Images Arizona (April 2023)

Fabio Almeida M.D. ABOIM, ABNM,

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18.37 carat cushion red spinel with trapezoid diamonds 1.35 carats set in a platinum and 18k yellow gold ring

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From the Publisher

Publisher

Shelly Spence

Managing Editor

Joseph J. Airdo

Graphic Designer

Meaghan Mitchell

Contributing Writers

Joseph J. Airdo

Amanda Christmann

Francine Coles

Rebecca L. Rhoades

Shannon Severson

Photographers

Francine Coles

Loralei Lazurek

Carl Schultz

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Images Arizona

P.O. Box 1416

Carefree, AZ. 85377

623-341-8221

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TThis issue of Images Arizona celebrates the special moments in life through which we find perfection. Some of these moments are grand — such as a graduation or a wedding. But the vast majority of them are much smaller — like witnessing a sunset with someone you love or receiving a compliment from a complete stranger when you are having an especially difficult day.

I experience these special moments of perfection every time I look at my kids. I also experience them through my neighbors and the many people in our community who demonstrate kindness, creativity and generosity; the people whose stories we fill these pages with each month, aspiring to provide you with yet another moment of perfection as you read this magazine.

It is my hope that this month’s issue inspires you to seek out or even just become more aware of such moments. They exist in the connections we make with one another on a day-to-day basis. They exist in the art and music that surrounds us everywhere we go. And they exist in nature, as the universe conspires to reveal to us that everything in life happens for a reason.

Our small-but-mighty team at Images Arizona appreciates the moments you spend with us each month. Thank you for allowing us to tell your stories. As always, we encourage you to support the many artists, performers, nonprofit organizations and local businesses that not only make this magazine possible but are also responsible for so many moments of perfection in our community.

Cheers!

Shelly Spence

Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com

623-341-8221

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

AMY LAY

Hummingbirds and Bear, oil. 60” by 20”

BRYCE PETTIT

Heron, bronze on metal base. 57” by 18” by 18”

SUE KRZYSTON SOUTHWEST REALISM ARTIST

AMY LAY CONTEMPORARY WILDLIFE ARTIST

BRYCE PETTIT WILDLIFE BRONZE SCULPTOR

TREVOR SWANSON LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE ARTIST

Earlier this year, photographer Romi Boon opened the blinds of her RV at daybreak to discover a very rare and surprising sight: a winter wonderland in the desert.

“Knowing that I had only minutes before the sun would break through the clouds and melt the snow, I quickly got dressed and headed out into the serene calm of the white desert,” Boon says. “It was so beautiful. It didn’t take long for my hiking boots to become wet and my fingers to freeze; however, I was so excited that it was easy to ignore.

“There wasn’t a lot of light, so I placed my camera on a tripod and took a number of exposures at different focus points then combined them in Photoshop. Fortunately, there wasn’t any wind, or else that would have been impossible; nothing can move when you place multiple images on top of each other.

“What I love about this image is that most of the desert cacti are represented in the photograph and the small shrubbery disappeared beneath the snow. I also love that the mountain is in the background because it adds a sense of depth to the overall image.”

romiboonphotography.com

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Photo by Romi Boon

© Romi Boon Photography

Meet contemporary artist Loren Yagoda and discover her incredible collection of expressive works that stimulate and explore, and meditative works that unwind and clear the mind. Yagoda’s artwork invites viewers into her world as she dances her emotions onto canvas.

CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY CAREFREE ARIZONA

Grace Renee Gallery

Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

Space to Roam, Acrylic on Canvas, 58” by 60”

P

Phoenix Chorale artistic director Christopher Gabbitas strongly believes in the idea that music is the soundtrack to life.

“Music is all around us all of the time — whether we choose to have it or not,” he says. “It is always there. It is playing in the restaurant, it is often in our cars, it is often at our place of work, it is in elevators, it is everywhere. I think that the idea of life without music, the idea of a sort of silence, is a really terrifying one. And perhaps we should be alone with our thoughts more often, but we do not like to be.”

This month, chorale groups and orchestras across the Valley will perform concerts that reflect the thoroughfare that music has in our lives.

ORPHEUS MALE CHORUS OF PHOENIX

On April 30–May 7, Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will perform a concert it calls “Songs from Home” at venues in Litchfield Park, Mesa and Paradise Valley, featuring several selections featuring the word “home” somewhere in their lyrics.

On April 30–May 7, Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will perform a concert it calls “Songs from Home” at venues in Litchfield Park, Mesa and Paradise Valley, featuring several selections featuring the word “home” somewhere in their lyrics.

“We open with a song called ‘Ad Astra,’ which actually means ‘to the stars,’” says Brook Larson, the ensemble’s artistic director. “But there is a line in that song that reads, ‘for the stars will guide you home.’ Another piece in this program is called ‘Like a River in My Soul’ and, in it, there are the lyrics, ‘let the waves bring you home.’”

Other selections include “Rocky Top,” (“you’ll always be home sweet home to me”), “Unclouded Day” (“oh they tell me of a home”) and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken (“There’s a better home awaitin’”). Other selections feature the word “home” in their titles — such as “Bring Him Home” from “Les Misérables” and “Homeward Bound” — and while others feature reflections on the idea of home — such as “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Keep Your Lamps,” “Promised Land”

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

and traditional folk songs “Polly Wolly Doodle” and “Shenandoah.”

“We close the concert with ‘God Bless America,’ which of course features the words, ‘my home sweet home,’ as its final lyrics,” Larson says.

The artistic director adds that, though many of the selections are patriotic, the concept of home is a very universal one.

“We could sing many of these songs anywhere in the world — whether here in America or in Europe, Africa or South America,” Larson explains “And even if someone does not understand the words that are being sung, they just speak to them. They just impact you.

“And the experience of 90+ guys singing this variety of literature and genre truly is an experience. It is the music that draws these 90+ guys together. That is the reason we are there at rehearsal every Tuesday night. We check everything else at the door and the music brings us together.”

Noting that Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix’s membership numbers had taken quite a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, Larson says that he is hopeful of using the music to bring even more guys together.

“We did some stuff online for about a year and a half, then I got creative and we sang in a parking garage where everybody brought their own chair and was in a mask six feet apart,” Larson says. “We only had 55 guys for that, but let me tell you that was a blast compared to doing things online where you cannot even hear the other singers.

On May 5–7, Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert it calls “Soundtrack” at venues in Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale, tracing a history through 500 years of song and exploring how composers throughout the ages have used music to help explain everyday life, love and loss.

“So it has taken a while for us to get our numbers back up. But this is our 94th season and I have a plan to have 200 singers by our 100th season. We have been talking about it for a while, but I am done talking about it. I hope to have a net gain of about 20 guys every year for the next five years so that we can be at 200 singers for our 100th season.”

PHOENIX CHORALE

On May 5–7, Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert it calls “Soundtrack” at venues in Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale, tracing a history through 500 years of song and exploring how composers throughout the ages have used music to help explain everyday life, love and loss.

“The idea of this concert is to show people how over time people have used music and song to relay stories about life,” says Christopher Gabbitas, the ensemble’s artistic director. “The same hopes, fears and dreams that we have now, people have had forever. Songs have been sung about love, hate, breakups, happiness, sadness, drinking, war and fights. All of the main things that we deal with in life have been dealt with in song and have been for a long time.”

One of the most significant and timely aspects of life reflected in the program is womanhood.

“There is this young composer named Jennifer Lucy Cook who got her degree in musical theater and writes in a very accessible, contemporary style,” Gabbitas says. “She wrote a song called, ‘They are Mother’ and she is flying in from Los Angeles to accompany us. It is a piece about femininity, which is in everything around us — even things that we might perceive as being male. And it is quite thought-provoking and the language is beautiful.”

Phoenix Chorale // Photo by Jen Rogers

Phoenix Chorale // Photo by Chris Loomis

Christopher Gabbitas // Photo by Jen Rogers

Another rather unfortunate but very real aspect of life reflected in the program is addiction.

“There is this song that was written by Trent Reznor for Nine Inch Nails in the 1990s called ‘Hurt,’” Gabbitas says. “It was covered by Johnny Cash as the final video he made before he passed away and it is just the most wonderful song. Popular American choral composer Eric Whitacre arranged it for choral voices and we will be performing that. It is about six minutes long and is incredibly powerful.

Gabbitas has aspired to fit as many aspects of life into the concert with the hope of drawing as wide of an audience as possible, who can all identify with at least some element the chorale is communicating.

“I want to say, ‘Hey, we can give a voice to your emotions,’” the artistic director says. “We really want this program to be bittersweet. We want it to feel wonderful and enjoyable, but we also want it to trigger the sort of real emotions that very often the modern world papers over. We want people to come out of the concert feeling a bit raw, but acknowledging that they actually felt something; and that can be really uplifting and cathartic.”

Gabbitas adds that the most important message he hopes to relay through not just “Soundtrack” but each and every one of the concerts that Phoenix Chorale performs is that music and singing are for everyone.

“We think that in each of our performances, we create moments of real beauty,” he explains. “We have a warmth of our sound because all of our singers are from the area. These are your people. Our music is for and of Arizona and we are proud of these connections. And I really want more people to come hear us. I want to have more people experiencing what we do. And I hope that their lives can be enriched by hearing us.”

Music is all around us all of the time — whether we choose to have it or not. It is always there. It is playing in the restaurant, it is often in our cars, it is often at our place of work, it is in elevators, it is everywhere. Christopher Gabbitas

NORTH VALLEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

On Saturday, May 20, North Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert it calls “Spirit of the American West” at North Canyon High School Auditorium in Phoenix.

“It features all sorts of music that centers around our wonderful American Southwest spirit,” says Kevin Kozacek, the ensemble’s music director and conductor. “We had never really done anything that really focused on our area specifically and we thought that it was just time for us to pick those pieces we thought the audience would really enjoy.

“We open with John Williams’ overture to the movie ‘The Cowboys,’ which is just such a great piece. We will then play some wonderful music from various movies such as ‘Silverado,’ ‘The Big Country,’ ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ ‘Dances with Wolves and ‘How the West Was Won.’”

The concert will also feature a performance of Aaron Copland’s four dance episodes from “Rodeo” — Buckaroo Holiday,” “Corral Nocturne,” “Saturday Night Waltz” and “Hoedown.”

“The song that everybody loves which is probably the most reflective of Arizona is ‘On the Trail’ from Ferde Grofé’s “Grand Canyon Suite,” which sounds so much like a donkey going down the trail,” Kozacek adds.

The music director and conductor says that North Valley Symphony Orchestra is the epitome of a community-based ensemble.

“All of the musicians — including myself — have backgrounds that are reflective of our community,” Kozacek explains. “I was in the military before being a Southwest Airlines pilot for 24 years. Many of our musicians wanted to be professional musicians at some point n their lives but ended up doing other things. We have teachers, lawyers, doctors, first responders and stay-at-home moms. So I think that we are very reflective of a true community orchestra.

On Saturday, May 20, North Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert it calls “Spirit of the American West” at North Canyon High School Auditorium in Phoenix.

Photos by Mike Benedetto

“And what is really great about that is that we have the opportunity to come together weekly with the community spirit and give back to our community by providing very reasonably priced tickets. Our tickets this season are still only $5. We have been able to do that for 11 years. So the entire family can come and enjoy a concert and not break the bank.

“We also have an awful lot of outreach groups that go out and serve the community at retirement homes and grand openings of various establishments. And we support three youth ensembles — beginning, intermediate and advanced. So we are a full-service organization that supports kids who are just beginning to play all the way up to kids who are getting ready to go to college. We try and prepare them and get them ready to go off and study music more seriously.”

In fact, many of the kids who at one time performed as part of North Valley Symphony Orchestra’s youth ensembles are now members of the adult orchestra, further demonstrating not only the community aspect of the organization but also just how significant the thoroughfare of music is in so many of our lives.

Music

‘Songs from Home’

April 30–May 7

See website for times and locations

$25; youth, student and senior discounts available

orpheus.org

‘Soundtrack’

May 5–7

See website for price, times and locations

602-253-2224

phoenixchorale.org

‘Spirit of the American West’

Saturday, May 20 7 p.m.

North Canyon High School Auditorium

1700 E. Union Hills Drive, Phoenix

See website for price

northvalleysymphony.org

CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY + ART

KATHERINE JETTER

Couture jewelry designer Katherine Jetter will make a personal appearance during a special event to showcase her cutting-edge, wearable art pieces for bold and brilliant women. Discover her eye-catching electric rhodium hues and exceptional, hand-picked gemstones.

April 12–13

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY 10AM TO 5PM

Come by to meet designer Katherine Jetter or call for private or FaceTime appointment.

KATHERINE’S JEWELRY DESIGNS HAVE BEEN FEATURED IN FORBES, VOGUE, TOWN AND COUNTRY, NEW YORK TIMES AND ROBB REPORT.

Grace Renee Gallery

7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and by appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

Katherine Jetter wearing her opal collection accented by electric pink rhodium and diamonds.

COMMUNITY

April 2023

Through April 8

‘THE SECRET GARDEN’

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Desert Foothills Theater presents its teen production of “The Secret Garden.” $20; student discounts available. See website for times. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. dftheater.org

Through April 9

‘RESPECT: THE MUSICAL’

Black Theatre Troupe presents its production of “Respect: The Musical,” which combines excerpts from more than 60 songs with women’s personal stories about realizing dreams, loves won and lost and battering against glass ceilings. $48+. See website for times. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-258-8128; blacktheatretroupe.org

Through April 16

‘ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE’

Arizona Broadway Theatre presents its production of “Escape to Margaritaville,” a musical comedy that features the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics — including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “Fins” and more. See website for price and times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org

April 1

DESERT AWARENESS PARK TOUR

The Desert Awareness Committee will host a leisurely stroll through its native desert park. Attendees will learn about the plants of the Sonoran Desert upland and how they survive. Free. 10–11:30 a.m. Desert Awareness Park, N. Vermeersch Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org/desert-awareness

April 12 and 13

KATHERINE JETTER

Couture jewelry designer Katherine Jetter will make a personal appearance during a special event to showcase her cutting-edge, wearable art pieces for bold and brilliant women. Discover the secrets of her craft while marveling at the eye-catching rhodium hues and exceptional, hand-picked gemstones that individually tell Jetter what they need during her design process. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

April 1

PHOENIX ARTISTS GUILD GALLERY

RECEPTION

The Phoenix Artists Guild will present an exhibit of works by local artists. Free. 3–5 p.m. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. phoenixartistsguild.com

April 1 and 2

‘THE LAST FIVE YEARS’

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “The Last Five Years,” an emotional examination of relationships and ingenious, interchanging structure between present and past. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

April 1 and 2

THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS IN CONCERT

The Phoenix Symphony will perform the score of the beloved fantasy-comedy-romance “The Princess Bride” as the film is projected on a screen above the stage. See website for price. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. phoenixsymphony.org

April 2

GREAT PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE

Rosie's House will host its annual event featuring instrumental and vocal solos performed by outstanding students enrolled in its music program. Selected by a panel of adjudicators, top students will showcase their artistry and musicality. Free. 4 p.m. Divine Performance Hall, 919 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-252-8475; rosieshouse.org

April 3

CHRIS BOTTI

Master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $59+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 3

LITERATE FOODIE CLUB

Literate Foodie Club will host a discussion of books that feature honey. The club’s volunteer cooks will serve a sampling of foods related to the topic. $15. Noon. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

April 5–May

14

‘A CHORUS LINE’

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “A Chorus Line.” See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

April 7

PUPPY LUV ADOPTION EVENT

Puppy Luv Animal Rescue will host an adoption event with a variety of puppies and adult dogs looking for their forever homes. Fees range from $325 to $500 and include spay/ neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations and microchip. Free. 1–4:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. School House Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; puppyluvar.com

COMMUNITY

April 2023

April 7–9

‘THE MAGIC FLUTE’

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Arizona Opera will present its production of “The Magic Flute,” Mozart’s beloved fairytale of darkness and light which explores the journey in search of truth and reason, love and enlightenment. See website for price. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. azopera.org

April 7–23

FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN THEATRE

The Phoenix Theatre Company will host its annual Festival of New American Theatre, which amplifies new voices and expands the canon of American theatre. Returning for its 25th year, the festival will continue honoring a longstanding commitment to the development of new works, playwrights, and performers and include a variety of events that allow artists of all kinds to see their work come alive onstage. See website for price and schedule. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

April 8

VOYAGER

Harold’s Corral will host a tribute to Journey. $55+. See website for time. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek. haroldscorral.com

April 10

DESERT PRE-HARVEST SEMINAR

The Desert Awareness Committee will host a pre-harvest seminar on desert edibles. $15. 6:30–8 p.m. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B, Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org/desert-awareness

April 15

ROCK THE DISTRICT

Fifteen talented student musical acts will take the stage to benefit Cave Creek Unified Education Foundation. $25; student and teacher discounts available. 6–10 p.m.

Harold’s Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. rockthedistrict.net

April 11

THE FOLK LEGACY TRIO

The Folk Legacy Trio — featuring former members of the Kingston Trio, The Limeliters and The Diamonds — will perform a concert of beloved songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s as part of Arizona Musicfest. $41+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 13–16

‘THE ALCHEMIST’

Southwest Shakespeare will present its production of “The Alchemist.” $35+; youth, student and teacher discounts available. See website for times. Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. swshakespeare.org

April 14 and 15

‘THE UPSCALE ZONE’

The Upscalde Singers will perform a concert featuring the music of “Les Miserables,” “Jersey Boys,” “My Fair Lady,” “The Lion King” and “Peter Pan.” $35; youth discounts available. Friday 7 p.m. Saturday 2 p.m. Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, 34605 N. Tom Darlington Drive, Scottsdale. upscalesingers.com

April 15

BEAUTIFUL DESIGN FOR SMALL SPACES

Carefree Desert Gardens will welcome certified desert landscape designer Katie Coates, who will present an exploration of ideas to help create your own oasis in smaller spaces — whether a small yard, courtyard, balcony, patio or several smaller areas within a larger space. The program will include a plant raffle. $5 donation. 9:30 a.m. Carefree Town Council Chambers 33 Easy St., Carefree. 480-488-3686

April 15

WALK, TALK AND TASTE

The Desert Awareness Committee will host a stroll through the 1/4-mile trails at Desert Awareness Park, where education team guides will share information about plants — including when and how to harvest. Attendees will also have an opportunity to taste foods prepared from the plants. Free. 8 a.m.–Noon. Desert Awareness Park, N. Vermeersch Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org/desert-awareness

April 17

‘RESPECT’

Arizona Musicfest will present a tribute to Aretha Franklin. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 19

THOMAS CALTEN

Desert Foothills Library will host a meet-and-greet with “Depth Charges” author Thomas Calten. Free. 3:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

April 20

CAREFREE ART NIGHT

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

COMMUNITY

April 21–23

JUNK IN THE TRUNK VINTAGE MARKET

April 2023

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

With a reputation for featuring quality vendors selling one-of-a-kind items and inspiring design, Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market — a semi-annual shopping experience that connects shoppers with local artists, makers and curators — will return to WestWorld in Scottsdale, offering attendees a vast selection of clothing, jewelry, furniture, vintage, decor and more. The event will also include food trucks and live music. $8+; youth, veteran and active military discounts available. See website for hours. WestWorld, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. junkinthetrunkvintagemarket.com

April 22 and 23

EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC OF THE MIDDLE EAST

The Musical Instrument Museum will host an event that explores the rich musical traditions of the Middle East with live performances and educational workshops. See website for schedule of events. $20; youth discounts available. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org

April 26

ETTIE ZILBER

Desert Foothills Library will host a meet-and-greet with “A Holocaust Memoir of Love and Resilience” author Ettie Zilber. Free. 3:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

April 26

MURDER MYSTERY BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a discussion of J.C. Eaton’s “Laid Out to Rest: A Charcuterie Shop Mystery.” Free. 1:30 p.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

April 28–30

SPRING OPEN STUDIOS TOUR

The Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition will present its Spring Open Studios Tour, featuring 48 working artists across the Verde Valley. In its 20th year, the self-guided tour will offer attendees an opportunity to visit with the artists in their studios, gain firsthand insight into the creative process and purchase one-of-a-kind works of art. Attendees will also have the opportunity to enter a studio-wide drawing for a $250 gift certificate to be used at a studio of their choice. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. See website for locations. sedonaartistscoalition.org

April 29

‘TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS’

Arizona Musicfest will present a tribute to the Doobie Brothers. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 30–May 7

‘SONGS FROM HOME’

Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will perform a concert that includes “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” “Rocky Top,” “Bring Him Home” and “Shenandoah.” $25; youth, student and senior discounts available. See website for times and locations. orpheus.org

May 1

LITERATE FOODIE CLUB

Literate Foodie Club will host a discussion of Linda Ronstadt’s “Feels Like Home and Jackie Alpers’s “Taste

of

Tuscon: Sonoran Style Recipes

Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona.” The club’s volunteer cooks will serve a sampling of foods related to the books. $15. Noon. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

May 3

J.C. EATON

Desert Foothills Library will host a meet-and-greet with “Laid Out to Rest: A Charcuterie Shop Mystery” author J.C. Eaton. Free. 3:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480488-2286; dfla.org

May 4–7

‘ALL BALANCHINE’

Ballet Arizona will perform three ballets by George Balanchine — “Raymonda Variations,” “Emeralds” and “The Four Temperaments.” See website for times and prices. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. balletaz.org

May 5–7

‘SOUNDTRACK’

The Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert that traces a history through 500 years of song, exploring how composers throughout the ages have used music to help explain everyday life, love and loss. See website for price, times and locations. 602-2532224; phoenixchorale.org

May 6

ONE OF THESE NIGHTS

Harold’s Corral will host a tribute to the Eagles. $55+. See website for time. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek. haroldscorral.com

May 7

‘A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS’

Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform a concert that, acknowledging our world and our lives are enriched by the glory of flowers, will embody a bouquet of flowers in song — bright, colorful and full of promise and

delight. $25; student, senior and group discounts available. 3 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. sonorandesertchorale.org

May 10

DIANA M. GRILLO

Desert Foothills Library will host a meet-and-greet with “An Accidental Murder and Other Stories” author Diana M. Grillo. Free. 3:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480488-2286; dfla.org

May 10

GET LIT BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a happy hour discussion of Peter Hellman’s “In Vino Duplicitas: The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire” Free. 5 p.m. RSVP. See website for location. 480488-2286; dfla.org

May 11

LITERARY BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a discussion of Dawn Turner’s “Three Girls from Bronzeville: A Uniquely American Memoir of Race, Fate and Sisterhood.” Free. 10 a.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

ROSIE’S HOUSE ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS

Rosie's House, one of the nation's largest free after-school music programs, is accepting applications for its 2023–2024 school year. The popular program is open to students of all ages and is taught by leading music teachers in the state. Rosie's House students attend after-school group and private music lessons, perform in recitals and public performances, and connect through community service activities. Programs include piano, choir, band, strings, mariachi, guitar, percussion and digital music, as well as an early music education program for children ages 4–6. 602-252-8475; rosieshouse.org

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WWhen a group of artists joins forces to showcase and sell their work, there’s often great synergy that brings about even more creativity and growth. It’s what happened in 1974–1975 when several artists began meeting at Cave Creek’s historic Treehouse building to discuss forming the Cave Creek Craft Council, which later evolved into the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League.

It happened again nearly 50 years later, when eight artists decided to partner to open The Finer Arts Gallery in the same historic building that is situated in the town’s core, in the shadow of Black Mountain.

The Finer Arts Gallery opened in September 2021, and since then, it has grown to become one of the North Valley’s largest art galleries, with 50 distinct artists — all of whom are Arizona professional artists.

Visitors to The Finer Arts Gallery will find diverse paintings, drawings, sculpture, mixed

Writer Susan Kern-Fleischer

Shannon Taggart // Lighter than Aire

The Finer Arts Gallery’s

April featured artists include lifecasting sculptor Bill Goren (Gullwing), oil painter Nancy Breiman, watercolorist Sandy

Newell, and woodturner

Jim Gould. Some of

Gould’s wooden bowls on exhibit were carved out of a branch from one of the old Tamarisk trees that shades the gallery.

media, photography, glass, wood, fiber, ceramics, jewelry, and other original work. The gallery features all genres of art, from western to contemporary and even some AI-inspired and Steampunk-inspired art.

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

In late 2020, the Sonoran Arts League made the decision to close its Scottsdale gallery location at el Pedregal, shuttering it in February 2021.

Eight of the artists who showcased their work at el Pedregal and worked there as managers began talking about the possibilities of opening their own gallery. They included: fine art nature photographer Robert Elenbaas; ceramic artist Paulette Galop; lifecasting sculptor Bill Goren (Gullwing); contemporary glass artist Pat Isaacson; landscape and abstract painter Linda Lindus; jeweler Marlene Sabatina; graphite artist Jack Schilder; and abstract painter/ mixed media artist, Shannon Taggart.

“Our experiences there gave us confidence that we could work effectively together and identify a unified vision of what we wanted to accomplish,” Elenbaas says. “We each brought different backgrounds, skills, knowledge and strengths to a formal partnership.”

Robert Elenbaas // Nightscapes: Perks of the Job

Eight of the artists who showcased their work at el Pedregal and worked there as managers began talking about the possibilities of opening their own gallery. They included (L-R top): lifecasting sculptor Bill Goren (Gullwing); abstract painter/mixed media artist, Shannon Taggart; jeweler Marlene Sabatina; fine art nature photographer Robert Elenbaas and (L-R bottom): ceramic artist Paulette Galop; abstract painter Linda Lindus; graphite artist Jack Schilder; and contemporary glass artist Pat Isaacson.

The artists knew launching a new business during a pandemic was a big risk, but their collective confidence kept them moving forward.

“It was a leap of faith in some scary COVID waters, but we knew we could find solid talent that understood our goals for the gallery,” Taggart explains.

The artists began meeting weekly to develop a plan. A key priority was to locate a building for lease in a visible setting with consistent foot traffic.

“Our desire was to focus exclusively on local artists, all of whom we juried prior to offering a space in the gallery,” Lindus says. “Additionally, we wanted to ensure that the gallery captured the charm of the area by including work that is diverse in both subject and medium.”

Lindus and Schilder had visited the Treehouse building previously in late 2020 when it was for sale or lease, but they decided to look elsewhere.

“As a start-up, we thought the building’s 4,000-plus square feet was more than we could handle,” Lindus says. “The building also was in such poor shape, the improvements were daunting.”

Isaacson says the group got lucky when the Treehouse building was sold to Doug Perkins, an artist himself.

“We did look at several properties in North Scottsdale and Carefree, but none had previously been art galleries, and most were just rectangular spaces with a few windows in the front,” Isaacson says. “It was difficult to envision any as gallery space. But then we learned the Treehouse building had been purchased and divided into two spaces. The front space had windows all around and immediately appealed to us. It didn’t take us long to make a decision and sign a lease for the front space.”

Perkins, a real estate investor, shares that meeting the gallery partners shortly after purchasing the building was serendipitous.

“As a painter, I immediately embraced the idea of leasing part of the building to artists,” Perkins says. “And now that the gallery fills the full space, I’m ecstatic to see how this group of talented artists has breathed new life into the Treehouse building.”

Taggart notes the gallery partners all knew they would be occupying space inside a building that had a long, revered history in Cave Creek.

“The Treehouse building is steeped in history,” Taggart says. “I remember when my folks went there when it was a restaurant and they saw Dick Van Dyke fairly frequently. Many celebrities went there as it changed from a bar to a restaurant, then both.”

Elenbaas adds that it is a unique building with historic significance to Cave Creek, unlike the vanilla strip mall settings they found elsewhere.

“It was basically an empty space, like a blank canvas, so it provided great flexibility in how we could do our buildout,” Elenbaas says.

Paulette Galop // Verde Reef

Bill Goren (Gullwing)

Jack Schilder // Music Box

Jack Schilder // Git Along

FOND MEMORIES OF THE TREEHOUSE

Located next to Big Earl’s Greasy Eats, the Treehouse building is well-known by most locals and has good parking at the rear of the building.

Patrick O’Grady — a talented jeweler, longtime arts advocate and history buff — says the Treehouse building is shaded by two grand, century-old Tamarisk trees. The rustic building has had many incarnations over the years.

“For many years, it was the Cave Creek Store, owned by the Quinton family,” says O’Grady, one of the gallery’s featured artists. “It was a small-town grocery store that sold produce, canned goods and frozen meat. Like most retail stores at the time, they also sold ‘water dogs’ and worms for the fishermen going to Horseshoe and Bartlett lakes.”

In 1973, Joe Hage took over the building and transformed the establishment, with the addition of a large pizza oven, deli case and pool table.

“With the help of his friends, some of which were artists, they built a structure over half the roof, in the shade of the huge trees,” O’Grady says. “A spiral staircase wrapped around one of the trees to access the rooftop patio.”

Lindus also remembers those days fondly.

“For years the Treehouse was on the must-visit list and part of the local character,” she says, noting that O’Grady helped install the log supports that still mark the building’s front entrance. “A friendly competitor among other local establishments — like Harold's Corral, Buffalo Chip and the Mine Shaft — the climb to the tree patio was a favorite.”

O’Grady, who was part of the original Cave Creek Craft Council, says it has been rewarding to see the historic building full of fine art.

“It’s remarkable that some of the same artists who started the craft council are now exhibiting their work at The Finer Arts Gallery,” he explains.

CREATING AN AIRY, INVITING GALLERY

Isaacson says The Finer Arts Gallery has come a long way since it opened in September 2021.

“When we first opened, we occupied a 2,200-square-foot section of the building,” she says. “Over time, we were able to expand into the full building and add to our roster of fine artists. It has been very rewarding to hear from visitors how warm, inviting, and beautiful our gallery is, and we hope those who have not visited in some time will come see how we’ve grown.”

One of the initial challenges involved transforming a space that was formerly a retail establishment selling western apparel into a bright, airy, inviting gallery space.

“Fortunately, Jack Schilder had the software and carpentry expertise to design a space and make the changes necessary for the transformation,” Isaacson says.

By early 2022, the second suite of the building was still vacant. The gallery partners approached Perkins about renting the full 4,000-square-foot space.

“We nervously took a bold step to expand the gallery, and bring in additional artists,” Elenbaas says. “Jack went back to work and designed a plan to make the two spaces into one. Now it is difficult to tell the old space from the new. The new space also includes a kitchen area with a large bar-like countertop that we use during our monthly Art Affaire receptions.”

Taggart says the gallery partners are constantly seeking ways to energize and improve the gallery.

Linda Lindus // Dressed in Red

“We serve refreshments at our monthly Art Affaire receptions, and we also highlight four artists each month,” she says. “We just added sculpture to our patio, and we recently painted a mural on the outside wall. In addition, we refresh the gallery every six months by switching out all the work.”

Isaacson says the gallery does not mark up prices.

“When you purchase art at our gallery, it’s like purchasing directly from the artist,” she says. “Many of the artists also volunteer at the gallery, which not only gives them a chance to interact with guests, but it reinforces the fact that we represent local artists.”

Lindus explains the gallery’s name, The Finer Arts Gallery, was chosen to reflect the diverse mix of fine art.

“We’re not a gift shop or a crafts store,” she says. “All our artists are accomplished professionals with successful careers. The mix of art is intentional, and I often say we are as eclectic as Cave Creek.”

thefinerartsgallery.com

Pat Isaacson // Geometry III

Phoenix Light Passage, artist James Carpenter

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

OOn a typical day, more than 125,000 passengers arrive and depart at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. They pass through the terminals, ride the AirTrain and stop by the rental car center to pick up vehicles. For most travelers, the airport is simply a place that must be tolerated on the way to their final destination — it’s crowded, it’s chaotic, it’s stress-inducing.

But for those who take a moment to slow down and observe their surroundings, the airport becomes a welcoming space filled with color, beauty and artistry.

“Sky Harbor is the front door to our city and to our state in many ways,” says Gary Martelli, manager and curator of the Phoenix Airport Museum. “Having art at the airport says that art and culture are important to us.”

Phoenix Sky Harbor airport has one of the oldest and largest art programs in the country — second only to San Francisco International Airport. There are more than 40 display areas for individual art and themed exhibitions throughout the airport system. Artworks are displayed in the terminals, rental car center, SkyTrain stations and even outdoors. The museum also has exhibits at the Deer Valley and Goodyear airports.

Sky Harbor is the front door to our city and to our state in many ways. Having art at the airport says that art and culture are important to us. Gary Martelli

Sonoran Essence, artist Frank Gonzalez

From the Earth to the Sky, artist Bill Dambrova

Some exhibitions are permanent; others change about every six months. There are dedicated galleries, large glass display cases, art-lined hallways, hidden niches and a sculpture garden. Some pieces are integrated, such as artist-designed floors, ceilings and stained-glass walls. And 80–90% of the art on display is viewable pre-security, meaning that you don’t need to have a plane ticket to see it.

HISTORY ON DISPLAY

The Phoenix Airport Museum program began officially in 1988, but the tradition of showcasing beautiful artworks dates back to the airport’s origins in the 1960s.

One of the museum’s earliest pieces was commissioned in 1960 in anticipation of the opening of Terminal 2. Paul Coze’s 75-foot-wide mural, “The Phoenix,” is a threepanel multimedia work comprising 52 different materials. The center panel is dominated by a mythical blazing Phoenix perched atop a native date palm. It is believed to be the first piece of city-commissioned public art that was chosen by a citizen vote.

The triptych debuted in 1962 on the west wall of the Terminal 2 lobby and quickly became an iconic landmark. When the terminal was decommissioned in 2020, the mural was saved, and in fall of 2021, it was installed in the rental car center near the central escalator.

Today, it still attracts art lovers and historians who examine the mural’s tiny details, such as gemstones,

tile and even a child’s toy steering wheel, through observation scopes tucked away at the base of the escalator. Display cases tell the story of the mural’s creation and its relocation.

In 1986, the city of Phoenix established the Public Art Program, which allocates 1% of the city’s annual Capital Improvement Program to public art projects — including the airport. Then, the airport’s collection stood at 25 pieces. Today, it spans about 900 works.

There are paintings, sculpture, photography, fiber art, glass, ceramics, architecturally integrated pieces and more from some of the region’s most renowned artists, including Ed Mell, Mark Klett, Frank Ybarra, Anne Coe and Patricia Sannit, as well as internationally recognized artists such as Jun Kaneko.

Travelers at Terminal 3 are greeted by a large backlit stained-glass wall created in 1979 by Ken Toney. The 1,400-square-foot artwork originally was installed in the ceiling above the terminal’s escalators. Comprised of more than 2,300 pieces of glass in sunset shades of gold, red and orange, the glass panels were repurposed into an exterior eye-catcher during the terminal’s modernization in 2019.

Inside the terminal, Donald Lipski’s “The Aviators” watches over the daily goings-on — literally. The giant pair of reflective aviator sunglasses hang above the arrivals atrium and are designed to celebrate Arizona’s rich history of civil and military aviation.

“We want to promote Arizona’s art and culture, and that can be expressed in a lot of different ways,” Martelli says when asked about the variety of works on display. “When we say ‘Arizona,’ that doesn’t necessarily mean a landscape or image of something from the state. I want artwork that’s well-crafted and that conveys what the artist intended to convey.”

WORLD’S BIGGEST GALLERIES

One of the most recent additions to the Sky Harbor museum is a 6,000-square-foot terrazzo floor by Phoenix-based artist Bill Dambrova. Located in the SkyTrain station at the rental car center, the floor, titled “From the Earth to the Sky,” welcomes travelers with bold graphics and vibrant hues.

The Ultimate Landscape, View from Bright Angel Point, artist Merrill Mahaffey

The Phoenix, artist Paul Coze

The Aviators, artist Donald Lipski

“The city of Phoenix Offices of Arts and Culture said they didn’t want a ‘design’; they wanted ‘art,’” Dambrova says of the work’s undulating abstract biology-inspired shapes. He notes that the city, when making commissions, “selects artists who they feel have the potential to make something fresh and different, something that feels meaningful.”

Dambrova’s floor debuted in December 2022.

Having art displayed in the airport has become an honor that rivals having work in top galleries and museums — and an opportunity that artists now seek out. Dambrova, who also is a museum exhibition designer, notes that if given his choice, he would prefer to have his work shown in an airport instead of a museum.

“I feel that art is needed in airports,” he explains. “Many people still don’t feel comfortable going to art museums or galleries, and airports are like ambassadors for art. They make art accessible to those who otherwise would not seek it out. Some folks who say that ‘they don’t get art’ may even end up enjoying it, even if only by osmosis. I like the idea of being involved in making art more accessible to everyone, not just people who already like art.

“I’ve designed exhibits at some major well-known institutions with huge budgets that thousands of people see, but my name isn’t on them, and they are not permanent. This will be the most permanent thing I’ve ever done that could last 50 years or more. It very much feels like I am leaving a legacy in my hometown.”

Botanical artist Dyana Hesson of Mesa also has a large painting in the museum’s permanent collection. She recalls meeting a woman who had just relocated to the Valley from Canada who recognized her name because she saw the artwork hanging in the airport.

“She said one of the first things she saw when she landed in Phoenix was my painting, and she thought, ‘This is some place I want to explore, someplace I want to live.’ It made an impression on her,” Hesson says. “The Sky Harbor art program is a great venue and a great opportunity for artists. There are so many people you can connect with at the airport. It’s a way for our state to introduce itself to our visitors.”

‘A SENSE OF PLACE’

Travelers who fly in and out of Arizona’s secondlargest city also have the opportunity to view beautiful works of art. Since 1987, Tucson International Airport has been showcasing works by artists from southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico.

“In many ways, art is about establishing a sense of place,” says Danette Bewley, president and CEO of Tucson Airport Authority. “Passengers traveling through Tucson International Airport should have no doubt they have landed in Southern Arizona when they are in the terminal. We want [visitors] to be surrounded by Tucson’s unique beauty and culture and understand that they are in Southern Arizona before they step outside and snap selfies with the saguaros.”

The Tucson airport’s collection features more than 100 works, including paintings, photographs and sculptures. Some of the most popular pieces are “Desert Ramblers,” a whimsical sculptural scene by Joe Pagac that includes a javelina, jackrabbit, packrat and desert tortoise patiently waiting for their flight, and “Another Way to Fly,” a series of glass flying carpets by beloved Tucson glassblower Tom Philabaum.

“Tucson International Airport is more than just a travel hub; it is a pillar of the Southern Arizona region,” Bewley says. “The Tucson Airport Authority has partnered with local artists for more than three decades, and we will continue to amplify the creativity that makes Tucson such a special place to live, work and travel to from around the world.”

For Martelli, art is a calming distraction in an otherwise hectic environment. It transports travelers to new destinations and sets Phoenix and its airport apart from an increasingly homogeneous world.

“We like to say that Sky Harbor is a museum that planes happen to come and go from,” he says.

skyharbor.com/at-the-airport/amenities/airport-museum flytucson.com/services/art

TThe highly distinguished visual artist Andy Warhol once asked, “Isn't life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?”

Similarly, the notably less illustrious fictional “One Tree Hill” character Lucas Scott said, “Most of our life is a series of images. They pass us by like towns on the highway. But sometimes a moment stuns us as it happens. And we know that this instant is more than a fleeting image. We know that this moment, every part of it, will live on forever.”

Photographer Nick Milotta is perhaps more cognizant than most of these images and moments. Among his favorites are memories of a Japanese maple tree that grew in the yard outside his childhood home.

“I remember my mother taking me into my room to show me how the light from the setting sun would seep through the thin branches and red leaves of the maple, filling my bedroom with patterns of dancing shadow and glowing light,” Milotta says. “Sometimes I would go upstairs to my room and just wait for it to happen.

“There was also a place called Port Richmond where my father used to take me to watch the ships. However, my eyes were usually glued to the shadows an old section of the boardwalk cast across the shore. I would live in these fleeting moments when they happened and wish that I could freeze time — but, eventually, the mental images faded.

“Photography has given me a chance to relive those experiences three decades ago in my bedroom or on the shore. And although it took me many years to make the connection, I am grateful for the journey that led me to this place in my life.

“As I continue to explore the world through my camera lens, I am reminded of the power that photography has to capture emotion, memories and stories. I am grateful for these moments — and for the opportunity to share them with others. I want to make those fleeting moments a little more lasting.”

This month, Images Arizona’s photo essay celebrates the moments in life that stun us so much that they live on forever. Some appear as though they were lifted right out of a detective novel. Others look like they could be a production still from an Oscar-nominated movie. And others are simply so surreal that they may as well have been manufactured by Warhol himself.

But this is real life. This is the world around us. This is fleeting perfection.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Nick Milotta

SENSE OF NOSTALGIA

Having fallen in love with photography two years ago, Nick Milotta has most recently been experimenting with older technology: 35mm film.

“It is a different experience altogether,” he says. “It is a process that involves more intention and mindfulness, as there are only 36 shots on each roll of film. I have to think out and carefully compose each shot. There is no immediate feedback or opportunity to delete and retake the shot. It feels like there is more on the line, so hearing that shutter slap is that much more satisfying.

Milotta adds that 35mm film provides an aesthetic that speaks to him on a level that newer technology cannot.

“It captures a certain warmth and depth that digital often lacks, with a grainy texture and subtle variations in color and contrast,” he explains. “That sense of nostalgia is what I am after.”

As I continue to explore the world through my camera lens, I am reminded of the power that photography has to capture emotion, memories and stories. I am grateful for these moments — and for the opportunity to share them with others. I want to make those fleeting moments a little more lasting. Nick Milotta

I found myself seeking out that perfect moment of light and shadow that would transport me back to childhood memories. Photography became my escape; my way of freezing those fleeting moments in time and preserving them for posterity.

Nick Milotta

Photography is a way of seeing and interpreting the world around me. Through my camera lens, I am able to capture the beauty and complexity of life in all its forms — from the vibrant colors of a cityscape to the intricate and delicate details of dew on a rose petal. Nick

Milotta

About the Photographer

Nick Milotta discovered his passion for photography in an unlikely place.

“At the time, I would frequent a little improv theater in Tempe called The Bridge,” he says. “I would go and watch the shows and also perform from time to time. I had seen a lot of people taking pictures with their phones and I remembered that I had a Canon m50 with a kit lens in the trunk of my car. So I decided to go grab it and take a few shots of the performers.

“It was electric. I found myself skimming between rows and laying on the floor in front of the stage to get good shots. I guess they noticed my zeal and asked me to take photos for their social media team. The Bridge supplied me with fertile ground for growth, for which I am grateful.”

Milotta’s passion for photography quickly became an obsession, as he learned to shoot manual and experimented with shutter speed, aperture and ISO to capture the perfect image.

“I found myself seeking out that perfect moment of light and shadow that would transport me back to childhood memories,” Milotta explains. “Photography became my escape; my way of freezing those fleeting moments in time and preserving them for posterity.”

Realizing that photography was far more than just a hobby, Milotta has spent the past two years leaning into what he views through the lens.

“Photography is a way of seeing and interpreting the world around me,” he says. “Through my camera lens, I am able to capture the beauty and complexity of life in all its forms — from the vibrant colors of a cityscape to the intricate and delicate details of dew on a rose petal.”

instagram.com/nickmilotta.photos

IIn a brightly lit glass-enclosed studio in midtown Phoenix, 15 men gather around tables stacked with blank art canvases and cups of boldly hued pigments. At the front of the room, former Channel 3 news anchor Brandon Lee, outfitted in paint-splattered overalls and wielding a hair dryer, explains how to manipulate puddles of colorful acrylics into flowing marble-like designs.

As the men, many of whom are covered in tattoos and whose faces lay bare the effects of a hardscrabble life, follow Lee’s instructions — pouring the viscous paint, tilting the canvas to form interesting patterns, and creating their own ethereal images — their hardened demeanors begin to slip away. They laugh, they praise their fellow artists — and for 90 minutes, they forget about their troubles and simply enjoy the moment.

“That’s the magic of this program,” Lee explains. “These are tough dudes, and within 5 minutes of being here, their inner child comes out.”

The men are all residential patients at Crossroads, a substance abuse treatment facility with locations throughout the Valley. Each week, they attend a painting class at Art of Our Soul, an innovative hands-on therapeutic art program founded by Lee in late 2021.

“Because I’ve been in recovery for more than 13 years, I wanted to create something that people look forward to doing in the early stages of their trauma recovery. When you’re in the early stages of recovering from trauma, it’s heavy, and it’s really dark at times. I wanted to figure out a way to bring joy and allow people to experience joy.

Brandon Lee

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades // Photography Courtesy of Art of Our Soul

Brandon Lee’s Art of Our Soul program combines music with the art of acrylic pouring.

FINDING A PURPOSE

To those who tuned in each night to watch him report on the news, Lee appeared to have it all: an exciting, high-profile career that included two Emmy awards; movie star good looks; and a smile that would brighten any room. But the cheery public persona masked a long history of trauma. While Lee never shied away from talking about his past — from childhood abuse to drug addiction — like many addicts, he struggled to process the trauma.

Lee had been in recovery for about 13 years when, during the pandemic, he relapsed and became suicidal. His trauma therapist suggested he reach out to a shaman with whom she worked. Shortly after he began spiritual healing sessions with the shaman, Lee started experiencing a recurring dream of a little boy with a can of paint.

“I kept getting visions of artwork, and it made no sense to me,” he recalls. “I had dabbled in art, but it never connected.”

At the behest of his shaman, Lee went to the store, got some painting supplies and started to create. Then one day, he awoke to find three words written on a paper towel next to his bed: studio, gallery and school.

“My shaman said, ‘This is where the journey is about to lead you, and it will be life changing,’” he explains.

Two days later, a voice told him to leave the news and develop an art healing studio for trauma survivors.

On September 27, Lee anchored his last newscast. On November 1, he opened Art of Our Soul.

When Brandon Lee opened Art of Our Soul 16 months ago, he partnered with only three recovery centers. Today, the studio works with more than 16 healthcare services — offering three or four sessions a day, five days a week.

A NEW TAKE ON ART THERAPY

According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is defined as a treatment in which patients, facilitated by a therapist, use art materials, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their emotions, foster self-awareness, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem. This therapeutic approach has been used to help treat a variety of mental health and physical disabilities since the mid-1940s.

A 2016 study of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder found that art therapy allows patients to experience and verbalize difficult emotions, provides a distraction and can lead to positive emotions through the creation process. And a 2019 study by Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands suggests that art therapy is especially beneficial for survivors of prolonged or recurrent trauma.

But Art of Our Soul is more than therapy. It is healing.

“We’re flipping the script on the tried-and-true traditional clinical art therapy,” Lee explains. “A lot of times in recovery, people will do art therapy, and they collage and do clip art and talk about their traumas. And while there is a purpose in that, it’s not fun, and it doesn't release dopamine.

“Because I’ve been in recovery for more than 13 years, I wanted to create something that people look forward to doing in the early stages of their trauma recovery. When you’re in the early stages of recovering from trauma, it’s heavy, and it’s really dark at times. I wanted to figure out a way to bring joy and allow people to experience joy.”

According to Lee, his program helps create new neural pathways in the brain, which allows dopamine to be released naturally. Often called the “happy hormone,” dopamine is a neurotransmitter that provides feelings of pleasure.

“If you’ve been on drugs for a long time, all the joy is gone,” he says. “Life gets black or gray; there’s no color. We have

Brandon Lee’s Art of Our Soul program helps create new neural pathways in the brain, which allows dopamine to be released naturally. Often called the “happy hormone,” dopamine is a neurotransmitter that provides feelings of pleasure.

Recently, Brandon Lee announced that he is expanding Art of Our Soul to health clinics and hospitals throughout Arizona and the country through franchise opportunities.

Brandon pictured with Christin Day (left) and Carey Gerst.

to re-create those neural pathways in order to bring color back into your life.”

Art of Our Soul combines music with the art of acrylic pouring. There are no paintbrushes or preconceived designs to replicate. Patients use their hands to create vividly hued one-of-a-kind abstract artworks on canvas. In the background, a playlist of high-energy electronic dance keeps the energy flowing.

“When you’re creating something with your hands, you get lost and your body gets elevated into what science calls an alpha state,” Lee says.

Some people refer to this as being in “Zen,” in the flow, or even a light hypnotic state.

“It lowers your heart rate; helps with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation; and brings joy and peace,” he adds. “And that’s exactly what happens here — at every single session.”

In addition to working with recovering addicts, Art of Our Soul teaches acrylic pouring to patients with brain injuries, victims of sexual abuse and sex trafficking and folks with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

THE HEALING POWER OF CREATIVITY

Crossroads was one of the first groups that Lee reached out to during the development of Art of Our Soul. He had frequented the center’s 12-step program and knew how much a course like his would help the patients.

“We had been looking for alternative types of programming,” says Karem Garcia, Crossroad’s chief clinical quality officer, remembering the day that Lee approached her to share his idea. “We had tried some art things in the past, but they were hard to sustain because people would come in, do their

projects, and then wrap up and go. This was something we could do on a weekly basis. Plus, it was in line with our model of somebody in recovery helping another, a peer helping a peer.”

Each week, 15 of the center’s clients from its multiple campuses partake in a class taught by Lee or one of his fellow art instructors, Christin Day and Carey Gerst, both of whom are in recovery.

“It’s important that anybody who works for me is a trauma survivor,” Lee points out. “They don’t have to be in addiction recovery, but they have to be a trauma survivor. How can you relate to and get on the level of someone who comes in here if you’ve never walked in their shoes or haven’t had their experiences?

“I’ve been down that road. I know what it’s like. I’m one of them.”

According to Garcia, the fact that Lee and his team have survived trauma and addiction is both inspiring and motivating.

“It gives the newcomer a long-term vision of what recovery can look like,” she explains. “Many of our people are so broken when they come in here, they don’t know who they are. Brandon’s story is right in line with so many others’ stories. I love when clients can see that recovery truly is possible.”

Florence Crittenton is a social service agency that provides housing, education, counseling and support to at-risk and disadvantaged youth who are assigned female at birth. Through a year-long grant from Mercy Care, the agency has been able to provide weekly classes for its young women at Art of Our Soul.

“Our girls come to use from various backgrounds, all based on trauma,” says Amy Holstein, director of Florence Crittenton. “This program has been one of the most beneficial modalities of therapeutic support as we teach our girls

Former Phoenix news anchor Brandon Lee uses art therapy to help heal trauma survivors.

coping skills. Being able to see an adult who’s been through something similar to them, and to see that they’re happy and they’ve coped and there is a future — it shows them that there is hope.”

Holstein recalls one girl who lacked confidence in just about everything — in her looks, in her ability to make friends, in her creativity. After attending a class at Art of Our Soul, she said, “I feel like I’m good at something now.” Another girl painted an image that started in the bottom left-hand corner with dark shades of black and red and grew into golds and light colors in the upper right-hand corner.

When asked about the painting’s meaning, the girl replied, “This is like my struggle. At the bottom are the bad things that happened to me. The middle is everything that’s helping me. And over here where it’s lighter and brighter, that’s where I’m going.” Through art, she was able to express her feelings in a way that she could not through traditional therapy.

“These classes have made such a huge impact, not just on the kids who come in but also on our program moving forward,” Holstein says. “What Brandon has created is beautiful. It’s on a completely different level of art therapy because it’s more about healing through creative expression. And there’s no script for it. It’s just led with heart and human connection.”

When Lee opened Art of Our Soul 16 months ago, he partnered with only three recovery centers. Today, the studio works with more than 16 healthcare services — offering three or four sessions a day, five days a week. According to Art of Our Soul’s website, the program provides “art healing sessions to more than 600 trauma survivors each month.”

Recently, Lee announced that he is expanding Art of Our Soul to health clinics and hospitals throughout Arizona and the country through franchise opportunities.

“My dream is to have an Art of Our Soul in every state in America,” Lee says. “Trauma will always exist. It is not going away, which means addiction is not going away. My goal is to introduce patients to different modalities that can help them process trauma in real-time rather than suppress it — and heal from it so they don't have to go down the dark path of addiction.”

artofoursoul.com

SStrumming, drumming and singing — 15 talented student musical acts will take the stage at Harold’s Corral for Cave Creek Unified Education Foundation’s Rock the District fundraiser on Saturday, April 15.

Musical acts have a pre-event mentoring day where they work with professional musicians and radio industry representatives, providing them valuable feedback before they perform with all the lights and sound of an official concert venue.

Proceeds from the family-friendly evening will be awarded as grants to Cave Creek Unified School District teachers who apply each summer for items needed in their classrooms. CCUEF president Heidi Brashear says the organization’s events last year raised enough funds to grant $69,000 — an all-time record.

“This is our biggest event and all the money we raise goes directly to the classrooms,” Brashear says.

“We have grown in the last couple of years and our fundraising efforts have quadrupled. The Cave Creek Unified Education Foundation has been around for about 14 years and we’ve given out over $300,000 to the classrooms. My goal is to generate awareness about the foundation and continue to grow it.”

Brashear says the bulk of Rock the District’s revenue comes not from the affordable ticket prices, but from the excellent community sponsors, including presenting sponsor Sanderson-Lincoln, and silent auction items which, this year, include vouchers for stays at RitzCarlton Maui Kapalua, the Arizona Biltmore, Hotel del Coronado and Great Wolf Lodge Scottsdale as well as Fender guitars and tickets to Bearizona, the Arizona Science Museum, wine events and more.

The Soda Rush food truck will also be on-site with sweet treats and upgraded VIP experiences are available at the Sanderson Lincoln Black Label lounge.

Brashear expects the event will sell out to upwards of 400 people, but auction items can also be bid upon online for those who’d like to support the event but can’t attend in person. This year three, well-loved district employees — two principals and one former principal — will add to the fun when they serve as masters of ceremonies.

“It’s amazing to see the confidence of the students while they are on stage,” Brashear says. “We really want the community to come enjoy the night and see the talent of these musicians.”

Writer Shannon Severson // Photography by Loralei Lazurek

ALL THE BETTER

Melinda Graeff, a 17-year-old junior, fronts All The Better with lead vocals. She’s always loved singing and founded the band with 16-year-old guitarist Jake Nupoff. The two, who have previously performed at Rock the District, recruited 18-year-old senior Emma Lisiewski to play bass and sophomore Cole Sinclair to play the skins.

All The Better’s influences include Metallica, Maneskin, Mario Duplantier, Neil Peart, Shinedown, Highly Suspect, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, My Chemical Romance and Jimi Hendrix. They write their own music and Graeff is inspired by criminal cases she’s studied in her pursuit of a forensic science degree.

“Our songs are inspired by countless artists and bands coming from each member,” Nupoff says. “We mainly write songs with a heavier punk/metal sound, with a little bit of blues-inspired riffs thrown in here and there.”

All The Better’s members have some unique pastimes when they’re not playing music. Sinclair constructs complicated Lego sets and hopes to someday build prosthetics as a biomedical engineer.

“I like ballroom dancing, specifically Latin,” Lisiewski reveals. “I’ve been taking lessons for about five years now.”

She plans to major in music technology, with an eye toward live sound and music production.

Graeff’s interests include art and mixed martial arts and Nupoff is a fan of video games.

All four point to specific individuals who have supported them and their musical pursuits.

Graeff says that one of her biggest supporters has been Nupoff, who encouraged her to be part of a band in the first place. Liseiwski credits her guitar teachers, the most recent of which helped her overcome stage fright and her parents who always encourage her to find new opportunities and pursue them.

Sinclair says his grandmother has been one of his prime sources of support, encouraging him to get his start in drumming at age seven and helping him find a teacher.

Nupoff’s dreams of a career in the music industry drive him as he credits his parents for helping him in his pursuit of it.

“I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in without my mom,” he says. “And I’m thankful to my sister for the jam sessions in [our] living room as well as to my dad for coming out to all my shows. Lastly, [I’m thankful for] my grandma. If it weren’t for her buying me a toy drum kit to [annoy] my mom, I never would’ve realized I had a passion for music.”

MEGAN & EMILY

Megan “Meg” Swansiger and Emily “Em” Lewis are 16-year-old sophomores who began playing songs with catchy rhythms for fun and then decided to pair up for the competition as first-time entrants.

Lewis, who plays bass, is inspired by Metallica’s Cliff Burton, while Swansiger, who plays guitar and vocals, says she’s always been in love with the bluesy riffs of Greta Van Fleet’s Jake Kiszka and also admires the singing style of Eddie Vedder, the late Kurt Cobain and Led Zeppelin. Both girls enjoy art, bicycling and collecting vinyl records.

“Em and I want to continue to do gigs together in the future to better our skills and continue to have a blast in pursuing music,” Lewis says. “I’ve also looked into flight technology and becoming a pilot.”

They both credit family for support and encouragement.

BEN JEFFCOAT

Sixteen-year-old Ben Jeffcoat is a country music artist with amazing guitar and vocal skills. He had a musical background in drums and piano but picked up a guitar two years ago and hasn’t looked back.

Jeffcoat’s diverse influences include Canadian singersongwriter Mac DeMarco, The Grateful Dead and The Strokes. He writes his own music but will be playing covers that are meaningful to him for his debut competition. He’s hoping to get some exposure and learn from what the judges have to say, having already had some local exposure by performing at the Cave Creek Rodeo Days royalty pageant.

While school and music occupy much of his time, Jeffcoat also enjoys reading and hitting the gym. His future plans include attending Northern Arizona University to pursue a career in the park service and making music in his free time.

“My parents and my friends have been my main supporters,” Jeffcoat says. “My earliest performances were me playing for [them.] The encouragement I got in those early stages really helped me stick with it.”

HRIDYA ‘HIYA’ SAPRA

Hridya “Hiya” Sapra is a talented pop singer and drummer on stage, but this 15-year-old freshman also plays the piano and flute. While Sapra is a solo act, she also enjoys singing with her friends. Her interest in music first began with movement and she’s always been encouraged by her parents, friends and siblings.

“I’ve been into dancing and singing from a young age,” Sapra reveals. “I took dance classes and being Indian meant a lot of festivals and such for dancing, so I always have had a passion for it. I remember one of the prime times in my career, especially when I was younger, was when ‘Frozen’ came out and I would sing ‘Let it Go’ in costume.”

Musical inspirations include Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Nico Collins. These artists stand out to Sapra for their personal honesty. While listening to music, she often draws or paints and is also an avid skateboarder. She writes her own music from the heart, derived from her own experiences or events that happened to someone she knows.

She adds that qualifying to be in the competition this year has been a huge confidence boost.

“Making people smile to my music or singing makes me really happy,” Sapra says.

PIPHER, MILLER & LAMBRECHT

Country-folk trio Pipher, Miller & Lambrecht has been compared to a young Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Grant Pipher, Braden Miller and Michael Lambrecht are seniors who cite musical influences from John Denver and Dire Straits to Michael Jackson and thrash metal. All three play guitar and were brought together by their high school instructor, Mrs. Dolezal, when she needed an act to entertain the audience between groups at a chorale and band concert. Their voices and talents blended beautifully and a band was born.

The three have begun to write their own music and their friendship has made a difference in how they write, practice and perform. Their family members — some with musical backgrounds and some without — have encouraged them to keep practicing and pursuing music.

“I’ve played with bands before, but none of them were with people that I was super close to,” Miller says. “We all come together to make decisions and have kind of grown up together. It’s really fun.”

Each of the band members agrees that making people happy is a major motivator for performing.

“The last song we will perform at Rock the District is called ‘Sitting on Top of the World,’” Miller says. “You should just see people’s faces light up. It’s a super cool song and we will play a super cool set. We’re excited.”

School and work take up a large portion of their time, but Lambrecht says he’s also an avid hiker.

“I love hiking,” he says. “I recently went on a 50-mile hike for a week in New Mexico. It was a life-changing experience.”

As they’ve gone through the process of forming a band and singing together, they’ve learned the value of planning, making decisions as a group and the satisfaction of seeing it all come together on the stage.

rockthedistrict.net

Music

Rock the District

Saturday, April 15 | 6–10 p.m.

Harold’s Corral | 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek $25; student and teacher discounts available rockthedistrict.net

Equine Energy

FFifteen years ago, Leeanne Gardner left a 25-year career in the corporate world to found Unbridle IT, a company through which she helps others create exciting, fulfilling lives for themselves. She specifically began assisting small businesses with marketing and business support.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gardner penned and published “Unbridle IT! Buck Up and Create Your Happy!” — a self-help workbook with steps for creating more happiness and fulfillment in life and business, applying some of the lessons that she has learned through her lifelong love affair with horses.

“Horses pick up on every vibration,” Gardner says. “They are profound teachers of authenticity with no judgment. They demonstrate the power of energy and the importance of showing up as your true self, authentically every day for stronger relationships.”

As the world began to open back up in 2021, Gardner saw the opportunity to create a safe space for people to experience how to connect more authentically through being around horses. Through events and programs such as her ladies’ group, Women and Whinnies, she began teaching people how their energy affects their relationships and the world around them.

Last year, she founded Unbridled Pathways — a nonprofit organization through which she aspires to provide unique personal growth experiences for individuals and organizations through interacting with horses in their natural state of being.

From providing the loved ones of a young cancer patient a positive outlet through which they can connect with horses to facilitating more restorative supervised visitation for broken families, Gardner believes that equine energy is the key to healing hearts.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

On Saturday, April 8, Unbridled Pathways founder Leeanne Gardner (second from left) will host a Boots, Bourbon and BBQ event, featuring bourbon and vodka tasting courtesy of Carefree Spirits Distillery director Mike McQuiggan (far left), vice president of sales and production Jake Stuckey (second from right) and owner/president Renea McQuiggan (far right).

“Horses really can regulate our heartbeat within about five feet,” she explains. “We need to learn how to show up as better people for one another every single day and I know from my own experience that horses are a huge conduit to helping that happen. And with horses, it is not just a talking head. You get to experience for your heart and soul what these horses can really do.”

A firm believer in bringing people together, Gardner will host a pair of community events Saturday, April 8 at Frontier Town in Cave Creek. A free Heart of Cave Creek Vendor Fair highlighting the area’s businesses, artisans and nonprofit organizations will lead into her second Boots, Bourbon and BBQ event — a fundraiser that will allow her to continue her charitable work through Unbridled Pathways.

“Boots, Bourbon and BBQ will help me continue to create my programs,” says Gardner, noting that the event will feature bourbon and vodka tasting, food from Lil Town Butcher and live music from Pandy Raye and Michael Assad. “The proceeds will make it possible for me to go out to these different nonprofit organizations, create special partnerships and help them create programs working with horses at no cost to them. The vendor fair will reinforce the importance of supporting our local businesses.

“The goal of both events is to bring our community together. We have all heard that ‘it takes a village.’ In collaboration with other charity organizations and ranches, a village is what we are creating.”

unbridledpathways.org

“ Horses pick up on every vibration. They are profound teachers of authenticity with no judgment. They demonstrate the power of energy and the importance of showing up as your true self, authentically every day for stronger relationships. Leeanne Gardner

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Leeanne Gardner penned and published “Unbridle IT! Buck Up and Create Your Happy!” — a self-help workbook with steps for creating more happiness and fulfillment in life and business, applying some of the lessons that she has learned through her lifelong love affair with horses. // Photo by Merrick Miller

I“I come from more of a traditional background with adobe homes,” says Carefree architect Clint Miller.

A glimpse into his portfolio shows a collection of Old Arizona ranchstyle homes. Exposed brick walls combine with terra-cotta tiles, wood beams, chunky fireplaces and expansive Territorialstyle porches. It’s a style that’s intrinsic to the Valley’s aesthetic — and one that garnered Miller numerous accolades and a loyal clientele following.

But in his own home, which he built more than 12 years ago, a new design philosophy takes center stage.

Architect Clint Miller elevates traditional materials with modernist style.

“This house moved me in a different direction, because prior to it, I was doing so much adobe work,” he explains. “It moved me from traditionally oriented designs to contemporary.”

Clean lines, open spaces and a central volume marked by floor-to-ceiling glass walls pay homage to the iconic creations by midcentury masters.

“I call it a modern interpretation of midcentury,” Miller notes.

While adobe still plays a pivotal role in his design work, Miller’s own home features handmade reclaimed bricks that date to the late 1800s–early 1900s. When the architect purchased the property, only a couple of the brick walls and the original foundation remained.

I’m not building a house in a vacuum. I don’t just think about architecture. I think about the interior design and the landscape. In fact, landscaping surpasses architecture.

Clint Miller

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades // Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Clean lines, open spaces and a central volume marked by floor-to-ceiling glass walls pay homage to the iconic creations by midcentury masters.

“There was no roof, no interior walls,” Miller recalls.

Miller kept the brick, connecting the walls with large glass panes that seem to disappear into the ceiling and ground, creating a larger open sensation that flows seamlessly to the outdoors.

“It’s a tool that architects use to make a modest-size home live bigger,” Miller explains.

At just over 2,100 square feet, the architect’s home is small compared with the ones he designs for his clients.

A sizable wash flows past the home, while uninterrupted vistas of the Black Mountains frame the horizon. Native trees and flora combine with meticulously landscaped vignettes of golden barrels, yuccas, lady’s slippers and succulents that soften the rocky slopes. The faux turf lawn is the perfect spot to kick back and watch the sunset.

“I’m not building a house in a vacuum,” Miller says. “I don’t just think about architecture. I think about the interior design and the landscape. In fact, landscaping surpasses architecture. If you have a great house that’s a 10, but the landscaping is a 1, you’ve just brought that whole project to a 5. On the other hand, you could have architecture that’s only risen to a 5, and you put in cool landscaping, you just brought the appreciation of that project closer to a 10.”

While adobe still plays a pivotal role in his design work, architect Clint Miller’s own home features handmade reclaimed bricks that date to the late 1800s–early 1900s. His French bulldog, Babette, approves of their use.

Lush native greenery flanks the front walkway, creating an organic and warm welcome.

“This is the most copied living room and house that I’ve designed,” Miller says. “After I built it, I got so many calls from people who said, ‘I want your house. I just want it bigger.’ So many of the homes that I’m doing now are taking the concept and stretching it. I’m even able to get them involved with period furnishings from the '50s — Herman Miller, Eames. That was really the philosophy of the leading architects of the Palm Springs movement.”

When Peter Kindrachuk decided to do a gut renovation on a historic 1964 adobe home in Carefree, Miller’s ability to create contemporary designs that preserve traditional details was the perfect fit. The project encompassed a remodel of the main residence as well as the addition of a 900-square-foot casita and a sixcar garage.

“We looked at several architects, and we chose Clint because he has a love for this kind of home,” Kindrachuk says. “It would have been cheaper to demo the house and start over, but we wanted to preserve it.”

The 2,800-square-foot midcentury ranch had been remodeled over the years, with rounded corners and Pueblo revival styling. It is built from Sasabe adobe bricks from Mexico, which are less stable than the more highly fired adobe.

“Clint not only had experience working with [the material], but he also was excited about it,” Kindrachuk explains. “He was knowledgeable and willing to help us retain it. He was very helpful in getting it back to its traditional roots.”

Gone are the dated late 20th-century details. They’ve been replaced by a tongue-and-groove ceiling, exposed beams, new large steel-framed windows and custom steel doors. The original flagstone floors were expanded to the outdoor pool deck and porches. And the original adobe remains the star.

For architect Clint Miller, the ability to combine his two interests — adobe and modernism — brings a new enthusiasm to his career.

“In one sense, it’s traditional, but on the other, it’s modern, and that’s a combination that’s hard to get sometimes,” Kindrachuk says. “It’s a very tasteful design.”

Sue Vottero and her husband, Bob, currently are working with Miller on the construction of a custom modern adobe home, also in Carefree.

“Adobe was always our goal,” Sue says. “But we did not have any ideas of what it is turning out to be. We certainly never envisioned walls of glass.”

Like Kindrachuk’s and Miller’s own abodes, the Votteros’ house is a blend of traditional and contemporary. Adobe brick volumes bookend a large glass central space.

“Some of the adobe homes feel very heavy inside, because they use so much of the material, whereas the glass lightens it up,” Sue notes. “Because all of our walls on the interior are going to show adobe, it’s going to be a nice mix.”

For Miller, the ability to combine his two interests — adobe and modernism — brings a new enthusiasm to his career.

“I love the combination of using an older material, like adobe, and bringing it into something modern,” Miller says. “I’ve had a blast doing this for all these years, and I hope to do it for another 10 years.”

clintmillerarchitect.com

ZZoos today have a tricky responsibility: to conserve wildlife and educate the public about animal welfare but also to entertain the hundreds of guests who pass through their gates every day. They’re part tourist destination, part research facility, part Noah’s Ark. And, for the Phoenix Zoo, part art gallery.

Located among the towering red sandstone formations of Papago Park, the Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the nation — and one of the most popular attractions in Arizona. More than 3,000 animals from across the world can be found here. And with the recent opening of the Wild Side Gallery, so can worldclass art exhibitions.

About five years ago, longtime Phoenix Zoo board member Jean Bingham gave a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo to some local artists who had submitted works for a fundraiser, which eventually led to the opening of The Wild Side Gallery.

MORE THAN ANIMALS

Art at the zoo is not unprecedented. Large bronze sculptures are scattered throughout the property. Many pieces are in the shape of animals and local icons. One of the zoo’s most popular works is a lifesize bronze portrayal of beloved TV characters, Wallace and Ladmo by Sedona-based artist Neil Logan.

“We have people who come here specifically to see that sculpture,” says zoo president and CEO Bert Castro. “Our mission is to provide experiences that help people really think about the natural world, and we can do that in different ways. Art is very inspirational. It’s another way to get people to care about wildlife and wild places.”

About five years ago, Castro, his wife, Janice, and Jean Bingham, a longtime zoo board member, decided to inventory the zoo’s art collection, much of which had been donated by the community.

“We had more than 65 pieces, worth more than $2 million,” Castro notes.

Around the same time, Bingham gave a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo to some local artists who had submitted works for a fundraiser. Among them were painters April Howland and Dyana Hesson.

The gallery gives people a way to experience and become interested in something that maybe they didn’t know about. We hope it will spark some imagination, especially in kids. And then they’ll want to learn more about the natural world and how to care for it. Dyana Hesson

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades // Photography by Loralei Lazurek

The Wild Side Gallery at Phoenix Zoo fosters an appreciation of the natural world.

“We got to see the Savanna Grill, which had just been renovated,” Howland recalls. “We walked in, and the walls were bare. And it was so beautiful, with all this natural light coming in. I looked at Dyana, she looked at me, and we immediately thought we could do something with it.”

The pair came up with a proposal, and in February 2019, the zoo debuted its first gallery show. Since then, the restaurant has been home to rotating exhibitions of paintings and photographs of animals, landscapes, and nature scenes by local artists, with a portion of the proceeds going toward zoo conservation. And the space has become a popular stop for adult zoo-goers and kids alike.

“We’ve gotten wonderful positive feedback about the art in the Savanna Grill — how much guests enjoy viewing it and waiting for the next exhibit. It’s been a wonderful way to get young children to start caring about nature,” Bingham explains.

Then, a few years ago, Castro was visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, which has a permanent art gallery.

“I thought, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be cool to build a gallery at the zoo and have a wonderful venue that would celebrate wildlife in a different way than we ever had before,’” he says.

The gallery at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is housed in a renovated building. The zoo also had

a historic building that, at the time, was being used for storage. Situated right off the main entrance, the midcentury modern 1970s Activity Center was designed by well-known Valley architect William Cartmell, who designed the dorms at Arizona State University and the school’s College of Law building as well as numerous banks and educational facilities.

The 2,400-square-foot building needed renovations — at one point it had even housed animals — but the original structure was intact.

“It was just a dream come true,” Hesson says.

Renovations took about 18 months, and included restoring the original clerestory windows and exterior light fixtures, as well as painting, adding custom period-appropriate furnishings, and landscaping an outdoor patio.

“We wanted to stay true to the architect’s vision,” Hesson adds. “We worked really hard and transformed it into a beautiful gallery. I think [Cartmell] would be thrilled that people took care of something he built.”

Directly across from the gallery’s large glass doors hangs a portrait of Robert E. Maytag, founder of the Phoenix Zoo and grandson of the founder of the Maytag appliance company. According to Bingham, the portrait was found hidden inside a garbage bag in a barn on the property.

“We’ve since had it conserved and hung in a place of honor,” she says.

Phoenix-based artist April Howland

ADVANCING AN APPRECIATION FOR NATURE

The Wild Side Gallery opened in February with a renowned National Geographic exhibit. “Between River and Rim: Hiking Across the Grand Canyon” by photographer Pete McBride and author Kevin Fedarko showcases the duo’s nearly 800-mile journey through the heart of the Grand Canyon. It highlights the beauty of the Canyon and the threats to it that the artists discovered along the way.

More than 400 people attended the gallery’s opening night.

“Guests have been loving the work,” Howland says. “They’re really captivated by the story of two guys who traverse the canyon. And at the same time, they’re learning a lot about Arizona.”

Hesson adds that guests are getting a different kind of enjoyment from the zoo.

“The gallery gives people a way to experience and become interested in something that maybe they didn’t know about,” she explains. “We hope it will spark some imagination, especially in kids. And then they’ll want to learn more about the natural world and how to care for it.”

Most of the art on display is available for purchase, and 30% of the proceeds of each piece goes to the zoo to help with conservation and its efforts of supporting animals in the wild.

“Between River and Rim: Hiking Across the Grand Canyon” is on display through September. Future plans include a juried show featuring the works of local artists and exhibits by the Society of Animal Artists.

Howland hopes to also open the gallery for photography and art classes.

“I want this to be a place where people come to learn more about conservation and to become ambassadors for the natural world,” she says.

Castro hopes that the gallery will give guests a greater appreciation for wildlife.

“It’s important that people who come to the zoo walk away with empathy for and a little bit more knowledge about wildlife, and hopefully that will make them good stewards of the land and of species in general,” he says.

phoenixzoo.org/art-on-the-wild-side

Stumblina's Cantina

DINING GUIDE L

Located within Prickly Pear Plaza, Stumblina’s Cantina invites visitors to step back in time and enjoy an American twist on Southwestern food and drinks while taking in the stunning views of the famous Black Mountain. The western-style bar and restaurant is set in a romantic atmosphere that takes diners back to a bygone era where they can belly on up to the bar for a craft beer or cocktail or savor a fine glass of wine.

Specialty drinks include the Stum-Belini — a glass of prosecco mixed with peach purée and a dash of prickly pear nectar — and the Frankly Pomegranate Mule — featuring pomegranate vodka, a splash of lime juice and ginger beer.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Stumblina’s Cantina features plenty of seating in its cozy dining room as well as on its outside deck where diners can enjoy a Tombstone-inspired menu. Appetizers include battered and deep-fried poblano peppers and cauliflower florets while main courses include a host of taco, burger, sandwich, soup and salad options.

Saloon specials include Doc Holiday Left Breathless with a Flat Iron steak and Stumblina's Infamously Naughty Burger — stacked high with five Angus beef patties, two slices of pepper jack cheese and two slices of cheddar cheese, topped with fried poblanos and served with lettuce, onion and tomato. Dessert options include a slice of chocolate and peanut butter mousse pie surrounded by whipped cream and topped with chocolate sauce.

Featuring live music on its patio every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Stumblina’s Cantina is especially exciting on holidays — such as Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day. However, owner Sonia Pasciuta and her staff ensure that every visit to this modern take on an old-style saloon is an enjoyable and memorable experience.

RECIPE

Carrot Cake Loaf

Serves: 8–10

Ingredients:

For the Loaves:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 pound whole carrots, peeled 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed 4 large eggs

1-1/2 cups vegetable oil

For the Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 tablespoons butter, softened 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Green and orange food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Springtime brings Easter, Mother's Day and graduations. It's a perfect time to bake this carrot cake loaf. Simpler than a layered carrot cake but equally delicious, it will please everyone! If you want to take it up a notch, try decorating it with baby carrots on top!

Grease and flour two 9-x-5-inch loaf pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Whisk thoroughly to combine.

In a food processor with a grater attachment, process the carrots until shredded. Pour into a medium bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor and fit with a standard metal attachment. Add white sugar, brown sugar and eggs then process until thoroughly combined.

Next, with the food processor running, drizzle oil into the sugar/egg mixture until thick and emulsified, about 30 seconds. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients then whisk until combined. Fold carrots into the batter using a spatula and distribute evenly between loaf pans.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Meanwhile, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract until thoroughly combined. Pipe or spread onto cooled carrot cake loaves.

Optional: Separate two 1/4 cup portions of frosting into separate bowls. Add a few drops of orange and green food coloring into each bowl and mix, adjusting colors to your preference. Spoon dyed frosting into small Ziploc bags, cut a tiny opening in the corner of each bag and gently pipe carrot designs all over the top of the cake, as desired. Carrots are made by squeezing a blob of orange frosting then quickly drawing the frosting in a downward motion. Add leaves by making 1–2 small green dots on the top of each orange carrot.

Writer and Photographer Francine Coles thefancypantskitchen.com

North Scottsdale-Carefree Office

34305 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale, AZ 85266 P. 480-488-2400

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