Make A Scene December 2010

for 15, You!2010 DecFREE 15-Jan

July 15-Aug 15, 2010

FREE

Dont Destroy The Land

By Patricia Wade

The Ya Ne Dah Ah students presented “Don’t Destroy the Land” at Elders’ Lunch on 12/2.

Our Ancestors were wanderers, following the caribou herds, returning salmon, furbearing animals in the winter, berries in the fall, etc. (cont. on page 3)

Waterfall created by coal mining 80+ years ago. The salmon could not get back to their spawning ground.

It was reopened several years ago thanks to our Environmental Dept and other gov agencies.

Art Luau at Pandemonium

By Kimberly Bustillos

Christmas is through, New Year’s has passed, and reality of the endless Alaskan winter is sinking in. What better way to combat the cold and ever encroaching bout of cabinfever, than to visit the Painted Ladies Art Luau? (cont. on page 18)

“Secret Sanctuary” by local artist Karen Whitworth (one of the Painted Ladies). Art Luau at Pandemonium on display in January.

Marian Call, Alaskan Independent Musician

Marian Call, Local Musician, Returns After 7-Month Tour of all 50 States

By Briony Fryfogle

Independent musicians must be innovative and resourceful in the changing music industry. Marian Call’s recent “49 to 50” Concert Tour

is a prime example of a resourceful local musician, one that makes Alaskans proud to call her “our own”. Many Alaskan musicians and artists are currently on tour in the lower 48, with great success, but the difference is her ability to wear many hats. She not only drove herself on this 35,000-mile tour, but did not require the use of a record label, manager,

or booking agent. She was self-motivated and utilized accessible resources to book venues and housing. How did she do it? Grit and glamour. Facebook, Twitter, and cold e-mail contacts were her primary communication methods. Not only is this a feat in multitasking but it also speaks volumes for her music and charm. One listen to her rowdy folk (cont. on page 3)

2

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

The Art of Celebrating Sinterklaas

By Carmen Summerfield

On a recent trip to Holland, I visited my Aunt Miep in Elden, close to Arnhem. She lives on the town square, and while we were talking we noticed a crowd of people gathering in the square. We joined them and, to our surprise, Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) was coming to town! (cont. on page 6)

2061 Palmer Wasilla Hwy

357-1833

By Mikey G

Dude, heading down the music road isn't as great as you think. Before the lights come up and after the lights go down there is a ton of work that has to take place.

Alaska

Slime Balls

Sorry, but for every great venue owner you meet there will be 5 slime balls that will rip you off and give you BS and bad checks, You can go to court and get a judgment but it will always come up to zero. Save yourself some grief and just let it go and move on.

funk and you can’t resist becoming a fan!

The 7-month tour began in May with Alaska and ended this month in Hawai’i, the 50th state. During this time, she maintained contact with fans online and updated them about her experiences around the country.

Putting on her marketing hat, she garnered attention from national media, which generated rave reviews. And when it was time to put on a show, she brought a distinctive, non-traditional approach utilizing her signature Underwood typewriter (for percussion, of course), rain stick, and kazoo.

Marians grassroots-style approach to touring and her creative sparkle is an inspirational illustration other Alaskan artists can follow.

She has overcome a common obstacle many of us can relate to - distance and isolation from larger audiences in the contiguous U.S. Join us in welcoming the eclectic and humorous acoustic musician, Marian Call, home for her celebratory homecoming concert scheduled for Thursday, December 23rd at Taproot in Anchorage, just a few days after her last tour concert in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

The show is 21+ and $5 at the door (minors are allowed before 10pm with a parent or guardian).

For more information, visit www.mariancall. com.

Stardom

For a brief period of time the lights will be hot, the booze will flow heavy, and the floor will be rockin. This is the part that most people see.

It looks like a blast and makes everyone want to be a rock star. I'll admit it. That part of the music deal is awesome.

Back to Reality

February 8, 2011 for cleaning and inventory.

The Museum will be working on exhibits and collections care during January and will reopen on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 9 am with our Annual Iditarod Art Exhibit.

Look for the CALENDAR ICON next to articles to see dates & times of upcoming community events & mark your calendar!

• Meadow Gates Farm Sanctuary • Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry • North America Outdoor Institute • Nugens Ranch • Palmer Senior Citizens Center, Inc. • Radio Free Palmer • The Childrens Place • United Way of Matanuska-Susitna Borough • Valley Charities, Inc. Endowment • Valley Residential Services

The part that people don't see are the countless hours of practice required both personally and as a group to put on a good performance. Loading and unloading the gear, sound checks, messed up hotel reservations, pissed off women, dealing with drunks, and all of this topped off by a bounced check.

Dorothy G. Page Museum DPM is closed from Dec 24, 2010 through

• Alaska Assistance Dogs • Alaska Attachment and Bonding Associates • Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue • Alaska Family Services • Alaska Farmland Trust • Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats • CCS Early Learning • Community Sports, Inc. • Family Promise Mat-Su • Food Pantry of Wasilla • Friends of Mat-Su • Hospice Foundation of Mat-Su • LINKS Mat-Su Parent Resource Center • Mat-Su Services for Children and Adults • Mat-Su Schools Foundation

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

The logistics of getting your gear to the gig is a major deal here in Alaska. Treacherous highways, airplane rides, snow and ice, and bush power are all realities that we face being Alaskan WORKING PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINERS. Having a decent vehicle is a must. I've actually secured some nice gigs just because I had a big van for hauling the equipment. Invest in a handtruck with big rubber wheels. They work great on the snow and ice. Have a number of long extension cords. You'll have to use multiple outlets for your power or you'll be tripping breakers all through the gig. The power in bush Alaska can be unstable so use surge protectors and power conditioners for your expensive gear.

Marian Call cont.

3

Gluttons For Punishment

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Dig It

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

Finding success in the music business is well worth all the hassles that you're going to face on the way. The more you do this the better you'll get at sniffing out the BS and developing good solid profitable relationships. If you're packing the club and bringing in coin for the venue owner you'll be amazed at the way you’re treated. It's a two way street though.

Be respectful, professional, and give a night's work for a night's pay. Finally, have a blast doing it. It's the second best fun there is!

4 Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

Locally owned by JOSH & BRIONY FRYFOGLE Wasilla, AK 99654 907-373-2698 (office) 888-383-9909 (fax) makeasceneak@mac.com www.makeasceneak.com ..........................

Staff:

Josh Fryfogle Briony Fryfogle ..........................

Thank you to this month’s Contributors: Patricia Wade Marian Call Kimberly Bustillos Ashley Bice Mike Childers Carmen Summerfield Mikey G Dorothy Page Museum Mayor Verne Rupright Suellyn Novak Alaska Renewable Energy Rebecca Goodrich Alaska Creekside Cabine Briony Fryfogle Josh Fryfogle Mary M Ernsberger Dori Cranmore Mandi Rose Morin Randi Perlman Sean Talbot Valley Performing Arts Randi Perlman Bridgette Preston KJ Martin Desiree Compton Jennifer Davis Gregory Gusse Houston Chamber of Commerce Denali Arts Council Marc Bourdon Valley Fine Arts Association Amy Sanderlin ..........................

Make-A-Scene publishes 10,000 copies monthly. We’re always growing thanks to our contributors, our advertisers, and to you the reader!

Thanks for helping Make-A-Scene! ..........................

Disclaimer:

MakeASceneAK.com, and the parallel paper edition of our monthly news service, is a forum for our community. Both exist for the benefit of our local community, serving as a virtual meeting place for the ideas, thoughts, news, and information that the folks in our community choose to contribute. The articles and opinions herein are the property of the author, not the publisher. The publisher and editor assume no responsibility for injuries or loss incurred by anyone utilizing the information herein, or responding to the advertisers.

Josh’sI’vePolitics purposely

not written my politically minded articles in the last few issues, just to see what the response would be. I’ve been pleased to discover that people, at least some people, really enjoy my thoughts on these matters – many people even tell me that they secretly have thought the same things.

However, the mainstream media constantly pushes a program of propaganda, deftly creating the illusion that most people agree with their rhetoric. However, I believe that most people don’t believe everything the TV tells them.

I’m glad to say that this month I’m going to play a little catch-up, covering several topics of great importance.

First on the list:

TSA Insanity

What’s the first thing you would expect the leaders of your nation to do in the event of an attack from outside of your nation? Well, the first thing I would expect would be for them to secure the borders. Call me crazy, but that seems like an obvious reaction.

No, our nation did not secure the borders after the now infamous 9/11 event. Still, to this day, our borders are wide open, as evidenced by the steady flow of illegal immigration that serves to offset our otherwise unsustainable economic system.

I’m not arguing for or against illegal immigration. That’s not at all the point. The point is: if we are worried about terrorists (individuals) coming into our country to do us harm, then surely securing points of entry into the country would be the first thing to do.

Obviously, you cannot secure a house while leaving the back door open.

No, all our leaders did was institute laws that whittle away at our freedoms, the same freedoms that the terrorists supposedly want to take away from us. All the while, our ‘leaders’ have failed to shut the back door!

Now they’ve actually convinced the American people that when they go to the airport, their safety is the reason that they must do things to their children that would otherwise be punishable as sex crimes. It’s time to wake up!

Healthcare

It doesn’t take a lot of thought to realize that the insurance industry has driven up the cost of health care. People sue doctors, or whoever is insured for that matter, frivolously, driving up the cost for insurance companies to do business. Then the industry passes the cost on to the consumer. In this case, it’s the doctors, who of course pass on their cost to their patients.

What people need is not health insurance.

What they need is health care. Maybe the insurance companies need to get out of the

way, and let doctors do what they are trained to do. Doctors will tell you that malpractice insurance is excessively expensive, and that’s why the industry as a whole continues to go up in price. It’s a simple problem, with no simple solution, but don’t think it’s going to be solved by creating more industry infrastructure – that is only going to increase the cost of the services overall – especially if the federal government is in charge of this new funding (reference social security, Medicaid, and countless other wasteful debacles).

I don’t have a solution in mind; I just know that any business that increases their cost will pass that cost on to their customers.

Continuing Wars

C’mon people! These wars are ridiculous.

War is not a conservative principle! Endless war is not the answer to terrorism; it’s the goal of terrorism!!

There are so many inconsistencies in our political positions, from both major parties; it’s time the American people start asking real questions. The divide and conquer method is being used on the people very successfully, convincing the majority of people that the solution lies within one of the two major parties. It doesn’t, obviously.

Obama promised that he would end the wars, first thing. Two years later, and he’s expanded the wars! Oh yeah, that’s right – the Iraq war is over! And if you believe that, I’ve got a bridge in Baghdad to sell you… er, all the bridges in Baghdad were blown up… never mind.

My point is, as long as we continue to buy the lie that these wars are necessary, the more inevitable the collapse of our nation becomes. We cannot afford them. What we can afford is to secure our borders – it’s a lot cheaper that full-body x-ray machines in every airport. Here’s a crazy idea: withdraw the troops from overseas, and put them on the border! The downside is, we won’t get to exploit desperate poor people anymore.

Bummer.

Global Warming

Really, is this still even in discussion? Let’s face it, the debate is over. Climate change is happening, but it’s not our fault. It’s natural.

What caused the last ice age? What about the fluctuations in climate that account for countless geographical evidence, showing that the earth’s climate is not a constant? It changes.

This is just a tax scheme, nothing more, nothing less. It’s being hoisted on the people of the world by globalists, who need a source of income to create a super-government, overpowering the sovereignty of all nations.

Hitler, Stalin, and a long list of forgotten, would-be dictators have tried the similar power grabs. Amassing more and more power is the goal.

This year’s Climate Change conference is in Cancun, Mexico. You would think Cancun

would be fully submerged by the melting ice caps by now. Meanwhile, the folks in Europe and North America are freezing to death, and the roof caved in at the Metro Dome due to snow.

The Climate Cult would have you believe that more taxation is the cure to climate change.

If you believe that, I’ve got some carbon credits to sell you.

MDA Thanks Community for “Making Bail”

By Ashley Bice

Executive Director – MDA Alaska

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Mat-Su Valley community for their incredible support during our “Most Wanted” LockUp, to benefit the Alaska Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Everyone worked hard on December 8, calling friends and business associates to raise over $30,000 in charitable contributions to benefit the local programs of the MDA. Special thanks to our “jailbirds” who dedicated their time and effort to raising funds for “Jerry’s kids”.

A large part of the success of the event is due to various local businesses and community leaders that sponsored and supported the event. I would like to thank Chili’s-Wasilla for hosting the Lock-Up, AT&T for donating cellular telephones, Avis Alaska for providing “jailbird” transportation, and Valley Radio Q99.7 FM for radio coverage. Also special thanks to the volunteers from the Big Lake/ West Lake Fire Department and WalgreensWasilla who acted as “arresting officers” and helped take “mug shots” of the “jailbirds”.

It’s been proven time and time again that the Mat-Su Valley community cares enough to make a difference. The dollars raised from the Lock-Up translate into direct local patient services that benefit families who live right her in our community. Services are provided at no cost to families and include: monthly MDA clinics, support groups for MDA clients and families, assistance with loaned durable medical equipment and repairs, and a magical week for children age 6-17 at Camp Birchwood. These are just some of the services MDA Alaska can provide because of the generous support from community leaders, teachers, business owners, and others.

Thank you for making a difference in the fight against neuromuscular disease.

5

Fun with Lulu Small on New Year’s Eve & Iditarod Concert

By Josh Fryfogle

Lulu Small is one of the first musicians I became aware of when I first moved to Alaska. Her and her guitar are known throughout the State, having been a mainstay in the Alaskan music scene for around three decades. Lulu is one of those original Alaskan artists who blazed the trail for every single musician living in Alaska today. She is part of a legacy that newer musicians in our State continue.

And, Lulu needs our help.

e

From left to right: Mike Childers mandolin/vocals, Mary Oudean on guitar/vocals, Bill Yeagle bass/vocals and Doug Schutte banjo/vocals.

The Lost Riders Concert Helps Carl Hoffman The band has been together since 2002. Mike

Contact The Lost Riders at 250-5465 or cascade1@mtaonline.net.

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

The band has performed for Gov Tony Knowles twice, most of the major festivals in Alaska and has been asked by the USO to go and perform for the troops overseas. You might recognize Mary Oudean - she is the proud mother of

The Lost Riders will be playing at the Organic Oasis on the 23rd and 30th of December. Show starts at 6:30 pm both evenings and goes until 8:30 pm. Donations for Carl Hoffman and his family to help with expenses while he is in the hospital will be taken, but are not required, only if you wish too.

Organic Oasis is located off of Spenard across from Chilkoots.

Childers is the founder of this group. The late Ken Terry was the original banjo player for the group. Shortly before Ken Terry passed away the band had a show to do for the Shriners and Ken was sick so he told Mike to go find a banjo player and do the show. That is when Doug Schutte showed up. He said “it sounds like fun and yes I will stand in for Ken!” So we did the show along with Hobo Jim and the Ken Peltier band. After the show, Doug said that he had such a good time he would like to stay. So after Ken passed I gave Doug a call and he gladly stepped into to Kens place.

Mary Oudean came to the group about 2003 and added her powerful voice to the mix. Bill Yeagle, who has been around the music scene for years, plays bass. Originally from Alaska, he rounds out the band with some awesome bass playin.

Angela Oudean of Bearfoot Bluegrass fame.

Though Bearfoot dropped the Bluegrass from its title they still put on a great show.

On New Year’s Eve, Lulu Small and her all-star band will perform at the Fairview e Inn in Talkeetna – one of her favorite spots. y Make a Scene will be there, along with the e folks from local TV show ‘Underground a Live’ to film the performance. The video g will be used to get the word out about this g Alaskan Music legend, and her upcoming o benefit concert in Wasilla. l / The City of Wasilla, in cooperation with Make a Scene, will host a benefit concert at d the Menard Sports Complex, in conjunction with this year’s Iditarod Days celebration.

March 4th, 2011, many fine musicians will e come together to raise money for Lulu’s o living expenses while she recovers from m her upcoming hip surgeries. The show is t scheduled to start at 5 pm, with raffles and t all manner of fund raising to accompany d the huge concert event. This is a chance y for local musicians to come together, not A only in celebration of the Iditarod, but also d in support of a local musician who has , been called ‘Alaska’s First Lady of Rock’, t among other accolades. e e Keep an eye out for more info on this y fundraiser as the plan develops. If you d would like to contribute in any way to this cause, call 907-373-2698, or email us at t makeasceneak@mac.com

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Recently I spoke with Lulu, and she told me all about her poor health. Standing tall, Lulu Small is not small at all – she’s noticeably tall. Like many people of her stature, she suffers from knee and hip trouble. Last year she had extensive surgery on both knees, and soon she will undergo surgery on her hips. Last time I had the pleasure of seeing Lulu perform, she sat down for her performance.

Anyone who’s seen her on stage before would know that this is not the norm for the performer, but she’s still up there g performing regularly, despite the fact that r she sits through most of the performance. t Musicians like Lulu (of which there are few) l will never stop performing, as long as they r are capable. s

6 Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

You can pick up a free copy of Wasilla 1.

3 Bears, Meadow Lakes 2.

4 My Cell 3.

Adventures in Pediatrics 4.

Aesthetic Family Dentistry 5.

AK Fast Cash 6.

AK Premier Dental 7.

Alaska Cheesecake Co 8.

Alaska Goldstar Plumbing & Heating 9.

Alaska Reef & Fresh Water 10.

Alaskan Crafters 11.

All About Herbs 12.

All Seasons Clothing Co. 13.

Alpine Chiropractic 14. Arby’s 15.

Back & Neck Center 16.

Bagels Alaska – Fred Meyers Location 17.

Beauty Supply 18.

Ben Kolean, Dentistry 19.

Body Renew 20.

Burger King 21.

Capstone Family Medical 22. Carrs 23.

CED’s Asian Market 24.

Center for Women’s Health 25.

Charter College 26.

Computer Renaissance 27. ComTronics 28.

Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center 29.

Dangerous Curves 30.

Dept. of Agriculture 31.

Donut King 32.

Dorothy Page Museum 33.

Dr. Barnes 34.

Dr. Beck, Children Dentistry 35.

Dr. Boston 36.

Dr. Charles J. Kase 37.

Dr. John Olive, AK Foot and Ankle Specialist 38.

Espresso Café 39.

Excel Physical Therapy 40.

Dr. Christensen Family Dentistry 41.

Geneva Woods Pharmacy 42.

Glacier Canyon Grill 43.

Gladheart Acres 44.

Great Alaska Pizza Co 45.

Growing Spurts 46.

Happy Dawn Thrift Store 47.

Happy Family Chinese Restaurant 48.

Hope Community Resources 49.

House of Bread 50. IDEA 51.

Infusion Boutique 52.

Interiors by Mae 53. ITS 54.

Jack Duclos & Douglas Luiten 55.

Jalapenos Mexican Restaurant 56.

JMJ Embroidery & Gifts 57.

Kaladi Bros.

58.

Kevin Cochran, Dentist 59. KFC 60.

Kings Asian Buffet 61.

Krazy Moose Subs 62.

Law Office of Richard Harren 63.

Learning Essentials 64.

Liberty Tax 65.

Linda Brandon State Farm Insurance 66.

Main Street Tattoo 67.

Mac Haus 68.

Matanuska Music 69.

Matanuska-Susitna Division of Elections 70.

Mat-Su Central School 71.

Mat-Su Outpatient Center 72.

Mat-Su Regional Hospital 73.

McGill’s Candy 74.

MEA Office 75.

Mekong Thai 76.

Metro Café 77.

Mocha Moose 78. MTA 79.

Mug Shot Saloon 80.

Nameless Youth 81.

Neighbor-to-Neighbor Healthcare 82.

Neil’s Lock & Safe 83.

Northern Hearing Services 84.

Northfork Professional Building 85.

Northstar Chiropractic 86.

Odland Family Practice 87.

Outpatient Therapy

88.

Pacific Espresso 89. Pandemonium 90.

Papa John’s 91.

Paradise Tanning Salon 92.

Pizza Hut 93.

Providence Behavior 94.

Providence Matanuska Health Care 95.

Raven Correspondence 96.

Rent a Center 97.

Roxanne’s Doll Art Studio 98.

Sahara Storm Tribal and Performance 99.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski Office 100.

Senor Taco 101.

Settlers Bay Post Office 102.

Selah Day Spa 103.

Sleeping Lady Women’s Health Care 104.

Smoke Shop 105.

Steven Christiensen, Dentistry 106.

Steven Gianopoulos, DMD 107.

Summit Oral Surgery 108.

Tacos Cancun 109.

Taco Del Mar 110.

Tan Alaska 111.

The Rock 112.

The Source Clothing Co. 113.

The Shack 114.

The UPS Store 115.

Twindly Bridge Charter School 116.

Urgent Care @ Lake Lucille 117.

Valley Dental Clinic 118.

Valley Eye Associates 119.

Valley Neuroscience 120.

Valley Orthopedic Surgery 121.

Valley Performing Arts 122.

Veterans Center 123.

Younquie Boutique 124.

Yuknis & Yuknis Dentistry 125.

Big Hans Bikini Bistro Palmer 126.

3 Bears, Palmer-Wasilla 127.

Alaska Family Services 128.

Alaska State Fair 129.

B Bella Hair Salon 130.

Bagels Alaska – Palmer-Wasilla Hwy 131.

Brentwood Post Office 132.

Country Legends 100.9 133.

Czar of Guitar 134.

Dept of Fish & Game 135.

Dept of Motor Vehicles 136.

Downtown Palmer Plaza 137.

Excel Physical Therapy 138.

Fireside Books 139.

Fred Meyers 140.

Great Alaska Pizza Co. 141.

Halfmoon Creek Art Gallery 142.

Hot Hot Chocolate 143.

Madd Matters 144.

Mat-Su Borough Building 145.

Mat-Su College 146.

Monte L Burtch Dentistry 147. MTA 148.

Noisy Goose Cafe 149.

Non Essentials 150.

North Star Bakery 151.

Palmer Library 152.

Paradise Tan 153.

Pioneer Peak Dental Center 154.

R&W’s Hamburgers 155.

Rusty’s Restaurant 156.

Shane Lamb Studios 157.

Sophia’s Kafe Neo 158. Subway 159.

Taco Delmar 160.

Turkey Red 161.

UAF Extension Office 162.

Vagabond Blues 163.

Valley Winery Anchorage 164.

Alaska Council on the Arts 165.

2nd Time Around 166.

Action Video 167.

Anchorage Concert Association 168.

Arctic Rose Gallery 169.

Aurora Fine Art Gallery 170.

Bear Tooth Theater 171.

Blue’s Central 172. Blush 173.

Borders Books & Music

174.

Bottoms Clothing Store 175.

Bradley Reid & Associates 176.

Café Felix 177.

Captain Cook Hotel 178. Circular 179.

Club Paris 180.

Dark Horse Coffee Co. 181. Ginger 182.

Glacier Brewhouse 183.

International Gallery of Contemporary Art 184.

Kaladi Bros - Library Café 185.

Kaladi Bros Internet Café 186.

Kinley’s Restaurant 187.

KRUA 88.1 188.

KZND 94.7 The End 189.

Mammoth Music 190.

Marty’s New York Bagel Deli 191.

McGinley’s Pub 192.

Middleway Café 193.

Natural Pantry 194. LaBodega 195.

New Sagaya Market 196.

Organic Oasis 197. Orso 198.

Phyllis’s Salmon Bake 199.

Plato Closet 200.

Small Business Association 201.

Snow City Café 202.

Snow Goose 203. Taproot 204.

The Anchor 205.

Title Wave Books 206.

UAA Art & Music Dept.

207.

UAA Campus Book Store 208.

UAA Concert Board 209.

UAA Marketing 210.

UAA Northern Light 211.

Walsh Sheppard 212.

Wendy Williamson Auditorium 213.

ZoeZ Window Gallery 214.

Providence Alaska Medical Center

Sinterklaas cont.

Sinterklaas is his usual Dutch name, but his more formal name is Sint Nicolaas (St. Nicholas) or simply Sint. December 6 is celebrated as St. Nicholas’ day.

He is the basis of the mythical holiday figure of Santa Claus in the United States (notice the similarity—Sinterklaas and Santa-Claus).

Each gift, anonymously signed “from Sinterklaas,” comes with a clever rhyme that may point out a person’s shortcomings in a humorous way. The object is to tease in a well-meaning way, to make a good joke, to produce a rollicking rhyme. Originality, not the value of the gift, is what counts.

Sinterklaas wears a bishop’s robes including a red cape and a mitre, and is assisted by many mischievous helpers with black faces and colorful Moorish dress, dating back many centuries. These helpers are called Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes).

In Holland, Sinterklaas avond is even more important than decorating a Christmas tree! Celebrating Sinterklaas avond is my most cherished childhood memory from growing up in the Netherlands. Should we start something like Sinterklaas avond in the Valley? ...............................................................

Valley Arts Alliance, founded by Carmen Summerfield, encourages artists and endeavors to secure a wider audience for their art. The VAA meets every Thursday at 11:30 am. Informal, creative meetings are held at Sophia’s Kafe Neo located on Palmer-Wasilla Hwy above Alaska Log Furnishing.

In the days leading up to Sinterklaas avond (the evening before St. Nicholas’ day), Sinterklaas rides from town to town on his white horse, surrounded by his helpers. This is the scene my Aunt Miep and I saw in the town square of

www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com

Pepernoten, Dutch Cookies Pepernoten cookies announce

the arrival of St. Nicholas.

Someone distributes the Peppernoten to the children by throwing them through the door before the arrival of St. Nicholas.

Try this Dutch tradition with your kids!

Eagle River 215.

Acute Family Medicine Clinic 216.

Alaska Chiropractic & Therapy 217.

Anchorage Women’s Clinic 218.

Antique Comb & Clippers 219.

Apple Tree Book Shop 220. Arbys 221.

Artworks Gallery & Glass Studio 222.

Aurora Health Clinic 223.

Body Renew 224.

Capstone Medical 225. Carrs 226.

Centerfield Dental Clinic, William R Evans 227.

Centerpoint Counseling 228.

Chugach Family Medicine 229.

CMC Personal Training Studio 230.

Denali Alaskan Insurance 231.

Denis Corral, Family Dentistry 232.

Dental Center for the Entire Family, Jason Rampton 233.

Eagle Center Physical Therapy 234.

Eagle River Chamber of Commerce 235.

Eagle River Charter School 236.

Eagle River Orthodontics, Eldon DeKay & Robert DeKay 237.

Eagle River Vision Clinic 238.

Eagle River Wellness 239.

Focus, Inc. 240.

Great AK Pizza 241.

Healthwise Care Center 242.

Heart of Eagle River Medical Clinic & Urgent Care 243.

House of Bounce 244. Jalapenos 245. Jitters 246.

LaTouche Pediatrics 247. Library 248.

Muse School of Music 249.

Pizza Hut 250.

Primary Care Associates 251.

Providence Imaging Center 252.

Providence Laboratory Patient Services 253.

Prudential Real Estate 254.

Real Estate Partner 255.

Residential Mortgage 256.

Salon Glow

Pepernoten recipe:

Elden. In myth, the Zwarte Pieten are looking for naughty children, and so many traditional Sinterklaas songs still allude to watching Zwarte Pieten and a judging Sinterklaas.

On the days before Sinterklaas avond young children put their shoes in front of the chimneys and sing Sinterklaas songs.

Often they put a carrot or some hay in the shoes, as a gift to Sinterklaas’ horse. The next morning they will find a small present in their shoes, ranging from sweets to marbles or some other small toy.

The Dutch feast of Sinterklaas avond is the most important tradition for my family and for all the Dutch, and it is the main time for family gift-giving. For it is in giving that we receive. As the Dutch like an element of surprise, a small gift may be wrapped in a huge box, or it may be hidden and require following clues to discover where it is.

2 cups sifted flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white pepper Dash cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 2 tablespoons finely cut citron 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 2 eggs separated (beat egg whites stiffly) Powdered sugar (optional) Mix flour, soda, salt, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, orange rind, citron, and lemon rind. Cream butter and sugar. Beat egg yolks well and add to butter and sugar mixture, beating until creamy.

Stir in gradually the flour mixture.

Combine with stiffly beaten egg whites and gently blend all ingredients.

Refrigerate dough refrigerated 1 hour and let stand overnight at room temperature. Roll out dough about ½-inch thick and cut into small circles.

Place on buttered cookie sheet and bake about 20 minutes at 300º.

Immediately as taking out of the oven, sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar (optional).

From Festive Recipes and Festival Menus by Sula Benet, AbelardSchuman, 1970, p. 83.

Alaska Veterans Museum Dinner A Huge Success

By Suellyn Novak

Our 9th annual dinner/fundraiser on November 19, 2010 was a smashing success!

The goal was to raise $8,000 to move us into a temporary location at the 4th Avenue Post Office Mall. When the bidding stopped and the smoke cleared, we earned $9,431 and also had been blessed with $3,100 in donations earlier that week. Then came Monday November 29th and its surprise of a $3,000 grant from Alaska Community Foundation. We are also preparing other grant applications. We are finalizing the letter of intent on the property at 333 W. 4th Ave, and hope to take occupancy on April 1, 2011. So watch for our opening this Spring.

The Knik Arm Crossing Project The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) announced that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Knik Arm Crossing project. The approval of the ROD

by FHWA allows KABATA to move forward with the permitting, right-of-way acquisition, final design, financing and construction of the project. During the final design, KABATA will continue efforts to minimize any impacts that adversely affect social, economic, cultural and natural resources.

"This is great news for Alaskans," said KABATA executive director, Andrew Niemiec.

“The project has reached a major milestone with the signing of the ROD. We are now able to proceed forward with a project that is a reality rather than the dream it has been for decades.”

Because the project is a toll facility, the revenues collected fund the construction, operations, maintenance and financing of the project. The toll platform also has the unique advantage of potentially contributing to a transportation fund for Alaska’s critical infrastructure needs.

KABATA Board chairman, Michael Foster stated, “Delivering this project in the most beneficial manner to the State will remain at the forefront. The project also embraces the added benefits of regional connectivity between our ports, highways and access to natural resources, which are critical components that drive economic development and jobs in our State.”

FHWA states in the ROD, “Based on the analysis and evaluation contained in this project’s Final EIS and after careful consideration of all social, economic, and environmental factors and input from State and local governments, Tribes, and the public, it is my decision that the Northern Access

– Erickson Alternative (with the Southern Alignment, 8,200‑foot bridge length, cut-andcover tunnel under Erickson Street) is hereby the Selected Alternative for the KAC project.”

The Knik Arm Crossing Project is being developed to meet the current and projected transportation needs of the Municipality of Anchorage and the Mat-Su Borough.

KABATA’s goal is to construct a costaffordable, vehicular toll bridge of about 2.7 miles across Knik Arm to join the Port of Anchorage area and Port MacKenzie area, as well as 19 miles of road to support the bridge's accessibility. The purpose of this project is to build a bridge to fulfill the following needs:

• Transportation infrastructure for existing and projected population and economic growth; and • Implementing the Alaska legislative mandate.

About KABATA The Alaska Legislature established the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority in 2003 under Alaska Statute 19.75 to “develop, stimulate, and advance the economic welfare of the state and further the development of public transportation systems in the vicinity of Upper Cook Inlet with construction of a bridge to span Knik Arm and connect the Municipality of Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.” Additional information about KABATA and the Knik Arm Crossing Project can be found on KABATA’s website at www. knikarmbridge.com.

December 31 is the deadline to apply.

This program provides financial assistance to rural small businesses and agricultural producers to purchase renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. Wind, solar, biomass, geothermal projects and more are eligible.

Minimum project size for renewable energy projects is $10,000, and for energy efficiency projects is $6,000.

In a previous round of funding, the Alaska USDA office received 40 applications and provided $250,000 in grant funds to 16 applicants (which represented over $1 million in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects). More details contact Chad Stovall at (907) 761-7718

www.alaskarenewableenergy.org

• An efficient link between the operations and infrastructure of the two ports; • An alternate north-south emergency response and disaster evacuation route;

Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Grants For Small Businesses & Agricultural Producers

The original pencil drawing of then Major Marvin “Muktuk” Marston brought in $6,400 and was donated back to the Alaska Veterans Museum by winner Dr. Sara Mauer. The artist, Michael G. Reagan, who was our speaker, spoke so eloquently and passionately about his “calling” to offer a free framed portrait of all who fall in the Global War on Terror, that all were rightly moved.

Next year’s Alaskan Hero portrait will be the late Senator Ted Stevens. So save your money and mark November 2011 on your calendars as we want a full house, full bellies from the prime rib and all the fixin’s, and the good spirits and donations flowing at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. It takes money, you know, to open a museum and keep the exhibits changing!

The Many Benefits of Peppermint

By Dori Cranmore R.N., Holistic Health Practitioner When we think of peppermint, especially around holiday time, generally a red and white striped candy cane pops into our brain. For the fun of it I’ll share a bit of trivia. The origin of the candy cane goes back over 350 years when the candy makers made a completely white, straight candy.

Around the 17th century, European Christians started decorating their Christmas trees with food and candy sticks.

The first historical reference goes back to 1670, when a German choirmaster bent the white sugar sticks into canes to represent a shepherd’s staff. It is said that the white sugar canes were given to children during the longwinded nativity services to keep them occupied.

This custom of handing out candy canes during Christmas services spread throughout Europe and later to America.

The first American reference to the candy cane goes back to 1847 when a German immigrant decorated his Christmas tree at his Ohio home.

About fifty years later the first red and white striped candy canes appeared. No one knows who exactly invented the stripes, but Christmas cards prior to the year 1900 showed only all-white canes and cards after 1900 showed illustrations of striped candy canes. It was around the same time that the candy-makers added peppermint and wintergreen oils to their candy. Those flavors then became the traditional favorites.

Peppermint has often been termed the world’s oldest medicine. It is native to Europe and is actually a cross between spearmint and watermint. Its botanical name is mentha piperita.

Peppermint has been studied and proved by the scientific community to have numerous health benefits. As a result, peppermint is sold in many different forms of tablets, tinctures, capsules, essential oils and teas.

Health benefits of peppermint oil can include the following: • Indigestion: Peppermint oil is very helpful for digestion. Peppermint is a tasty way to relieve gas, nausea and stomach pain due to an irritable bowel, intestinal cramps or indigestion.

It is a good tonic for those who have decreased appetites. It helps during motion sickness and it’s great for nausea during pregnancy.

Peppermint tea is safe for infants to drink with colic or place a cloth soaked in peppermint tea over the infant’s belly.

• Dental Care: Peppermint oil, due to its antiseptic properties, is useful for dental care.

It helps remove bad breath and helps teeth and gums deal with germs. No wonder it is added to many toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental

floss. It is also useful for treating toothaches along with clove oil.

• Respiratory Problems: Menthol, which is present in abundance in peppermint oil, helps in clearing the respiratory tract. It is an effective expectorant and therefore provides instantaneous, though temporary, relief in numerous respiratory problems including nasal congestion, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, colds and cough. As a result, it is used in many cold rubs. When these cold rubs are rubbed on the chest, they remove nasal and respiratory congestion almost immediately.

• Nausea and Headache: Peppermint oil is a good home remedy for nausea and headaches. Applying diluted pure essential oil on the forehead, temples, behind the ears and inhaling can help minimize or stop a headache. A drop on the tongue can help relieve nausea.

• Stress: Like most other essential oils, peppermint is able to provide relief from stress, depression and mental exhaustion due to its refreshing nature. It is also effective against anxiety and restlessness.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The muscle relaxing property of peppermint oil has been found to ease irritable bowel syndrome. This has been validated through preliminary scientific research though the exact mechanism is still unknown.

• Pain relief: Peppermint oil (diluted) can be used externally for providing relief from painful muscles and joints. It is believed that the presence of calcium antagonism in peppermint oil aids in removing pain. It is cooling in nature and therefore helps reduce fever.

• Immune System: Peppermint oil increases your immunity to diseases and therefore helps you in preventing a number of diseases.

• Blood Circulation: It is known to improve blood circulation. Many truck drivers keep it handy to inhale as it helps keep you more alert if you are drowsy.

• Hair Care: Peppermint oil is very useful for hair care as it gives a cooling effect to the head and removes dandruff. It is one of the natural remedies for killing head lice.

You will find very few people who will not find peppermint suitable to their palate. Peppermint oil contains numerous minerals and nutrients including manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, potassium and copper. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and vitamin C. And no, you can’t eat peppermint candy canes and receive all these wonderful nutrients!

Dori Cranmore is a registered nurse, holistic health practitioner and owner of All About Herbs in Wasilla and Palmer. For more information or a personalized consultation call 376-8327 or 7458387.

Where Did All The Answers Go?

By Mary M. Ernsberger, HHP Henry David Thoreau said, “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters – compared to what lies within us.”

But, what if you were unable to express or share that information inside you? Many adults experience that feeling each day.

They know how frustrating it can be.

Now imagine for a moment, what it must feel like to be a child with those same feelings.

You don’t have the same life experience to help you express what gets bottled up inside you, day after day. The pressure you feel to fit in with your peers. Kids in your class are making fun of you, calling you stupid or worse. Your teacher doesn’t understand why you fidget in your seat or why you can’t get your work turned in on time, if you finish it at all. Your parents don’t understand why you are “the way you are.”

Pretty soon, if you don’t already, you start to believe what everyone else is saying.

Maybe there is something wrong with you.

Maybe you are stupid. Maybe you have a disorder (such as ADD/ADHD). Maybe you are “learning disabled,” or any number of different derogatory labels we place on our children when they don’t perform the way we expect them to.

Or, maybe you’re not! Maybe you just don’t learn and relate to the world the same way “everyone else does.” Has anyone bothered to ask you? Stephen V. Faraone, PhD, Harvard Medical School, said, “By determining how people’s lives were impacted – starting from childhood – we can begin to help people take control and reduce the potential for lifelong impairments.”

So the question is, how can we, as a society, help our young people – the future of our country – take control of their lives? In 1995, The National Institute of Health reported that meditation and other relaxation techniques are often a better treatment for a variety of illnesses than Allopathic medicine.

One treatment method is through the use of hypnosis and guided imagery.

Hypnosis and guided imagery have long

been recognized as safe and effective treatment options for weight management and smoking cessation. Hypnosis can effectively treat so much more. Hypnosis and guided imagery are safe and effective treatment methods for children and young adults. This treatment allows for the child or young adult to use their imagination and to actively become involved in the creation of a “different frame of mind.” An old Chinese proverb states, “Tell me – I forget, Show me – I remember, Involve me – I understand.”

Through the use of hypnosis and guided imagery an individual has the opportunity to remove or change age-old negative thought patterns. By “erasing the blackboard,” each individual is empowered with the desire and ability to “rewrite” or reprogram their brain with positive, confidence building thought patterns. Now the child or young person is able to recognize their own inner wonder and this begins the process of “bridging the gap in learning.”

Mary is a certified master hypnotist, life coach and herbalist.

She earned two Associates Degrees, in Mind-Body Psychology and Western Herbalism, at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, AZ. She lives in Anchorage, AK. She is the author of “Recognizing The Greatness In Each Child” and “Plants vs Pills,” both available at www.amazon.com.

For more information, call (907) 727-0078, e-mail: hypno4kids@yahoo.com or visit www.yourjourneytowellness.com.

9

Assortment of Wine & Beer

Melozi

By Local Author: Michael D. Travis

A Teenager's Search for a Summer Job Lands Him an Adventure in the Alaska bush.

By Rebecca Goodrich

Michael Travis is an environmental engineer in Anchorage, Alaska, prinicipal of Travis Petersen Environmental Consulting. His family had moved to Alaska just six months before Michael placed his life-changing ad in the News-Miner. Travis's first book, which closely follows his own family history, is called El Ganchco, A Saga of a Immigrant Family's Journey out of Mexico, won first prize for fiction in-state from Alaska Professional Communicators, and national-level first prize from the National Federation of Press Women in 2007. [NFPW is a 75-year-old organization.]

Adele Morgan’s CD Oil Painting Classes Nationally recognized artist Dorothy Dent, will Imagine Christmas lead this class. Her methods and techniques can be easily learned by anyone, from beginner to advanced. Join us for a 5 day oil painting seminar Jan 10 – 14, 2011 at Palmer Train Depot.

Classes are from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Confronted with bears, hordes of mosquitoes,

Imagine Christmas 1 Let It Snow 2 Jingle Bell Boogie 3 That’s What I Want for Christmas 4 Snow Princess 5 Imagine Christmas 6 Happy Christmas Eve 7 Hope for the Holidays 8 There’s a Song in the Air 9 O Come All Ye Faithful 10 Let There Be Peace On Earth 11 All Though the Night 12 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Available at www.adelemorgan.com

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

The couple is shocked when they see a boy step out of the bush plane, instead of a capable man they sorely need. Michael must prove his worth and quickly learns this beautiful land can turn deadly—handing out hard lessons.

You may register for the entire week at a discount or choose by the picture you desire (visit website to see pictures). All 5 pictures have been chosen for the variety of technique that will be learned. Only 20 openings available.

Call Diane @ 907-745-7780 for details or to enroll. www.ddent.com

Adele will perform her last Christmas concert of the season in Wasilla at Fred Meyers on Dec 18 from 2:30pm-6:30pm. Add her CD, Imagine Christmas, to your shopping list and enjoy!

bargained for. Michael accepts an offer to help an older couple build a lodge at Melozi Hot Springs—a remote camp north of the Yukon River.

During the hectic holiday shopping season, Adele Morgan brings a cheerful ring of good tidings to Fred Meyer shoppers across the state. Every year she is asked to perform and her sweet melodies have become part of a Christmas tradition for Alaskan shoppers.

Learn how to oil paint with artist Dorothy Dent in an easy to understand step by step procedure allowing even beginners to complete a painting to be proud of. Each picture completed in 1 day!

By Briony Fryfogle

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

On June 9, 1973, 16-year-old Michael Travis puts an ad in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, looking for a summer job. What he gets is more than he

and the realization he is truly on his own, Michael gradually earns his place among his employers, and becomes an Alaskan. .....................................

Militia Maidens 2011 Calendar

By Mandi Rose Morin

Alaska’s very own Girls and Guns Calendar now available! Each month showcases an armed beauty in one of Alaska’s beautiful scenic backdrops and features a quote about our 2nd Amendment rights.

This year is the calendars second year in print. The idea originated from the owner and producer of North Slope Militia (God, Guns & Oil) clothing, Andy Kilby. I had been working for Andy for almost a year selling NSM clothing when he asked me if I’d be interested in making a Militia Maidens calendar. Andy knew I was trying to expand my photography career and thought the opportunity to create my own calendar was a great way to do so. The project itself sounded fun, but I wasn’t sure I was up for the challenge. I was relieved when the first year’s calendar was such a success!

The hard part is finding the girls to model for the calendar, but with lots of help each year I find them. Every girl is athletic and absolutely gorgeous..

They vary from light skinned to dark, red heads to p l a t i n u m blonde, curvy to sleek and s l e n d e r .

These are real Alaskan gun owning women who are passionate about our 2nd Amendments rights.

Each girl volunteers her time in exchange for a few photos to build her modeling portfolio.

None of the girls were paid; they all just wanted to be a part of something that’s trying to make a difference.

The profits of this calendar go to helping people here in Alaska. We donate to local families who need help, families with no insurance, and kids who are in bad home environments. It’s a small contribution- but it’s not about how small the effort- it’s about getting the message out there and helping in any way we can.

If you’re interested in purchasing a calendar they are available for $10.00 at The Shack (behind Tailgaters) in Wasilla and at Ogre’s Smoke Shop in Big Lake in the East Lake Mall.

Last year’s calendar is available for viewing online at www. strikearose.smugmug. com and NSM clothing is available for purchase at www. northslopemilitia.com.

10% Military Discount

Grouse Ridge Rangers Gun Show

www.mainstreettattooalaska.com tyrannical forces, all of our rights are in limbo.

However, I will try not to digress any further into that subject.

By Josh Fryfogle

Instead I will focus on the diversity of items I saw at the recent event. Jewelry was for sale, pointing to the fact that craftsmanship is a big part of firearm culture. Folks who attend gun shows share a common bond with anyone who appreciates well-made, finely balanced craftsmanship.

Also, there were coins, silver and gold, on display - silver dollars from the 1920’s, before the value of our money was debased.

Solid silver, with actual, intrinsic value! Imagine that! Maybe if the powers-that-be hadn’t destroyed our economy, Americans wouldn’t be so up-in-arms about gun rights… again, I digress.

Neil and Lorinda Moss are the folks behind this gun show, being heavily involved in local chapters of the NRA, teaching gun safety courses, and lots of other firearm activism. You may also know this husband and wife team from their years serving the community at Neil’s Lock and Safe, a keystone business in the Mat-Su Valley.

These types of events are the hallmark of a free society. Many nations don’t allow their citizens to own guns. America still has that freedom, and as long as salt of the earth people like Neil and Lorinda Moss are around, the rest of us can continue to enjoy the benefits.

I recently went to a gun show at the Menard Sports Complex in Wasilla, and I was surprised to see the variety of things on display.

Sure, there were lots of guns, of all kinds, but there were also quite a variety of other interesting wares beef jerky, cooking supplies, camping gear, locally-made knives, and the list goes on.

Now, lots of people are opposed to gun rights. Lucky for us Alaskans, people like Neil and Lorinda far outnumber the nay sayers… in Alaska at least.

Personally, I think gun rights are the only rights that truly ensure all of our other rights.

Without the ability to defend ourselves from

Neil and Lorinda are also the organizer behind Brianna Gregory Foundation’s successful dinner theatres. Money raised during these events benefit Alaskan children with serious illness. The next dinner is planned for March. The theme will be a futurist moon wedding! Tickets are available now & it is the best fun in town!

Pictured above: 1943 Mercury Dime

Happy Dawn’s Christmas Village Creation

By Josh Fryfogle

Creativity comes in many forms. For the last few year’s, Happy Dawn’s Thrift Store has displayed a miniature Christmas Village, made up of countless little shops, characters, displays, and assorted odds and ends, adding up to something larger than the sum of it’s parts.

M-T 10-3pm

F 10-9pm

Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of people, but for Dawn and Kevin, owners of Happy Dawn’s, it means lots of meticulous work for the enjoyment of their customers and

the community. Throughout the year, as donations come into the store, Dawn and Kevin keep an eye out for any little item that might make a good addition to their annual project, stowing them away until the holiday season nears. It takes weeks of effort to create the tiny Christmas town.

This year Make a Scene is even given a nod, with our own building in the miniature Christmas village!

Soon I will post a short video about the village of miniature merriment on our website, MakeASceneAK.com

Ultimate Christmas Fun for Families...

Santa’s Reindeer!

Every Thursday through Sunday, from now until Dec 24, The Reindeer Farm in Palmer will be open for visitors.

Bring the kids to see the Reindeer tour- feed & pet Santa’s deer! Plus get photos with Santa’s (cont on page 14)

Winter Family Fun Day at OPEN 11AM - 9PM Reflection Lake CLOSED SUNDAY

Voted Best Burger in the Valley,

4 years in a row!

We DELIVER

By Randi Perlman

to

Palmer & Wasilla

• Vintage & Upcycled Furniture • Window Coverings & Upholstery • Unique Home Décor We take well-loved furniture & give it a touch of TLC to create One-of-a-Kind furniture. From elegance and simplicity to whimsy and color, our furniture is sure to make a statement in your home!

840 S. Colony Way, Palmer (907) 746-4739 www.coverupsdesign.com

Wasilla:

Palmer:

357-3265 746-3266

Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats (APH) will hold its annual Winter Family Fun Day on Saturday, January 15, 2011 from 11am to 3pm at beautiful Reflections

(cont on page 15)

Star freighter comes together to carry their oomiak (a walrus skinned boat, well played by 6th grader Tiana Lee) over a mountain to the calmer seas on the other side.

Disclaimer: every year, when the holidays start to show up with the cold, I’m usually the first to pass them off as hokey and commercialized - which gives me reason enough to ignore them entirely.

Every part of the journey and the holiday afterward are celebrated in enthusiastic song by the whole cast, chorus, and orchestra to zealous applause. These songs would get Ebenezer Scrooge to crack a smile on his worst day.

Within the first five minutes of King Island Christmas, however, that changed altogether. A heartwarming musical whose main star is no particular character but instead the entire cast of villagers, this truly Alaskan story embodies the holiday spirit from beginning to end.

For the first time in an adaptation of the play, Inupiaq dances are integrated into the production. Locals Mary Swisher, Martin Woods, and Elmer Waller add a particularly genuine feeling to the show with traditional music and dances.

Narrated by the talented Joe Hartman and led by a charismatic leader, Ooloranna (Henry Woodall), an Inupiaq village awaiting the arrival of their pastor Carroll (the Santalike Ed Ripley) winter supplies, aboard Skipper Crawford’s (sailor Joe Irvine) North

I can say with ease that there are no apparent shortcomings in this production whatsoever: the soloists and storytellers fuse the community together with their parts, Jack Foster, Lynette Henderson, and 11-year-old Grace Ivey most memorably.

By Sean Talbot

(cont on page 19)

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

& s

13

A King Island Christmas Review

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

14

VPA Presents: Nunsense II at Machetanz Theatre in Wasilla

Ah Tribal School.

Chickaloon Village’s Environmental Department worked with other governments to restore the salmon’s natural path in Moose Creek because coal mining more than 80 years ago created a waterfall and the salmon couldn’t get back to their original home. Now they can…finally after all that time. Please help us protect this Land.

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010`

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

January 7 – January 30, 2011 Mark your calendar for another of VPA’s sell out plays, our 4th performance of Season 35, NUNSENSE II; a hysterical musical and comedy sure to entertain! Sponsored

by First National Bank, Jalapeno’s Mexican Restaurant, Fishhook Tire & Auto and Lead Dog Enterprises, this wonderful play could easily be subtitled "the rest of the story." The sequel to the hit musical NUNSENSE takes place approximately six weeks after the first "benefit performance." The same five nuns are back on stage at Mt. Saint Helen's School for what is billed as a "Thank You Program" for their supporters. This time they’re a bit

IdidaContest Alaska Society for Technology in

Education Announces the 31st Annual ASTE Conference and the 11th Annual “iDida” Contests. The contest is for ages K-12 and prices include cash! The following are categories:

iDidaDoc

Students make a 30 minute “G” rated Alaskan documentary.

Early Deadline for this Category January 15.

Sometimes they stayed for only a few days, other times longer periods of time. They believed that Creator put humans on Earth to take care of the Land, animals and each other. We were taught to be thankful for everything and not be greedy.

slicker, having been “bitten by the theatre bug.” Before long, chaos erupts. The Franciscans are on their way to the convent to claim Sister Mary Paul (who recently won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes) as one of their own! Full of song, dance, fun, and almost heavenly antics, you’ll want to be part of the fun! Join Reverend Mother, Sister Robert Anne and all the rest for a rip roaring good time! Book, music and lyrics were produced by Dan Goggin and production is directed by Garry Forrester. Our nuns Patty Taylor, Aubrey Byrne, Tabitha Bailar, Heather Whittington, and Hillary Saffran take on the lead roles for this hilarious musical.

Guaranteed to sell out- so reserve your seats now! Play opens Friday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 30th, 2011.

Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. Ticket prices are $17 for youth/seniors and $19 for adults.

Organizations, groups or schools are able to reserve a Thursday evening performance at a discounted rate, which includes the use of our lobby for fundraising events. Groups of 10 or more may receive a 10% discount on tickets. The Valley Performing Art office is open Mon-Fri 9 am-3 pm located in Wasilla at 251 W. Swanson Avenue. Tickets can be ordered by calling 373-0195 or online at www.valleyperformingarts.org.

In 1898 coal was discovered near the Chickaloon River.

The newcomers built railroad tracks and in 1919 over 4,000 tons of coal was mined from Chickaloon (Nay’dini’aa Na’). They used that coal to fuel the World War I steamships that patrolled the Aleutian Islands. The newcomers built a townsite and their population soared to approximately 1000 people. But discovery of coal in (Nay’dini’aa Na’) brought drastic cultural changes to the Original People.

Our history tells us that before the newcomers

arrived there were several hundred of our People that called Chickaloon Village home.

After the mine pulled out in 1922 there were less than 40 Indigenous people remaining.

Some had moved away, but most of them died.

The sewage and waste was washed into the Chickaloon River, polluting the water and killing the salmon, which is mainly what our Ancestors ate.

They started eating sugar, coffee and white flour that came on the train, which brought sickness to our People.

Chickaloon became a ghost town after the mine was shut down.

According to Katie Wade, many people lost their families, tribal identities, cultural roles and responsibilities, and their relationship with the natural world.

Her Grandparents were so grief stricken they stopped passing down their oral traditions. We still feel this loss today.

New laws were formed and game wardens regulated fishing and hunting.

Non natives hunted and reduced the populations of animals and the animals moved further away.

We acknowledge that some of our family members worked in coal mines in the past, but now we know better. We have a good understanding of how thoughtless resource extraction can impact the Land, a People, and a way of life.

We still struggle to maintain a balance between environment and economic development. And that is why we are so opposed to more newcomers digging for coal

by Moose Creek, so close to our Ya Ne Dah

iDidaPhoto

Participants utilize original photographs and choose from 3 categories: Make Me Laugh, Tells a Story or Alaska Life

iDidaMovie

Movies are up to 2 minutes in length and “G” rated. Categories include: Make Me Laugh, Tell me a Story and Teach Me Something

iDidaTune

A two-minute tune with the theme: Entertain us

iDidaPodcast

A two-minute tune with the theme: Entertain us Up to three entries per contest. Submissions must be received by January 31, 2011 at Midnight AST (except iDidaDoc).

To enter you must register and/or be registered on the ASTE website. All entries, except IdidaDocs, are uploaded through our online contest management system. For information about prizes, rules, and submissions, please visit www.aste.org

Reindeer Farm cont. on the sleigh with deer. Other animals on the farm include Denali the Moose, Eddy the Elk, Dolly the Bison!

The Christmas light show which is timed to music happens after dark and you can sit in your car and tune in on the radio.

To complete this festive event take a ride on hay, sip a cup of hot chocolate and roast a s’more on the Reindeer Farm! Located off mile 11.5 of the Old Glenn Highway, 7 miles south of Palmer. At the flashing yellow light, turn onto Bodenburg Rd. and go 3/4 mile.

Open Noon-9pm. Admission is $7 per adult, $5 per child ages 3-11; toddlers free!

745-4000 www.reindeerfarm.com ( and Facebook)

By KJ Martin

The Summer Reading Program is sponsored by local businesses and non-profits organizations. We thank each of them for encouraging our youth to read throughout the summer vacation thus e maintaining and sometimes even improving reading skills. Through the donation of money, coupons, and prizes, our sponsors show they are committed to the success of the youth in our community. Thank you SPONSORS for your generosity!

e

We hope you will get together with your friends ahead of time to create a drug free message for our talent contest.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place entries.

Entry Guidelines • All entries must be appropriate and reflective of a drug-free lifestyle • Entries must be registered no later than 9pm. Starts at 10pm. Winner announced at Midnight. o If your entry requires special equipment, please contact below by Dec. 28, 2010.

• Lyrics, music, and video clips may be submitted with entries if desired.

If I say the word, MASCOT, you might be inclined to think of a cartoonish bird with a barrel fist, or maybe a googley eyed gecko, but in the Mat-Su Valley MASCOT is the acronym for Matanuska- Susitna Community Transit.

MASCOT director Lamar Anderson, says that the organization recognizes the community’s desire for more routes and quicker trips.

One of the biggest challenges for MASCOT is to secure a steady funding source to add and maintain additional routes. The majority

MASCOT has been in operation since 1999.

It’s no secret the Mat-Su Valley is growing and so are the demands for public transportation.

MASCOT has experienced some growing pains in the past and continues to stretch a limited amount of public funding to meet the needs of seniors, disabled and low income residents in addition to the transit needs of the general public.

of operating funds come from the Mat-Su Borough and federal transportation dollars, MASCOT is always looking for ways to stretch the existing funding while planning for future growth. There are plans to operate a new flexi route on Knik Goose Bay Road that will extend the coverage area to the new correctional facility and Point Mackenzie when additional funds become available.

MASCOT operates routes in and around Palmer and Wasilla and offers routes into Anchorage Monday thru Friday. They have a service area roughly the size of West Virginia.

If you would like to ride MASCOT or find out more about their services Call 907-376-5000 or visit their website at MatsuTransit.com.

For registration contact: SGT Brandy Grisham | mr.mrsgresham@gmail.com

Winter Fun cont.

Lake, m30.5 Glenn Highway at the Knik River Access exit. There will be snowshoes & cross-country skis (donated by REI) and ice skates (donated by the Mat-Su Borough), hot cocoa and cookies, warming fires, and much more.

In addition, the North American Outdoor Institute (NAOI) will be there to teach folks about avalanche safety. This event is FREE and open to EVERYONE! Come out and experience the magical beauty of this Winter Wonderland right in our own backyard – walk/ jog/ski the newly completed, ADA-accessible, one-mile loop trail, rest on one of the strategically placed benches around the lake, take in the scenic beauty at the new overlook, and enjoy the comfort of new, permanent restrooms!

Join us and get to know YOUR Refuge ! Visit www.PalmerHayFlats.org or call 907-3578711 for more information.

Reflection Lake Frontage Road

EXIT: Knik River Access

Anchorage Wasilla GLENN HWY (mile 30.5)

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

Jennifer Davis

Don’t let the small white buses deceive you.

They do not look like big city buses because the Valley is not the big city. MASCOT buses are warm and comfortable. They have the flexibility to maneuver safely around the Valley in the gnarly winters and all are Wheel chair accessible.

MASCOT Public Transportation in the Valley

Alaska State Fair Arby’s (ZAN, Inc.) Beta Sigma Phi Blockbuster Video Burger King Chimo Guns City of Palmer – Palmer Ice Arena City of Wasilla - Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center Cutting Crew Diversified Tires Family Medicine First National Bank of Alaska Friends of the Wasilla Meta Rose Public Library Happy Family Restaurant Just Imagine Toys K & K Enterprises Kevin Berg, O.D. KFC (Wit-Rey) Ladies Auxiliary Post 9365 Luella Maines McDonald’s (MRD, Inc.) MTA Puffin Appliance Stampin’ Around Subway Taco Bell Tacos Cancun Target Valley Business Machines Valley Dermatology Center, Inc. VFW Post 9365 Wendy’s (North Wend Foods)

gaming night on New Years Eve from 8pm-2am. This event will have a variety of gaming systems to include PS2, Wii, and Rock Band. Please help us make this a successful celebration that supports drug free teenagers and fun.

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

t

LIBRARY SPONSORS:

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News Years Eve Drug Wasilla Library Appreciates the Sponsors Free Fun for Teens

By Desiree Compton, for the 2010 Summer United Way Join the coalition and the Army Reading Program National Guard for a free teen

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Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

Community Events Reindeer Farm Christmas Fun Thrusday - Sun now until Dec 24. Noon9pm.

Located on Bodenburg Loop outside Palmer. Christmas light show, hot chocolate, pictures with Santa on the sleigh, reindeer, bison, moose and so much more!

NAOI Winter Survival Course JAn 8 at Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center. Couse will be held in classrooms and on trail areas.

IdidaContest Alaskan documentary, podcast, film, photography and more for K-12. Deadline Jan 31.

Church on the Rock Celebration Dec 31, 2010 All day Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center

Learn To Skate Monday, Jan 10, 17, 24 4:15-5:30 Basic skills for Hockey & Figure skating.

Ages 3-Adult Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center 357-9100

Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center Public Skating Freestyle Skating Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri / 9:30-11:45am Public Skating Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri / Noon-1:30pm Stick Time Wed / Noon-1:30 Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center 357-9100

Dec. 16th Woodrow at Humpy’s Alehouse 9:30PMa Dec. 17th Jared Woods solo acoustic at Tap Root 8PM Dec. 20th Woodrow at Chilkoot Charlie’s 10PM Dec. 23rd Woodrow at Humpy’s Alehouse 9:30PM Dec. 27th Woodrow at Chilkoot Charlie’s 10PM Dec. 30th Woodrow at Humpy’s Alehouse 9:30PM Jan. 12th Jared Woods solo acoustic at Humpy’s 9PM Jan. 14th Woodrow at Yukon Bar in Seward 9PM Jan 15th Woodrow at Yukon Bar in Seward 9PM

Renewable Energy Grant Deadline: Jan 31

Valley Arts Alliance Meeting

Fairveiw Inn in Talkeetna

Every Thursday / 11:30am Sophia’s Kafe Neo, Palmer-Wasilla Hwy

DEADLINE: Next issue of Make-AScene!

5th of each month by 5pm Email information to: makeasceneak@mac.com

Business Networking International Tuesdays 9-10:30am Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center

Sovereign Grace Every Sunday / 9:00am-11:00am Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center

Sophia’s Kafe Neo Events every Friday at 7pm. Slope Krew snowboarding and ski meeting location.

Social dancing.

Paws & Taws Square Dance Club Every Friday 7:00-8:30 Beginners 8:30-10:00 Experienced Salvation Army Building Palmer

Oil Painting Classes JAn 10-14 9-5pm with national artist Dorothy Dent. Presented by Valley Fine Arts Association.

Wasilla Bible Church Every Sunday /11:15-12:15 Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center

Grant for small business and agricultural.

Valley Performing Arts: Nunsense II Jan 7-30

Reflection Lake Winter Family Fun Sat, Jan 15 from 11am-3pm. Reflection Lake is located on Glenn Hwy at Knik River.

The Lost Riders Bluegrass Concert Donations taken for Carl Hoffman.

Organic Oasis in Anchorage on Dec 23 & 30. Show is from 6:30-8:30pm.

New Years Eve with Lulu Small Songwriters of Alaska Showcase Concert Saturday, January 8th at Terra Bella in Anchorage Saturday, March 12th at Vagabond Blues in Palmer

The Rock Located in Meadow Lakes.

Regular schedule of events includes Sun and Mon is football, Tuesday is Poker, Wednesday is Country Karaoke, Thurs is Open Mic, Friday is Karaoke, Sat is Live Music. Open 7 Days a week.

Pressure Canner Gauge Testing

Tickets may be purchased online. Some adult content.

New Year’s Eve for Teens

Valley Community Recycling Solutions Closure Announcements

for Teens Dec 31 8pm -2am

Friday, Dec.24 - Christmas Eve Saturday, Dec.25 - Christmas Day January 1, 2011 - New Years Day

M-F, 8a-2pm Extension Office, 809 S. Chugach #2, Palmer.

United Way & Army National Guard News Years Eve Gaming & Talent show

Judas Priestess Concert Sat, Jan 22 at Curtis De Menar Memorial

DATE: January 5, 12, 19, 26 (Wednesdays) TIME: 12:30-1:30p.m.

LOCATION: Extension office, 809 S. Chugach, Suite 2, Palmer RSVP: Winona Benson, Educator, 745-3360

Nutrition

Look for the calendar icon next to upcoming events & mark your calendar

Sports Center. Noon-Midnight.

Kevin Worrell Beer Money You can catch Kevin performing solo at Tap Root in Anchorage on December 14th, where he will be the featured artist at their regular open mic. Also Dec 18 at the Blue Fox in Anchorage.

Rage City Roller Girls Sat, Jan 15 at Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center. 6:00

Fairview Inn Music

High School Hockey at Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center

SECOND SATURDAY is Jan 8

Thurs, Jan 6 Wasilla vs South JV at 5:30 Wasilla vs South Varsity 7pm

Painted Ladies Art Luau at Pandemonium in Wasilla Jan 8 Reception from 5-9pm

Sat, Jan 8 Wasilla vs North Pole Varsity 7:00

Denali Arts Council “In the Spirit of Joseph Cornell” at Sheldon Community Arts Hangar

Thurs, Jan 13 Wasilla vs Palmer JV 5:30 Wasilla vs. Palmer Varsity 7:00 Sat, Jan 15 Houston vs Lathrop Varsity 7:00

Every Thursday at 9:30pm is Open Mic. Every Friday at 8pm and Sat at 10pm is Live Music.

Thurs, Jan 27 Colony vs Wasilla JV 5:30 Colony vs Wasilla Varsity 7:00

Patty Halley & Tessema Art Exhibit Rusty’s Restaurant in Downtown Palmer during the month of January.

“Resolutions”

Adele Morgan Christmas Concert Fred Meyers in Wasilla, Dec 18 2:306:30pm

Marian Call Homecoming Concert Dec 23 at Taproot in Anchorage.

Admission. 21+ after 10pm.

Valley Fine Arts Association PaintTogether at the Mat-Su College in Room 212 from 4 – 8 p.m. on Monday, December 6th.

Feb 1-Mar 31 contact Houston Chamber for more info.

Café during the month of December.

Tamora Harding-Childs Art Exhibit Recent Collage Series Exhibit on display from NovemberDecember at Bagels Alaska, Wasilla.

Denali Arts Council 3rd Annual Holiday Christmas Comedy: Xmas and Other Four-Letter Words

Community Dinner

Friendship

Christmas

Dec 25 - 11:00am-3:00pm at Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla.

Free for everyone.

No donations at the door.

Transportation and home delivered meals available.

Call Pat at 357-0565

How to be featured in Make a Scene...

Bio/Press Release

Email

Write a bio about you, your event, band, etc or a simple press release (Roughly 200-500 words)

Email word document or plain text to: makeasceneAK@mac.com

Pictures

Try, try again!

Pictures are really important! Take good ones!

$5

Mat-SU Pike Derby

Jeanne Young Art Exhibit at Snow City

Friday & Saturday December 17th & 18th

Jared Woods Performance Schedule

Show starts at 7:30pm Doors open at 7pm $10 DAC members / $12 lodging guests / $15 general admission

Attention all Seniors!

You are invited to join us for “Eat Smart, Live Strong” Enjoy fun and lively activities with other older adults! Talk about easy ways to make smart food choices and exercise more. Learn how you can ‘Eat Smart and Live Strong’. Join us for this four session series of classes. Two series’ to choose from. This nutrition class is brought to you by the UAF Cooperative Extension Service and is free of charge.,

Give us a call 373-2698

We want to provide the community with as much information as possible, but sometimes we get overwhelmed with info.

So, if you don’t get a response, please keep trying.

ADD US to your mailing list! makeasceneak@mac.com We can stay up-to-date with you!

By Gregory Gusse Madd Matters

I’m sitting watching Rene Clair’s “Entr’acte” designed to place between the two acts o of Francis Picabia’s ballet, Relâche. It is an interval rather than an intermission. Music for the film was composed by Erik Satie, who appears in the film, alongside Picabia. Man Ray and Duchamp also have appearances and there is a camel, of course. These heroes of art and their brother and sister Dadaists need to be studied to understand your art.

Another thing that the Dada movement did was bring us the words of our contemporary art forms.

Words form the basis of thought. Words form the basis of philosophy. Words are the form of politics. Dada not only gave words to our future but to its past as well. Words like “found objects”, “kinetic art”, “visual products”; dictionaries of new words and new ideas.

Dadaism could not survive the peace following World War I and eventually Andre Breton brought surrealism into an art world of despair, division and chauvinism. Many were the same artists but the Zen character, the acceptance of nothing and rational irrationalism was supplanted with surrealism’s psychological deconstructed symbolism which reminded me curiously of Sandro Botticelli (before Savonarola) when he and Dante (yes together) delved into new realms of the human spirit 500 years earlier.

and interpreting its inner qualifications and thus adds his contribution to the creative act”, said Duchamp. This recognition that art is a dialogue refreshed the imagination of both creator and audience.

Sometimes the consequences of our thoughts and actions are not manifest for years to come, sometimes our statements influence generations later. Take care with your art.

D Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla on Christmas Day from 11:00am3pm. It is open to the public, any and all are welcome to attend. Volunteers are greatly appreciated. Donations are helpful, but must be received prior to event. No donations are accepted at the door and no charge is taken at the door. If you need transportation or would like home delivered meals, please contact Pat 357-0565.

King Island cont.

I’m told that this is the first time King Island Christmas has been performed in the Anchorage/Mat-Su area and I’d highly recommend taking advantage of it being here. If you’ve any care for the holidays – or, indeed, if you don’t! – see this play. There is no question of enjoyment, only of whether you’ll be able to get a seat or not.

King Island Christmas plays at the Machetanz Theater in Wasilla through 19 December, so catch it in time for Christmas! Call 373-0195 for tickets, and enjoy!

Houston Chamber Seeks Locally Made Products Houston Chamber is looking for Mat-Su Pike derby prizes. We want to provide local products and services to our wonderful group of Pike Warriors. The derby starts on Feb 1 and runs through March 31st. We give out weekly prizes and door prizes at the End of Derby Banquet. Our Pike Hunters range in age from grade school to senior citizens so all types of prizes are needed. This is a great way to introduce a new product, store, or valley service you provide. Radio, newspapers, websites etc are used to promote the prizes and the derby. We accept coupons, special discounts, products, 2 for 1 deals, etc. Call 355-8513 visit www.matsupikederby.com

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

But despite its political comedy and the apparent anti-art stance, Dadaists relied on the same timeless definition of artist: “Only the elasticity of our conventions creates a bond between disparate acts. The Beautiful and the True in art do not exist; what interests me is the intensity of a personality transposed directly, clearly into the work; the man and his vitality; the angle from which he regards the elements and in what manner he knows how to gather sensation, emotion, into a lacework of words and sentiments.” From Tristan

Carlo Carrà gave us the best description of the emotional isolation that was the end of Dada.

“Nationalism was quite unknown to us, and we were all friends, each ready to recommend the others to the few gallery owners, collectors and critics likely to be interested in our work. After the First World War, we found ourselves committed in each country to an absurd patriotism. It had become unpatriotic for a Paris painter, even if he were foreign-born, to know anything about contemporary German art or to praise an Italian artist. Overnight, Picasso seemed to have forgotten all about Kandinsky, Chagall behaved as if he had never heard of Larionov, and only a few personal friends of mine in Paris could remember any of my pictures.” Andre Breton describes it like this, “Francis Picabia comes to pay us a call, and last week, in the hall of mirrors, we received a certain Marcel Duchamp whom we had not hitherto known. Picasso goes hunting in the neighborhood. The spirit of demoralization has elected domicile in the castle, and it is with it we have to deal every time it is a question of contact with our fellowmen, but the doors are always open, and one does not begin by “thanking” everyone, you know. Moreover, the solitude is vast, we don’t often run into one another. And anyway, isn’t what matters that we be the masters of ourselves….”

19th Annual Christmas Friendship Dinner This years dinner will be held at the Curtis

At first is the disagreement, the artist who complains, “I don’t have anything to do with politics” much like the person who says, “Politics? I don’t even vote.” Both miss the responsibility for their actions or inactions. Art is the medium that carries a message. The purpose of that message is to influence another, that is the essence of politics and the essence of art. The artist whether cognizant of the politics of her statement or not, still makes it, whether it is the poet who exudes the pain of life or the painter of pretty flowers. Which is the point of this essay; all art is political and the artist who produces insipid works also makes a political statement.

The artist who fails to learn and grow, the artist who plagiarizes, the artist who tries to “get away with something”, the prostitute artist in it for the money, all these artists are making a statement, a political statement. That artist, who fails to value themselves and produces less than their best work, and tries to pawn that drivel off on their neighbor, also makes a political statement: a statement of apathy, unconcern, and disrespect.

Sometimes, I don’t shave, sometimes I don’t comb my hair these are similar statements. But I always shower and bathe, that too, is a political statement. This is neither obtuse nor symbolic; my assertion is concrete.

The French psychiatrist and Dadaist Jacques Lacan reminds us “here is more gripping still: it is not only the subject, but the subjects, grasped in their intersubjectivity, who line up, in other words our ostriches, to whom we here return, and who, more docile than sheep, model their very being on the moment of the signifying chain which traverses them.” This is the message of Dada.

Many disregard Dada because of the “machine

Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain”, a named, signed and displayed urinal is probably one of the most poignant political statements in art. It is Dada.

It is political. “The creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering

Tzara “Dada Manifesto” 1918 (the poet Hugo Ball’s “Dada Manifesto” was written in 1916).

If politics is influence the Dadaists exemplified that authority. Dadaist Man Ray is equal to Picasso in influence of our Art and its political nature. Every mobile in every child’s crib owes its homage to Man Ray and Duchamp and their impact on Alexander Calder.

What could possibly be more political than to stimulate a child’s thoughts?

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Perhaps, no movement in art has ever been as pure as Dada. To begin with, it presumed itself as anti-art (though not self-effacing) and most importantly anti-war. It seemed to emerge around the world simultaneously without any centrality and conversely it seemed to have emerged out of Romania and centered in Zurich and later in New York around photographer and art promoter Alfred Stieglitz (though the Japanese Dadaists like Tomoyoshi Murayama appeared centered around pacifism).

It encompassed all art forms, poetry, painting, photography, music, drama, dance and theater. And, foremost Dadaism recognized that all art is political not just propaganda and political arts.

art” often portrayed and symbolized.

It is mistaken as a romance with the mechanical, though, without doubt, these pioneers were a product of their time the “machine” was not their friend. ‘Monsieurs les artistes,’ writes painter, poet Francis Picabia (and creator of the above mentioned ballet), ‘foutez-nous donc la paix, vous êtes une bande de curés qui veulent encore nous faire coire à Dieu.’ Dada was a revolt to those things so embellished as to lose their meaning, so bourgeois and socialized as to either be the property of the elite or a tool of repression and death.

Duchamp’s work, even his pre-Dada work poked fun at machines yet still questioned the role of the artist in this modern world thus making a political statement.

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Art Is Politics

Denali Arts Council Upcoming Events

Call for Artists: January Second Saturday group show

Calling all artists! Talkeetna Artists Guild would like to invite you to participate in a group show entitled "In the Spirit if Joseph Cornell". Joseph Cornell (1903-1972) was an artist, sculpture and film maker, but he was best known for his creations of 3 dimensional collages in boxes. For more details of how to take part in this exciting January Second Saturday art show and reception, contact TAG director, Emily La Porte at emily@ denaliartscouncil.org "Untitled" by Cornell c. 1948

Joseph

Holiday Christmas Comedy: Xmas and Other Four-Letter Words

:From the producer of “Home for the Hostilities” and “Carol on My Wayward Son” comes our 3rd annual Christmas comedy sketch revue, “Xmas and Other Four-Letter Words”. With all new sketches and songs and a few classic favorites from yesteryear. This tantalizingly twisted Xmas comedy will keep audiences

Art Luau cont.

Treat yourself to some warmth, light and color on January 8th from 5 to 9 pm at Pandemonium Booksellers and Cafe.

This Second Saturday event is the unveiling of The Painted Ladies art group as well as featuring the Traveling Art Exhibit of “Birds of Paradise” a new collection of paintings by local artist and Painted Lady, Karen Whitworth.

Ten new works depicting the colorful flora and feathered fauna of Hawaii will be on display before their debut at the East Hawaii Cultural Center in Hilo, Hawaii for the month of February 2011.

The beautiful art of fellow Painted Ladies, Kimberly Bustillos, Nancy Angelini Crawford, Marie Green, Talya Johnson, Kristy Tracy and Jeanne Young will also be on display through the end of January.

About the Painted Ladies

By Amy Sanderlin

What if a clandestine group of talented, original artists had been meeting, secretly swapping inspiration, laughs and great coffee without letting the rest of us in on it? Wouldn’t you be curious—just a little—to know what they ‘ve been up to? I would.

Thankfully, these amazing woman have come to their senses! Up-beat, creative, and hardworking, “The Painted Ladies” are coming to Pandemonium Booksellers of Wasilla on January 8th!

The 7 ladies that make up the group, although successful in their own right, came into existence “to support & benefit each other in artistic

laughing into the New Year. Tickets may be purchased after Wednesday, December 1st online at www.denaliartscouncil.org. Some adult content. Online tickets sales close at 1pm on Friday, Dec 17th and Thursday, Dec 23rd.

After that time, you may buy available tickets at the door. Presented by Denali Drama.

The many benefits of membership with Valley FineTheArts Association Valley Fine Arts Association formed

When: Friday & Saturday December 17th & 18th, Thursday, Friday & Saturday December 23rd, 24th & 25th Show starts at 7:30pm, doors open at 7pm Cost: $10 DAC members / $12 lodging guests / $15 general admission

in early 2005 to create art, teach techniques, and encourage fellowship among visual artists in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. We strive to promote a supportive attitude toward visual arts in our Alaskan community.

Circus Sundays

Mark your calendar. Green Light Circus is hosting a series of open circus practice sessions. December and January you will have the opportunity to develop or perfect your general circus skills such as tumbling, all types of juggling, diablo and more. These sessions are open for ages 7 years old and up. Good family fun at no cost. You may attend the whole session or just drop in. Equipment and mats are provided.

For more information call Gino Jardee @ 733-3380 (general circus arts).

When: SUNDAYS from 6:30-8:30pm General Circus Arts - December 5th, 12th & 19th, January 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th Cost: Free All activites at Sheldon Community Arts Hangar

We welcome beginners, students, part-time and professional artists who focus mainly on two-dimensional art mediums and want to connect with other creative people and gain more exposure locally.

Throughout the year, we inform our members about opportunities to show their work, participate in group events, view other local artists, and enroll in workshops. During the school year, every 1st & 3rd Monday, (unless the college is closed for holidays, etc) we hold regular sessions for painting together and host monthly artist demonstrations at Mat-Su College, Room 212.

Membership in the Valley Fine Arts Association provides many diverse opportunities for artists.

Check our website calendar at

excellence.” Rumor has it that their collective energies will soon be a published reality. Plan on picking up your copy of “The Painted Ladies” traveling sketchbook, scheduled to debut Summer 2011.

Check out each member’s up-coming show schedule, as well as, their specific fine art websites.

Nancy Angelini Crawford (www.angelinistudio. com) Kristy Williams Tracy (www.singingcreekstudio.com) Jeanne Young (www.jeanneyoung.com) Showing through December: “Visual Poetry,” located at The Snow City Café on 4th & L in Anchorage.

Kimberly Bustillos (www.ArtDeBustillos.com) Up-coming show: “Taste Of Artistry,” located in the Hot Hot Chocolate Shoppe, inside the downtown Palmer Plaza, at 2:00pm Saturday, December 11th.

Marie Green (www.mariegreen.id.au) Represented by: Wide Bay Gallery, Queensland, Australia Talya Johnson (www.talyajohnson.com) Offering up-coming classes at Pandemonium Booksellers in Wasilla.

Karen Whitworth (www.whitworthgallery.org) Represented by: Arctic Rose Gallery located at 420 L Street in Anchorage.

Palmer Arts Council presents Emma Hill AK Tour Emma Hill returns home to Alaska with her new album “Meet Me At The Moon.” The CD release concert is schedule for Sunday, January 9th at 6pm in the cozy atmosphere of Vagabond Blues in Downtown Palmer.

Tickets are 10$ for students and 15$ for non-students and can be picked up at Fireside Books and Vagabond Blues in Palmer, and at Matanuska Music in Wasilla.

For more information, visit www.emmahillmusic.com

www.valleyfineartsassociation.com

For upcoming events or call Karen @495-6636.

VFAA UPCOMING EVENTS “The Season Of Goodwill” VFAA Group Show Pandemonium Coffee House

“Imaginative Realism”

By VFAA Member Artist Tracie Tompkins

on display at Primrose Retirement Community

“The Bold And The Beautiful”

By VFAA Member Artist Suzanne Bach

on display at Primrose Retirement Community

Open Art Sessions

Meets every 1st & 3rd Monday evening at MatSu College from 4:00-8:00pm. Meetings are in Room 212. Bring something to work on and come get creative with other VFAA artists.

Oil Painting Seminar

at the Palmer Depot with national artist Dorothy Dent January 10-14th, 2011 9:00am - 5:00pm $350 for 5 days or $85 per day Call Diane @ 907-745-7780

376-8327 PALMER 745-8387

$

235

allon 4-G System

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Only

WASILLA

Local Artist & Business Grow Together

By Josh Fryfogle

Tracy’s work is whimsical, with an Alaskan theme of bears, pictured with concepts of hygiene. One painting depicts birds stringing floss between the teeth of an apparently grateful bear.

Dr. Beck’s practice is known throughout the Valley for putting kids at ease, while tending to their dental needs. It’s the little things, like these paintings by Kristy Tracy, that make this

local business stand out in our community.

You can contact Dr. Beck’s office by calling 907-373-8684, and check out Kristy Tracy’s exhibit at Pandemonium during the month of January, plus visit her blog for more of her art at www.singingcreekstudio.com

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Dr. Roger Beck’s pediatric dentistry office has teamed with local artist Kristy Tracy, again. Recently Dr. Beck’s office moved to a new location, just across from Image Audio on the Seward Meridian Hwy in Wasilla.

Kristy Tracy’s whimsical art encourages healthy teeth and happy kids at Dr. Beck’s new office location.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration

Wasilla Lake | 8PM

Dec 15-Jan 15, 2010

CITY OF WASILLA & WASILLA CHAMBER

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