Images Arizona November 2019 by Images Arizona Paradise Valley

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N ovember 2019

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SOARING WITH PETER KUTTNER Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Submitted by Grace Renee Gallery

COMMUNITY EVENTS Writer Joseph J. Airdo

THROUGH THE BRUSH OF THE INTERPRETER ARTIST PAUL PLETKA Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Carl Schultz

FALL FEATHERS Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Adrienne McLeod

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW ALESSANDRA DONÀ Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Alessandra Donà

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Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Christmann

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Hanie

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph Airdo Amanda Christmann Sue Kern-Fleischer Kyndra Kelly Shoshana Leon Shannon Severson Fadi Sitto

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Kyndra Kelly Loralei Lazurek Carl Schultz

ADVERTISING SALES Cooper Langston 480-544-8721 cooper@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com Submission of news for community section should be in to

Looking through the pages of this month’s colorful edition of Images Arizona magazine, I have to say—wow! What an incredibly dynamic and talented community this is that we call home! It’s a gift to be surrounded by so many people who are pursuing their passions while they make beautiful and meaningful marks on the world. This month, Sonoran Arts League’s signature Hidden in the Hills returns to the North Valley, and I hope you are as excited as I am! Just shy of 200 artists will show off their work in more than 40 working studios across our area. It’s one of my favorite events of the year, not only because I love to meet so many fantastic local artists, but because Hidden in the Hills is a unique opportunity to see artists at work, and to learn about the inspirations behind their unique artistic voices. It’s the stories behind what we all do that make us feel connected, and telling those stories is what we’ve been doing at Images Arizona for 16 years. I’d be remiss if I didn’t shine a spotlight on our own talented writers, photographers and designers, who have outdone themselves this month. Our Images Arizona family is made up of parents, husbands, wives, and active members of our community who love what they do. Every month, I’m amazed at how they overcome family challenges, full schedules, and other often significant obstacles to put together what I believe is the best locally focused magazine in the greater Phoenix area.

shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication. Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2019 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

Local First A R I Z O NA

The best part for me is to watch the collaboration, connection and genuine respect our Images Arizona team has for each other as they make it all happen. Every month, they make me proud to be part of something so wonderful. I hope you feel the same as you browse through the pages of this month’s edition. Cheers! Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

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N ovember 2019

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ANCIENT + OLD TRUNK SHOW Wed. & Thur. 10

| Dec. 4–5 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Grace Renee Gallery | 480-575-8080 | GraceReneeGallery.com

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

ANCIENT + OLD TRUNK SHOW Wed. & Thur.

| Dec. 4–5 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Grace Renee Gallery | Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 11 N ovember 2019 imagesar iz ona .c om

Writer Amanda Christmann

i mSubmitted a g e s a r i z oby n aGrace . c o m Renee Nov Gallery e m b e r 2 019 Photography 12

Some artists approach a canvas with dreams in their heads, dipping brushes into paint and watching with fascination as work spontaneously emerges. Other artists yield to a process, layer by layer, their ideas materializing in a labor of love. The work of artist Peter Kuttner straddles a wavering line between improvisation and process. Though his whimsical landscapes seem to appear impromptu, Kuttner has perfected a step-by-step method of creating the vivid swirls of color that seem to pop from his canvas. As a young artist, Kuttner admired an unlikely pair of artists: Walt Disney and Claude Monet. Looking at Kuttner’s art, it all makes sense.

Giving thanks.

The bulk of his work involves playful scenes of brightly colored hot air balloons, boats or flowers. He has a knack for capturing a nearly animated spirit of happiness in all he does, which, like Disney, is part of his allure. Whirls of color fill Kuttner’s still life creations, an ode to Monet’s Garden at Giverny and other classics. Though Kuttner is not an impressionist artist, he seems to channel the purity of Monet’s aesthetic.

A UNIQUE MEDIUM

I’m so very thankful for my family, my customers and my amazing community. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

At the heart of Kuttner’s work is a conscientious effort to create zero-waste art. “It started from a conservation standpoint. I didn’t like throwing things way—I still don’t,” he said. “I would scrape my palettes for the next day and I’d end up with these vibrant paint chips. I saw that there was value in them.” In a nod to both creativity and sustainability, Kuttner combines trickles and drops of acrylic paints to make brightly colored chips. He skillfully trims and combines them to form balloons and other elements. Pieces from his Cut-Out series have been compared to the work of Matisse in their utilitarian simplicity. Kuttner utilizes negative space and abstracted details to create lively and mesmerizing texture and depth.

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Though his name is now dropped into conversations about notable contemporary artists, Kuttner remains modest about his art. 1708160

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“I don’t do many elevator pitches,” he says from his Tucson studio. He laughs from beneath the brim of a brown cap. His stubble is a couple of days old, and he looks relaxed in a brown t-shirt. Like his work, he is disarmingly candid. “The first thing I want to do when I create a piece is make it colorful and happy. I like to go to this happy feeling with my work. “I’m also process-oriented. There are a lot of steps I follow to get there. To make paint scrapes, I paint on glass or on a mirror, and then I let that dry. Once it’s dry, I cover it with gesso and let it dry again so I can pull the paint off the glass. “The whole process provides brilliant, pure, unadulterated color that you just can’t get from mixing colors on a canvas. Every time, there are unforeseen things that happen. I love the spontaneity of color production.” Kuttner’s methods and skill have evolved over time. “My first attempts were really bad paintings, but I got better at it. I feel like I’m still getting better at it every time, and I’ve been doing the Cut-out series for 10 years.”

SETTING HIS OWN COURSE Kuttner’s work has been embraced by Architectural Digest magazine; in popular films and television shows, including Californication, Two and a Half Men, and Nashville; and has been exhibited alongside other prominent American contemporary artists in shows, museums, and private, royal and corporate collections from coast to coast. Not bad for a guy who entered college thinking he could never make it as an artist. Kuttner grew up just south of Boston. His mother was also an artist, though she never received formal training, and his father was a musician. “My mother did illustrations, and I really loved watching her draw. I discovered early on that I loved art, too,” he said. “In first grade, my teacher had the whole class create crayon drawings, then put watercolors on top of that. It was a resistance-type painting. The best part was that we got to show our drawings at the local library. “It was my first art show. I still remember how I loved having people see my work, and I also remember that I

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

saw a difference in my work from the other kids’ work.”

“

The work of artist Peter Kuttner straddles a wavering line between improvisation and process. Though his whimsical landscapes seem to appear impromptu, Kuttner has perfected a stepby-step method of

“

creating the vivid

swirls of color that seem to pop from his canvas.

EXPERIENCE

For as long as he can remember, Kuttner had wanted to be a Disney animator. He spent hour upon hour drawing sketches, and he was quite good. When it came time to choose a college degree, however, he tried to be more practical. “When I went to college, I didn’t know I was going to be an artist,” he said. “I majored in art history because I thought I’d have an easier time getting a job afterward. Fortunately, I had teachers tell me, ‘You’ve got a talent. Why don’t you pursue a degree at an art college?’ I did, and thankfully I found a great art school. Kuttner transferred to Ringling School of Art & Design in Florida, which was, at the time, a farm school for Disney animators. However, times were changing. At about the same time he graduated, animation turned away from hand-drawn sketches to digital imagery. He did realize his dream of working at Disney World, but not as an animator. Instead, he dressed up as a cloddish cowboy named Judge Benedict and served food in one of the restaurants. “I worked for Disney for eight years,” he said. “I learned a lot of good things and bad things—but I kept all the good things. I never worked in their animation studio at all, but I got to visit quite a bit. Disney definitely gave me a lot.” In his spare time, Kuttner painted. He worked in oils en plein air creating landscapes.

“I didn’t know it would get me this far.” Eventually, he moved to Phoenix and began working in an art cooperative. He developed new techniques in his own paintings, but he also earned commissions recreating work for the cooperative. “I learned a lot about business and art,” he said. “I didn’t enjoy recreating other people’s work. When I left, I made sure that everything I created was brand new and that it was nothing anyone had ever seen. I worked hard.” He began selling his work through local galleries in 2004. His style and medium have evolved along the way, and he’s continued to find ways to connect to people through art. His latest works featuring hot air balloons were inspired by a trip to New Mexico where he watched the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Many of his newer pieces will be on display at Grace Renee Gallery during an artist reception Nov. 21. “I’m very proud that I do art for a living,” he said. “I feel like I’m fortunate that I kind of stumbled into something I really loved.” Every bit of happiness Kuttner puts into his paintings seems to come back to him. “I’ve gotten so much value and so much—I don’t know—I hate to use the term ‘healing’—but working with color does something to you. I feel lucky every day that I do what I do.” gracereneegallery.com

“I loved color,” he said. “It made sense to start painting.” His face broke into a shy smile.

— ITALIAN DESIGNER JEWELRY WEEKEND —

NOVEMBER 8–10

.. .

Friday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Wine and Appetizers: 4 – 8 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

.. .. . .. . .. . ..

.. ..

From highly polished silver by Pesavento to chic South Sea pearls by Alessandra Dona, to the exquisite hand-textured gold by Nanis, experience three different designers—ultimately feminine and uniquely Italian.

— PAUL PLETKA “ SARSI ” PAINTING —

NOVEMBER 14

.. .. .. .. .. ..

“Sarsi,” a Paul Pletka original painting, has been released from a private collection and is now available on display and for purchase for the first time ever, exclusively at Grace Renee Gallery.

Thursday: 4 - 7 p.m. Wine and appetizers served

— GOSHWARA JEWELRY — .. .. .. . .. . .. .. ..

. ..

Historic Spanish Village

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NOVEMBER 15–16

Friday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Wine and appetizers: 4 - 8 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sweta Jain’s collection infuses couture with a sumptuous variety of color. Soft shapes and playful sophistication make this jewelry showcase one you won’t want to miss.

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

480.575.8080

— ARTIST RECEPTION WITH PETER KUTTNER —

NOVEMBER 21 ..

Thursday: 4–7 p.m. Wine and Appetizers.

.. .. .. .. .. ..

Artist Peter Kuttner’s work embodies a simple yet thoughtful contemporary retrospective. Meet Peter and see for yourself why his work has been featured in national publications, popular films and television shows, museums and private, royal, and corporate collections worldwide.

Grace Renee Gallery is a refreshingly beautiful way to explore fine contemporary art in the breathtaking shadows of the Sonoran Desert foothills of Carefree, Arizona. Artfully designed jewelry, inspiring sculptures, spectacular wall art, stunning ceramics and more await.

UPCOMING EVENTS — AARON HENRY JEWELRY — ..

NOVEMBER 22–23

.. ..

Friday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Wine and appetizers: 4 - 8 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

.. .. .. .. ..

Meet the father and son team behind this luxury jewelry collection. Each brilliant piece is hand-crafted bringing classical Old World quality to modern design.

— JACQUELINE EARLE JEWELRY — .. .

DECEMBER 6 - 7

.. .. .. . .. .. . ..

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Friday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Wine and appetizers: 4 - 8 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Jacqueline creates magical jewelry with diamonds that are strung rather than set. This process allows each stone to capture light in a fun and playful manner.

GraceReneeGallery.com N ovember 2019

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COMMUNITY

2019 NOVEMBER

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Nov. 8–10

ITALIAN JEWELRY DESIGNER WEEKEND Grace Renee Gallery will feature jewelry from three different Italian designers—from highly polished silver by Pesavento, to chic South Sea pearls by Alessandra Donà to the exquisite hand-textured gold by Nanis. Free. Friday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. with wine and appetizers 4–8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 1–24

SETH FAIRWEATHER: INDIVIDUAL VOICE

Nov. 2, 3

CELEBRATE AMERICA In its first concert of the season,

Discover the thought-provoking glass

ProMusica Arizona presents American

and steel sculptures of artist Seth

music including Broadway, folk tunes,

Fairweather through this impressive

spiritual and patriotic music as well as a

exhibition. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Bryant Nagel

salute to servicemen and women with the

Galleries, 431 SR 179, Sedona. 928-282-

stirring piece “Armed Forces: The Pride of

6865; bryantnagelgalleries.com

America.” See website for times, pricing and venues. 623-326-5172; pmaz.org

Nov. 2, 3

AZ CENTRAL FOOD AND WINE EXPERIENCE

Nov. 2–29

EARTH COLORS

Gallery, 16560 N. Dysart Road, Surprise. 623-584-8311; wham-art.org

Nov. 3

SUNDAY SUPPER CLUB Hearth ’61 at Mountain Shadows’ monthly Sunday Supper Club features $85. 6 p.m. 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. 866-582-0607; mountainshadows.com

Experience Dennis Kleidon’s paintings

Enjoy tastings from several restaurants

at the WHAM West Gallery’s Textures

and wineries as well as demonstrations by

of Taliesin exhibit, inspired by the

local and celebrity chefs. $65+. 1–4 p.m.

desert boulders used to build Frank

Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road,

Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. Kleidon’s

Scottsdale. wineandfood.usatoday.com

paintings express the earth colors of

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10 a.m.–4 p.m. The WHAM West

four courses paired with wines.

the boulders and adapt their textures

to many hues. Free. Tuesday–Saturday

Nov. 4

WHAT’S BUGGING YOU? Learn about desert arthropods and how they fit into the ecosystem from the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy’s

RESIDENTIAL Dr. Richard Cochran. The seminar is sponsored by the Desert Awareness Committee of the Foothills Community Foundation. Free. 6:30–8 p.m. Holland Community Center,

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Nov. 5

SPAGHETTI DINNER WITH A CAUSE Join Soroptimist International of Saguaro Foothills for its 42nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner. Includes silent auction, raffle and balloon prizes. Proceeds benefit educational scholarships and training awards for women as well as the organization's “Dream It, Be It” career conference for girls. Adults $20; Children 12 and under $7; Children under 5 free with paid adult. 5–8 p.m. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 203-788-0180; sisaguarofoothills.org

Nov. 5

A HEALTHIER HOLIDAY

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will share five secrets to prepare healthier dishes without sacrificing taste this holiday season. Free. Noon–2 p.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Nov. 6

PEO FASHION SHOW PEO Chapter EA of Scottsdale will hold a luncheon and fashion show to raise funds to benefit deserving women with educational grants, scholarships and loans. $50. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. RSVP. Grayhawk Golf Club, 8620 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale. peo-fundraiser2019@outlook.com

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Nov. 14

PAUL PLETKA’S SARSI “Sarsi,” a Paul Pletka original painting, will be on display and available for purchase for the first time ever. With wine and appetizers. Free. 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-5758080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 6

DISCOVER YOUR INNER BEAUTY

studios in preparation for the event.

to enriching the community through

Free. 12:30–2:30 p.m. Desert Foothills

fine art, by attending a night of art and

Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road,

entertainment. The evening will feature

Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

a silent auction containing a variety of

Come celebrate SkinRevision’s new

artwork from well-known professional

Cave Creek location and Nurse Kelly’s

artists including oil paintings, watercolors,

anniversary with the company. Enjoy light bites and sips along with some preholiday shopping fun with a select group

Nov. 9

AT&T VETERANS CHARITY 3-MILER

drawings and sculptures. A selection of juried work from the school’s student artists will also be available. $125. 5–9:30

Come walk or run either a one-mile or

p.m. Scottsdale Artists’ School, 3720 N.

6554 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek.

a three-mile course around the Carefree

Marshall Way, Scottsdale. 480-990-1422;

480-828-0987; skinrevisionaz.com

Desert Gardens and downtown Carefree.

scottsdaleartschool.org

of artists and retailers. Free. 5–7 p.m.

Proceeds benefit Helping Hands for

Nov. 7

BEHIND THE SCENES OF HIDDEN IN THE HILLS

Bring a non-perishable food item to

Nov. 9

Carefree Town Hall, 8 E. Sundial Circle,

CRIME AND PUN-ISHMENT

Carefree. 480-488-3686; attveterans.org

Enjoy a thrilling night of a puzzling murder

support Foothills Food Bank. 9 a.m.

Go behind the scenes and meet some

mystery set in the 1920s. Costumes are

of the artists participating in this

Nov. 9

encouraged and awards will be given to

Try your hand at several different art

BEAUX ARTS

cocktails. $55. 5–8 p.m. RSVP. Desert

processes and watch a visual slide

Support the Scottsdale Artists’ School,

Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse

tour of artists in action in their unique

a non-profit organization dedicated

Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

year’s Hidden in the Hills Showcase.

Freedom and other veterans’ charities.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

the best-dressed. Includes appetizers and

Nov. 9

KIWANIS OF CAREFREE PANCAKE BREAKFAST

the art of organization

Enjoy a morning of all-you-can-eat pancakes that yields a good time with friends, family and neighbors while supporting the community. Adults $8; Children 14 and under $4. 7–11 a.m. Carefree Town Center Gardens, 101 Easy St., Carefree. kiwaniscarefree.org

Nov. 9

MOVING DAY PHOENIX Held across the country since 2011, Moving Day Phoenix will be the first annual event in the Valley to raise money for the Parkinson’s Foundation. Register online to form your own team, or register as an individual to walk in support of those you know whose lives have been touched by the disease. 8:30 a.m. Kiwanis Park, Mill Ave. and All America Way, Tempe. 480-506-0063; movingdaywalk.org

Nov. 9

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL Celebrate Native American heritage and honor the contributions of all U.S.

Home Ofﬁces

Garages

Entertainment Centers

Wall Units

veterans. The event, which will feature the 19th Annual Veterans Day Weekend Traditional Pow Wow, will include colorful regalia, dancing, music, Native arts and crafts, kids’ activities, artist demonstrations and food trucks. Free. 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Arizona State University’s West campus, 4701 W. Thunderbird Road, Glendale. asuevents.asu.edu

Nov. 10

LIVE AND LOCAL Celebrate with food, libations and music

480-998-2070 www.closetfactory.com

www.facebook.com/closetfactory

while benefitting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. $150. 6 p.m. Desert Ridge Marketplace, 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. bgcs.org

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Nov. 15, 16

GOSHWARA JEWELS Sweta Jain’s Goshwara collection infuses couture with a sumptuous variety of colors. This special jewelry showcase features soft shapes and playful sophistication. Free. Friday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. with wine and appetizers 4–8 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 10

Nov. 11

Enjoy a four-course meal and live music

Carefree will honor the sacrifice of

Through Culinary Arts Program

as well as silent and live auctions in

military service members and their

features Valley chefs cooking with

this Motown-themed event, which will

families in ensuring our nation’s freedom.

students as well as live and silent

honor cancer survivor and Arizona

This year’s event will feature guest

auctions. $125+. 6 p.m. Ocotillo

Diamondbacks president and CEO

speakers and a mixture of patriotic and

Restaurant, 3243 N. Third Street,

Derrick Hall. Proceeds benefit The Joy

military music. Free. 3–5 p.m. Sanderson

Phoenix. ccapinc.org

Bus, which delivers healthy, chef-inspired

Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree.

meals to homebound cancer patients.

480-488-3686; visitcarefree.com

JOY BUS GALA: MOTOWN NIGHT

CAREFREE’S VETERANS DAY HONOR

$150. 6 p.m. Hotel Valley Ho, 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale. thejoybusdiner.com

Nov. 10

MARCH OF DIMES SIGNATURE CHEFS AUCTION

Nov. 11

PHOENIX TAKEOVER AT CARTWRIGHT’S

Nov. 12

HARVEST MOON FEAST This fundraiser for Arizona’s Careers

Nov. 13

ROCKING OUT Anthropologist Mark Hackbarth will speak about recent archaeological investigations, including three excavation

Chefs from around the country will

projects near Cave Creek that have

showcase their best dishes paired

identified small classic, sedentary and

with Arizona wines. $250. 6:30 p.m.

earlier sites spanning a timeframe from

Taste food from top Valley chefs

Cartwright’s Modern Cuisine, 6710

AD 1-1250. The lecture is presented

while participating in a live auction.

E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek.

by the Desert Foothills Chapter of the

$275. 4:30 p.m. Talking Stick Resort,

cartwrightsmoderncuisine.com/events

Arizona Archaeology Society. Free. 7:30

9000 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale.

p.m. The Good Shepard of the Hills

signaturechefs.marchofdimes.org

Episcopal Church, 6502 E. Cave Creek

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

Road, Cave Creek. azarchsoc.org

Nov. 14

Creek Road, Carefree. 480-488-2081;

The November event in the Hyatt Regency

Nov. 17

WINEMAKER DINNER Scottsdale’s monthly winemaker dinner series begins with a reception, followed by a four-course dinner paired with wines from Napa Valley’s PlumpJack Winery. $95. 6:30 p.m. RSVP. 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale. 480-444-1234 ext. 8650

ctlcarefree.org

BATTLE OF THE BURGERS Sample some of the most delicious sliders in the Valley while helping the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation in its efforts to support local foster

Nov. 15

FALL HARVEST DINNER Join LON’s Executive Chef Jeremy

children in need during the 2019 Slider Throwdown. $35. Noon–3 p.m. Kierland Commons, 15205 N. Kierland Blvd, Scottsdale. affcf.org

Pacheco and winemakers from Page Springs Cellars and Burning Tree Cellars for a five-course wine pairing dinner. $149. 6 p.m. LON’s at the Hermosa Inn, 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley. 844-267-8738

Nov. 18

MONDAY NIGHT CHEF’S TABLE This event in the monthly dinner series pairs four courses by Chef Russell

Nov. 16

AZ WINE GROWERS ASSOCIATION GRAND WINE FESTIVAL Enjoy samples from more than 30 Arizona wineries. $30. 11 a.m. Kierland Commons, 15205 N. Kierland Blvd., Scottsdale. azwinefestivals.com

LaCasce with wine from Napa Valley’s Groth Winery. $75. 6:30 p.m. ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho, 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale. 480-376-2600

Nov. 21

CONTEMPORARY FOCUS ARTWALK The Scottsdale Gallery Association has

Nov. 16

LEARN AND LUNCH

kicked off its 45th season recognizing, advocating for and supporting the local art community. In addition to its ArtWalks

Chef Marcellino will teach participants

that take place every Thursday evening

how to cook Pollo Saporito, chicken breast

amid the Scottsdale Arts District, special

sautéed with pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes

Gold Palette ArtWalks will be offered once

and mushrooms during this intimate

a month to celebrate the special season.

cooking class followed by lunch. $40. 1

November’s Gold Palette ArtWalk focuses

p.m. RSVP. Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E.

on contemporary work. Free. 6:30–9:30

Stetson Dr., Scottsdale. 480-990-9500

p.m. scottsdalegalleries.com

Nov. 16

Nov. 21

LIVING MUSIC PERFORMANCE SERIES

DESERT TO DISH The Omni Montelucia’s monthly dinner

Curtis on Tour violinist Grace Clifford

offers four courses prepared by executive

will perform as part of Christ the

chef Marcos Seville paired with beverages

Lord Lutheran Church’s Living Music

in the intimate Chef’s Kitchen. $125. 6

Performance Series. $25. 4 p.m. Christ

p.m. 4949 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale.

the Lord Lutheran Church, 9205 E. Cave

480-627-3039 N ovember 2019

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Nov. 21

MEET PETER KUTTNER Artist Peter Kuttner will visit Grace Renee Gallery to showcase his work that embodies a simple yet thoughtful contemporary retrospective. His pieces have been featured in national publications, popular films and television shows, museums and private, royal and corporate collections worldwide. With wine and appetizers. Free. 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 22, 23

MEET AARON HENRY

Center for the Arts, 5601 N.

Plaza, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.,

16th St., Phoenix. 602-314-8033;

Scottsdale. 888artfest.com

legacyballetacademy.com

Jewelry designer Aaron Henry will visit Grace Renee Gallery to showcase his brilliant American luxury jewelry collection. Each piece is hand-crafted in the Aaron Henry Los Angeles studio in a meticulous process using models and molds, bringing classical Old World quality to strikingly modern design. Free. Friday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. with wine and appetizers 4–8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-5758080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 22–24

THE NUTCRACKER SUITE Legacy Ballet Academy will usher in the holiday season with its production of “The Nutcracker Suite.” $25+ See website for times. The Madison

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Nov. 23

AZ BARRELS, BOTTLES AND BREWS

Nov. 25–Dec. 25

DECKING THE HALLS Blue Hound Kitchen and Cocktails will transform into the Valley’s only

Enjoy craft beer, spirits and wine from

Miracle Christmas cocktail pop-up bar.

around Arizona. More than 25 local

Seasonally-themed cocktails and bites

breweries, distilleries and wineries

are served in a festive setting complete

are participating. $50+. 2 p.m. Salt

with tens of thousands of Christmas

River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road,

lights, dozens of Elf on a Shelf dolls

Scottsdale. azbottlesandbrews.com

and ceilings swirling with icicles and garland. Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–

Nov. 23, 24

ARTFEST OF SCOTTSDALE

midnight; Friday and Saturday 11–1 a.m. Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix, 2 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-2580231; bluehoundkitchen.com

Honoring the local artists’ community, this year’s ArtFest of Scottsdale will feature more than 120 artists selling

Nov. 29, 30

art, ceramics and glass art as well as

GRACE RENEE HOLIDAY SOIREE

authors and visual artists. Free. 10

Help Santa make his list and check it

a.m.–5 p.m. Scottdale Civic Center

twice at Grace Renee Gallery! Enjoy

paintings, sculptures, jewelry, metal

mimosas while showing your special someone what you would like to find under the tree this year. Or, better yet, treat yourself to the perfect gift. Free. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-5758080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 30, Dec. 1

NATIVITIES OF THE WORLD EXHIBIT The Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center will sponsor an exhibit of more than 350 nativity sets from around the world. The sets, which will be on loan from local artists, collectors and families, are made from every imaginable material— from fine porcelain to craft sticks, rocks, gourds and even banana skins. Donations of nonperishable food or cash to help those in need this holiday season are appreciated. Free. Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Dec. 1

MUSEUM STORE SUNDAY Scottsdale’s Museum of the West will celebrate the latest in the line-up of post-Thanksgiving shopping days by hosting a great sale and special on-site activities. All purchases support the non-profit organization. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale Museum of the West, 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale. 480-686-9539; scottsdalemuseumwest.org

Dec. 8

NEWCOMERS DINNER AND DANCING Newcomers of Scottsdale celebrates the holiday season. 5:30–8:30 p.m. $55. RSVP before Dec. 2. Scottsdale Plaza Resort, 7200 N. Scottsdale Rd., Paradise Valley. newcomersclubofscottsdale.com

N ovember 2019

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ADOPT-A-FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center is seeking donors to brighten the holiday season for children, families and seniors in the northern Arizona foothills community as part of its 17th annual Adopt-a-Family program. Interested donors determine the size of the family they are willing to adopt then a family wish list is provided as a shopping guide. Monetary donations are also accepted to support the program. 6038 E. Hidden Valley Drive, Cave Creek. foothillsfoodbank.com

Dec. 14

on-site apothecary—led by herbalist

field trip program at Taliesin West

Rachel Sloat—utilizes plants, herbs,

in Scottsdale with the introduction

flowers, roots, berries and citrus for

of two new tours, including an

two new body treatments. Royal Palms

architectural historic core tour and a

Resort and Spa, 5200 E. Camelback

Sonoran Desert patterns and design

Join Jolly Old Saint Nick and his wife

Road, Phoenix. 602-883-1234;

tour. The new, expanded programming

for a morning meal and presents at Cave

royalpalmshotel.com

also includes several corresponding

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS

Creek Christmas Company, located is the only year-round Christmas store

LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

in Maricopa County, offering a wide

Stock up on local organic, gluten-free

variety of holiday décor and locally

and GMO-free groceries to make

crafted gifts. 8–10 a.m. RSVP. 6738 E.

your holiday meals extra special

Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-

this year. Fridays 9 a.m.–1 p.m. at

RUSSO AND STEELE ANNOUNCES NEW VENUE

9542; thehornytoad.com

Carefree Desert Gardens, 101 Easy

Celebrating its 20th anniversary,

St., Carefree. Sundays 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

the Russo and Steele Collector

at Anthem Community Park, 41703

Automobile Auctions will return

N Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem

to Scottsdale Jan. 15–19 at a new

and 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at Desert

site just south of the Loop 101 and

Alvadora Spa at Royal Palms Resort

Ridge, 5415 E. High Street, Phoenix.

Scottsdale Road. The new 20+ acre

and Spa has unveiled a complete

arizonafarmersmarkets.com

site will offer an array of dramatic

inside The Horny Toad Restaurant. It

ALVADORA SPA OFFERS IN-HOUSE HERBALIST

interior design refresh and now offers

Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. franklloydwright.org

improvements including high-

custom botanical treatments as well as

NEW LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

small-batch, hand-formulated products.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

display area and improved weather

Alvadora’s new botanical program and

has rolled out a revamped K–12

contingency. russoandsteele.com

an in-house herbalist who provides

education labs. Taliesin West, 12621 N.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

profile visibility, easy access with ample parking, a significantly larger

N ovember 2019

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Writer Shoshana Leon Photography by Olivia Vlachos and Tamara Stanger

Arizona chefs regularly donate their time and talent to a variety of worthy causes and events. A cause that is especially meaningful to Arizona’s culinary community is helping high school students achieve their dreams through Arizona’s Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). “We want to see these students succeed, not only for their own future, but for what they have to offer to the future of Phoenix food culture. This happens by helping the students build confidence and trust in their creative ideas,” said Tamara Stanger, executive chef at Cotton and Copper in Tempe who mentors C-CAP students. “I remember the moment that lightbulb clicked on for me, and it would be wonderful to help spark that in them.” C-CAP is a nationwide non-profit organization that started in 1990 at 12 New York City high schools to help prepare underserved students for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Today, C-CAP partners with 150 public high schools to support more than 17,000 students and 220 teachers nationwide. C-CAP offers job training, professional development for teachers, career guidance, competitions and scholarships, along with product and equipment donations to partner high schools. Since C-CAP was founded, it has awarded $56 million in scholarships. C-CAP operates in seven locations across the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Some of Arizona’s most influential chefs helped to start C-CAP Arizona in 1992, including Christopher Gross, Vincent Guerithault and Mark Tarbell, who remains very involved with the program. C-CAP Arizona helps more than 6,600 high school students state-wide develop their skills for careers in the culinary and hospitality industry.

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“C-CAP Arizona started with just a few schools in the East Valley and organically grew over the years as more teachers found out about it,” said Leslie Gennaro, program coordinator for C-CAP Arizona. “Now we have about 40 high schools across the state participating in the program. “In the beginning, C-CAP was primarily the culinary competition and teacher assistance, including product donations to use in their classrooms. Over the years, it has evolved to include many other programs.” C-CAP Arizona provides training, internships and apprenticeships, as well as competitions where students demonstrate their culinary and presentation skills with opportunities to win scholarships. C-CAP also offers students tours of professional kitchens, demonstrations by professional chefs and job placement.

“

C-CAP offers unique educational experiences in far more areas than just cooking in the constraints of a classroom.

EXPERIENCE

“We typically get three to four calls a week from employers,” said Gennaro. “We place 100 percent of students seeking employment in the Phoenix metropolitan area.” One of the most exciting opportunities for C-CAP students to practice their technical and soft skills is participating in culinary events where they work alongside professional chefs, including James Beard Taste America and the Nirvana Food and Wine Festival at Sanctuary Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley. One of the events that students, chefs and supporters look forward to every year is the annual Harvest Moon Feast fundraiser. November 12, C-CAP students, alumni and teachers will cook with some of the Valley’s best chefs at the Sixth Annual Harvest Moon Feast

fundraiser at Ocotillo Restaurant in Phoenix. “Harvest Moon is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students,” said Gennaro. “The collaboration of student, teacher and chef mentor makes this event so unique and leaves students with a feeling that they've participated in something really special.” Last year’s Harvest Moon Feast was hosted at the Omni Montelucia Resort and Spa in Scottsdale. Marcos Seville, executive chef at Montelucia and a C-CAP alumnus, is participating in this year’s event and is extremely supportive of the program. “I currently employ six C-CAP alumni. It is a great resource for local culinary professionals to be able to work with young adults who are passionate about working in our industry,” he said. Chefs understand the importance of hands-on training. “C-CAP offers unique educational experiences in far more areas than just cooking in the constraints of a classroom,” said Chef Stanger who is mentoring C-CAP students for the Harvest Moon Feast. C-CAP programs are designed to prepare students for the workforce and a productive future, said Gennaro. “By offering opportunities for students to work food events and participate in competitions and workshops, we allow them to hone their technical skills and develop the crucial soft skills necessary to be successful in the industry and in life.” ccapinc.org

2019

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Doug McNamee

In a small studio in downtown Los Angeles’ Jewelry District, Aaron Furlong and his father Conrad are perched on benches a few feet apart, rapt in their work. Wearing pale blue aprons and magnification visors, they both hunch over their projects, with only the taps and brushing of hand tools breaking the silence. It’s a routine the pair has worn like a favorite sweater. For nearly three decades, they’ve worked alongside each other, creating beautiful jewelry and carrying on a tradition that began nearly a century ago with a Russian orphan and a dream. In the first decades of the 20th century, Aaron’s grandfather, Anthony Kantor, was just a small boy when his family was killed in the pogroms on the streets of Russia. Over the next years, he managed to flee through Manchuria in northeast China, and was adopted by a family who brought him to the United States.

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Once in the U.S., Kantor met an Air Force pilot who had a particular interest in diamonds. As a very poor child, Kantor had only dreamed of the riches of diamonds and gems he’d seen among the elite. Hard-working and determined, he began working with suppliers to import diamonds into the U.S. Kantor applied the same perseverance that had gotten him through the ethnic cleansing in Russia to his work with diamonds, and his handshake was as binding as a contract. “He started our family into the jewelry business,” his grandson, Aaron Furlong, says. “He became a very successful diamond merchant.” Kantor’s code of ethics was unequivocal, and he became more than just successful. He was a pioneer, and a pillar of the Los Angeles diamond industry. Decades later, there was another young man who showed promise in the jewelry industry: Conrad Furlong. Kantor’s daughter, Irene, had taken an interest in the young man, and Kantor took a liking to him.

taught through family lineage, specifically to sons and sons-in-law. It was a tight-knit community, but Aaron’s grandfather leveraged some of his industry friendships to get Conrad an internship. Though the introduction helped, Conrad had to work hard to prove himself. As an apprentice, he was not allowed to touch gold or gems, or speak to the setters. He took it in stride, watching over their shoulders, then heading home at the end of each long day to a makeshift workbench he’d built in his small apartment. He used fake stones and mountings and his remarkable memory to reproduce all he’d seen. Eventually, he built his own shop and employed about 40 craftsmen, creating jewelry for other designers. He married Irene, had a son, and built his business upon the same personal standards that his father-in-law believed in. Yet he became frustrated. “He noticed that he was the first in, the last out, and that he was the least paid,” says Aaron. “He kept five of his best guys moved into a smaller shop.”

THE SECOND GENERATION “My father was a shoe salesman,” Aaron says of Conrad. “My grandmother saw him working with a model and told him he had very good hands—that he should be a diamond setter.”

Conrad Furlong’s new shop was on the renowned Hill Street, where he focused on high line design, creation and setting for Cartier, Tiffany and other high-end purveyors. Irene took on the bookkeeping, a role she enjoyed until she passed away five years ago.

At that time, the diamond industry could only be

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THE THIRD GENERATION Young Aaron grew up around the jewelry business. “I would go down and play with pearls in my grandfather’s office,” he says with a smile. “In my father’s office, I would help separate burrs, which are used for grinding, shaping and drilling. I’d separate the ones that still had life in them from the ones that had to be thrown out. It was all part of my childhood.” Though he’d grown up surrounded by jewelry, Aaron had to take his own path to discover his love for it. “In 1990, I completed my degree in psychology,” he explains. “I spent a year at a suicide prevention hotline, and I realized that I didn’t want the rest of my life to go that way. I sat down and thought about what I wanted to do next.” He returned home, spoke to his father, and completed his Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America, where he also learned basic goldsmithing techniques. Aaron began working under Victorino Garcia, a renowned jeweler who had been named the personal jeweler to Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos before they were ousted from leadership of the Philippines. “He taught me and gave me small jobs until I’d learned enough to develop my own style and skill,” Aaron says. “I launched my own line in 1999.” Aaron Furlong’s decision to return to the family business has proven to be wise. Today, he is the founder of Aaron Henry, a small but prestigious jewelry design and manufacturing company that has already left its indelible mark in jewelry design. Aaron is a goldsmith, while Conrad does most of the natural gemstone setting. Aaron Henry designs have been used in marketing for World Gold Council, California Jewelers Association, Gemological Institute of America and diamond giant DeBeers, and he has won numerous prestigious industry awards.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

Their work has also appeared in Vanity Fair, Town & Country, Forbes, Millionaire and InStyle magazines, and Jewelers Quarterly magazine tapped him as Designer of the 21st Century. He is president of the Association of Professional Jewelry Designers’ Contemporary Design Group.

THE BEAUTY OF SLOWING DOWN Generational threads have woven their way into Aaron Furlong’s life, and into Aaron Henry. Like his grandfather and father before him, Aaron Furlong is all about excellence, even if it takes time. “I fabricate jewelry with torches, drills and hand tools,” he says. “We have a small shop, but we have an outstanding attention to detail and create very high-end designs. We cast our own metal and alloy our own gold.” “We only make a couple of hundred pieces a year, and they’re all limited edition and higher end.” His design inspiration has also not fallen far from the tree of history. In fact, one could say trees are his muses. Just as his grandfather once crossed Manchuria primarily by foot, both Conrad and Aaron have taken to hiking. In fact, they still enjoy finding hidden trails together when they can. Their encounters in the wild are often the source of Aaron Henry design genius. “In 1998, I went backpacking with my dad,” Aaron explains. “It was October, and a mile or two into the trail, all of these trees were changing colors. It was beautiful. I began picking up little things and putting them in a Ziploc bag. Those things became the basis for a lot of the leaf pieces I’ve created since then.” Tiny, intricate leaves, flowers and other organic elements have become an Aaron Henry trademark. “As I’ve traveled the last two decades, I’ve picked up maple leaves in Washington State, magnolias from the South, gingkoes from upstate New York and birch leaves in Ohio.

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“In Louisiana, we found huge Southern oak trees that were just amazing. I started picking up samples, and I brought them back to the studio. That’s where a lot of the acorns I use in my designs came from. “We have olive trees in our front yard, and I find myself using a lot of olive branches inspired by those trees. I love the symbolism.” Some of Aaron’s designs come from ideas collected much farther away. “Whether I’m traveling and seeing different motifs on the temples in Cambodia or the mosaics in Florence, there is so much all around in plants and flowers to be inspired by. “I’ve got a box of a lot of things that I go back to often for ideas. For every design that I’ve made, there are probably seven or eight that didn’t make it that far, but each one has led me to another break in the road—another idea. Sometimes I will come back to one of those pieces five years later and I’ll look at it in an entirely different way. “Nothing’s ever worthless. Sometimes it’s just not the right time.” Like his father and grandfather before him, Aaron finds great satisfaction in spending hours at his workbench creating beauty from nature’s most raw but valuable elements. “The stones I like to use are variegated in color—they’re not all the same. It makes for a more interesting, more organic look. If you look at anything in nature, it’s not all one color. That’s just how it occurs in nature, and that’s what I try to emulate. He points to a beautiful spectrum of blues in a cluster ring.

EXPERIENCE Aaron Henry: An American Luxury Collection Nov. 22, 23 | 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday | Wine and appetizers Friday 4–8 p.m. im a g e s a rGallery i z o n a . c |oHistoric m Nov e Spanish m b e r 2 019 Grace Renee Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. #7, Carefree | 480-575-8080 | gracereneegallery.com 34

“

Nothing’s ever worthless. Sometimes it’s just not the right time.

“They’re beautiful,” he says, his eyes beaming. “They’re like a flower that never dies.” Spinels, moonstones, morganite, sapphires, and other beautiful stones have all become part of Aaron Henry jewelry. Over time, the family designs have evolved. Today, buyers embrace a decidedly contemporary element to the jewelry. “I would describe our design style as organic, and understated but elegant,” Aaron explains. “I try to make jewelry that you can dress up or dress down, and that can be worn with a white t-shirt and jeans, or worn with a black dress. “Of course, we do make some that are more fancy, but overall, Aaron Henry jewelry is very wearable across the spectrum.” Locally, Aaron Henry designs have found a new audience at Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree. Aaron and Conrad Furlong will host a wine reception to feature some of their brilliant, hand-crafted contemporary jewelry. Between now and then, the two can be found hard at work in the shop, as they are today. It would appear that, like his grandfather and father, creating jewelry has always been Aaron’s destiny. “I put on headphones and a magnification visor, then tune everything out,” he says. “I focus on what’s in front of me. It’s almost meditative. The hours just pass by.” gracereneegallery.com

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Carl Schultz i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

Artist Paul Pletka is notoriously private. At 73 years old, this renowned American neo-surrealist artist has never been one to demand a spotlight. In fact, he’s seldom even bothered with an interview. Instead, he allows his paintings and drawings of Native American warriors and shamans to speak for themselves. For nearly five decades, they have done just that. At exhibitions of his paintings he’s accessible, personable, and readily discusses his art. Pletka was born in San Diego in 1946, the son of Howard and Anna Marie (Pletka) Johnson. His father was intrigued by Native American culture, and young Paul became enamored too at the age of 4 when his father shared with him his collection of arrowheads. Even as a small child, Pletka expressed himself through art, drawing pictures of the chiefs and warriors of his imagination on paper with crayons and pencils. One of his first explorations on canvas occurred at the expense of one of his mother’s white sheets, which he used to create one of his only unappreciated works of art. When Paul was 11 years old, his family moved to Grand Junction, Colo. where he explored the untamed canyons and rugged backcountry of western Colorado and eastern Utah with his father. He’d come home from those trips with renewed inspiration, creating on paper his imagined scenes of unadulterated Native American life on the range. By the time he graduated high school, he’d won his first prestigious award when Seventeen magazine published one of his drawings. By then, he’d discovered that he could sell his work to friends, neighbors, teachers—and even strangers. Pletka first went to college at Arizona State, where he’d earned a scholarship. The desert wasn’t ready for him just yet, however, and he made his way back home shortly afterward, enrolling at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Surprisingly, Pletka never took a single course in painting; rather, he chose printmaking as his field. He later taught himself to paint, becoming one of the best autodidactic artists of his time. Throughout his career, he has remained interested in Native American culture and history while looking past the stereotypes so often depicted by non-native artists.

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For many years, Pletka’s trademark works were his large, vivid paintings of Native American people with unrealistically large hands. Some are depicted wearing clothing from historical European soldiers—“the garb of the conquerors worn by the conquered,” as one collector stated. Other Pletka paintings contain symbolism extracted from 19th-century Euro-centric cultures, including Christian religious icons. Though Pletka’s work emerged from the late 1960s and early 1970s during a time when civil rights activism was at its peak, he remained solidly apolitical. He managed to bridge the chasm between two schools of thought in Native American art at the time: one that was attempting to rewrite history in such a way that validated the brutality of colonialism; and the other that implied strong messages of social justice, depicting Native Americans as silent victims of oppression. Instead, Pletka recognized the value in the artistic contribution of Native American cultures—art, for the sake of, and the significance of, art in itself. It was a fine line, but the fact that his work was not politicized is what many continue to find so appealing. Out of his appreciation for Native American culture, Pletka also recognized his role as a non-native person. In a rare interview, Pletka told a writer from online art magazine ARTtalk, "When I was a youngster and first enchanted with Indian costume, lore and artifacts, I would sometimes pretend I was an Indian. I soon realized that was not intellectually reasonable. I am not an Indian. I am simply an interpreter."

AN ARTFUL FRIENDSHIP Collector Ken Johnson says he and Pletka have been friends for eons. He met Pletka in 1965 while the two worked together, along with museum curator Dr. S. A. Dulaney Hunter, to establish a museum in Grand Junction. Paul worked at the museum and became assistant curator. A wall in the museum featured an 80-feet-long frieze by Pletka in 1967

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Dr. Hunter left his museum in 1968 after falling out with the smalltown politicians of the day. He gave Johnson a small Pletka watercolor as a 1968 “Christmas Card”. The museum of 1965 has now matured into three locations and is the Museums of Western Colorado. “Paul found his first market in Ouray, Colo. We talked about how his work felt to him. It validated his work had a receptive market. “He wanted to venture into large, dramatic canvases, but those required a lot of studio and great light. Around 1972 Paul and I engineered a deal for a home for he and his wife, and his big studio! It was an old farmhouse and barn out west in rural Grand Junction. The barn gave space for doing the monumental paintings he had visualized, his signature artwork. “It was a major life change. His discoveries in that new workspace let him soar! His work pace and creativity blossomed to astonishing levels.” By 1973, Pletka had found that Scottsdale collectors were among his biggest followers. He began working with a Scottsdale gallery, which sold his paintings nearly as fast as he could produce them. By 1977, he and his wife Nancy were in his new studio not far from Santa Fe. He was solidly established in Scottsdale, Aspen, and even New York following a solo exhibition in 1978. Ken Johnson remembers the early days warmly. “Paul and I go back quite a way—back to the day when one of his detailed

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watercolors, a simple sandstone cliff with a cedar tree atop, was signed “Paul Johnson” he recalls, recollecting the days before Pletka took his mother’s maiden name as his surname. Around 1979, Johnson bought a Pletka piece titled “Sarsi”, He recalls it was from a fundraiser for the Mesa County Center for the Arts. “It resonates with an emotional appeal I find in Paul’s work, his spiritual concerns throughout all stages of his painting; it gives Sarsi, gazing into the distance, a soul. “Sarsi graced our walls for 40 years, the last 19 on our very fitting adobe,” Johnson said. “It’s a treasure.” Today, it is among some of the treasures Johnson is parting with following a move to the East Coast. He has entrusted Carefree’s Grace Renee Gallery with its sale. A special viewing with a wine reception will be held Nov. 14 at the gallery, located in Historic Spanish Village. Today, Pletka and his wife, Nancy, live and work in Santa Fe where their Pletka Gallery is located.

“

Pletka’s following grew immensely through the years, and his early works have grown increasingly valuable. Among his many admirers was Eddie Basha, whose compilation of Native American art is one of the most extensive and revered in the world. The Eddie Basha Collection holds several of Pletka’s pieces in its care.

Pletka’s following grew

“

immensely through the years, and his early works have

grown increasingly valuable.

EXPERIENCE

Since the early 1970s, Pletka’s work has been featured in solo exhibits throughout the country. It is now part of more than 40 public and private museums and art collections, including University of Northern Illinois, Albany Museum of Art, Hallmark, Mel Pfaelzer Collection, and United States Department of Interior. It’s a remarkable accomplishment for a noteworthy artist whose work, and interpretations, will no doubt be cherished for many years to come. gracereneegallery.com

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Writer Shannon Severson Photography Courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum

The Phoenix Art Museum has big plans to celebrate its 60th Anniversary in grand style. It all starts with the pARTy in the Garden Nov. 2 when long-time supporters Ellen and Howard Katz will be honored. The fall gala will also premiere two major exhibits: Legends of Speed and PhxArt60: The Past Decade. Elegance will abound as guests enjoy custom cocktails and a seated dinner in Cummings Great Hall, followed by dancing under the stars in the verdant Dorrance Sculpture Garden. The afterpARTy will be open to the public at 9 p.m., and will feature music and a hosted bar, along with spirits and beer tastings, complimentary hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres and light desserts. Attendees will have access to Legends of Speed from 9 to 11 p.m., and the 60th Anniversary exhibition until 1 a.m. The annual event plays a vital role in the financial support of the museum. Since its debut in 2007, the gala has raised nearly $10.5 million to support exhibitions and art education programs at the museum, which welcomed its first visitors Nov. 18, 1959.

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Since a major retrospective display was done for the 50th anniversary, chief curator Gilbert Vicario decided to focus on the past 10 years for PhxArt60: The Past Decade and its landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. The exhibit runs through Jan. 26. “I focused on the very recent decision we made to collect photography that is historically relevant and that fits into our other five departments,” says Vicario.

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The museum continues to grow, innovate and present extraordinary exhibitions to its diverse community due to the generosity and undaunted determination of countless advocates, supporters and friends like the Katz family.

“It occurred to me to structure an exhibit around documentary photographs that go beyond mere aesthetics. I’ve installed them alongside our existing art collection. It really demonstrates what the museum has been collecting, but allows me to have some curatorial play and to make a statement about diversity and identity in this country and how that can help define the institution moving forward.” Legends of Speed will have hearts racing with its display of 20 cars by Maserati, Ferrari, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and more. Among these wonders of automotive design are the actual vehicles that crossed finish lines to win iconic races at Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Italian Grand Prix, among others. Profiles of men and women behind the wheel of these speedsters give the glass, steel and pure horsepower a separate, more human dimension. “The relationship between design and art has always been tightly wound

together,” says Vicario. “Form and function have also been intertwined. “It’s not just the aesthetics of the automobile, but how it functions, the technical aspects, that are of interest to visitors. We take it a step further to draw in the relationships of the cars to the drivers. These really are historic artifacts, and part of that history are the vivid stories of those who drove them.” The exhibition officially opens to the public Nov. 3 and will run through March 15. “The museum continues to grow, innovate and present extraordinary exhibitions to its diverse community due to the generosity and undaunted determination of countless advocates, supporters and friends like the Katz family,” says Jon Hulburd, chair of the museum’s board of trustees. The Katzes have been an essential part of the museum's growth, endowing funds to support the construction of the 25,000-square-foot Ellen and Howard C. Katz Wing for Modern Art. Ellen Katz served as trustee chair, and in 2007 and 2011 respectively, she created and served as the inaugural committee chair for The pARTy in the Garden and the Independent Woman luncheon. These events have raised nearly $13 million to-date in gifts of support for the museum’s programs. phxart.org

The afterpARTy

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Adrienne McLeod

Just as the colors of leaves signify the arrival of fall, the pretty plumage of many of our state’s desert birds creates a magnificent mosaic through which we can appreciate autumn in Arizona. Many of these birds blend in with the landscape as a means of protection against predators, but those with a keen eye can experience an array of splendor just outside their window. For starters, the barred black, white and brown feathers of our official state bird—the cactus wren—are a sight that those in other parts of the country may never have the fortune to see up close. As is also the case with Gambel’s quail, whose beautiful bluish-gray bodies, cream bellies, chestnut wings, copper heads and black top-knots can be seen bouncing around the desert in groups called coveys of more than a dozen at a time. If we are even more observant, we can even catch quick glimpses of dark brown- and white-streaked roadrunners with their distinctive spiky head crests and colorful bare patches of skin behind each eye. From hawks to owls to woodpeckers, our state is home to many fascinating birds whose feather color schemes are a terrific representation of autumn in the desert. Arizona even features three species of wild turkeys—the unofficial stars of November due to their association with the Thanksgiving holiday. However, you will have to travel to the farther reaches of our state in order to see them, as they are typically located in the ponderosa pine forest and other vegetation types in elevations ranging from 3,500 to 10,000 feet. Photographer Adrienne McLeod counts herself very lucky to have seen and photographed so many of these dazzling desert birds. This month, in celebration of the season, Images Arizona magazine is proud to share with our readers a small sample of the fall feathers that McLeod has captured over the past three years as she has hiked our state’s trails in search of these and other creatures.

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CAPTURING THE SHOTS “Cornell Laboratory has some apps that are good to help find where birds might be,” McLeod says. “As far as the camera goes, I generally try to bump up the shutter speed to at least 1/1,000th of a second, have a mid-range f-stop and keep the ISO fairly high. “I just make sure that I am able to take a lot of pictures at once on repeat fire. But it is just luck of the draw sometimes.” When it comes to her photography, McLeod is less concerned about the technical aspects that many other photographers focus on than she is with simply getting the shot. “I do not really put too much thought into the creative process,” says McLeod, noting that she is self-taught outside of that high school club all those years ago.

“Generally, I just document anything interesting that I see. I just ilike m a g epretty s a r i z o things.” n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

WHERE TO CATCH A GLIMPSE Photography works hand-in-hand with her other hobby— hiking through Arizona’s various nooks and crannies. She embarks on hikes almost every weekend, camera in hand, to enjoy the outdoors and document the interesting plants, animals and scenery that she encounters. Having grown up in Tucson, one of McLeod’s favorite areas to hike and photograph is Seven Falls. For birding, she enjoys Ramsey Canyon Preserve and Sweetwater Wetlands—the latter of which is home to many ducks and herons. However, her favorite trail is always the one that she is hiking at any given moment. “I am always trying to find a new place to hike,” McLeod explains. “I just feel at peace outside. I do not necessarily like the company of too many other people. I feel a sense of quiet out in nature that I do not get in the city.”

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ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Adrienne McLeod’s first entered the world of photography when she was in high school, when she approached her teacher with the idea of starting a photography club. “I just loved art and wanted to expand my horizons a little bit,” McLeod says. “I did not know too much about it, but my teacher was pretty familiar with the process. So we got a few students together, started a club and began learning all of the technical details of photography.” McLeod initially used her mother's old Nikon camera for her hobby, spending a lot of time outdoors photographing nature. She eventually updated her instrument and has been playing with the art form off and on since then—until about three years ago when she decided to get a bit more serious about it. adriennemcleod.com

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I really like owls. They are hard to find. But when you do find them, they are so majestic. They seem like they know a lotâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all the secrets of nature. Adrienne McLeod

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There are a lot of wild turkeys in Ramsey Canyon. They were making a lot of noise and I kept wondering where they were. I finally saw some and I was surprised at how large the tom turkey was. He kept dragging the tips of his wings on the ground and making these scary noises. It was pretty funny. Adrienne McLeod

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LET’S TALK TURKEYS! Arizona is thankful to be home to three species of wild turkeys: Merriam's turkeys, Gould's turkeys and Rio Grande turkeys. Of the three, Merriam's turkeys—a native species—are most plentiful in our state and are most frequently found in the ponderosa pine forests north of the Gila River, with strong population densities along the Mogollon Rim. Merriam’s turkeys feature primary wing feathers that are white with small black accents. Arizona’s other native wild turkey species, Gould's turkeys, are far less common, having experienced dramatic population declines over the years. Slightly larger than Merriam's turkeys, Gould’s turkeys were an important food source for miners working in southern Arizona between the Civil War and World War I. The few that are left stick to the isolated high-altitude forests and remote mountain ranges of our state. Meanwhile, Rio Grande turkeys are a slightly smaller species with primary wing feathers that are black with small white accent bars. Rio Grande turkeys tend to occupy areas up to 6,000 feet in elevation with drainages and stream beds in relatively open brush. N ovember 2019

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Alessandra DonĂ

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Early on an Arizona morning, the moon has already begun to rise over Vicenza, Italy where Alessandra Donà is beginning to relax after a busy day. From an office in the 500-year-old Palazzo Capra Ouerini, her eyes smile beneath rimless glasses as she talks about her work. Sitting beside her is Marc Gianola. The esteemed Swiss entrepreneur and Donà’s business partner is casual yet poised, and he’s eager to talk about the quiet revolution that Donà’s namesake company has begun. “A young woman does not want to wear jewelry her grandmother wore,” Donà begins, speaking melodically in Italian as Gianola translates. “We have to get away from this dusty image that surrounds cultured pearls.” Gone are the days of Queen Elizabeth-style, double-strand pearl necklaces and matching pearl studs. In fact, pearls only hold about 2% to 3% of the jewelry market—a significant decrease since their peak in the 1950s. It’s fair to say that much of their decline has been due to the fact that, while jewelry design has become decidedly more edgy and contemporary, pearls have remained old-fashioned—even cliché. That is, until Donà’s designs came along. Donà is one of a handful of designers who is making waves within the pearl industry by introducing progressive alternatives to the organic gem’s tired trends. With two outstanding collections developed in only three years—and a very closely guarded third collection on the way—she’s already managed to infiltrate several European and Asian markets. Even in Japan, the homeland of cultured pearls, Donà’s unique take on pearl jewelry has outsold many longstanding industry leaders.

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OUT WITH THE OLD Twenty-five years ago, Donà began selling pearl jewelry for several international manufacturers. Over time, she developed an eye and an appetite for design. The young jeweler set up shop in Vicenza, known for centuries as the jewelry capital of Italy, and worldrenowned as home to many of the most distinguished jewelry-making families. “Since she started to work in a company selling and buying pearls, she got hooked by the beauty of the pearl—no other gem, only the pearl,” said Gianola. “This makes us different from other suppliers. We only have pearl jewelry.” From the beginning, Donà was doing something different. She was not interested in using inexpensive freshwater pearls. She felt strongly that women wanted quality—even rarity and exclusivity—in the jewelry they choose to wear.

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She also recognized that today’s woman is attuned to individual expression. It doesn’t matter if a woman is from Belarus or Birmingham; the jewelry she chooses must represent who she is, and who she wants to be. The pearl market had fallen nearly appallingly behind the times, and Donà knew it. She made it her work to fill the gap with something entirely new that the world had not yet seen.

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Donà is one of a handful of designers who is making waves within the pearl industry by introducing progressive alternatives to the organic gem’s tired trends.

IN WITH THE NEW To start, Donà chose stunning black and white South Sea pearls as the foundation for her designs. Never dyed or treated, these large milky pearls have been dubbed Queens of Pearls, and Pearls of Queens. South Sea pearls are much more rare than other pearl varieties. White South Sea pearls originate primarily in Australia, but can be found in Indonesia and the Philippines. They vary in color from a silvery white to a dark gold, and can be found with nuances of pink, cream, yellow, green or blue. Black South Sea pearls are the only naturally occurring black pearls in the world. While other black pearls are dyed or treated, these masterpieces of nature are cultured in the South Pacific and can range in shade from jet black to peacock green. Shades of gray, blue and brown organically enhance the color of many black South Sea pearls as well. As Donà explains her selection process, she holds a gorgeous white pearl about the size of a pea between her thumb and index finger. Delicate yet bold, its creamy surface seems to dance between her fingers. “I want to show you something else,”

Alessandra Donà pictured. N ovember 2019

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she says as she retrieves an earring from her Friday Night collection. In this design, a delicate gold chain connects a single pearl stud to a helix loop. The result is a feminine yet punk-ish look. She removes the brilliantly lustered dark gray pearl from its stud, then with a slight of her hand, attaches the white pearl in its place. “We’ve developed a system so that we can change the pearls from one piece of jewelry to another,” she says through translation. “We are the only ones who have that mechanism. You can take a pearl off of an earring and put it into a ring, and you can get it with a white pearl and a black pearl to change them when you’d like.”

CARING FOR PEARLS

Gianola adds proudly, “It’s an innovative element that nobody has. It’s a Swiss system.” “Our Friday Night collection is very modern, very aggressive,” Donà says. “It appeals to younger women—and also to women 40 to 70 years old who want new and innovative designs. They still want to be in style, and they love the luxury and quality of Italian jewelry, so they wear Alessandra Donà. “Even our classic Timeless collection is changing that image with a much more contemporary feel.” The biggest hurdle the company has faced so far is not in finding customers; it’s in finding sellers who are willing to take a chance on an avant-garde take on pearls. That’s changing, however. Not only are European and Asian stores that carry Alessandra Donà pearls discovering a willing market; they’re selling more pearls than they have in decades.

Diamonds may be forever, but pearls can last for several hundred years if properly cared for. • Clean pearl jewelry regularly using a soft, slightly-moistened cloth. • Clean each pearl individually and thoroughly. • Store pearl jewelry in a case by itself, or wrap it in a soft cloth to prevent contact with other gems. • Avoid direct contact with fragrances. A pearl necklace should always be worn after spraying perfume on your neck, never before. • Avoid sweat, detergents and chemicals of any kind, particularly chlorine, deodorants or acids. • Avoid intense heat, which can dry and crack a pearl. N ovember 2019

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Donà’s next target is the American market. She has only just begun to reach out to select jewelry stores in the United States. Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree will be among the first to showcase Alessandra Donà jewelry. The partnership is timely. In November, Grace Renee Gallery will feature Alessandra Donà’s Timeless and Friday Night pearl jewelry collections, including at a special Italian Designer Jewelry Weekend event Nov. 8–10. Donà’s latest private collection will debut in January, and will be part of a February featured event at Grace Renee Gallery. The Carefree location will be among a very exclusive few in the U.S. to showcase the line. As for Donà, her designs will no doubt continue to make waves in the jewelry industry. She is creating something new and exciting, and there seems to be no limit to how far she can go. The world, after all, is her oyster. gracereneegallery.com

EXPERIENCE Italian Designer Jewelry Weekend Nov. 8–10 | 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Fri.; wine and appetizers from 4–8 p.m. | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat. and Sun. | Grace Renee Gallery i m ain g e Historic s a r i z o n a .Spanish c o m Nov ember 2 019E. Ho Hum Rd., Carefree | 480-575-8080 | gracereneegallery.com Village | 7212 58Located

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Bryan Black

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For as long as she can remember, Sue Bickerdyke has loved design. As a young child, fabric stores were her playground, and she spent hours with her mother and grandmother, both seamstresses, measuring, cutting and sewing clothing on their Singer sewing machines. “I learned to sew as early as I can remember,” she says. “It was like talking. It was what we did for fun, for togetherness, for practicality.” Today, she still enjoys collaborating with her clients to create beautiful things. For more than two decades, she’s been the force behind Sue Bickerdyke Interiors and Home Furnishings, and has artfully woven together beautiful threads of color, style and imagination to turn the interiors of hundreds of area homes into sophisticated but relaxed spaces. In fact, Sue, her staff and her many clients will celebrate the store’s 25th year in January. Sue began her career in fashion, using her creativity to help clients put outfits together in a boutique clothing shop before becoming a manager then a buyer for the company’s stores. One of her favorite clients was an interior designer. “She recruited me to work at an Ethan Allen as a seminar and store merchandiser,” Sue said. “I would go in early to learn everything I could about furniture and interior design. I was a sponge excited about learning everything I could. “Within a year I was able to become an interior designer. Of course, I had some amazing mentors. Drapery and bedding and upholstery furniture came extra easily because of my experience with fabrics.” From high-quality furniture to inviting fabrics filled with texture, refinement and even whimsy, Sue Bickerdyke Interiors and Home Furnishings is a reflection of the charming and diversified personality of its owner.

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From her upstairs design studio, she curates her ideas. “Fabrics are my favorite category to play with. I love vintage textiles, designer fabrics, exotic ethnic textiles and hand-loomed fabrics,” Sue said. “The mix, not the match of a collected room is a fun way to enjoy the variety of fabrics.” In her shop is an exhilarating selection of textiles from around the world, many which feature embroidery, Ralph Lauren wools that resemble Navajo chiefs’ blankets, or contemporary homages to Mexican fiesta tribal patterns. Some fabrics are vintage, while others are decidedly modern. When Sue has sparked her magic, they come together as window coverings, pillows, accent seating and more in the most magnificent ways. Sue Bickerdyke Interiors isn’t only about fabrics, though. The designer’s hand-crafted furniture is a comfortable blend of elegance and practicality, and she enjoys combining natural elements like tree roots with contemporary colors and designs for lighting, area rugs, and many other décor selections. Throughout the showroom are touches of Bisbee blue and copper, an ode to her Arizona heritage. Each piece is part of the palette she uses to create designs for remodels, redesigned spaces, and even new construction. “I like to refer to it as the Carefree style of living,” she said with an ironic grin.

A GALLERY OF ARIZONA BEAUTY Just as Sue collaborated with her mother and grandmother to create designs when she was a little girl, she still enjoys finding inspiration from other creative people. Sue Bickerdyke Interiors and Home Furnishings is also an art gallery.

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Her husband, Paul, plays a large role in cultivating artwork, much of which is inspired by nature. “He is also a native who loves and appreciates the sacred gifts of our environment,” Sue said. “He doesn’t miss a hawk or bobcat sighting, and he loves all wildlife.

MAKING MEMORIES H WESTERN STYLE

OLD WEST SPIRIT NEW WEST TALENT

“Paul bonds with the artists and their relationship to the desert. Their stories share his Phoenix heritage.”

BRYCE PETTIT Artist Bryce Pettit grew up surrounded by the beauty and awe of the great outdoors in northern Utah. He recreates his connection with wildlife in striking bronze sculpture, managing not only to capture the visual elements of nature, but reflecting something deeper in his work. Throughout his life, Bryce has cultivated his love and appreciation for the outdoors. A self-described naturalist and fisherman, he is trained in both biology and art, and he incorporates his knowledge of science and his passion for the wonders of nature into his work. It is not unusual to find Bryce hiking miles across trials or sitting quietly at the edge of a meadow—not only observing nature, but also feeling a deep and innate connection that emerges in his work. Creativity has never been an option for Bryce. As a child, he grew up drawing and painting, but when he discovered sculpture, he truly came into his creative voice. His bronze sculptures are notable for their authenticity and depth, as well as their artistry. Bryce is a national and regional award-winning sculptor, and his work can be found in private and public collections across the nation. He is a member of The Society of Animal artists, and he continues his life-long dedication and study of both his artistic processes and the subjects he loves.

TREVOR SWANSON Critics and collectors alike acclaim Trevor Swanson’s wildlife paintings, which are skillfully conveyed onto metals. He showed talent from a very young age, and by the time he was in his early 20s, his work was being featured in juried art shows, museums and private collections.

6130 East Cave Creek Road • Cave Creek, AZ

www.lastiendascavecreek.com N ovember 2019

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Amy Lay

Trevor Swanson

By the time he was 25, he had won several prestigious awards, including "Artist of the Year" from the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep. His artistic vision has taken him across the map, through North America, Africa and Europe, and has led him to capture some of nature’s rare and beautiful moments. At times, some of those nearly surreal moments have returned him to reality a little too abruptly—he’s been charged by hippos, tossed into the air by a cape buffalo and chased by crocodiles along the way. Still, his enthusiasm continues to draw him to the hidden corners of the earth. "Anyone who has encountered a wolf eye-to-eye in the wilderness can tell you it’s exhilarating," says Trevor. "Nothing compares to the grandeur of an eagle perched high atop a snow-covered mountain, a sinewy leopard creeping like a shadow across a dry desert, or a magnificent bear effortlessly running across a muddy sandbar. “These are the sights and sensations that inspire the most powerful images on canvas."

AMY LAY Artist Amy Lay finds inspiration in mountain hideaways in her Wyoming home, and from the Wallowa Mountains of her Oregon roots. In Amy’s hand, oil pigments, graphite and charcoal become colorful and powerful wildlife art.

KINDERGARTEN

Round Up

For years, Amy focused on watercolors. The perspective she developed from her early work has heavily influenced her foray into bolder mediums, and her work is recognizable for its bold color and simple, yet ephemeral qualities.

PERFORMING ARTS PRESCHOOL SPANISH PRE-K-6

Desert Sun Academy

At the foundation of her work is a deep love and fascination for the natural world. Her paintings seem to transcend labels, expanding into both contemporary and traditional appeal that traverses the line between realism and abstraction. The transcendence is intentional. Amy’s artistic mission is “to be revolutionary. To be indefinable in a world of categorization, and in the end, to run to parts unknown.”

Black Mountain Elementary School

FRENCH IMMERSION STEAM SPANISH K-6

Desert Willow Elementary School

Thursday, January 23, 2020 • 5:00-6:30pm Visit our five A+ elementary schools – each with its own signature Curriculum. Cave Creek Unified School District is inspiring excellence in young minds.

“I want to create paintings that make people happy and give back a little glimpse of the beauty that animals have shown me my entire life,” she said.

SPANISH IMMERSION INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SPANISH PRE-K-6

Horseshoe Trails Elementary School CHINESE IMMERSION HORSEMANSHIP CHINESE PRE-K-6

Lone Mountain Elementary School 480.575.2000 www.CCUSD93.org N ovember 2019

STEM PROGRAM CHINESE PRE-K-6

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JILL DUZAN Jill Duzan Willey began her professional career as an interior designer, but she found her true love in jewelry design. In the early 2000s, she began traveling abroad to search for fabrics and other design elements, but she returned with more than textiles. Among the finds she discovered in shops and markets were beads made from natural stones, pearls and silver. She also discovered rare artifacts that intrigued her imagination. Soon she was deconstructing her own jewelry, mixing and matching her finds to create eclectic, high-end designs. Her friends began to notice her work and, understandably, wanted some of Jill’s work for themselves. They weren’t the only ones who recognized that Jill’s design savvy was special. In 2003, when Jill realized she could sell her work in boutique shops and other local retailers, she branded her business Jill Duzan and began to showcase her collections online, at trunk shows, and in parties out of her own home. Today, Jill creates contemporary, nature-inspired pieces, integrating beautiful natural stones with artifacts from Africa, India, Thailand, Bali and Italy. “My goal has always been to create jewelry that truly captures the natural beauty and individuality of every woman.” 36889 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Suite B1, Carefree, AZ 85377 480-595-0171 suebickerdyke.com

25th Anniversary Celebration i m a g eTBA s a r i z|oSue n a . cBickerdyke o m Nov e mInteriors b e r 2 019 and Home Furnishings’ | 36889 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Suite B1, Carefree | 480-595-0171 | suebickerdyke.com 66Date/Time

FURNITURE IS LARGER. “Wide open spaces with endless views take work to make them feel cozy,” Sue says. “That feel is what some clients need help achieving. The scale of the rooms has to be considered, and it’s definitely important to incorporate the outside in.

LESS IS MORE. Choosing a few important pieces works better than using lots of little treasures. Quality has been and always will be important.

MAKE IT UNIQUE. Fringe, handcrafted and authentic original art, embossed leather, woven basket textures, wicker furniture and woven rugs are both classic and trendy. Expect to see agave and cacti candleholders, leopard print in any color, real fur and fluffy Tibetan lambswool for pillows or accent seating.

COLORS THAT MAKE YOU SMILE. Gone are the tired browns. Today’s colors turn toward pastel, petal pink and all shades of blue. “I’m drawn to items that make you smile, like a turquoise pillow hand-printed with a quail or hummingbird,” she says. suebickerdyke.com

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Studio #15

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Glass: Single bloom - Sandy Pendleton

Sandy, a glass artist, and Nancy, a mixed-media painter, are two of 199 artists participating in the 23rd Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour taking place Nov. 22-24 and Nov. 29-Dec. 1. Coordinated by the non-profit Sonoran Arts League, Hidden in the Hills is Arizona’s largest and longestrunning artist studio tour. This year’s free, selfguided tour features 47 studios throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale.

Glass-Neighbors - Sandy Pendleton

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

Some sisters share clothes, and other sisters share recipes. Sandy and Nancy Pendleton share a passion for creating beautiful art, both independently and together.

This is Sandy’s sixth year participating in the art tour, and her first year as host of Studio #20 in Cave Creek. Her younger sister, Nancy, returns to the tour after many years to exhibit her new work at Sandy’s studio. Nancy’s colorful, abstract painting graced the cover of the popular glossy Hidden in Hills artist directory in 2000.

A LOVE OF GLASS Sandy Pendleton’s passion for glass art was ignited after she took a basic glass class at her local community college. She became fascinated with the way glass interacts with light, the way it moves with heat, and the creativity it allows. Her colorful fused glass sculptures include several series, such as her intricate, multi-layered glass houses; her captured motion sculptures, where glowing, molten glass is manipulated in a kiln to create unusual one-of-a-kind pieces; and her Earth-inspired sculptures, which are iridescent and accented with glass textures that allow for the pieces to react to changing light over the course of the day.

What Else Would a Dog Say - Nancy Pendleton

Writer Susan Kern-Fleischer Photography Courtesy of Sandy Pendleton and Nancy Pendleton N ovember 2019

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HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

Phoenix - Sandy and Nancy Pendleton

Using a series of processes, she introduces movement, depth and textures into her fused glass pieces. Bubbles and iridescent surfaces alter the path of light, allowing the glass to interact with its environment.

Desert Bloom - Nancy Pendleton

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“I think the little details in an artwork are what makes a piece interesting and speaks to the quality, so I put in the time. It may take several firings to make the small parts that I will assemble into a larger piece,” she said. One of her collaborations with her sister Nancy had 1,600 tiny glass triangles that she hand-cut and placed. “I use a lot of textures, and that means I need to carefully control the heat in my kiln. Glass is not forgiving. You need to think through what you are doing, and you must be patient,” she said.

INSPIRED BY NATURE, ANIMALS AND FASHION Nancy Pendleton graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design, with an emphasis on illustration. She worked as a freelance illustrator for several years before landing a job in the Arizona Republic newsroom as an illustrator/graphic artist. While at the Republic, she won numerous Press Club awards for her work. An acclaimed mixed-media painter, she is best known for her vibrant, whimsical mixed-media paintings of people, animals and desert flora. Some of her pieces are also abstract. “I paint with acrylics and incorporate handmade paper to give pieces more texture. In the past, I have added sticks petals, leaves, found objects and fabric,” she said.

CURT MATTSON FINE ART

Your Cowboy Art Adventure Awaits

Bronze ~ Oil ~ Watercolor www.CurtMattson.com

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HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE NancyPendleton at work

Collaboration between sisters Nancy and Sandy Pendleton. Her intense love and devotion to animals is evident in her work, and she often donates her time and talent to many local animal-related charities.

Better Together Diptych - Nancy Pendleton idea of women being strong and bold as individuals, but even stronger together,” she said.

A CREATIVE COLLABORATION “My animal paintings are not portraits. They are about all the warmth and joy animals bring to our lives. My life would not be complete without my four dogs,” she said, adding that she also loves drawing cats, even though she is allergic to them.

Sandy and Nancy began experimenting together in 2011. Their collaborations consist of glass focal points created with a variety of techniques. The glass is mounted to a textured and painted mixed media wooden panel.

Nancy recently did a series of paintings of women.

The sisters learned early on that, because the glass color palette is limited while the paint palette is infinite, it was best to start the process with the glass. They individually make samples, and then discuss color choices and how

“I admire women who are willing to speak their truth, especially in the face of adversity. My inspiration was the

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Laughing Glass Studio

Functional and Sculptural Glass Art

480-488-6070

4944 E. Sawmill Circle, Cave Creek Open by appointment year round! Carole@LaughingGlass.com

#31 MANON DOYLE Jewelery Design

480-818-3803

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HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST STUDIO TOUR AND SALE

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#31 TESS MOSKO SCHERER Works on Paper | Assemblages | Hand-bound Books Studio with Mike and Pat Markham, Liliana Shuett, and Ronnie Wainwright

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HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

to build out their contemporary, mixed media panel pieces. Collaborating has not only strengthened their bond as sisters, it has also helped their individual work. “We work on art, we talk, we get a little silly,” Sandy said. “It certainly helps me creatively. Often the textures and color combinations I developed for a collaboration reappear in my individual work.” Nancy agreed, saying that her favorite part of working together is brainstorming in the studio. “We push each other creatively in the pieces we do together, as well as in our individual pieces,” Nancy said, adding that she sometimes consults Sandy for input on her own work.

Glass: Autumn Splendor - Sandy Pendleton

Glass: Golden Spire - Sandy Pendleton

23rd Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour

During Hidden in the Hills, Sandy and Nancy will exhibit their individual artwork as well as collaborative nature-inspired, colorful, abstract pieces with very textural finishes. Guest artists at Sandy’s studio also include mixed media artists Mark and Nancy Dabrowski, ceramist KimmBerly loane, and jeweler Carole Tenwalde. hiddeninthehills.org

EXPERIENCE

Friday through Sunday, Nov. 22–24 & Nov. 29–Dec. 1 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free, self-guided tour featuring 199 artists at 47 studios throughout Cave Creek, Carefree & N. Scottsdale Maps available at Sonoran Arts League’s Center for the Arts | 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd., Suite 144, Stagecoach Village, Cave Creek hiddeninthehills.org im a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

M I C H A E L

M c K E E

Hidden in the Hills Studio #32

I strive to create dynamic landscapes of the southwest featuring distinctive, joyful color. See my work at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hidden in the Hillsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Studio #32 November 22, 23, 24 & 29, 30, Dec1 Contact me to schedule a personal visit if you would rather see my work in your home. Together, we can find a beautiful piece that brings joy to your life. Your friend in Art - Michael

m i c h a e l m c k e e g a l l e r y. c o m Call for a home visit; 630-779-3793 N ovember 2019

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Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer Photography courtesy of Sue Hunter.

There’s no predicting what Sue Hunter will paint next—and that’s exactly how the talented artist likes it. Lately, she has devoted much of her time to creating whimsical mixed media collage paintings, but her diverse works include traditional oil paintings, acrylic non-objective paintings (abstract), impressionistic watercolors, and she even worked in pastels for a few years. Her subjects include landscapes, animals, figuratives and florals, and all of her work is full of color and emotion. A Scottsdale resident, Hunter is one of 199 artists participating in the 23rd Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour taking place over the last two weekends of November, and she is this year’s chosen cover artist for the Hidden in the Hills directory. Coordinated by the non-profit Sonoran Arts League, Hidden in the Hills is Arizona’s largest and longest-running artists’ studio tour. This year’s free, self-guided tour features 47 studios throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale.

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HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST STUDIO TOUR AND SALE

Ballerina Emerging

TRUE TO HERSELF A native of Arkansas, Hunter moved to Arizona in 1960 where she worked at Honeywell for 20 years. While she has always been creative, she didn’t pursue art full-time until 2002. She is a graduate of Western International University and has studied at Scottsdale Artists’ School. While famous impressionist artists Claude Monet and Edgar Degas influence her, she has found her own unique style that, while impressionistic, is true to herself. “I like to paint what I feel, not what I see,” Hunter said. “I start with a photo, or I may be painting plein air, and at some point, my intuitive nature takes over and the painting N ovember 2019

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takes on the character of the emotion of the image." She views each painting as a problem-solving opportunity, and she often takes liberties, even with her still life and figurative paintings. “Early in my career, my painting style was traditional realistic, but I didn’t like being so structured,” she said, adding that oils and watercolors require more structure. She prefers the freedom to experiment with no restrictions. “I learn the rules then break them if necessary for the success of the painting,” she said. “I never know my subject matter or the background of a piece until I start painting a non-objective painting. Composition, value, color and texture are important to me, but I like to be surprised at the outcome.”

Book of Knowledge

She prefers to paint with fluid acrylics because of their vivid colors. Acrylics also allow her to work quickly. “I teach classes at Shemer Art Center and in my private studio, so I have to paint in spurts when I have time,” she said.

COLLAGE CAPTURED HER SPIRIT Hunter’s studio is jam-packed with boxes of handmade and store-bought paper, stamps, maps, Coca-Cola bottle caps, stencils, sheets of music, glass beads, buttons, feathers, eyeglasses, wire, embroidery thread and other unique items. “I never wanted to do collage because I knew it would take over my studio,” she laughed. However, that changed when she traveled overseas two years ago.

Peking Duck “When a friend invited me to Ireland to work with other artists on a mosaic, I thought I would be a “go-fer” since I had never done mosaics before. Experiencing how the mosaic was constructed and completed influenced me when I started doing collages,” she said. She has the most fun embellishing pieces, and she wishes people could see more of her mixed media elements in photos.

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Evening Glow

“My ‘Book of Knowledge’ painting, for example, includes a set of real eyeglasses that a student gave me,” she said, adding that several students have given her items that she has incorporated into her work. “One student gave me a bag of beads she had made, and another a student gave me a wreath of white silver tipped feathers which were used in my collage, ‘Peking Duck,’” she said. Several collages include coins and music notes. Another painting includes a button that belonged to a student’s grandmother. “I often include mixed media pieces that have meaning, and each painting has a story behind it,” she said.

HITH COVER ARTIST This will be Hunter’s 19th year participating in Hidden in the Hills, and her first year as the featured cover artist for the popular event. Her mixed media collage painting, “All Tied Up,” featuring a scarlet ibis, graces the cover of the 23rd Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour directory. Over the years, the popular four-color, glossy artists directory has become a collectible among patrons. Hunter’s colorful, whimsical collage painting was among more than 75 pieces of diverse fine art entries submitted for consideration for the cover art during a juried selection process. “There were so many terrific entries, but we kept going back to Sue’s whimsy and bright mixed media collage painting,” said Hidden in the Hills co-chair Jane Boggs. Hunter said “All Tied Up” includes mixed media elements from a trip to Poland two years ago. “The flowers on the bottom of the painting are from napkins I brought home, and if you look closely, you’ll see some Polish stamps,” she said. The colorful painting also includes a subtle message. “While creating it, I began to think of how so many items we discard end up in the environment, causing harm to the animals,” she said. Hunter has received many accolades for her work, but her greatest reward is teaching others.

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French Necklace

All Tied Up

At the Beach

“I love teaching, and I encourage students, but never dictate,” she said. “I have had many students who had never painted and who did not believe they could produce a painting. But when they completed their first painting, the wonder and joy were unbelievable!” She believes art is good for the soul, and she said her art has helped her get through many difficult challenges, including the loss of her husband, John, several years ago. “I believe art is the best therapy for everyone,” she said. “I prefer to go with the flow, let the brush dance along, and then surprise myself with how I can use mixed media elements. If I have to stop to think about it, I’m no longer having fun.” During Hidden in the Hills, Hunter will exhibit a variety of mixed media collage, oil and abstract paintings at Jane Boggs’ Studio #28 in Cave Creek. hiddeninthehills.org

EXPERIENCE

23rd Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour

N ovember 2019

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Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer Photography Courtesy of Jane Boggs

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS

The four seasons of Arizona sometimes blend together, but there is a fifth season that starts right around now: art season. For the past 26 years, the award-winning Thunderbird Artists has been kicking off the arts season with its Fall Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival, a juried show featuring diverse fine art, wine tastings, microbrews, delicious food and live music. This year, 165 renowned artists will showcase and sell their original work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Nov. 1–3 along Ho Hum and Easy Streets in downtown Carefree. A popular event for locals and tourists alike, Thunderbird Artists’ fall Carefree show was recently ranked as the No. 2 arts festival in the country, behind La Quinta Arts Festival in California. The prestigious industry accolade was included in Greg Lawler’s Art Fair SourceBook (AFSB) 2019 “Premier 100” Fine Art Events. Thunderbird Artists’ Carefree January and March shows also ranked well.

FEATURED ARTIST USES GOURDS AS HER CANVAS This is the first year that Cave Creek mixed media artist Jane Boggs will exhibit her work with Thunderbird Artists. As the featured artist for the Fall Carefree Festival of Fine Art, she will exhibit a variety of gourd masks, sculptural figures and whimsical pieces. “Jane’s bold, colorful gourd sculptures have evolved to include elaborate and stunning pieces that are mesmerizing,” said Thunderbird Artists President Denise Colter. “Although much of her work has been done in a Southwestern style, patrons to our November show will see her new, organic, multi-cultural pieces, which are magnificent!” While always creative, Boggs didn’t pursue art as a career until later in her life. A former United States Tennis Association (USTA) employee, she worked in Colorado for 10 years as director of the Intermountain Region Junior Competitive

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STUDIO 7162 EAST STEVENS RD CAVE CREEK, AZ 85331 JUDYBRUCEART.COM

N ovember 2019

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Division, managing six states before retiring in Newport Beach in 1993. Three years later, she and her husband, John, moved to Cave Creek where she began taking painting lessons. Gourd art was not in her plans until she and a friend visited a gourd farm. "I was so enthralled with the variety of gourds, that I bought 100 with no idea of what to do with them,â&#x20AC;? Boggs said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A visit to the gourd farm is a special type of shopping trip. There are 13 varieties of gourds, and by now, I have a good sense as to which ones will make good vessels, masks or sculptural pieces." Challenging her creativity, she taught herself how to create art pieces using high-powered carvers and pyro-engravers. Over the years, she began to experiment with various embellishments, including stains, watercolors, acrylics and metallic inks. She also uses organic materials, including feathers, woven fabric, palm fronds, handmade paper and other decorative items.

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“The gourds are my canvas,” she said. “I’ve learned so much in 20 years that I now teach classes.” Her stunning gourd masks are her specialty. “Most of my masks have thousands of feathers. It’s a very laborintensive job. Each feather has to be selected, trimmed, shaped and glued—even the tiny ones,” she said. Her largest mask, Avatar, was inspired by James Cameron’s award-winning science fiction film. The fivefoot by five-foot piece sold for $10,000. Another breathtaking piece, Mardi Gras, features thousands of ostrich and peacock feathers. Her gourd sculptures range in size and price, with some smaller pieces priced at under $100. Recently, she began experimenting with more mixed media elements, adding natural reeds, seeds, pods, shells and fossils. “I’m having a lot of fun with my new series of multi-cultural figurative sculptures,” Boggs said. “I start off with an open mind and never know what to expect. In fact, this is the first time I wanted to keep these sculptures in our home rather than in my studio—that’s how attached to them I have been.” Throughout the three-day festival, patrons can take in live music and enjoy wine tastings, microbrews and a variety of festival food. The festival’s featured performer, AfterGlow, will perform contemporary jazz and funk tunes all three days in the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion. Other participating musicians include Vibhas Kendzia, a master of the Indian flute. thunderbirdartists.com

EXPERIENCE Thunderbird Artists Fall Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival November 1–3 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Easy and Ho Hum Streets, Carefree | Admission: $3 for adults; free for children 17 and under; $10 wine tasting i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019 88thunderbirdartists.com

Hidden In The Hills Artist Studio Tour 480.575.6624 • HiddenInTheHills.org

SEE ARTISTS IN ACTION! — 199 ARTISTS at 47 STUDIOS —

NOVEMBER 22-24 & NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 1 CAVE CREEK • CAREFREE • NORTH SCOTTSDALE N ovember 2019

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Sharen Bradford

Many years ago, French-born dance choreographer Jacques Heim was living in an apartment complex in Hollywood. He did not know any of his neighbors until an earthquake shook the area. “Suddenly, the neighbors started sharing food, blankets and water,” Heim recalls. “We finally started creating this beautiful community—living together and helping one another.” Heim was moved by the experience and sought to instill the humanity that he felt as a result of it into Diavolo, the dance company that he founded in 1992. “Sometimes, modern society does not allow us to actually help one another,” Heim explains. “We are so individual and so much in our own world and cocoon because life is complex. I wanted audiences to see the power and the beauty of humans helping one another, supporting one another, teaching one another— like it is their last day on Earth.” That is one of the reasons there is an element of danger in the repertoire of Diavolo, which will perform at 8 p.m. Nov. 22 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Exactly what the company will be performing, though, is somewhat difficult to describe—even for Heim. The artistic director likens Diavolo’s identity to a salad in which he—a French chef in this scenario—mixes a fusion of different movements. Chef Heim begins by chopping up some everyday movement and placing it into a bowl. To that, he adds a little bit of ballet, a sliver of modern dance, a sprinkle of gymnastics, a fair amount of acrobatics and a morsel of martial arts.

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“Then I will tweak it and toss it before adding an architectural environment—large structures that the dancers live in,” says Heim, noting that he is not a dancer and is, in fact, the most dyslexic and unflexible artistic director you will ever meet. “Those structures tell a story or transmit a feeling.

“

Sometimes, modern society does not allow us to actually help one another. We are so individual and so much in our own world and cocoon because life is complex. I wanted audiences to see the power and the beauty of humans helping one another, supporting one another, teaching one another—like it is their last day on Earth.

“

Jacques Heim

“I wish I could have been an architect but I did not have the discipline to be one. So I decided to mix my loves—the love of movement, the love to push human beings beyond their limits and the love for the language of architecture.” Diavolo’s repertoire features a variety of different set pieces inspired by architecture, hence the company’s show title Architecture in Motion. Set pieces include a 3,000-pound boat that symbolizes the transcendence of the human soul against all odds; several skateboard ramps that represent an urban environment with ever-shifting physical and emotional spaces; and a giant morphing staircase with multiple doors, passageways and shifting surfaces showing the tenuous balance we attempt to strike each day. Diavolo’s newest adventure, inspired by travels in space and the first moon landing, sees gravity-defying bodies encountering whimsical, kinetic structures in a challenging environment. Heim gets the ideas for the company’s repertoire from the very world in which we live and breathe. “I travel and walk a lot,” Heim says. “Sometimes I see something that catches my attention—something that is peculiar, something that I am curious about or something that I want to analyze.” Heim uses a recent experience with a hotel’s large glass revolving door as an example to shine some light on his thought process. He recalls watching a woman, who had just arrived at the hotel with her suitcase, enter the revolving door. “There were all of these other people

coming from the inside of the hotel, and one of the suitcases got stuck,” Heim says. “The woman entering and a man exiting suddenly got stuck in the revolving door and were facing one another, trying to negotiate how they were going to move.” Heim aspires to one day create and add to Diavolo’s repertoire a gigantic revolving door that represents the revolving door of our lives in which we sometimes get stuck. “I can take that concept of the hotel and put it into a metaphor about life,” Heim explains. Over the past 20 years, Diavolo has appeared before audiences in 250 cities and 14 countries and has performed to sold-out crowds throughout the U.S. Two years ago, Heim’s imaginative ideas and creative choreography propelled Diavolo to the finale of NBC’s reality competition series “America’s Got Talent,” introducing the company to audiences across the country. However, Heim acknowledges that there is only so much that can be seen, experienced and felt through a television screen. “Seeing Diavolo live is exciting because you do not really understand what you seeing,” Heim says. “It is very visceral. It transports you to a place that makes you use a bit of imagination. It is like a journey that you take.” Heim notes that it is not uncommon for audiences to stand up and cheer at the end of Diavolo’s performances—not because the shows are a spectacle but because the performers have exemplified excellent teamwork. “You see these men and women on stage working together as a unit, as a community, as a family.” Heim says. “There is a little bit of envy because you wish that you could be part of it.

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“You recognize that these performers on stage are fighting together like great gladiators to make this extraordinary journey happen. They work together as a battalion of men and women in the trenches of war. You see this team facing an adversary because this work is dangerous.” Heim reiterates that Diavolo is like no other dance company. He therefore looks for the perfect performers to bring his ideas and choreography to life. Diavolo’s dancers should have some technique— especially ballet, since the artistic director believes that is the basis of all movement. But instead of talent, Heim looks for dancers’ commitment to themselves. “I look for individualism,” he explains. “I look for artists who have something to say and something to fight for. They do not have to be the best dancer ever, but they have to have passion and they have to move like they are taking their last breath.” Heim aspires to create more than just art with Diavolo. He aims to push his performers beyond their physical, mental and emotional limits so that they can discover their full potential. “They can then discover who they are and eventually be able to accomplish anything that they put their minds to,” Heim says. “Diavolo is more than a dance company. It is a program.” That mindset is what fuels Heim’s mission for the company, which has incorporated educational and community outreach since its inception. Through The Diavolo Institute, the company shares the power of dance as a means of social impact with people of all ages and abilities. In 2016, The Diavolo Institute expanded upon the programs it offers. “Three years ago, we started to work with the veteran community,” Heim says. “We offer movement workshops for the men and women of the armed forces who have PTSD. The movement of Diavolo becomes medicine to those veterans. Our movement workshop is basically a restoration of their mental, emotional and physical strength.” Heim adds that working with the veteran community has forever changed his life and that of the company. “When you can use your art to serve and help others, you realize your greater mission in life,” Heim explains. “Twenty-seven years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. Three years ago, I finally connected the dots. The reason I have a dance company in the United States of America is to help and to celebrate humans.”

EXPERIENCE

diavolo.org

N ovember 2019

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Caramel Apple Sticky Buns Made with a super simple biscuit dough, these buns are the perfect sweet treat for your weekend brunch! Be sure you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t over-knead the biscuit dough. If you want to make a little icing for the top, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix and add more or less until desired consistency.

Ingredients: Caramel: 6 tablespoons grass-fed butter 1-1/4 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup organic heavy cream

1/4 cup water 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Filling: 3 large organic apples, peeled and finely chopped 3 tablespoons grass-fed butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon organic cinnamon Dough: 4 cups Bob's Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour 4 teaspoons Bob's Red Mill Baking Powder 1 teaspoon Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold grass-fed butter, cut into small chunks 1 1/2 cups cold organic buttermilk 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cardamom ice cream, if desired

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 13x9 inch baking pan. Caramel: In medium saucepan, combine 6 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup water. Cook over medium-high until butter is melted. Stir in brown sugar and cook until smooth and bubbling. Lower the heat and stir in the cream. Cook for about one minute over low heat. Add salt and remove from heat. Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m Nov e m b e r 2 019

Pour in enough caramel to cover the bottom of prepared 13x9inch pan. Reserve remainder for topping the rolls.

Filling: In a large skillet, melt butter and add apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and apples have softened slightly. Turn off heat and let sit while you make the dough.

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Dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add cold chunks of butter and cut in using your fingers or a dough cutter until the crumbs are the size of small peas. Add buttermilk and mix gently to bring the dough together. Turn out onto a floured surface. Scrape and gently knead dough to bring it together. Making sure your surface is wellfloured, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 1/4inch thick and 12x16 inches.

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Spread lightly with softened butter and sprinkle with additional brown sugar and cinnamon to your liking. Spoon the cooled apple mixture over dough, leaving a 2-inch border along the long edge that will be the end of your roll. Starting with the long side, tightly roll up the dough, pressing to seal the edge. Trim the ends off and cut the remainder into 8 rolls. Place in prepared pan. Bake at 375 for 25 to 35 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes. Carefully invert pan onto a serving platter or surface. Drizzle remainder of caramel over the top of the rolls and eat! N ovember 2019

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Sweet Potato Shingle Casserole Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love this unique twist on plain old sweet potatoes! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the perfect side dish to serve for your Thanksgiving get-together. Makes: One 1.5-quart casserole dish Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients: 3.5 pounds sweet potatoes 1 stick butter 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes and, using a mandolin, thinly slice them to be about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Melt butter. Add spice, honey and sugar. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with butter mixture until all are coated. Layer sweet potatoes vertically in a casserole dish. They should all fit and be very snug. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drizzle with honey, top with candied nuts and serve.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

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AN ND D EE R R SS O ON N LL II N NC CO O LL N N SS A

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