Happy Birdthday Arizona

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Phoenix & Scottsdale Art. Culture. Entertainment.

Happy Birthday, Arizona!

By Martha-Page Althaus

Arizona Science Center 600 E. Washingto

A century of statehood calls for a big-time celebration.

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Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performs at the US Airways Center in Phoenix (February 10–11). One of the world’s largest and oldest choirs, this 360-member ensemble, based in Salt Lake City at the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has performed around the world, at five presidential inaugurations, and received the National Medal of Arts.

These signature Centennial events all lead up to the official 100th Statehood Day,

photos (clockwise) courtesy of arizona centennial and by devin rankin, simon wickes, and david cottle

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The Arizona Centennial Ride (February 11) celebrates the open road with a 20-mile motorcycle tour, led by country singer and Phoenix native Dierks Bentley. Alongside the Centennial’s mascot, the AZ Copper Chopper, and 2,000 other riders, Bentley leads the pack from Mesa Riverview and ends the journey in front of the State Capitol Copper Dome in Phoenix.

The Capitol also serves as the backdrop for Best Fest Phoenix (February 11–12), a free event showcasing all things Arizona. Brush up on your knowledge of history in the History

and Military History pavilions; explore the state’s indigenous culture in the American Indian Village, which features the culture and traditions of Arizona’s 22 tribal nations; and enjoy live music, food at the Hispanic Village, and more, all with local flavor.

From country stars to world-renowned classics, Arizona’s Centennial celebration offers something for everyone. The Mormon

photo courtesy of Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau

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s Arizona celebrates its 100th anniversary of statehood this month, the Arizona Centennial Commission hosts several events to honor the state’s rich heritage, history, and culture.

February 14, when a series of Phoenix-based celebrations honor Arizona’s past while looking to the future.

Governor Janice K. Brewer and former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor pay homage to Arizona’s 100-year-old residents, companies, and nonprofits at the centenarian brunch. The Arizona Statehood Commemorative ‘Forever’ Stamp celebrates its First Day Issue during a ceremony at the Capitol, and a rededication of centennial way takes place later in the day. This $7 million renovation project, currently underway, will enhance the state Capitol complex with new walkways and public art honoring Arizona’s tribal nations and 15 counties. Fandango!

Arizona caps off the day with an elegant dinner, a showcase of Arizona landscapes on panoramic video, and a performance of the Grand Canyon Suite by the Phoenix Symphony.

With so many events celebrating the state’s culture and heritage, it’s the perfect time to explore the arts and culture scene in Phoenix

and Scottsdale. In 1915, Phoenix leaders were determined to make the city “the arts center of the state.” Nearly 100 years later, the region’s arts scene is as diverse as its desert landscapes.

Offerings range from American Indian exhibits at the Heard Museum to the contemporary collections at the Phoenix Art Museum and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Artlink First Fridays in Phoenix (the country’s largest self-guided art walk) and Scottsdale’s 30-year-old ArtWalk make the arts even more accessible to visitors.

And that’s not all: From architecture (Scottsdale’s Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Taliesin West) and botanical beauty (the 145-acre Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix) to galleries, public art, and classical offerings, the arts and culture community in Phoenix and Scottsdale celebrates its diverse heritage all year.

As Arizona turns 100, the celebration doesn’t end on February 14. Turn the page for more on the flourishing arts and culture scene in Phoenix and Scottsdale.

Clockwise from top left: Arizona skyline, Arizona Best Fest entryway, main stage, and a gun-fighting show.

Best Fest Phoenix is free, delivering educational pavilions by the University of Arizona on Science & Future, and by Resolution Copper on Natural Resources, among others.

Plus see an American Indian Village by Giant, the Shamrock Farms Family Fun Zone, and even a Western Town presented by Discount Tire.

For more information, visit az100years.org.

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By Nancy Oakley

Experience Innovation At Arizona Science Center.

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too. Adults can take advantage of lectures on seafood safety or medical breakthroughs, or join the Science Cafe, which encourages conversation between members of the community and university scientists on a given topic (for which participating teachers receive credit for professional development).

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February 2012

Or, in a darkened room, where you can almost feel the weightlessness of outer space as you tour the planets in the solar system.

The good news is you don’t have to imagine any of these fleeting sensations; you can experience them outright inside Arizona Science Center’s Immersion Theater, part of its permanent Forces of Nature gallery, and at its Dorrance Planetarium (one of only five in the world with a cutting-edge NanoSeam dome).

Both characterize the Science Center’s commitment to finding innovative ways of bringing science to its 400,000 annual visitors.

The Immersion Theater and Planetarium are just two standouts among 300 hands-on

exhibitions covering everything from the human body to neurological discoveries, music, physics, and digital technology, not to mention a five-story IMAX theater.

And while many of the Science Center’s programs, such as camps and daily demonstrations, cater to some 130,000 schoolchildren a year, there are plenty of activities for grown-ups

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magine standing in a room that starts to rumble in anticipation of a volcanic eruption. Next there’s a blinding flash of lightning, rain begins to fall, and a searing miasma of heat envelopes you.

North American Premiere No doubt you will find inspiration in this month’s North American premiere of yet another groundbreaking exhibition, Van Gogh Alive. Become one with the Dutch painter’s vibrant sunflowers and swirling, starry nights, among 3,000 other images.

The best part: They’re all reproduced on enormous panels, while a classical music score and sound and light projections heighten your experience. Here, art and science meet, prompting reflection on larger questions: What is the chemistry of paint? How can digital software manipulate art? What was happening in Van Gogh’s brain?

Arizona SciTech Festival The Science Center continues to pose larger questions beyond its walls this month as a foundation sponsor of the inaugural Arizona SciTech Festival. The six-week, statewide festival celebrates Arizona’s leadership in science, technology, and innovation through a series of fun events.

In addition to hosting the kickoff ribbon cutting on February 4, the Science Center will have a number of SciTech events during the Festival for all ages and interests, including special exhibitions, workshops, guided tours, and competitions. Topics cover everything from the science of baseball to advances in bioscience and solar energy.

Whether hosting SciTech Festival events, simulating the orbit of the planets under its planetarium’s dome, or creating a myriad of innovative exhibitions and programs, the restless curiosity of Arizona Science Center proves that there’s always something new under the sun.

Above from left: Van Gogh Alive exhibit; the Forces of Nature gallery; Dorrance Planetarium

Arizona Science Center 600 E. Washington St. 602.716.2000 azscience.org

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Mongwu or Great Horned Owl Katsina

by Loren Phillips

Seen and Heard The Heard Museum showcases one of the world’s premier collections of American Indian art.

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jewel located along Central Avenue’s downtown arts and culture corridor, the Heard Museum is one of Phoenix’s most venerable institutions.

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February 11 & 12 World Champion Hoop Dance Contest

Opens February 11 Beyond Geronimo: The Apache Experience

Opens February 25 Landscape, Form and Light: Namingha Family

March 3 & 4 54th Annual Indian Fair & Market

Zuni necklace

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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It’s also a perfect spot for viewing — or purchasing — vibrant contemporary works

by American Indian artists. Since its 1929 founding by Dwight B. and Maie Bartlett Heard, the rich and varied collection has continued to expand, and there’s always something new: a fresh discovery to delight the eye, touch the heart, and stimulate the mind.

With a full schedule of special events, an award-winning cafe, and a museum shop offering the finest-quality handmade Native art, jewelry, handcrafts, and more, the Heard inspires frequent visits.

The heart and soul of the Heard is its permanent collection, which numbers some 40,000 objects. Among 11 galleries occupying

35,000 square feet of exhibit space, visitors discover a dazzling array of American Indian pottery, jewelry, textiles, ancestral artifacts, sculpture, and painting, with some pieces dating back to the first millennium A.D. With extensive holdings in contemporary American Indian art, including masterworks by artists such as Allan Houser (Chiricahua Apache), Fritz Scholder (Luiseño), Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee), and Dan Namingha (Hopi/Tewa),

the Heard’s collection sets it apart.

The permanent exhibition, HOME: Native People in the Southwest, features nearly 2,000 artifacts alongside interactive displays exploring the lives of the Southwest’s first peoples. A major long-term exhibition, The Boarding School Experience, on view through

late 2012, will travel to museums nationwide.

This month marks the opening of a groundbreaking new show about legendary Apache leader Geronimo as well as the first of two exhibitions spotlighting Hopi artist families. As for changing exhibitions, the most popular feature Native dolls and bolo ties, Arizona’s official neckwear.

You might just find your own bolo at the Heard Museum Shop. Select from fine handmade, authentic American Indian art, jewelry, textiles, and other unique items. Both the shop and its neighbor the Berlin Gallery, a fine art retail establishment, feature works by artists whose pieces are in the museum.

Special events at the Heard occur yearround and include the Spanish Market, the World Champion Hoop Dance Contest, the Thanksgiving Day Harvest Feast, and the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair & Market, Arizona’s largest Indian market.

Visitors will be amazed by the Heard’s Old Arizona ambience, exhibits, and events, all of which embody the true spirit of the Southwest.

Clockwise from top left: a member of the Aravaipa Crown Dancers; the art fence seen in the permanent exhibit HOME: Native People in the Southwest; and Heard Museum entrance

For more information, visit heard.org.

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the Geographical Galleries that focus on five major regions: Africa and the Middle East; Asia and Oceania; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and the U.S. and Canada. Wireless headphones deliver loops of streamed music, bringing to life the distinctive audio qualities of each instrument, while accompanying videos showing them in use appear on nearly 300 high-resolution flat-panel monitors.

There are also some special exhibition spaces. For example, the Mechanical Music Gallery showcases instruments designed to play on their own. The Artist Gallery includes instruments and artifacts associated with some of the world’s leading musicians. Not surprisingly, there’s a permanent exhibit dedicated to the figure whose popularity and stature as an entertainment icon has only seemed to grow since his death in 1977 at the age of 42.

Elvis Presley: Three Decades of the King includes a rich selection of not only instruments, but also clothing, personal items, and other significant artifacts from his storied music and acting career.

Like a satisfying concert encore, MIM delivers more than compelling exhibits. There’s also the MIM Museum Store, offering everything from books and CDs to jewelry and, of course, instruments; the MIM Cafe and Coffee Shop; and the 299-seat, state-of-the-art MIM Music Theater. Featuring superb acoustics, the theater hosts a diverse range of performances, as well as workshops, films, lectures, and interactive performances that explore deeper musical

Art. Culture. Entertainment.

By Brian Cook

Hearing Is Believing The Musical Instrument Museum is one of Phoenix’s newest cultural stars.

February 2012

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B.C.? Got it. A Burmese harp? It’s here, too.

How about a piano played by John Lennon, and guitars that were slung across the shoulders of Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, and Paul Simon? Fans of contemporary music won’t be disappointed either. All pieces have both historic and artistic merit, and many are more than 50 years old.

With design elements that include a courtyard, a soaring atrium, and an interior crafted to convey the graceful lines of musical instruments, MIM occupies a space that’s bright, open, and dramatic in scale. The structure also boasts some environmentally friendly features including a rooftop solar system that cuts energy costs by an estimated 15 percent, and landscaping with native plants and a gray-water irrigation system.

The core of MIM’s collection is featured in

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A striking building of Indian sandstone that complements the desert landscape, the Musical Instrument Museum features airy, light-filled exhibit spaces and a collection of some 15,000 instruments and artifacts from more than 200 countries and territories, including those used in ethnic, folk, and tribal music. Nearly 5,000 items are on display at a time at MIM, which celebrates its second anniversary in April.

Talk about cultural diversity: Looking for some 17th-century Dutch carillon bells?

Check. A drum from China, circa 5,000

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he slogan says it all: “The most extraordinary museum you’ll ever hear.”

Your eyes are also in for a treat at MIM.

Centennial Celebration This year marks a century of Arizona statehood, and the museum will honor the occasion with a special exhibition, I Am AZ Music: MIM Celebrates 100 Years of Arizona Music.

Opening February 18, it features a wide range of artists with ties to the state, from Gin Blossoms and Linda Ronstadt to Waylon Jennings and Stevie Nicks, plus specific genres such as Native American, cowboy, and mariachi.

The show is part of an expansion that will increase the United States/Canada gallery with more than 40 new exhibits. Get a sneak peek on February 14 at the “Romancing Arizona” event, featuring locally produced food and wines, and live, local entertainment.

Opposite page: Cutting-edge audio and video technology helps bring the exhibits to life. Above: MIM Music Theater; Below: building exterior

MIM is located at 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. Hours are 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday; 9 a.m.– 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission: adults 18–64, $15; seniors 65+, $13; and youths 6–17, $10 (no charge for children 5 and under). For more information, call 480.478.6000 or visit themim.org.

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Stars in the Making

By Wes Isley

Valley Youth Theatre prepares the next generation for success.

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alley Youth Theatre (VYT) has been helping thousands of young people in Greater Phoenix tap their potential through the performing arts since 1989.

Right: VYT’s cast of the Arizona premiere of Tony Award–winning composer Jason Robert Brown’s 13

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Voted by the Arizona Republic as The Best Place to Become a Future Star, and rated The Best Place to Take a Bow by Phoenix Magazine, VYT boasts alumni including Max Crumm, who starred as Danny Zuko in the recent Broadway revival of Grease; Disney star and 2011 Dancing With the Stars finalist Chelsea Kane; Jordin Sparks, recording artist and 2007 winner of American Idol; and Emma Stone, Golden Globe–nominated star of The Help and Easy A. “I believe part of what has helped them succeed is believing in themselves, and they learned that from us,” says VYT producing artistic director Bobb Cooper.

The theater aims to inspire everyone who takes a class or performs in a show to be the best they can be. And, as Cooper explains, developing teamwork, communication, and responsibility is essential for any career. “Some VYT kids are now attorneys and journalists and police officers,” he says. “To be a success in anything takes hard work and perseverance.”

To give everyone the opportunity to shine, VYT doesn’t charge “pay-to-play” fees like some other theater companies. Cooper also has instituted a groundbreaking scholarship program in which each actor, musician, and crew member can earn up to $300 per production toward college education. “Our scholarship program is the only one of its kind,” he says.

Each year, VYT produces six shows performed by children and teens with supervision from professional actors, dance instructors, designers, and technicians, as well as adult volunteers. VYT’s 2011–2012 season continues at the organization’s 202-seat facility in downtown Phoenix with Charlotte’s Web (February 3–19) and the Arizona premiere of Freckleface Strawberry (April 6–22). To accommodate larger audiences, VYT will present The Wiz at the Herberger Theater Center (June 8–24).

The theater’s comprehensive education program covers everything from acting technique and audition prep to sharpening dance and improvisational skills. In addition to VYT’s staff of performers, educators, and technicians, such as veteran music director Mark Fearey and award-winning costume designer Karol Cooper, cast members also work with guest composers, choreographers,

and other theater professionals direct from Hollywood and Broadway.

“VYT has gained tremendous respect for the quality of our productions and our education program, and for what we’re able to bring out of young people,” Cooper says, noting that VYT is the only theater of its kind accepted as a member of the Theatre Communications Group.

Cooper understands the value of personal excellence and the performing arts, and says it played a critical role in his teenage years. “I found a place where I belonged, and it challenged me,” he says. “If it weren’t for theater, I never would’ve graduated high school.”

VYT’s Sponsor-A-Seat program provides hundreds of at-risk youth the opportunity to attend a free VYT performance and have lunch with the cast. The theater also partners with the Phoenix Elementary and Roosevelt School Districts with their award-winning Literacy and the Arts Program by using live theater to help improve reading skills and instill an appreciation for theater.

“For 23 years, Valley Youth Theatre has helped to make young people’s dreams come true,” Cooper says. “It’s a place where they can dare to be themselves and be inspired to do their best!”

Above: Munkustrap (Matt Hooper) takes center stage in the Arizona premiere of CATS. Left: Alice (Maddy Rathbun) is caught in the middle as Tweedledee (E.J. Dohring) and Tweedledum (Justin Corsillo) face off during Alice In Wonderland.

Valley Youth Theatre 807 N. Third St. Phoenix, AZ, 85004-2021.

602.253.8188 vyt.com

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Scottsdale Cultural Council president Bill Banchs and 5 Arts members enjoy a moment backstage with Ben Vereen.

Keeping the Arts Center Stage

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Above: Phoenix Art Museum Director James Ballinger shares an Ed Mell painting with 5 Arts members.

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— William Banchs, president and CEO, Scottsdale Cultural Council

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So he challenged his golf foursome to secure private donations for the arts to enhance cultural offerings in the Valley.

From that challenge emerged Arizona 5 Arts Circle, a unique model that generates funding for five premier arts groups: Arizona Opera, Ballet Arizona, Phoenix Art Museum, The Phoenix Symphony, and Scottsdale Cultural Council. Members show their appreciation for the arts through an annual gift that is equally distributed among these groups.

To date, 5 Arts Circle has raised more than $3.2

million. “5 Arts Circle has been a lifesaver for the ballet,” says Jon Teeuwissen, executive director of Ballet Arizona. “It provides a valuable and dependable infusion of financial support.”

For its members, 5 Arts Circle offers special opportunities to connect with the arts. They can attend dress rehearsals of productions like Arizona Opera’s Madama Butterfly, Ballet Arizona’s Sleeping Beauty with live music by The Phoenix Symphony, and the nationally acclaimed Trisha Brown Dance Troupe. They also enjoy exclusive dinners with artistic and museum directors, and private previews of exhibitions like Phoenix Art Museum’s Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture in the 21st Century. Museum Director James Ballinger summed it up when he remarked, “5 Arts Circle has introduced patrons to the art museum who otherwise might not have found us.”

“5 Arts Circle members are emissaries for the arts and provide financial support equivalent to a $1.5 million endowment for five leading cultural organizations.”

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5 Arts members at a rehearsal with Arizona Opera’s mezzo-soprano Laura Wilde.

Arizona 5 Arts Circle unites artists, arts enthusiasts, and benefactors. he idea for Arizona 5 Arts Circle came out of the blue . . . or rather the greens. While golfing in 1999, founder Howard Hirsch noted that arts funding wasn’t what it could be.

5 Arts members at a rehearsal with Ballet Arizona artistic director Ib Andersen and dancers Tzu-Chia Huang and Shea Johnson.

In 5 Arts Circle’s commitment to promote and expand cultural access and exposure, its popular series Arts & Beyond showcases a wide range of art that falls beyond the scope of the five groups it funds. Members are invited to lectures with leading architects, screenings of new films, visits with artists in-studio, and other exclusive “art tastings.” The goal is to connect members, business leaders, and artists in intimate, behind-the-scenes settings. Thanks to these diverse programs, 5 Arts Circle continues to draw new members.

Many 5 Arts Circle members become involved as donors, advocates, and even board members. Carol Schilling, longtime 5 Arts member and Ballet Arizona board member,

helped secure a $3.2 million city bond to create a new home for the ballet company and its school. Arts advocate Howard Hirsch worked with Arizona State University’s Herberger School of Music and the Scottsdale Cultural Council to have music students perform in exchange for free theater tickets.

In these challenging economic times, applause is simply not enough. The arts rely on the sustained generous support of people who recognize the importance of a rich and vibrant cultural life. Without the arts, a long shadow would be cast upon the Valley of the Sun, which is why Arizona 5 Arts Circle remains dedicated to keeping the arts center stage.

For more information, visit fiveartscircle.org.

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Art. Culture. Entertainment.

Once Upon a Time . . .

And the same could be said for the state of Arizona’s professional ballet company — only this fairy tale has become a reality. Glowing local reviews in the Arizona Republic, as well as national reviews in the New York Times and the Washington Post, have turned the spotlight on Ballet Arizona.

Just a decade ago, the fledgling company was mired in the undreamy details of nearbankruptcy finances. Then enter the princely Ib Andersen as artistic director, and today the company’s aglitter with record-breaking audiences, an ongoing romance with The Phoenix Symphony, a unique collaboration with the Desert Botanical Garden, a successful capital campaign, and invitations to perform in New York City and Paris. Mais oui!

And if that’s not enough glass-slipper excitement, the company is scheduled to move into a new, state-of-the-art facility next August.

Let’s count its myriad golden threads: ■

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Ballet Arizona perfects a graceful art and a fairy-tale season.

lassical ballet is filled with princes and princesses dancing together in dreamscome-true fashion.

Ballet Arizona has raised more than 75 percent of its capital campaign goal of $10 million, which will allow the company and the school to move into its new space — an additional 21,000 square feet. The new quarters will add three dance studios and a theater that will seat 299.

Three of ballet’s most popular productions highlighted the 2011–2012 season. In October, the company broke box-office records with performances of Cinderella during just one weekend, attracting over 11,500 attendees and grossing half a million dollars. In December, families flocked to The Nutcracker, and this month, the company revives the enchanting Sleeping Beauty at Symphony Hall. Contemporary ballets and great classical pieces round out the season with the Director’s Choice program of dance masterpieces in March and the ever-popular

All Balanchine program in June.

■ T he company makes its New York City debut at the Joyce Theater this month, and it’s now in negotiations to perform at the Theatre National de Chaillot in Paris in June. Meanwhile, in May, the ballet will perform Topia, a radically different and original contemporary ballet, on an outdoor stage twice the size of customary stages at the Desert Botanical Garden.

Topia is a site-specific work for the Garden, and no surprise — it’s also the brainchild of Ib Andersen. Once Balanchine’s protégé with the New York City Ballet, Andersen has developed a strong and beautiful company of dancers during his decade as artistic director.

He has a reputation for overlooking no detail in bringing the finest dance to Phoenix audiences: selecting the season’s offerings, creating original choreography, staging many of the productions, and rehearsing the dancers on a daily basis. Andersen’s crafting of each season, from conception to performance, gives their work the intense flavor that sets it apart from other ballet companies.

No doubt his single-minded focus and genius has fueled the steady rise of this Southwest jewel that’s committed to bringing dance to the desert. And the world has begun to watch.

The end, er, rather . . . the beginning.

Opposite page: Serenade.

This page: Theme and Variations. Both choreography George Balanchine © The Balanchine Trust

Sensational Season The Sleeping Beauty Feb. 9–12 at Symphony Hall Director’s Choice Mar. 29–Apr. 1 at Orpheum Theatre Topia, May 2–26 at Desert Botanical Garden All Balanchine, May 31– June 3 at Symphony Hall Tickets: 602.381.1096 balletaz.org

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By Nancy Oakley

Works in Progress Phoenix Art Museum builds on 50 years of community enrichment.

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f any maxim could summarize the evolution of Phoenix Art Museum, it would be that the museum’s reach has, time and again, exceeded its grasp.

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February 2012

oversees seven curatorial departments.

Indeed, there’s something to suit every taste, whether Asian, American, Latin American, modern, or contemporary. “All are wildly popular,” Ballinger says, noting a wide following for the Fashion Design collection (“one of the best in the country,” he observes, along with later Chinese collections and American Western works) and photography.

Thanks to a 2006 building campaign, the museum increased its space and partnered with the University of Arizona’s Center for Creative Photography to exhibit 80,000 works from 2,000 photographers, such as Ansel Adams, Richard Avedon, and Edward Weston.

“It’s been a huge success,” Ballinger says.

“Museums have got to be responsive to the world around them, especially in this day and age of smart phones and iPads.”

How does technology invite visitors to the

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Though officially dedicated in 1959, the museum grew from the Phoenix Women’s Club’s purchase in 1915 of a single painting (Egyptian Evening

by Carl Oscar Borg), which it gave to the city to start a community art collection. Half a century, 18,000 works, nearly 300,000 square feet, and millions of visitors later, Phoenix Art Museum has become the most sought-after destination for visual art in the Southwest.

For James Ballinger, the word “growth” is an understatement. “I was the only curator,” he says, recalling his hiring in the mid-1970s to oversee the Western American collection.

Today, as The Sybil Harrington Director, he

museum and still stay true to the original works? Answer: In addition to its foray into social media via Facebook and Twitter, the museum plans to install Wi-Fi in all public spaces to expand education and outreach programs, which include a film series, festivals, live performances, and PhxArtKids, an interactive children’s exhibit area. The museum also recently opened a new restaurant, Palette, where guests enjoy lunch and dinner.

To Ballinger, cyberspace is an important area of growth. Take the current exhibition Iconic Arizona, celebrating the state’s centennial and featuring well-known images of Arizona by 30 artists. “We created a Web site where visitors can upload their own photos and participate,” he says. “It’s totally experimental.”

As Arizona icons go, there’s none so extraordinary as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. Commemorating the 75th anniversary

of the architect’s home, studio, and architectural campus is another centennial exhibition, Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century (through April 29).

“The purpose of it is to demonstrate the relevance of Frank Lloyd Wright to architecture and city planning today,” Ballinger says. “His philosophy was much more simplistic than green building is today but uses the same principles — site, climate, energy, space, use of materials.”

Among the items on view are drawings, films, photographs, and a model of the Arizona State Capitol that Wright proposed in 1957. “It’s a way of looking at Frank Lloyd Wright that you wouldn’t see otherwise,” Ballinger notes.

And therein lies the extraordinary success of Phoenix Art Museum: finding new expression for the old, ever reaching beyond its grasp — much like the American West itself.

Phoenix Art Museum 1625 North Central Ave. 602.257.1222 phxart.org

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Stage Presence

The Choice is Art

For more than 40 years, Arizona Opera has wowed audiences with world-class productions.

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ike a superb aria, Arizona Opera can impress a crowd. Last season saw ten sold-out performances, an 11 percent increase in ticket revenue, and a 30 percent jump in new donors.

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Arizona Opera takes the stage at Symphony Hall in Phoenix (at the corner of Washington and 2nd Street) and at the Tucson Music Hall (260 South Church Ave.). A new Opera Center housing the production and administrative headquarters opens this summer in the heart of Phoenix’s cultural district. Features will include a 6,500-square-foot rehearsal theater, a state-of-the-art costume and prop shop, a landscaped outdoor public pavilion, two vocal studios with Steinway pianos, and an archive and music library.

photos courtesy 0f Arizona photo Opera by

For tickets or more information, call 602.266.7464, 520.293.4336, or visit azopera.org.

Under general director Scott Altman, the current season has had its share of stirring productions as well, including Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Gounod’s Faust. Coming next month: Verdi’s classic Aida with an all-star cast, massive sets, and eye-popping spectacle. Shows are scheduled for March 3–4 in Tucson, and March 9–11 in Phoenix.

Founded in 1971, Arizona Opera has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading opera companies, and is one of the few in the U.S. to serve multiple cities, producing a diverse mix of five main-stage shows each season in Phoenix and Tucson. Internationally renowned opera singers regularly grace Arizona stages.

Beyond great performances, Arizona Opera also reaches the community with events and programs for youths and adults that include

Center of Attention

photos by Arizona commission on the arts, top center by Marilyn Murphy photo by

Above from left: Later this season, Arizona Opera will perform Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice and Verdi’s Aida.

Bottom: a rendering of the new Opera Center

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lectures, opera study guides, a film series, and its cornerstone program — a school tour that touches the lives of thousands of students every year.

The Arizona Commission on the Arts celebrates arts and culture in Arizona.

Above from left: “The Choice is Art” Phoenix Boys Choir; campaign invites the Free Arts of Arizona, Phoenix; Opening community to join the Minds through the effort by supporting artists Arts, Tucson. Below: campaign poster. and arts organizations.

The combination of public funding and support from local businesses, foundations, and individuals also helps to ensure a healthy, vibrant arts industry. In turn, the arts build economic vitality and promote civic engagement and cultural understanding.

Through 2014, the campaign will continue to raise awareness and funds, enriching Arizona’s arts and culture sector. Contributions support arts organizations throughout the Home to arts organizations large state in creating opand small, the Phoenix metropolitan area offers everything from art portunities to experiwalks and festivals to museums ence the arts. Join the and theater. Find an event that Arizona Arts Commission in speaks to you at showup.com.

Commission its mission to provide For more information about the on the Arts Arizona Commission on access to the arts for the Arts and “The Choice is Art” everyone. For more campaign, call 602.771.6502 information, visit or visit azarts.gov. thechoiceisart.org.

oung people face tough decisions every day. Involvement in the arts helps our youth make better choices and encourages creative thinking, discipline, and teamwork.

The Arizona Commission on the Arts provides opportunities for everyone to participate in and experience the arts. Through an array of grants and programs, the Arts Commission supports artists, art organizations, and schools.

The Arts Commission launched its ambitious “The Choice is Art” campaign to raise awareness about the wide-ranging, positive impact of arts and cultural activities, beginning with the importance of arts education.

“The arts teach skills like discipline, dedication, and teamwork,” says Grant Hill, campaign spokesman, professional basketball player, and avid art collector. “And for kids struggling with academic, social, or family challenges, the arts can change lives.” They also help children score higher on tests, stay active at school, and cultivate creative expression.

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High-Flying Art!

The Thrill of Discovery

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At the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, playtime is learning time.

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Located downtown at 215 N. 7th Street, at the southeast corner of 7th and Van Buren, in the historic Monroe School building.

Hours: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday except for select holidays).

Admission: $11 per person, children under 1 are free. For more information, call 602.253.0501 or visit childrensmuseumofphoenix.org.

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three-story Climber, make a meal in the Texture Cafe, build a fort, be an artist in the Art Studio, or visit the make-believe creations of Someplace.

And there’s so much more at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, named one of the 10 Best Children’s Museums in the country by Parents Magazine.

Who said education can’t simultaneously be entertaining, engaging, and a time of discovery?

Come play and learn today!

photos by Yeung Photography photo by

Acting on the principle that learning is a joy, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix engages the minds, muscles, and imaginations of kids and grown-ups alike.

Unlike your typical museum, here you can touch everything! And with over 48,000 square feet of space, there’s plenty to touch. The museum offers more than 300 play experiences spread throughout three floors. If you have children, from infants through age 10, you’re sure to find a multitude of activities to enjoy with them.

For adults, it’s a place where your child will have a blast, though you won’t be disappointed either. Let the youngsters be your guide as you enjoy a day visiting all of the amazing exhibits, or spend hours at just one. For kids, it’s exploration central, so follow your interest and see where it takes you. Test your limits in the unique

n the heart of Arizona’s capital city, there’s a wondrous place of excitement, inspiration, creativity, and just plain fun.

Above: scaling the Climber, picking flowers in the Under-Threes room

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Experience the Phoenix Airport Museum. hen you touch down in Phoenix, make sure to pause before rushing to baggage claim.

Otherwise, you’ll miss some of the city’s most dynamic art exhibits.

Every year, nearly 40 million people travel through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and experience the Phoenix Airport Museum. A gallery in the airport’s busiest terminal and 20 additional exhibition spaces combine to create one of the largest airportmuseum programs in the United States, featuring artwork and artifacts that capture the essence of America’s sixth-largest city.

The Airport Museum houses more than 600 pieces, from art murals, glass installations, and designed floors to contemporary sculpture, paintings, prints, and ceramics, all of which highlight Arizona’s art community. Thanks to the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, the collection has continued to grow since 1986 through using 1 percent of aviationconstruction funds for acquisitions.

“Sky Harbor’s exceptional public art collec-

tion — seen in exhibits and architectural installations — is an invitation to Phoenix visitors to explore the energy, richness, and diversity of our community’s visual, performing, and environmental arts and culture scene,” says Susan Shaffer Nahmias, chair of the Phoenix Arts & Culture Commission.

Exhibitions featuring the collections of Arizona museums, cultural institutions, galleries, and artists enliven the terminals and rental-car center. And every six months, travelers can look forward to new, inspiring exhibits.

Above: Terminal 4 Gallery Below: Kettle by Barry Barnes

Arizona Inspired The Museum’s exhibition program is celebrating 2012 with a series of Arizona Centennial displays: 100 Years 100 Ranchers: black-and-white photographs of ranchers whose families have been working in Arizona for at least 100 years. (Terminal 4) The Grand Canyon Experience: art showcasing Arizona’s natural wonder. (Coming to Terminal 4) Arizona Valentines: 60 Arizona artists express what they love about the state. (Terminal 3) Vast and Intimate: landscape paintings by Merrill Mahaffey. (Terminal 2) Luv’n Arizona: Arizona artists, quilts, and sculptures. (Coming to Terminal 3)

To learn more, visit skyharbor.com/ museum and phoenix.gov/arts.

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It’s a Zoo Out There!

A Joyful Noise

By Tara Titcombe

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Phoenix Youth Symphony continues to inspire with beautiful music.

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hroughout its 60 years, the Phoenix Youth Symphony has shared its passion for classical music with thousands of youth, but its reach extends even further.

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PYS cultivates outstanding young musicians through two different programs: Orchestral Training and the Young Musician’s Competition. Nearly 300 youth, from grades five through 12, take part in the Orchestral Training program every year. Selected by audition only, the students play in one of five youth ensembles. Weekly rehearsals, master classes, weekend retreats, and live performances offer students an exceptional experience. Young musicians also For more benefit from instruction by reinformation, nowned music directors. call 602.277.7013 or visit Gifted musicians also take part in the Young Musicians phoenixyouthsymphony.org.

Competition — one of the most

Above: The Phoenix Youth Symphony in concert

prestigious in the country. Students come from all over Arizona to compete for prizes, including scholarships to music camps (including Eastern Music Festival, Interlochen Arts Camp, and others) across the country and two grand-prize opportunities to perform their concerto with The Phoenix Symphony. The Youth Symphony also performs side-by-side with the Phoenix Symphony in concert every year.

PYS instills a love of classical music at younger ages through its Music Memory program, which reaches more than 10,000 public and private elementary students each year. Designed for grades three through six, the program provides teachers with a listening guide to selected classical pieces. The program culminates when the students attend a live concert of the pieces studied, performed by the PYS Orchestra.

Through each of its programs, the Phoenix Youth Symphony enriches the lives of youth, develops music appreciation, and strives to keep classical music alive.

Journey around the animal world at this Phoenix family favorite.

t the Phoenix Zoo, visitors travel from the lush rain forests of Borneo to the diverse tropics of South America to the open savannas of Africa, and all points in between.

Exotic sights and sounds thrill the senses at the nonprofit Phoenix Zoo, bringing you more than 1,100 animals, including several endangered and threatened species.

Get up close and personal with a family of Bornean orangutans at the newest exhibit, Orang-Hutan: “People of the Forest.” Gain a fresh — and terrifying — perspective on the world’s largest lizard at Land of the Dragons, featuring the intriguing Komodo dragon. Enjoy even more face-to-face (or hand-to-fin) experiences with the captivating animals

found at Giraffe Encounter, Monkey Village, and Stingray Bay. Hop aboard the Safari Train, ride the Endangered Species Carousel, or cruise around the lake in pedal boats to round out your Phoenix Zoo adventure. If the mercury is rising, the refreshing Leapin’ Lagoon and Yakulla Caverns provide splashy, cool fun.

Celebrate 50 years of conservation, education, and family fun with a daytime visit, a private party, or a stroll among 3.5 million lights during the spectacular holiday light display, ZooLights.

Begin your Phoenix Zoo journey today, and create memories to last a lifetime.

Above, left to right: Sumatran tiger and squirrel monkey

455 North Galvin Parkway Phoenix, Arizona 85008 602.273.1341 phoenixzoo.org

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An Arts Oasis

The Southwest’s Fashion Capital

Scottsdale attracts artists and art lovers of all types.

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cottsdale’s breathtaking Sonoran Desert setting, rugged McDowell Mountains, and sunny skies make for an artful environment. The city is a mecca for art lovers with plenty to offer.

Above: Sunset on Soleri Bridge and Plaza; Below: Native Trails

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For more information on the Scottsdale art scene, visit artinscottsdale.com.

Architecture aficionados delight in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, a National Historic Landmark celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. See the work of one of Wright’s former students, Paolo Soleri, at Cosanti studio and at the newly opened Soleri Bridge and Plaza, connecting the Scottsdale Waterfront and downtown Scottsdale.

Browse more examples of architecture as well as an international collection of modern art and design at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Complete with five changing galleries, the museum includes the new SMoCA Lounge, a public gallery and event space. Nearly 100 more galleries dot the downtown Scottsdale area and can be enjoyed with complimentary drinks and snacks during the Scottsdale ArtWalk, every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Music lovers take note: The recently opened Musical Instrument Museum displays more than 5,000 instruments and artifacts from more than 200 countries and even lets you try your hand at playing a few. For professional performances, the Scottsdale Center for the Perform-

ing Arts presents world-class concerts, dance and theater productions, and more.

The center also hosts Native Trails, presented by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and produced by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, a series of free noontime festivals on select Thursdays and Saturdays from January 19 through April 14 celebrating Native American culture with traditional music, dance, art, and food from tribes across the region. Observing its tenth anniversary this year, the festival is offering an extended season.

More art events include the Celebration of Fine Art, a ten-week gathering of artists under white tents where visitors can browse a variety of media. The Scottsdale Arts Festival hosts art collectors at the Scottsdale Civic Center Park, where patrons can view exhibits, visit artists, and enjoy live performances outdoors.

From museums and performing arts venues to top-notch exhibits and events, Scottsdale is a city of art. Come explore it today!

Scottsdale Fashion Square

ention Rodeo Drive, Worth Avenue, or Fifth Avenue, and luxurious shopping immediately comes to mind.

But those aren’t the only places to find leading fashion houses like CH Carolina Herrera, Gucci, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, Prada, Tiffany & Co., and more. In fact, one of the biggest draws to Scottsdale, Arizona, is Scottsdale Fashion Square, home to more than 240 stores, including restaurants and entertainment.

This shopping destination has mass appeal with five department stores: Barneys New York, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. And it’s also home to well-known brand names including Banana Republic, Cartier, H&M, Michael Kors, Microsoft, Omega, and Ted Baker.

Naturally, all this fabulous shopping will make one hungry for a good meal. There is something to please every palate with selections such as Grand Lux Cafe, Kona Grill,

Neiman Marcus Cafe, Nordstrom Cafe, Yard House, and Z Tejas, plus 22 other eateries and treat shops that will surely satisfy.

Visitors to Scottsdale Fashion Square are treated to a VIP experience with amenities and services:

■ Visit the Concierge Desk for a complimentary Shopping & Dining Visitor Rewards book with more than $750 in savings and offers from participating stores and restaurants.

■ Purchase an experiential shopping package like “Shop & Beauty” and “Shop & Dine” for special services.

■ Make a one-stop shop at the Concierge Desk for visitor information courtesy of the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, transportation needs, restaurant reservations, store information, and assistance.

■ Meet Peter Harden, roving concierge for Scottsdale Fashion Square, for store escort, package help, and a warm, friendly smile.

A state known for great golf, a perfect winter climate, and delicious regional fare is now increasingly known for world-class shopping!

For more information or to take advantage of some first-class treatment, call 480.941.2140 or visit fashionsquare.com.

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By Ivy Lamb

Art. Culture. Entertainment.

Engaging the Present

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See the world anew at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

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To learn more about Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, call 480.874.4666 or visit smoca.org.

Knight Rise is an elegant viewing chamber with an elliptical opening in the ceiling that makes visitors feel as if they’re sitting in an ocean of air, watching the changing moods of the sky.

Art, culture, and ideas intersect at the new SMoCA Lounge, an avant-garde public gallery space designed by Janis Leonard. Check out the lounge for educational and community events such as international art-film screenings, music, and workshops.

And don’t miss the young@art gallery, which features art created by youth in SMoCA’s educational programs. Catch a show at the adjacent performing arts center, and shop at two unique gift stores. With ever-changing exhibits and events, SMoCA promises to inspire and inform during every visit.

A 50-gallery collection in Old Town Scottsdale showcases the work of more than 1,000 artists.

photos (from top) by Bill Timmerman and Joe Jankovsky (lounge) photo by

Founded in 1999, it’s the only museum in Arizona solely devoted to art, architecture, and design from the 1950s through the present, featuring exhibits that support the Picassos and Frank Lloyd Wrights of tomorrow.

Enter the museum’s minimalist building, artfully renovated from an old movie theater by architect Will Bruder, and explore SMoCA’s 11,000 square feet of space. You’ll find unique changing exhibitions, such as the Architecture + Art series which commissions site-specific installations that encourage viewers to critically examine their constructed environment. You’ll also find a diverse selection of new artwork including photography, painting, sculpture, video, and more in exhibitions that change each fall, spring, and summer at SMoCA. Venture outside to the sculpture garden and view award-winning public art. Here you’ll find Knight Rise, a skyspace by acclaimed artist James Turrell. One of only a handful of sky­ spaces open to the public in the United States,

mmerse yourself in the unexpected at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), a museum like no other.

Above: Art + Architecture installation 90 Days Over 100° by architects Jay Atherton + Cy Keener Below: SMoCA Lounge

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Main (Street) Attraction hether you’re a serious art collector or simply a casual browser, you won’t want to miss The Galleries on Main Street in Old Town Scottsdale.

And with the work of more than 1,000 artists on display at 50 plus galleries, there’s plenty to see — all conveniently located in a two-block area of downtown.

The internationally recognized Main Street has been home to some of America’s premier galleries since 1965. Art collectors worldwide have made the area a source for original pieces of a myriad of genres. It’s a place where emerging artists are discovered and established and renowned artists are regularly showcased.

Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll probably find it here, whether it’s modern, abstract, Western, or impressionism; art from Russia, South America, Asia, Europe, or the U.S.; or sculpture, jewelry, or paintings. Art lovers of all kinds have always found an abundant selection

Above: Shoppers stroll of exquisite originals at the gallery-lined Main The Galleries on Main Street, Scottsdale.

Street.

For more than 45 years, there’s been an easy and fun way to take in all this art. Old Town Scottsdale’s Main Street hosts one of the Southwest’s great cultural events, “America’s Original Art Walk.” This grand open house for the area’s galleries takes place Thursdays from 7 p.m to 9 p.m. More than just an art aficionado’s perfect evening, the Art Walk is also a cherished community tradition that brings together residents and visitors.

Wander into galleries at your own Main Street is leisurely pace; stroll around a deconveniently lightful street lined with famed located in the center of Scottsrestaurants, live-music venues, and dale, 15 minutes more; and enjoy the horse-drawn from Phoenix Sky carriage rides and trolley rides that Harbor Airport, surrounded by restaurants with ample parking for are often available. visitors. For more information, visit It’s “art appreciation” taken to a MainStreetArtGalleries.com. whole new level.

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Original Source

By Waynette Goodson

Essence of Place

Scottsdale’s artist-owned Pejman Gallery specializes in oils and sculptures.

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Artist Charles Pabst shares his passion for travel at The Signature Gallery.

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Although he’s been painting since he was seven years old, Pejman spent years pursuing a career in business management before returning to his original passion: art.

photo by photos courtesy 0f the Signature Gallery

The Signature Gallery 7177 E. Main St. Scottsdale, AZ 85251 480.949.7003

“I’m never satisfied painting one thing,” Pabst says. ”It’s nice having my own gallery so I can branch out and paint for painting’s sake: the ocean, flowers, street scenes, canyon scenes — even Las Vegas and Times Square . . . I like capturing the essence of the place and having other people enjoy it, too.”

While he’s best known for his Southwestern landscapes, Pabst displays a rainbow of destinations, from Taos to Tuscany, at his Scottsdale gallery. “I’m more of a destination painter,” he says. “I love traveling and painting the places when I return. I feel like I’m sharing my adventures.”

Another important aspect of his art: the ability to share it with others. “I want to create something beautiful that someone puts on their wall and passes down through the family,” Pabst says. The Signature Gallery allows him to offer less expensive giclées, which he embellishes by hand.

This combination of talent and affordability has built the family-owned gallery quite a fan base during its 14-year tenure. And of course, one of Pabst’s biggest fans is his son and gallery director, Mark. “All of Dad’s work has an underlying sense of hope,” Mark says. “His range accounts for his broad-based appeal, plus his exquisite use of light and vivid colors.”

While Mark and his mother, Christine, tend to business, his brother, Michael, and sister, Cara, are also professional painters whose works are displayed at sister galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Laguna Beach, California. Check out all of their work at thesignaturegallery.com.

photo by images by Pejman Gallery © Bob Pejman. All rights reserved

Above: Golden Majesty and Charles Pabst

hen Charles Pabst graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in fine arts, he knew he didn’t want to be limited to one style.

s the son of an operatic composer and a concert musician, gallery owner Bob Pejman comes from artistic stock.

Pejman Gallery, established in 1988 in Short Hills, New Jersey, recently opened its new showroom in the heart of Scottsdale’s Historic Main Street Arts District. The gallery primarily exhibits oil paintings by Pejman, as well as original paintings by leading American and European artists, and the sculptures of Gaylord Ho. Pejman’s captivating renderings of European and old-world vistas are internationally acclaimed.

Inspired by the likes of Sir Alma-Tadema, Thomas Cole, and Maxfield Parrish, his classical scenes draw viewers into a sense of tranquillity. “There are no people in my paintings,” Pejman says. “Instead, I invite the viewer to place themselves in the scenes.”

Pejman offers his works in two distinct styles: romantic realism and plein air palette knife.

While the realist style allows him to capture painstaking detail, the palette knife series exhibits stunning texture and vibrant colors.

Whether you’re looking to start your collection with a piece by Pejman himself or a work by one of the many well-known artists in his Scottsdale gallery, you’re bound to find something exquisite in the selection of timeless and classical American and European original oils.

Above: Bob Pejman, Lakeside Vineyard, oil on canvas.

Below: Bob Pejman, Bellagio Village, oil on canvas.

Pejman Gallery 7165 Main Street Scottsdale, AZ 480.970.1505 PejmanGallery.com PejmanEditions.com

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Phoenix & Scottsdale Art. Culture. Entertainment.

Diverse Desert Beauty

Art in Auction

By Martha-Page Althaus

Explore the Sonoran Desert’s distinctive landscape at The Desert Botanical Garden.

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Each spring, the nation’s leading collection of Western art comes home for the Scottsdale Art Auction.

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s a Western art hub for more than 50 years, Scottsdale boasts a number of galleries devoted to this genre.

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Main Street in Scottsdale.

The March 31 event draws art collectors from across the country to view more than 300 paintings and sculptures available for purchase. The art is from estates and private collections, and includes bronze sculptures and paintings of landscapes, animals, cowboys, and American Indians. Renowned Western artists For more information, call Charles M. Russell, Frederic Remington, Frank Tenney Johnson, and Howard Terpning, 480.945.0225 or visit scottsdaleartauction.com. plus many others, are represented.

“We are one of the Southwest’s largest and fastest-growing auction houses specializing in Western, wildlife, and sporting art,” says Brad Richardson, owner of The Legacy Gallery.

The auction is a partnership between Richardson and two other Western art dealers and authorities with more than 100 years of combined experience: Jack Morris of Morris & Whiteside Galleries in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Michael Frost of J.N. Bartfield Galleries in New York City.

Want to preview the art before auction day on March 31? Beginning March 22, the art will be on display in a 10,000-square-foot, 500-seat, state-of-the-art sales room located at 7176 E. Main St., Scottsdale, AZ, above The Legacy Gallery. Planning ahead is advised, as last year’s auction brought in over $15 million, with 88 percent of all lots sold. Good luck!

photo by photos courtesy of Scottsdale Art Auction

Above from left: Frank Tenney Johnson, Packin’ In; Joseph H. Sharp, Sunlight and Firelight; Clyde Aspevig, The Canadian Rockies; and Frank McCarthy, The Chase.

But the nation’s premier collection of Western art can be found at the annual Scottsdale Art Auction, held downtown on

he Desert Botanical Garden is home to one of the most diverse collections of succulent plants in the world.

Centrally located in Papago Park, the Garden offers five thematic trails that allow you to explore different aspects of the Sonoran Desert.

The Desert Discovery Trail showcases desert plants from around the world in outstanding displays and exhibits, including the Sybil B. Harrington Cactus and Succulent Galleries, and the Berlin Agave Yucca Forest.

The Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Trail explores how desert plants are used for food, fiber, medicine, and other cultural purposes.

The Sonoran Desert Nature Trail features dramatic vistas of distant mountains and upclose views of the surrounding desert.

The Center for Desert Living Trail high-

lights ideas and strategies that demonstrate efficient, useful, sustainable, and harmonious ways to work with nature in the desert environment.

On the Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail you will discover the beauty, color, and diversity of wildflowers in North American deserts.

Currently the Garden is also hosting Design for a Living World. Developed

by The Nature Conservancy, this exhibit challenges us to consider where our products come from, how they are made, and the Upcoming Events: impact they have on ■ Music in the Garden (January–June) the planet and local Enjoy the best live local bands in the communities. The most enchanting outdoor venue in town. exhibit features every■ Spring Butterfly Exhibit (March–May) day products including Stroll through the beautiful Marshall a dress by designer Butterfly Pavilion and surround yourself with hundreds of fluttering Isaac Mizrahi, a purse butterflies.

by Kate Spade New York, and furniture 1201 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ 85008 designed by Maya 480.941.1225 or dbg.org Lin. usairwaysmag.com

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Marilyn Stevens combines willow, hand-dyed rattan, and antler to create a sculptural basket.

Vala Ola sculpting Sensuality in clay, which will be cast as a limited-edition bronze.

Exceptional Art, Inspiring Relationships

Me the Artist

By Martha-Page Althaus

The Celebration of Fine Art event brings together artists and collectors.

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his spring, The Celebration of Fine Art enters its 22nd year of connecting art lovers and artists in Scottsdale.

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The juried, invitational show and art sale features more than 40,000 square feet of working studios and works of art by 100 known and emerging artists from around the country. Styles range from realistic to impressionistic, including Western realism, abstract, and contemporary.

Subjects include everything from landscapes to wildlife to still lifes, and nearly all media are represented.

“We are proud to be a part of the vibrant, energetic, and diverse art scene in Scottsdale,” says Susan Morrow Potje, co-owner and show director of the event. “The dynamics of how art lovers and the artists connect at The Celebration of Fine Art has changed the way people

feel about buying art. Collectors value the special connection that is fostered in this incredible, relaxed environment, and the artists thrive on the feedback and real relationships that they have with their collectors.”

The passion that inspires each artist is translated into the pieces they create and the stories they share. Each artist has something unique to offer. In addition, the studio exhibit space surrounds an open courtyard, which will house up to 100 pieces of life-size and monumental sculpture. All works are available for purchase and can be shipped worldwide.

This year, The Celebration of Fine Art debuts in a new location in Scottsdale, on the southwest corner of Hayden Road and Loop 101, at exit 35. The perennial favorite event draws both artists and visitors from across the country to its “big white tent” and runs for ten weeks from January 14 through March 25, 2012.

Yes, you! Tap your creative potential at this unique studio.

nspired by Arizona’s spectacular desert setting? Learn how to paint these landscapes (plus many other subjects) at Me the Artist, a studio that helps you unleash your inner artist.

During a two-hour group-painting session, participants create a likeness of one of the studio’s 70 “Me’sterpieces.” The painters work on a 16” x 20” canvas with the help of a Me’guide, a local artist who explains the process step by step. But you won’t just duplicate the painting; you’ll also add your own flair with colors, shapes, and designs to make the work your own. Me’sterpiece paintings include desert landscapes (cactus in bloom, an Arizona sunset), still lifes (flowers, wine bottles), and more, all created by Ruby Farias, the studio’s cofounder and creative director.

“You start with a blank canvas but walk away with a frame-ready work of art that you created,” says Danna Gabardy, Me the Artist cofounder and business manager.

At Me the Artist, the more the merrier! Bring a group of friends, a bottle of wine, and a creative spirit.

“You have to experience it,” says Farias. “It allows you to spend time with friends and family or even meet new friends, and it’s truly a fun way to spend an evening.”

The step-by-step instructions and fun atmosphere make brand-new painters feel at ease.

“It’s really exciting to watch people’s reactions to what they create,” adds Gabardy. “They’re all amazed because people don’t think they can paint, but there’s not one person who isn’t smiling from ear to ear at the end.”

Above from left: Arizona Sunset Me’sterpiece designed by creative director Ruby Farias; Me the Artist studio.

Me the Artist 5355 E. High St. Ste. 109 Phoenix, AZ 85054 480.822.7999 metheartist.com

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The Sun Serpent tells the story of Aztec culture and the conquest of Mexico.

Art. Culture. Entertainment.

Stars of the Show

Imagination and Wonder

Arizona Centennial az100years.org page 84 Arizona Commission on the Arts 602.771.6502 azarts.gov page 101 Arizona 5 Arts Circle 480.281.1524 fiveartscircle.org page 94

Both are part of the mission of Childsplay, Inc.

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an you name every U.S. president? The schoolkids of Arizona will be able to once they Rock the Presidents this month.

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these have earned the company a reputation for innovation and high-quality work.

Childsplay’s productions also include an array of “page-to-stage” adaptations of popular children’s books. In Charlotte’s Web, The Big Friendly Giant, and the upcoming Tomás and the Library Lady, children and adults watch their favorite stories come to life through imaginative storytelling, dynamic performances, and dazzling visual design.

When they aren’t traveling to schools throughout the state and the nation, Childsplay actors perform in residence at state-of-the-art theaters inside the Tempe Center for the Arts — an experience unto itself. Set on the edge of Tempe Town Lake in a 17-acre art park, the center offers beautiful views, as well as family fun before and after the show.

No matter where they perform, Childsplay productions feature the finest professional actors, directors, designers, and educational materials to create meaningful and memorable experiences.

For 35 seasons, the award-winning ensemble has entertained, informed, and inspired more than four million children, teachers, and families. To learn more, visit childsplayaz.org.

arizona Science Center 602.716.2000 azscience.org page 86 Ballet Arizona 602.381.0184 balletaz.org page 96 Celebration of Fine Art 480.443.7695 celebrateart.com page 114

photos (from left) courtesy of Arizona Opera and Celebration of Fine artby photo

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Arizona Opera 602.266.7464 azopera.org page 100

photo by Heather photo Hillby

The high-octane musical revue is just one of this season’s exciting and educational performances by Childsplay, Inc. This internationally recognized, nonprofit theater company creates and commissions pieces that explore new ideas and what it means to be a child today. Plays such as Upcoming Events The Yellow Boat, Eric ■ Rock the Presidents Weekends: Feb. 12–March 4. and Elliot, and this Recommended for ages 7 season’s With Two and older.

Wings, Rock the ■ Tomás and the Library Lady Weekends: April 7–15.

Presidents, and The Recommended for ages 5 Color of Stars delve and older. into themes of love, ■ The Color of Stars Weekends: April 22–May 27. loss, imagination, Recommended for ages 8 integrity, and advenand older. ture. Pieces like

From left: Arizona Opera production of Aida and Celebration of Fine Arts

Children’s Museum of Phoenix 602.253.0501 childrensmuseumofphoenix.org page 102 Childsplay, Inc. 480.921.5700 childsplayaz.org page 116 Desert Botanical Garden 480.941.1225 dbg.org page 113

Me the Artist 480.822.7999 metheartist.com page 115 Musical Instrument Museum 480.478.6000 themim.org page 90 Pejman Gallery 480.970.1505 pejmangallery.com page 111 Phoenix Art Museum 602.257.1222 phxart.org page 98 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 602.273.3300 skyharbor.com page 103 Phoenix Youth Symphony 602.277.7013 phoenixyouthsymphony.org page 104 Phoenix Zoo 602.273.1341 phoenixzoo.org page 105 Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau 1.800.782.1117 scottsdalecvb.com page 106 Scottsdale Fashion Square 480.941.2140 fashionsquare.com page 107

Heard Museum 602.252.8848 heard.org page 88

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art 480.874.4666 smoca.org page 108

Legacy Gallery 480.945.1113 legacygallery.com page 112

the Signature Gallery 480.949.7003 thesignaturegallery.com page 110

Main Street Galleries Scottsdale mainstreetartgalleries.com page 109

Valley Youth Theatre 602.253.8188 vyt.com page 92

Thank You! We would like to thank all the participating organizations that helped make this section possible, with special thanks to Ambassador Barbara Barrett, Gwen Parker, Karl Eller, and the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture for their support.

usairwaysmag.com

February 2012

117