shoulder Scotch, pineapple, honey, lemon, Orgeat Amaro Angostura and orange bitters.
DINING GUIDE
Speaking of beverages, Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse recently launched a new cocktail menu featuring its signature innovative take on liberating libations.
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photographer Joanie Simon
Although Paul Keeler tragically passed last year, his family carries on his legacy of service and hospitality every day at Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse. Those who knew Paul will most definitely want to raise a glass to him with The Silver Fox, featuring Buffalo Trace Bourbon, espresso, black walnut bitters and orange peel. $1 from each purchase of the special cocktail is donated to Embark Men, a group that inspires men to become better leaders, husbands, fathers, sons, neighbors and colleagues.
Keeler's Neighborhood Steakhouse
Known for amazing happy hours, sunsets on the roof deck patio, live music on Thursdays and great front patio seating, Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse has something for every diner. The restaurant serves the highest quality beef, seafood and chops and, unlike many other steakhouses, two sides are served with every steak. Choose from mashed, baked or scalloped potatoes; onion rings; Brussels sprouts and many more tantalizing sides that will take your meal to the next level.
Steaks are only the tip of the iceberg, though, as Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse also offers New England clam chowder, braised short ribs, slow-roasted prime rib, Baja seabass and shrimp scampi, among many other mouthwatering entrees. Stop by 3–6 p.m. daily for a happy hour menu that includes $8 features like steak tartare and $16 combos such as a banh mi fish sandwich served with truffle fries and a glass of wine, draft beer or non-alcoholic beverage.
Steaks are only the tip of the iceberg, though, as Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse also offers New England clam chowder, braised short ribs, slow-roasted prime rib, Baja seabass and shrimp scampi, among many other mouthwatering entrees.
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Serves: 12
RECIPEAswewelcomethestart
Directions:
Writer and Photographer Francine thefancypantskitchen.comColes
2 boxes chives
Remove the focaccia from the oven and let cool slightly before using an offset spatula to slide it onto a cutting board. Top with basil and let cool completely, then cut into pieces and serve.
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
In a medium bowl, add yeast, honey and one cup of lukewarm water then stir to combine. Set aside until foam forms on the surface of the liquid, about five minutes. Add 1/4 cup of oil followed by flour and salt. Using a fork, stir until a dough forms then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and supple, about 10 minutes, then form into a ball.
Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. While the oven preheats, decorate the dough with herbs and vegetables.
Arrange chives to resemble flower stems. Spread out parsley stems to look like leaves at the top of the chives. Cut cherry tomatoes in a zigzag fashion through the center, discarding seeds if possible. Cut some cherry tomatoes vertically in four segments without cutting through the base and fan open, arranging them to resemble flowers.
Spring Bouquet Focaccia
1 bunch Italian parsley
Ingredients:
of spring, I love the idea of creating a piece of art out of your delicious bread. This spring bouquet focaccia is such an easy way to elevate a simple focaccia and make it worthy of any gathering of friends or family. It is perfect for Easter, graduation, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, showers or any other special occasion!
1 teaspoon honey
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1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Lightly grease a large bowl with one tablespoon of oil, then add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until the dough has just slightly more than doubled in size, about one hour.
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
Brush a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with two tablespoons of oil. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and, using your fingers, spread to the edges. Press all over to form dimples. Drizzle with two tablespoons of oil then cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rest until the dough puffs up slightly, about 30 minutes.
Drizzle decorated dough with the remaining two tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with flaky salt, to taste. Bake until the focaccia is golden at the edges and browned on the bottom, about 20 minutes.
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