Prescott Arts Journey Supports Creative Pathfinders

Prescott Arts Journey

Supports Creative Pathfinders

by Blake Herzog

Greater Prescott draws more than its share of creative people with its natural beauty and exhilarating climate, which in turn draws more artists to town.

This includes Debra Owen, a fashion industry veteran who paints, stiches, writes poetry and produces mixed media works, who first came to the area 11 years ago to help her sister through a health emergency. Q

“I stayed in Prescott because it had such a vibrant, creative community, and that’s critical to wherever I am, to be engaged in that,” she says. “I saw all of that going on but no universal connection, no umbrella, if you will. And I said at some point we’re going to have something like Prescott Arts Journey to support everything that’s going on.”

A decade later she finally found time to pursue her vision of forming a local group to support and promote artists working in any creative pursuit — visual arts, music, writing, dance, acting, pottery/ceramics, tattoos, wearable art, culinary or healing art, gardening or any other activity with elements of creativity.

“I hope that I can. My intention is to make Prescott Arts Journey an umbrella that takes care of all the voices, which means not just individuals but organizations and the businesses that are invested in creativity,” Owen says. Her goal is to provide visibility, tools and resources for members.

Since the website debuted last fall, some 40 artists have signed up for annual memberships with Prescott Arts Journey, the majority from the visual arts but representing a full spectrum of art forms. Its Facebook page, where their art and appearances are promoted, is beginning to approach 1,000 “likes.”

Each endeavor is listed in the website’s directory and gets its own page on the website for a bio, information and up to 30 images. Many members also have taken on a role on the group’s internal team or become an “ambassador” promoting the group.

The group is developing programs for outreach, launching in April “Life is a Story” presentations given by members at the Prescott Public Library on the last Saturday of the month.

“I want them to not only talk about their art but to have their focus on talking about the journey to getting to now; the creative journey. Where did I think ‘Oh my gosh, I have to get over here and backtrack. What were my hurdles and what were my eye openers and why am I doing this now instead of this other thing’?” Owen says.

She also has been gathering entries for a Poetry Live! contest, to be judged by Michaela Carter, co-founder and book buyer for the Peregrine Book Company.

While some members, including painter Kuki Hargrave and musician Sky Cronwell, are prominent in the local arts community, Owen emphasizes the group will work with everyone in Greater Prescott’s creative community: “If you are a creative person, Prescott Arts Journey wants to celebrate you, applaud you and support you, it’s as simple as that.”

On the web: www.prescottartsjourney.com On Facebook: Prescott Arts Journey – Our Creative Community

Alligator Ostrich Western Boots by Paul Krause

Sky Diving New York by Lynn Freedman

147 N. Arizona Ave. Prescott, AZ Monday through Saturday 10AM to 4PM Sunday 1PM to 4PM (928) 445-1230 www.museumofindigenouspeople.org

Cowboy Poets 34th Gathering of Returns in August

The 2022 edition of the Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering will take the stage at Yavapai College Performing Arts Center Aug. 11 to Aug. 13.

One of Prescott’s most popular annual events, this year’s Gathering features more than 40 authentic cowboy poets and singers sharing the heritage and culture of the American cowboy for two days and three nights of entertainment.

Headline performers include Dale Burson, Floyd Beard and Joni Harms. A collectible poster titled “Let ‘em in, Dad,” created by award-winning artist Valerie Kagounkin, will be available for purchase at the Gathering, as will raffle tickets to win an original framed giclee of the poster.

Burson, a fourth generation Texas Panhandle rancher and awardwinning singer and songwriter, will take the stage Aug. 11, playing guitar, fiddle, mandolin and banjo. Burson runs cow-calf and yearling operations near Channing, Texas, and writes songs focused on ranch life and family values. In 2004 he was honored with the Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for A Life More Than This.

Beard, a Southeastern Colorado lifetime cowboy and sixth generation rancher, will headline the Aug. 12 performance. Drawing from his own experiences and observations of the Western way of life, this 2016 and 2017 IWMA Male Poet of the Year delights his audiences by bringing alive classic and humorous contemporary cowboy poetry.

Harms will close out the evening performances Aug. 13 with her pioneering blend of musical sounds. The recent release of Lucky 13, her 13th studio album, has drawn rave reviews with Country Music People Magazine calling the selections “some of the very best country songs of recent years and prove that Joni Harms is one of country music’s most underrated writers.”

The Gathering offers free day sessions throughout the campus where attendees can meet cowboy poets and singers and enjoy stories of the culture and history of the American cowboy.

“We’re thrilled to offer this event back at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center,” says Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering’s Board of Directors President Meg Savoini. “The culture of the real American cowboy lives on stage here every year, and it’s been an honor to bring this form of entertainment to locals and tourists alike.”

Tickets are available by going to azcowboypoets.org or calling 928.776.2000 or 877.928.4253.

Movie Poster:

a ‘Purely Prescott’ Production!

When Prescott artist Kuki Hargrave set out to honor the 50th anniversary of the movie “Junior Bonner,” filmed in Prescott in 1971, she wanted to create something distinctive, historically interesting — and most of all, reflective of the warmth and character that is “Purely Prescott.”

An Arizona resident for 27 years, Kuki and husband Tom moved to Prescott 12 years ago.

“The view from Elk Hill, looking west toward the Plaza is perhaps the most breathtaking and iconic vista here in town,” she says. “I knew I had to use it in the composition.”

Hargrave also captured the excitement of Prescott Frontier Days® and World’s Oldest Rodeo® , which served as backdrop to the movie.

“It was the summer of ‘71, it was Frontier Days, Hollywood was here filming a movie starring Steve McQueen, and many local residents were employed as extras to appear in the film. What an amazing time for our town!”

Yavapai County Constable and local historian Ron Williams was “cast” as the King of Cool, with a photo shoot at Courthouse Plaza. The poster was created and printed in Prescott. It’s available through the Ian Russell Gallery of Fine Art, Whiskey Row.

It’s PurelyPrescott!

KUKI HARGRAVE

“2022 Junior Bonner Rodeo Movie Poster”

4th Friday Art Walk, June 24th 5-8 PM 12” X 18” signed by the artist

Ian Russell Gallery of Fine Art

on Whiskey Row, Prescott 4th Friday Art Walk, June 24th 5-8 PM Kuki Hargrave, Featured Artist & Signing

The Life of the Kings

by Tod Christensen

The air was crisp and he could see his breath so deep in his thoughts he was lost in the depth. He pulled the cinch just a little bit tighter had to go slow with this little Bay, he could be a fighter.

The Bay was still sporting his thick winter coat and a small grunt of protest whispered out of his throat. He watched every move just waiting for his chance To try that old man and see if he could still dance.

Most of the mans 70 years he had stayed true to his course, his living room had been the saddle and his life the back of a horse. Most men his age are getting sick and are easy to rattle but this old cowboy swung up effortlessly into the seat of the saddle.

The Bay seized his moment and let out a squeal and a buck determined to try that old man and test his luck. But this wasn’t a rodeo and if it were it wouldn’t have been his first, the old cowboy wasn’t rattled and he didn’t even curse.

He tugged on the left rein and pulled the Bay around as he began to circle him into the cold hard ground. Unable to buck, the Bay realized he had met his match and the quick jab of a spur suddenly made his breath hard to catch.

It wasn’t long and everyone settled down the cowboy pulled his hat tight like he always did pushing from the crown. Then he fixed his eye on the horizon some miles away searching for wandering cattle this would be his kingdom today.

‘How many more days like this will I have’ he wondered to himself and the Bay out loud ‘I’m only a cowboy’ he thought, but I’m both humbled and proud. The Bay didn’t answer but that wasn’t a surprise in fact the cowboy kind of liked that there were never any replies.

He nudged the Bay and they began to walk out as the cowboy thought about the day they would have and their route. With the sun shining bright, had you been there you would have seen on his face the peaceful look of a man who knew he was made for that moment time and place.

History books are full of famous events and men, stories of great deeds whose tales are told over and over again. But the old cowboy didn’t care about any of those people or things his life was his and it was the life of the kings.