The Idle Class: The Radio Issue

idleclassmag.com

3

THE RADIO ISSUE

FALL 2014

THE MAGIC TOUCH PAGES 6 - 7 “Filthy Phil” Eubanks delves deep into the vinyl bins for obscure tunes.

MEN ABOUT TOWN

PAGES 8 - 9 Branden, Bailey & Bobbit of “3B Radio” keep it local and raw on 104.9 the X.

LOCAL FLAVOR

PAGES 10 - 13 “Ozarks at Large” has brought the news to NWA for three decades.

PAINTING / MASER

THE PEOPLE SPEAK PAGES 14 - 17

KABF has defined independent radio in Little Rock for 30 years.

CONVERGENCE PAGES 18 - 21 Katy Henriksen draws from her musical background for “Of Note.”

4

idleclassmag.com

ART

FILM

22 DISTURBING THE PEACE

38 TAKING THE REIGNS

DESIGN

STAGE

Irish artist Maser leaves his mark on Northwest Arkansas.

36 MORE THAN FURNITURE

Polis Design sees art where others only see function.

Joey Lauren Adams wants to take Arkansas filmmaking to the next level.

42 WELCOME TO THE NEW NOW

Artist’s Laboratory Theatre says goodbye to the stage with the New Now.

EDITOR'S

NOTE

A PUBLICATION OF

RIOT ACT MEDIA, LLC P.O. Box 4853 Fayetteville, AR 72702 editorial@idleclassmag.com

I

PHOTO / MARTY SHUTTER

t’s Halloween and today is the last day for KUAF 91.3 FM’s fall fundraiser. I donated and bugged my friends to do so as well. I can’t be sure if they followed through though. As someone who alternates between NPR and KXUA 88.3 (the Unviersity of Arkansas student-run station), I spend a lot of time flipping the radio dial. While I personally know many of the people I listen to, I still feel like I know the others. You can’t get that from corporate radio. That’s why I decided to do an issue focused on community radio in our state.

These are the people who get us through our day. Let’s sing their praises for a bit.

When people ask me what issue is my favorite, I always say “the next one.” And now the next one is here. I’m very excited to have Irishman and current Fayetteville resident, Maser as our featured artist. Since he first arrived in Northwest Arkansas a few years ago, Maser has left his mark with public art and murals. He has a bold style that isn’t easily forgottgen. He is a busy man, constantly jetting around the world to create new installations, and we are honored that he took it upon himself to create a cover for us. Thank you.

We have a lot of great stories in this issue, including North Little Rock native Joey Lauren Adams, who has a plan to put Arkansas on the map for film production. I’m very proud of our contributors for working hard to make this issue our best one yet. At least until the next one arrives.

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Kody Ford MANAGING EDITOR Katie Wyatt EDITORS-AT-LARGE Jeremy Glover Marty Shutter COPY EDITOR Marti Nicholson CONTRIBUTORS Colley Bailey Sophie Bauer Stacey Bowers Heather Canterbury Katie Childs Katy Henriksen Rachel Hill Jade Howard Alexander Jeffery Dave Morris Rett Peek Susan Porter Katherine Whitworth COVER Maser

FOLLOW US

Kody Ford Editor/Publisher

idleclassmag.com

5

THE MAGIC TOUCH “FILTHY PHIL” EUBANKS MIGHT HAVE A MUSIC ADDICTION, BUT THAT’S OKAY. AS THE HOST OF THE PSYCHEDLIC ROCK SHOW “PLASTIC MAGIC RADIO” ON KXUA 88.3, HE’S GOT A GOOD EXCUSE. INTERVIEW / DAVE MORRIS

P

lastic Magic is a weekly radio show specializing in “acid rock, garage rock, psychedelic, stoner rock, and garage rock revival, mostly from 1966-1973.” It airs on KXUA 88.3 FM (the University of Arkansas’s radio station) as well as on Area 51 WBCQ 5110 kHz shortwave radio from Monticello, Maine. It’s hosted by “Filthy Phil” aka Phillip Eubanks. The Idle Class recently had the opportunity to discuss the show with him.

the most valuable record I have is a VG++ copy of a group called Mary Butterworth. I received an email from a listener from Ohio, I believe, that said he knew of a copy there selling for $1,800! I think there were less than 500 made.

I paid 75 cents for my copy.

It would probably be pretty difficult for you to do your show if you weren’t really into record collecting. How did you get into record collecting?

I have always wanted to do a radio show. I grew up listening to Clyde Clifford’s “Beaker Street” radio show on Magic 105 out of Little Rock in the ‘80s. And decided if I ever got the opportunity I would like to be like that.

The first record I can remember buying was either AC/DC’s “For Those About To Rock... We Salute You” or Rush’s “Grace Under Pressure.” Like most of the kids of my generation growing up in the ‘80s, I learned a lot early on from MTV. The community radio station out of Little Rock, KABF, had a really great rap/hip hop show on Saturday afternoon where I learned a lot more from people who were quite obviously above and beyond passionate about what they were playing. Thinking about it now, this is probably where my love for underground radio started. And this was all before the fifth grade. From there the next big thing for me was Prince. And that is probably about the time I decided to stop buying tapes and only buy LPs. By the sixth grade I started skateboarding and eventually started hanging out with the skaters and looking at skateboard magazines. I started seeing the t-shirts for sale of the punk groups from the ‘80s. Groups like Black Flag, Circle Jerks, The Cramps, Butthole Surfers and so on. My friend Thomas came back from visiting family in Arizona around this time and came back with a tape of the Dead Kennedy’s “Bedtime For Democracy.” I went to the local record store in Russellville, The Joker, and had them order that for me.

I noticed on the record jacket ‘for free catalog write to:...’ and I did. So, I have been ordering records through the mail like that ever since. Most of the punk rock LPs I have were obtained this way from labels like SST, Alternative Tentacles, Touch and Go, etc. I usually would try to get the local record shop to try and order it for me first but if they couldn’t get it, really it was just easier to do it through the mail, especially living in a small town in Arkansas.

One of the benefits of getting into this hobby in the mid80s was that was when CDs were the next big thing and records were thought of as second rate. People were taking whole collections to the pawn shop where I would buy them for $1 each! I spent every dime I had on records and skateboard parts (before I ever spent any money on beer, cigarettes, gas for the car, dates with girls or whatever).

I spent lunch money my mom gave for school and from mowing lawns. And I was curious then, sort of like I am now, with buying something just because the cover looks cool.

How many records are in your collection and what’s your most prized record?

In my living room I would estimate there are probably around 10,000 to 12,000 LPs and more in the garage.

I have lots of records worth $50 to $250. To my knowledge,

6

PHOTO / KAT WILSON

idleclassmag.coM

How did you make the leap from eccentric record collector to eccentric record collector with a radio show?

Any specific story behind the name “Plastic Magic”?

When the show first went on the air in November 2008, I called it “Cruisin’ With Filthy Phil.” The next morning after the first show I woke up from a dream that my radio show was called “Plastic Magic,” meaning records are made of plastic and well I guess the magic is self-explanatory.

Each episode of “Plastic Magic” is pretty unique in regard to the music played – how do you generally decide on a playlist for each show?

As for a playlist, I pick out songs for the show during the week and I have no idea what order to play them in until I get to the studio. Then I just sort of feel my way through the show as it is happening. Sometimes it is planned around a holiday or something but most of the time I’m just trying to find things I haven’t played yet. A lot of times it is showing something I just found.

The original idea was to never play the same thing twice.

That hasn’t remained, but to my credit it is hard to remember now if I have or haven’t played certain things, sometimes someone will request to hear something I’ve already played and some things simply deserve to be heard again.

What made you decide to focus on this ‘60s/’70s/garage/ psych/etc. area of rock and roll?

Of all the phases in music from punk to ‘50s doo wop to alt country to outlaw country to jazz to blues to whatever, I decided on the Vietnam-era 1965-73 acid rock because for one it is one of the most artistically interesting and seems almost endless of material. This was actually my first love in music because of my brothers and as far as putting on a radio show this was the deepest well in my collection. So in a way this also brought me back sort of full circle. And also was the hope that I might do for some kid what Clyde Clifford did for me with “Beaker Street.”

How long do you plan to keep doing the show?

The only plan I ever had for how long to do the show was five years. I’ve passed that now.

VISIT: PlasticMagic.blogspot.com

idleclassmag.com

13

THE MEN ABOUT TOWN FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS, BRANDEN, BAILEY & BOBBITT OF “3B RADIO” HAVE BROUGHT NORTHWEST ARKANSAS KILLER TUNES, LOTS OF LAUGHS & JOKES THAT WOULD EMBARASS YOUR MOTHER. BUT IT’S THEIR LOVE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT KEEPS PEOPLE TUNING IN. WORDS / DAVE MORRIS PHOTO / JADE HOWARD

IF YOU’VE ADJUSTED A RADIO, in Northwest Arkansas between the hours of 3 pm and 7 pm anytime in the last few years, chances are you’ve heard “3B Radio” on 104.9 The X. Hosts Branden, Bailey and Bobbitt (hence “3B”) entertain listeners every weekday afternoon with a variety show.

They got their start doing a morning show called “The AMX” for several years on 104.9 FM. In total, they’ve been on the air for almost a decade and they are currently one of the most listened to radio shows in the area.

Branden Lee is the “B” with the most traditional radio background and he was also the first to work at The X. Over time he brought in his friends Chris Bobbitt and Bailey Mendenhall and the show evolved organically from there. A great deal of the show involves extemporaneous discussion of interesting news items and current events.

“After 10 years of hosting on the daily, it comes naturally to me,” Branden says. “I do, however, take mental and smartphone notes of news, events and silly things that happen in my daily adventures that our listeners can relate to, or at least get a laugh from, and I know the guys are gathering the material in the same way so when we show up we have a pretty good idea of where we are going to go for the day.

We like to be in the moment.”

On most days, Branden would rate this discussion “PG-13.” Bailey agrees: “I’d like to think our listeners love ‘3B’ because we’re honest and not afraid to talk about the nitty-gritty. I’ve heard some people refer to us as not being kid-friendly. I take issue with this because I think we’re absolutely kid-friendly. I’d hate to think those people are under the assumption that kids today aren’t all over the Internet seeing the

worst of what the world has to offer. In comparison, I’d say we’re pretty safe for the kids. What we try to do is find the humorous side to everything in life. The world is a funny and tragic place. You can get bogged down in the tragedy or you can take the time to find humor in the world. I prefer the latter myself.”

Although the men of “3B Radio” started off as employees of Butler Broadcasting (the company that owns 104.9 the X), they have long since incorporated into their own business and now air on 104.9 as contractors. Among other things, this means they’re responsible for soliciting their own sponsors and often create the advertising spots themselves.

According to Bailey, “Branden is absolutely the production guru of ‘3B’ so if I have an idea in my head, he knows how to make it sound good in a commercial format,” Bailey said. “Most of our commercials come as a result of an absurd idea or a situation we think is funny. If it makes us laugh, we figure it will make others laugh as well. That’s our goal, really. We want to make unique advertising that is often humorous and will attract attention.”

In addition to running a successful business for themselves, they also use the show to help out the community. “3B Radio” frequently features interviews with and performances from local music acts. “I think all three of us have a passion for music and are fortunate to be in an area with many talented bands and singer/songwriters,” says Bobbitt. Additionally, “3B Radio” strives to help out local nonprofits on a regular basis. “I want to help Northwest Arkansas, so I am passionate about any local charity,” Branden says.

Like most media, the radio business is changing rapidly due to technological advances and shifts in the way people choose to consume information. Naturally this has had an impact on “3B Radio.”

“Let’s put it this way, if we just did the radio show, we probably would not last,” Branden says. “Social media is a huge part of it now. Our podcast on iTunes (“3B Radio”) is very popular, with thousands of downloads around the globe this year alone! I’ve been told for over a decade now that radio won’t last. That might be true, but the show must go on.”

Bailey says the show now focuses on its mobile listeners who can access “3B Radio” on their smartphones and tablets through the web, social media and mobile apps like TuneIn Radio. “No longer are we restricted to the airwaves or personal desktop computers,” Bailey says. “That has made us really competitive with satellite radio because now we’re mobile, we’re local and most importantly, we’re free. Now we have the opportunity to reach places we never could have gone when we started over eight years ago.”

VISIT: 3BRADIO.COM newrock1049x.com

idleclassmag.com

9

LOCAL FLAVOR “OZARKS AT LARGE” DIGS DEEP TO BRING YOU STORIES YOU WON’T HEAR ANYWHERE ELSE. HERE’S HOW KYLE KELLAMS AND COMPANY KEEP KUAF 91.3 LISTENERS INFORMED AND ENTERTAINED. WORDS / SUSAN PORTER PHOTOS / KAT WILSON

BACK IN THE ‘70s AND EARLY ‘80s - if you wanted to spin some wax and have a show on KUAF 91.3, all you needed was a good vinyl collection or friends who did. That was when KUAF was the University of Arkansas operated 10-watt wonder. Those were the days when you knew everyone you saw on Dickson Street and KUAF was unique to Fayetteville. Unique because that was as far as the airwaves could take it. The program was locally produced and it was pretty much an all volunteer operation. Sometimes the shows were thrown together at the last minute and it showed. Today things are vastly different.

KUAF is now a 100,000-watt station that jumps the Ozark Mountains and can be heard throughout Northwest Arkansas, the River Valley and in some parts of Oklahoma and Missouri. Things began changing at KUAF in 1985.

That’s when the little station began its transition from local to professional and became an NPR affiliate. NPR syndicated feeds filled the airwaves with slick programming and news from around the world. The reggae show and other volunteer-produced shows went by the wayside. Amazingly, two shows from those early days — Mike Shirkey’s “The Pickin’ Post” and Robert Ginsburg’s “Shades of Jazz” — survived the transition and remain extremely popular.

Gradually, KUAF has added back more local shows, many produced by KUAF staffers. One of the local programs that has brought the “local” back is “Ozarks at Large” with longtime news director Kyle Kellams at the helm. The one-hour, six-day-a-week news magazine has a staff of professional reporters that dig for obscure features on Ozark people and places as well as news stories that go largely unreported.

One of those features was Jacqueline Froelich’s story about African American history in the Ozarks. Two years after Froelich’s first story aired on “Ozarks at Large,” she unearthed a story about the racial cleansing of Harrison a story that had been buried from more than a century. Her top-notch reporting led to a two-hour documentary. Froelich joined the show in 1996 and is now a senior news producer and station-based NPR correspondent. She credits Kellams for opening the door to her career.

“My degree was in print journalism, not broadcast, so I had no idea what I was doing. Plus my scripts were far too elaborate. But he quickly, and kindly, taught me the radio ropes,” she said.

In 1989, KUAF was in a small house on Duncan Street where “we were stumbling over each other.” Interviews were recorded on tape and editing was done with razor blades.

“You couldn’t be too creative because if you didn’t like the edit you just created, you would have to splice it back in,” Kellams said. “Now you can try something and restore it in mere seconds.”

Although Kyle Kellams and “Ozarks at Large” are somewhat synonymous, the show’s name was first used for a 30-minute weekly interview program hosted and produced

by Dave Edmark and James Russell. Like many of the shows produced during those early days, Edmark and Russell were volunteers. They stopped producing the program in 1990.

When station manager Rick Stockdell asked Kellams to takeover the program, Kellams balked.

“I didn’t have the confidence to sit down with someone for 30 minutes. I was 26.” Kellams said. But with the seed planted, Kellams grabbed his notebook and headed for Jerry’s Restaurant (formerly at the southwest corner of Dickson Street and College Avenue) and ordered lots of coffee. That’s

where “Ozarks at Large,” as we know it today, was created.

Kellams formulated the idea for a program that would involve several different elements. The program launched in 1990 as a 30-minute show, with Kellams doing most of the work and reporting. Within a year it became an one-hour production that aired on Friday night and Saturday morning.

The show went daily in 2010. For Kellams, one of the biggest changes since taking it from a weekly program to a daily is “the chance I won’t come up for air...we’re never really able to get too comfortable.”

It’s pretty safe to say that “Ozarks at Large” is unique and at the top of the heap when it is compared to programs in other NPR markets of the same size or even larger. Kelllams said every station in every market is different and decides how to allot their time and resources. He surveyed what some of the other stations were doing a few years ago and found that some had weekly programs similar to “Ozarks at Large,” but really nothing like it. He said the success of the show is based on three factors: A general manager (Stockdell) who is committed to local programming, “an incredibly devoted, energetic and intelligent” staff and an audience that loves stories and public radio and supports programs like it.

Kellams is quick to credit Froelich and the other “Ozarks at Large” contributors Antoinette Grajeda, Christina Karnatz, Timothy Dennis and Sara Burningham with the success of the program.

“We constantly have conversations about what we want to accomplish with the show,” Kellams said. “We concentrate on things we do best: sound, stories that benefit from more time on the air, pieces that maybe others don’t do.”

One of the appealing elements of the show is the variety of reporting. The contributors cover news, politics, education, sports, art and culture and the quirky and unusual stories that are specific to the Ozarks. The crew frequently steps outside their comfort zone in the downtown Fayetteville studio to travel to small towns with a population of two digits or to the Ivory Tower of the university to report a story of interest.

Some of the more memorable stories for Kellams are reporting on the simultaneous emergence of cicadas in rural Washington County for the first time in hundreds of years, recording musicians inside an empty Fayetteville water tank, covering the Pea Ridge Mule Jump, and Miller Williams’ story of having a drink with Hank Williams.

Since that day some twenty-odd years ago when Kellams sat in a booth at Jerry’s Restaurant and came up with the format for OAL, the popularity of the show and the public admiration of Kellams has turned him into one of the most in-demand hosts in Northwest Arkansas. He’s volunteered his time to act as a panel moderator for all sorts of topics and as an emcee for a multitude of non-profit fundraisers and events

idleclassmag.com

11

Above: Antoinette Grajeda, Christina Karnatz, & Kyle Kellams Below: Jacqueline Froelich, Timothy Dennis, & Sara Burningham

12

idleclassmag.com

like the Fayetteville Roots Festival and the Northwest Arkansas Music Awards. A straight-talking, down-to-earth guy who’s always ready with a question, Kellams is a quick wit and never intimidates. Although he would eschew the word “celebrity,” in this little corner of the world he is, no matter how hard he tries to let the limelight bounce off. He never slows down at the studio and continually strives to better the show’s programming.

“I’d hope a listener, whether a resident of the region for 70 years or a week, gets a little bit better understanding of where she or he lives. We want to make sure voices of different kinds of people are on the air. We get art, news and ideas in every program,” Kellams said.

Where does it go from here? “Ozarks at Large” does a couple of shows a year with on-location live audiences and Kellams says they would like to do more. He again tips his hat to the staff: “We’re certainly not limited by our collective imaginations.”

Froelich added, “Ozarks at Large will endure as a remarkable trove of stories about Ozarks people, personalities, and places.”

FOLLOW: @OZARKSATLARGE

Trolley Line Books Used, Rare, Signed & Arkansas-related Books Located in Downtown Rogers 110 W Walnut St Rogers, AR 72756

(479) 636-1626

idleclassmag.com

13

THE PEOPLE HAVE

SPOKEN

SINCE 1984, LITTLE ROCK’S KABF 88.3 HAS SERVED AS THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. NOW THE STAFF REFLECTS ON 30 YEARS OF COMMUNITY-RUN RADIO. WORDS / KATHERINE WHITWORTH PHOTOS / KATIE CHILDS

‘I DIDN’T PRE-LISTEN TO THIS, GUYS, SO...” It’s early on a weekday morning, and Amy Pannell, host of Little Rock-based community radio station KABF’s morning talk show “The Pow Wow with Amy Pannell,” has just uttered words that in moments will prove to be foreshadowing in the way every on-air personality dreads.

Joan Rivers is in the hospital, and Pannell, herself a comedian, has queued up a clip of Rivers’s stand-up as a tribute. By way of introduction, Pannell gives the quiet warning, seemingly more to her co-hosts than to the listening audience.

The Rivers bit rolls, and, inevitably, F-bombs begin to fly — unbleeped. Whoops. Pannell shuffles Rivers off the air at the end of the next one-liner and attempts some breezy humor, which is pretty much the only thing a radio host can do after she realizes she’s inadvertently (though not unavoidably) violated the most obvious and commonly known of the FCC’s regulations.

“That was my mistake, and it shouldn’t have happened,” says Pannell on the phone a few weeks later. “It happens in conversation, and the show is so conversational. And there’s no delay — we even put callers right on the air. You never know. It can be polarizing.”

Polarizing or not, isn’t that unpredictability one of the things that attract people to community radio? Never canned, never repetitive—you never know what you’re going to get.

It’s like being invited into someone’s living room to hang out and listen to music. That spirit is reflected in the title of Pannell’s show. Pannell, who is Native American, describes it this way: “To whites, ‘pow wow’ means ‘talk’; in Native American culture, it means ‘party.’ So, it’s a talk party.”

In fact, not being predictable is a hallmark of KABF’s programming philosophy. The standalone community station, whose tagline is “The Voice of the People,” broadcasts 24/7 with a 77-show, 88-DJ schedule that includes a mix of music, talk, and news shows with names like “Young & Unashamed Radio,” “Saturday Night Ramble,” and “Heartbreakers and Rumpshakers.” Almost every genre you can name is covered in the weekly schedule, from the expected jazz and blues to zydeco and psychedelic rock, not to mention the first Latino programming in the state.

The only thing you won’t hear much of on KABF is Top 40. “We don’t play a lot of commercial music,” says Bryan Frazier, the station’s assistant manager. “We’ll play copyrighted music, but not the Top 40 cuts. You can hear those anywhere.” While Frazier admits that some DJs do occasionally dip into Top 40, it’s most likely for either an ‘80s standby or a b-side or an album cut from an artist who might also currently have a hit on commercial radio. “You might know this artist, but you may not know this track…and on

commercial radio you will never hear it. It’s that educational element that we’re there for.”

Education and empowerment have been part of the station’s mission since its inception, in 1984. KABF’s founder, Wade Rathke, had founded the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), a membership organization of low- and modest-income families, in 1970 in Little Rock. ACORN, which eventually grew to have more than 500,000 members working on things like voter registration, affordable housing, and health care in the US and four other countries, was in the early 1970s in Arkansas working to stop inflationary increases in utility rates by campaigning for a ballot measure that would freeze costs for the first 400 kilowatt hours — and the utilities fought back, with thousands of dollars in radio and television ads urging voters to reject the measure. (ACORN won.) In the course of campaigning, Rathke realized that ACORN, with its lower-income members, would never be able to afford the kind of media presence the utilities had been able to buy.

So he looked into establishing a noncommercial community radio station. And thus “the voice of the people” was born.

If the phrase “community radio” calls to mind the 10watt station you might have DJ’ed for in college, think again.

Something many people probably don’t realize is that KABF broadcasts at 100,000 watts—that’s as powerful as commercial radio, and as powerful, by law, as radio can get.

This allows KABF to extend its mission nearly statewide. “It’s an amazing medium,” says Frazier, “because it’s so powerful, and to know that this amateur person, this member of the community, is broadcasting almost statewide, even worldwide online — it’s incredible.”

“Public radio is a true medium for the community,” says John Cain, KABF’s program director and one of its very first DJs. “We do specific programming around the needs of the community. Culture-specific programming.” As program director, Cain sees to it that educational programs are interspersed with multicultural music shows, with the aim of providing useful information to people who might not hear it otherwise. “Music is a good hook to get people listening,” Cain said. “Then you can bring an expert in housing or health on the air so they can reach a larger audience.” Cain believes that music can be a vehicle for positive change, and that creativity is good for community.

“Music cuts across all boundaries to reach people,” he says.

“Our multicultural programming helps people. It’s a process

idleclassmag.com idleclassmag.com

159

“IF YOU DON’T HAVE A MISSION, YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING.” JOHN CAIN, PROGRAM DIRECTOR

16

idleclassmag.com

to help people change their consciousness.”

In his nearly 30 years at the station, Cain has witnessed the process of change from the inside out through working with KABF’s DJs. “When they first come, it’s all about them — their creativity, their way of wanting to do their show. But it’s not about them, it’s about the service, the mission, what they’re doing for others. They become dedicated to the mission.”

And they have to be dedicated. “An operation like this — standalone community media — can’t afford to pay people for their diligence,” Cain said. “If you don’t have the mission, you don’t have anything.”

Aside from three paid staff members (Cain, Frazier, and development coordinator Carly Garner), the station is manned by volunteers, and once they have the mission, says Cain, “they do what they need to do to sustain their listeners,” who are the station’s primary source of support.

Some of the station’s approximately 50,000 weekly listeners have been with the station for years — something the station can track by paying attention to who calls in and where pledges come from.

“Fundraising initiatives are what sustain us,” Cain said. “Pledge drives are the principal part of that.

There comes a synergy that sustains the station.

To have people actually put down money out of a paycheck is what drives it, and brings volunteers together.”

Cain said he hasn’t calculated how many volunteer hours the station has logged in 30 years, but it feels like a million. “That’s 24/7, every day, getting a volunteer in to do something good and positive on the broadcast air. We don’t claim to own it,” Cain said. “We are stewards of it.”

the shows to know Blues Origins Host: RJ Looney Monday, 3 – 5 pm Showcases the best in roots and Delta blues.

Shoog Radio Hosts: Kara Bibb & Aaron Sarlo Tuesday, noon – 3 pm Hear the greatest Arkansas music with in-studio performances.

The Mystic Cambo Jones Show Hosts: Crambo Jones & Tiger Pup Tuesday, 7 – 9 pm A weekly excape into psychedelia, utter nonesense and the dark arts.

The Morning Mixtape Host: Zac Taylor Wednesday, 7 - 9 am Plays any and all genres, capturing the true essence of a mixtape.

NVRMND the Morning Show Host: Frazzle Dazzle Friday 7-9 am New and classic college rock “less talk, more rock” the anti-morning talk show.

Vive La Vie Host: Alexia Elichiry Friday, 9:30 – 10 am Focusing on food, wine and travel, each episode features a culinary enthusiast, chef, restauranteur, or mixologist.

Big Gay Radio Show Hosts: Traci Berry, Jason Weist & HL Moody Friday, noon – 2 pm Politics, news, local and national for the LGBTQ community with a variety of upbeat music. The only LGBTQ programming in the state.

Hearbreakers & Rumpshakers Host: Baldego Wednesday, 7 pm - 8:30 pm Featuring deep soul tracks and music to groove to.

Backroads Host: Amy Garland Friday 5 - 7 pm One of KABF’s longest-running shows featuring roots, acoustic, country & Americana.

GIRLS! Hosts: Alex Cox and Katie Cruel Thursday, 8:30 -10 pm All girl rock, focusing on solo artists or bands with female singers.

Rhythm Room Host: Mike Martinez Friday, 10 – midnight For 10 years, this has been the show for indie dance and house music.

VISIT: KABF.ORG

idleclassmag.com

17

CONVERGENCE KATY HENRIKSEN, HOST OF KUAF’S “OF NOTE,” DRAWS FROM A LIFETIME OF HER EXPERIENCES TO BRING CLASSICAL MUSIC TO THE MASSES. WORDS/ KODY FORD PHOTOS / SOPHIE BAUER

Hair & makeup by Melissa Arens of Mayapple Salon

MUSIC IS AN INESCAPABLE PART OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. Blaring from the speakers in your car. Moving the hero of your favorite film closer to the climax. Breaking through the hum of an evening’s conversation at your local Applebee’s. The love of music is almost innate in our species. It’s the friend who lifts your spirits when the party starts, the hand who consoles you in a time of heartbreak, the courier of emotions great and small. And it all starts with a single note.

During the 20th century, music reached its apex as a commodity. The decades saw a rapid evolution and diversification for music — blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, hip-hop — so many genres and subgenres it almost became dizzying. During this time, classical music fell from the public consciousness, but never vanished. In fact, it endured and underwent its own evolution and diversification, although for a much smaller audience. While names like Bach, Beethoven and Brahms come to mind immediately, those who follow classical music closely know it as being far more modern and relevant than you might think. That’s where Katy Henriksen comes in.

As the host of “Of Note with Katy Henriksen” on KUAF 91.3, her job is to sift through centuries of music and deliver a daily experience for her listeners that is entertaining, enlightening and eclectic. It’s not an easy job, but it is one that she holds dear.

“The music I play can offer solace in a time when everyone’s got all this craziness going on in their lives,” she said. “It’s a way to tune in anywhere - on a phone, a computer, a radio dial - and you can live in that piece of music for a while. And maybe it’s a very peaceful piece that lets you breathe or maybe it’s something very challenging. It engages you. You can engage with music different than any other form. The way it hits your brain. The way you get enveloped in it. And I love being able to offer that to everyone. Classical music isn’t one thing. It’s a lot of things.

I want to represent all of that.”

Creating a radio program is no easy process. It involves research, technical expertise and good instincts. While some stations still broadcast live, Henriksen follows the more modern method of recording and programming her show before it airs at 11 a.m. on Monday through Friday. She pieces each episode together like a puzzle to fill her allotted 54 minutes. Each day features a highlighted work that averages around 35 minutes long and then she chooses

accordingly for the rest of the program. Recently, she has incorporated interviews as well.

The episodes are rebroadcast online on KUAF 2 each evening at 6 p.m. She chooses an additional song for this.

Also, she is responsible for the KUAF Sunday Symphony airs 7-9 Sunday nights as well as 1 p.m. Sundays on KUAF 2. Last May, she and Kyle Kellams co-hosted “Mozart at the Museum,” a live broadcast of a concert by Walton Arts Center’s Artosphere Orchestra at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Given the dynamic nature of classical music and constant offerings, culling down her musical choices requires Henriksen to undertake extensive research on what is new in classical music by reading blogs like NPR Classical’s “Deceptive Cadence” blog or the Brooklyn Rail, a paper she once wrote for, along with more traditional media outlets like the New York Times and The Guardian. She follows labels Deutsche Grammophon, Sony Classical Harmonia Mundi, Bridge Records, and the expansive Naxos label.

“Sometimes people don’t know what goes into putting a program together because it’s not like I’m just pulling CDs off the rack and like, ‘oh, this is 20 minutes, this is 15’ and such.

I’m thinking about all sorts of things – different eras, different instrumentation, different types of performers – and all that goes into how I put together my programming because I want it to be really diverse and represent the whole realm of classical music. It’s the largest genre of western music because it’s been going so long. A lot of things can fit into that.”

This is an impressive feat, especially considering that this is her first professional job in radio. However, it is one that she has spent a lifetime preparing for.

The daughter of Mark & Carol Widder of Fayetteville, Henriksen has lived with music her entire life. Her grandfather was chair of the music department at the University of

idleclassmag.com

19

Arkansas, her grandmother directed the strings program at Fayetteville High School, her mother is a multiinstrumentalist and her maternal grandfather was a jazz and ragtime pianist. Everything from Mozart to Joni Mitchell filled the Widder household. This mix of old and modern instilled Henriksen with a fascination for a variety of genres.

“Music was a part of everyday life,” Carol Widder said.

“We had all kinds - classical, jazz, world music. I always loved Paul Simon and Janis Joplin and Joni Mitchell. And I think that’s where Katy gets it. She’s experienced it all and loves it so much.”

At age six, she started violin lessons and played in youth orchestras growing up. In junior high she started voice and went to be all-region and all-state for choir. When she enrolled at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, she majored in voice, but this quickly changed after realizing that she only had two career paths — educator or performer — a choice that felt too constrictive so she decided to blend her love of music and writing together to become a journalist.

This switch in majors came just before the massive loss of readership and wave of layoffs in print journalism in the early 2000s. The entire field had begun to redefine itself, but she wasn’t shaken. As an undergrad, Henriksen served as the Features editor for the Arkansas Traveler, the student paper at the UA, and as a general rotation DJ for the newly formed KXUA student radio station. She interviewed bands, wrote

20

idleclassmag.com

columns and after graduation, she enrolled in the MA program in Journalism at the school, where she expanded her skill set by focusing on media, gender studies and documentary film.

Growing up, Henriksen had always played it safe, but in 2004 she took the leap and moved to Brooklyn. After a brief tenure at The Strand Bookstore, she got a job in publishing and at night wrote about music for any media outlets such as Venus Zine, Pop Matters, and the aforementioned Brooklyn Rail.

“No one had any money,” she said. “I was doing it because I wanted to interview these awesome musicians and have this experience. All the while I’d go to my office job in publishing so I can pay the rent and everything.”

After a few years, she returned home to Fayetteville. Her publishing and journalism experience didn’t open many doors at first. She was days away from starting a job as a hostess at a local restaurant, when she received a callback from the University of Arkansas Press. She worked her for a few years, but never lost track of her goal of becoming a fulltime music journalist.

In the spring of 2011, long-time KUAF Classical Music director PJ Rubowski retired. Henriksen kept her eyes open for job listings. She describes herself as an “NPR kid,” who was raised on All Things Considered and Morning Edition. While she desired a job at the station, manager Rick

Stockdell wasn’t looking to fill Rubowski’s chair as they were using a classical music streaming service, but after chatting with Henriksen, he began to change his mind. While he had known her since her days as a journalism student, her lack of professional radio experience didn’t make her an ideal candidate on paper, but he knew her family and her background. He decided to take a chance and make KUAF’s classical music coverage local again. After an extensive interview process, she was hired and given the task of creating a new show.

“KUAF aligned all my interests together,” Henriksen said.

“Before I was floating around and doing all these different things. Now I get to highlight classical music and the arts for a public radio station with culture that reaches everyone for free. I’m bringing the concert hall to anyone whenever they want it, because it’s really expensive if you want to attend a concert, especially if you want to go to the big concerts. I’m very passionate about being able to offer that anyone who wants to listen to it and cultivating that.”

At first some people were surprised to see this music journalist take on such a monumental task, but those who knew her didn’t lose faith even as she struggled to find her “radio voice” and master the technical aspects of the job in the first few months. Stockdell would stop by and give her tips, which accelerated her learning curve.

“[I was] very supportive and I continue to be very supportive,” said Stockdell. “She was kind of ‘thrown into the water’ so to speak when she first started, but she’s worked hard and improved a lot since her early days of producing ‘Of Note’.”

While Henriksen plays the standards like Mendelssohn, she also features modern works by Richard Reed Perry of Arcade Fire and A Time for Three, the string trio who lit up the Artosphere Festival in Fayetteville last spring. Her main criteria for choosing songs is the musicianship, passion and emotional resonance of a tune.

“Classical music is for everyone and I want to show everyone that its available and accessible to everyone but not accessible in the sense that its easy,” she said. “It’s not always going to be easy to listen to. Sometimes art can be challenging but it’s also rewarding.”

Henriksen’s passions and interests have given “Of Note”’s listeners an experience that is unique and engaging. From Carthage to Mena, people are tuning in to hear her show and be transported into a concert hall they might never step foot in otherwise. A lifetime of experience has finally converged and Katy Henriksen couldn’t be happier about it.

FOLLOW: @OFNOTEKUAF

NOTEWORTHY SELECTIONS We asked Katy Henriksen, host of KUAF 91.3’s “Of Note” (Monday through Friday at 11 am) to choose three classical artists who are redefining the genre today. Here’s what she had to say.

Brooklyn Rider - The Brooklyn Rider Almanac Mercury Classics, 2014

A young ambitious string quartet that formed while studying at The Curtis Institute raised money for their new release via Kickstarter. Featuring all original commissioned works from a wide array of composers across classical and jazz, the album is inspired by The Blue Rider artist collective of the first half of the 20th Century.

Dobrinka Tabakova - String Paths ECM New Series, 2013

This young Bulgarian-born, London-based composer finds inspiration from both East and West, from Schubert to Gorecki, for chamber works that glow and provoke.

Max Richter/Daniel Hope - Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, the Four Seasons (feat. Konzerthaus Kammerorchester led by Andre De Ridder)

DG Records, 2014

Max Richter’s recompositions make the ubiquitous muzakification of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” into something utterly transfixing and vital with solo violin from one of the most exciting musicians of the 21st Century.

idleclassmag.com

21

disturbING

the peace INTERNATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED IRISH ARTIST MASER USES COLOR TO DISRUPT THE LANDSCAPE WITH HIS INSTALLATIONS. NOW HE HAS OPENED A STUDIO IN FAYETTEVILLE & HE’S LEAVING HIS MARK ON ARKANSAS, ONE PIECE AT A TIME. WORDS / KODY FORD

22

idleclassmag.com

IF YOU’VE DRIVEN DOWN NORTHWEST AVENUE IN FAYETTEVILLE ANYTIME IN the last few months, you’ve probably noticed something different. It’s not large, but it is bold. Bright colors — magenta, sky blue, tangerine — contrasting sharply with the earth tones of the landscape. At first glance, this piece seems to be a bizarre sculpture or some psychedelic playground equipment, but upon closer examination, it’s something more, something inviting, something to be experienced.

The piece is “Under the Stars.” Dublin-native Maser conceived it as a stage and interactive piece for the Walton Arts Center’s annual Artosphere Festival last spring. Since its completion in late May, “Under the Stars” has been a draw for families, students and the occasional drunken reveler. While the work has brought attention to the artist, this isn’t the first mark he has left in the area.

In 2012, Fort Smith businessman Steve Clark had just completed an indoor skate park called Boardertown. He shared his vision with his friend Richie McCusker, a native of Ireland, who told him about the graffiti art of Dublin and mentioned Maser. Clark emailed the artist and ended his note by saying “I don’t want to waste your time.” His directness caught Maser’s attention.

The pair began a conversation about painting a mural.

Maser thought, “You know, I can go somewhere I’ve never been, paint a great space and get paid for it.” He signed on to the project. Once he arrived, the men hit it off. The project went over well, according to Clark, in part due to a message that says, “[R]egardless of your current circumstance there is reason to hope, reason to expect more. That your circumstance doesn’t exclude you from holding yourself to a high standard, that adversity is something to overcome.”

When Maser and his girlfriend Lou left Fort Smith to attend SXSW, they felt sad about leaving after having spent time with everyone involved in the project. Clark invited Maser to come back to Arkansas, an offer he accepted. He returned to Fort Smith and worked for two months, painting works on canvas. During this time, he considered how much time he spent in the United States each year, typically around four months, so he talked with Lou and they decided to move to Fayetteville.

The first time I met Maser was during the construction of “Under the Stars.” I had heard the buzz about this Irish artist making waves in town and I halfway expected to meet a lanky hipster with a leather jacket, an asymmetrical haircut and the aloofness of a house cat. But the man I met was the

total opposite. The first thing you notice about Maser is that, unlike his artwork, he blends in. He could be a lawyer, an architect, or even a construction worker. He’s not too tall or too thin. He doesn’t have a Dali moustache or a Warhol wig. He’s just a good-natured Irishman who greets you with a smile and a handshake. The stranger who has a pint with you at the pub. This anonymity is something the artist plays to the hilt. He wants the focus to be on his work, not himself. In fact, he doesn’t allow his face to be shown in photographs.

As we walked around the installation, he shifted between chatting and directing. Maser usually collaborates with a small group of workers who stay with him on the projects and he recruits volunteers to help him paint. Community participation is something he looks for, not just in the finished product, but in its creation as well.

“I get my hands dirty [and] guide people through it,” he said. “I just let everyone get involved. I’ll grid it out and let people paint it. The whole idea is so people can take ownership of it. That’s what I enjoy and it’s something that artists often forget. It’s always me, me, me and I, I, I, but I like to make it [otherwise]. That way they take ownership of it.

The idea grows and your message spreads more and more.”

Spreading a positive message is Maser’s mission. He first tried his hand at art around age 14 in the early days of Dublin’s graffiti scene. Graffiti gave him a sense of belonging with his peers. They took trains around town exploring new neighborhoods and “tagging” walls. Part of this process involved using an alias or a “tag.” At first he wrote “Mase” and then one day he added an “r.” While there is no proper meaning to the word, he liked it nonetheless. “I liked the flow of it and the letters,” he said. “A lot of the work I’d do was abstract typography so the letters worked quite well for me. Sort of had a ring to it and it became a nickname that stuck.”

As he delved deeper into the culture of street art, he discussed an English magazine called Graffitism and it opened his eyes to the diverse graffiti scenes in London and the United States. He realized that his small acts of vandalism were actually part of a burgeoning international

idleclassmag.com

23

art movement and he became completely obsessed by it. He became a member of the TDS Clan, a group of taggers active outside of Dublin and, as he grew older, he became more active in the city.

When he attended university, he briefly studied fine art, only to drop out to become a sous chef for a year and a half.

He reapplied to college and studied graphic design and developed a love of typography. He befriended Kevin Freeney, one of the most prolific sign painters in Dublin, who showed him the ropes for painting on signs and walls.

This was a turning point in his artwork. “That’s where it all made sense,” he said. “You’re communicating a message when you’re going out and doing graffiti. This was visual communications too. All my skills, color understandings and concepts I applied to graphic design and excelled in that.

Then I took what I learned with signs and brought that to the streets and that just blew up.”

His first major collaboration was with Irish folk singer Damien Dempsey, a poet laureate of the working class Irish.

Maser was a fan of the singer and they hit it off quickly. The artist began to take the singer’s lyrics and paint them on the walls of derelict buildings around Dublin to bring a message of hope to the hopeless.

“There’s already enough negative shit out there to read,” he said. “I’m addressing bad social circumstances but I’m doing it in a positive light. I’m trying to put that positive energy out.”

His collaboration with Dempsey became a local hit.

Buzz spread around the Irish capital as they painted around 25 walls, but people wanted to know what the future held for their works. While working on the projects, Maser got to know the city’s homeless population and came face-toface with the problem on a daily basis. He said, “We’d treat the streets as a transition – use it to go from home to work, but I realized when I was out painting, these are their sort of homes. I really got to know the guys on the streets and learned their stories, some of [which] were about prison and how they ended up [there] and that cycle of going in and how hard it is when you come out.”

Maser reached out to a local organization that worked with the homeless and they told him their greatest need was a medical van since many of the people they served could not make it to the clinic. The cost for the van was $30,000.

Maser put together a pop up show, where he sold prints and sculptures. Dublin came out in full force. Within two days, they had raised the funds.

Besides fundraising, Maser decided to help those in need in other ways. St. Patrick’s Institution houses some of Dublin’s most notorious juvenile offenders, but the artist was not

24

idleclassmag.com

deterred. He didn’t see them as problem kids, only misguided ones. He showed the young people how to measure walls and write signs, the same skills Freeney had taught him. Maser had them write short, positive messages like “Inside your mind, you hold the key” or “Friends I’ve yet to meet.”

“A lot of these kids in St. Patrick’s are 19 and have been conditioned that that’s their life and they’re happy there,” said Maser. “I was like fuck that scares me. I was trying to tell them that there’s so much more — women, drinking, having a family, getting a career. My whole idea was for education but I ended up learning so much more from it. It was an unforgettable experience.”

As a teen, Maser dabbled in mischief but managed to stay out of trouble with the law. However, he suffered a lot of loss as he saw depression and suicide take its toll on his friends.

These events have instilled him with a sense of charity and desire to spread positivity when working with and speaking to young people. “[H]ere I am a young guy from Dublin and I want to lead through example,” he said. “Look I can do this and haven’t come from money. And it’s sustainable and I travel the world painting. So that in a way is educational. I just try to be a good person as much as I can, try to meet young people and talk to them every chance I get – ‘I’m just like you and I’m able to do this’ – and they should apply that belief to anything. Even if you’re a young skater, just go skate as hard as you can.”

Over the last few years, his style has transitioned as he shifted to larger sculptures and installations. He’s been featured in Berlin, Copenhagen, even Las Vegas. These large interactive pieces incorporate color rather than typography.

It’s a different aesthetic, but Maser says the themes are the same.

“It’s of an abstract approach to it but it lets people go and enjoy art,” he said. “It doesn’t need to be ‘I don’t understand this.’ It’s an experience. If you enjoy it, you enjoy it. If you don’t, you don’t. It’s as simple as that. Take what you want from it.”

When it comes to the actual creative process of producing artwork, Maser does not wait for inspiration to strike. He’s constantly thinking, taking notes and pictures from morning until those last waning moments before he falls asleep.

“You’ll get your best ideas in little moments,” he said. “If you can just open that window [to the subconscious] and pull out some really good ideas. They’re just sort of sitting in there like a data bank and you have to pull it out.”

His fame has been on the rise internationally, the result of a series of chance meetings and perseverance rather than

Above: “Road Works” - now on display at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale Right: “Hyper Reality” installation

“It’s sort of an abstract approach to it, but it lets people go and enjoy art. It doesn’t need to be ‘I don’t understand this.’ It’s an experience. If you enjoy it, you enjoy it. If you don’t, you don’t. It’s as simple as that.

Take what you want from it.” idleclassmag.com

23

a big break. His work has been well-received and curators keep calling. Maser has gone from an Irish kid tagging walls in Dublin to an extremely in-demand artists.

His manager Claire Kolberg believes she knows the reason. “He’s constantly challenging himself, taking art, public art and installation to the next level. That excitement is palpable and people want to be a part of something fresh.”

In December, he will serve as the artist-inresidence at the Sydney Festival in Australia and will create an ambitious installation based on “Gravity of Perception” by MC Escher. Then he will return to Northwest Arkansas to work in his studio and prepare for an exhibition at the Fayetteville Underground in the spring.

While the Ozarks are a long way from the green hills of Ireland, Maser seems content with the change of pace. He feels the community has been very welcoming to him and Lou and he sees some similarities between the two places.

“There seems to be a lot of Irish descendants [in NWA],” he said. “Even the music is similar.

Bluegrass sounds exactly like traditional Irish music. People have a good sense of humor and everyone seems to get us here. Neighbors are calling on us all the time. We’re really enjoying our stay. I genuinely mean that. We feel very content here. And I put that down to the people.”

VISIT: Maserart.com @maserart 26

idleclassmag.com

Above: “Under The Stars” on display by Nadine Baum Studios in Fayetteville Below: “Hope” Pg. 27, Upper Left: “Stand Up” Upper Right: “Supreme” Bottom: “General Darby” mural in Fort Smith

idleclassmag.com

27

ARTISTS WE LOVE

F

or Delita Martin, working with her hands came naturally.

Growing up in Conroe, Texas, she was surrounded by painters, writers and quilters. By age five, she knew that she wanted to be an artist. Her father, an oil painter and carpenter, influenced her the most. He created cabinets and other wood work. She credits his actions for her love of printmaking, which can be found in her work today.

Martin’s paintings are striking as they juxtapose the dark skin of her subjects with bright colors and patterns often the result of woodblock printing. Each piece is a work of defiance against the stereotypes of popular culture as she seeks to redefine the look and portrayal of Black women in art. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Spend enough time in a Little Rock art gallery and the name Delita Martin will come up followed by praise. This buzz caught the attention of Chad Alligood, assistant curator for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, who visited with Martin at her studio. The museum selected her for the State of the Art exhibit that showcases undiscovered artists from around the nation.

Three pieces from her “I Come From Women Who Could Fly” series are featured in the exhibition. State of the Art runs until January 19, 2015.

The Idle Class recently caught up with Martin to discuss her work.

How was art a part of your life growing up?

“She Wears Constellations in Her Hair”

DELITA MARTIN Painter, printmaker Little Rock

I think the simplest way to put it is that I loved to create and I couldn’t imagine not doing it for the rest of my life and more importantly no one said I couldn’t. According to my family, anything was possible.

What made you become a full-time artist?

Becoming a full-time artist has always been my dream but it has been a long road. I spent most of my life with some sort of job either in a classroom or behind a desk. I told myself this is so I

can support my art. I look back now and I think I may have been hiding from what I was supposed to be doing. So when my husband came to me and said, “Look, you are meant to be in the studio. Let’s come up with a plan. You may never have this chance again.” Those last few words struck me — “You may never have this chance again” — and I knew I had to take the jump.

I’m sure there are some high points to being an artist. What are those and what sort of challenges come along as well?

The high points for me are being able to wake up every morning and do what I love. The challenges are realizing that’s not just something that you love, but it’s also your job. You have to have discipline and there is also the challenge of learning general business practices.

You approach portraits in a very stylized manner. Is there anything you are trying to convey or is this just the natural state of your work?

Although I admire artists who are able to create super realistic portraits, I have never been interested in working this way. As an undergraduate student, I had the opportunity to visit the home of an artist who had her portrait drawn by Dr. John T. Biggers. The portrait looked nothing like her; however, you could instantly recognize it as being her. I realized that Dr. Bigger had captured her spirit and it was this aspect of capturing the likeness of a person that I was interested in.

“Sisters” 28

idleclassmag.com

ARTISTS WE LOVE You work with everything from sewing to collage to painting. What is your preferred artistic medium?

I am asked this question a lot. The answer is always whatever medium I’m working in at the moment. The fact is that I love working in all the mediums because they each provide a different function for me. Printmaking provides a level of excitement and anticipation that the other mediums do not. I find painting very calming so when I am stressed, I paint. Drawing on the other hand centers me. When I feel that I have lost direction in my work or life, I draw. Sewing acts as a form of meditation.

Your work focuses on redefining the portrayal of African American females.

What is something that popular culture gets wrong about the roles of black women in American society?

I feel like women of color are still marginalized in that a lot of the visual imagery that we see still have the undertones of the stereotypes like Mammy, Jezebel and Sapphire. These images do not give a true narrative of the role that Black women play in the community and the family structures. For example, we see a single Black mother who does not need a man to provide for her family.

Well, when you look at Hollywood, this is translated into Sapphire — a strongwilled, man-castrating woman — when in fact this does not mean she does not wish to share her life with someone. She is simply a woman who has been dealt a hand by life and has done what she has to [in order] to survive…With these types of images that are offered, I feel that it is extremely important for women of color to create their own images and tell their own narratives.

Has exploring the identify of black women in your art led to any selfrealization?

Yes, I think I understand myself and the women I surround myself with a lot better. I have realized how important my role as an artist is in offering a narrative of the women who influenced and raised me. It is a job I do not take lightly. I also try to encourage artists to tell their stories or let their voices be heard through whatever medium they have chosen. It is important to understand

“What Feels Like Morning” that my story is not the only one. There are so many others’ stories and they are all important.

Currently, Martin is working on a new series entitled “Crown and Glory.”

Visit: DelitaMartin.com

idleclassmag.com

29

ARTISTS WE LOVE

E

lizabeth Breitweiser has taken a nontraditional route to working in the comic book industry. She holds a fine arts degree from Harding University and previously worked as an art instructor at Central Arkansas Christian Schools in North Little Rock while selling paintings through local galleries on the side. Her husband Mitch, who worked as an illustrator for Marvel Comics, opened the door for her when she did a few pages on spec as a colorist for a Captain America comic.

They liked what they saw and soon she was coloring most of Marvel’s big names - the Hulk, Spider-Man, X-Men. Now her career has gone to the next level as she is currently the colorist on Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman’s new book Outcast, published by Image Comics, which is incidentally one of the hottest new titles of 2014. It has even been optioned by Cinemax. The Idle Class recently had the privilege of asking her some questions about her work on Outcast and what we can expect from her in the future.

Obviously Robert Kirkman is one of the biggest names in the comic book industry today and that means Outcast was a very hotly anticipated title. How did you come to work on it?

He contacted me out of the blue one day and asked if I’d be interested. I believe he first became familiar with my work through a series I colored at Marvel called Captain America and Bucky (with writer Ed Brubaker and artist Chris Samnee).

I am a huge Walking Dead fan, so of course I was thrilled to hear from him. The pitch sounded fantastic and it was in a genre I had never had the opportunity to work in before. The icing on the cake was illustrator Paul Azaceta. There was no way I could pass it up!

Outcast courtesy of Image Comics

How would you describe Outcast to someone unfamiliar with comic books?

Outcast would be a great first read for someone unfamiliar with the comic book medium.

A new reader can pick up Outcast and enjoy it right away without having to know any back history like you typically do with classic superhero comics. Outcast itself is a story centered around a young man named Kyle Barnes whose entire life has been ruined by demonic possession. When you first meet Kyle, he is at absolute rock bottom. With nothing left to lose, he embarks on an epic journey to fight back and find answers. What he uncovers could bring about the end of life on earth as we know it.

30

idleclassmag.com

ELIZABETH BREITWEISER Colorist Little Rock

ARTISTS WE LOVE How is working on Outcast and with Paul Azaceta different than your previous work?

I’ve never quite worked on a book like Outcast before.

Story wise, this is my first time to work on a full-blooded horror comic, and art-wise, it’s my first time to be able to work in a more graphic style of coloring. These two aspects allow for impactful, moody, disharmonic color theory, and I’m having a crazy amount of fun experimenting. One other thing that’s new to me is Robert and Paul’s use of micro panels. These are just tiny little insets that highlight the expression on a character’s face, or create focus on some other detail going on in the scene that the reader might otherwise overlook. These micropanels really serve to add a heightened sense of awareness and atmosphere to the page, and allow me to use little punches of color for storytelling in interesting ways.

As a colorist, does it necessarily require a different approach than say a traditional super hero comic book?

It all depends on the writer and artists a colorist works with, but I would say that independent comics like Outcast allow for a bit more freedom to experiment and play than what’s allowed at Marvel or DC. Coloring traditional superhero books can be somewhat restrictive in the sense that you have to work around preset colors for characters/costumes and sometimes settings. There’s also a “house style” that you can’t typically stray too far away from. Though, for the record, Marvel did let me experiment a lot and get away with stuff out of their norm.

Aside from the success of Robert Kirkman’s Skybound books, Image Comics in general has seemingly enjoyed a major renaissance these past few years. This isn’t your first or only project with Image. How is working for Image — is anything about it better or worse than working with “The Big Two” or a smaller indie?

I love working for Image. They’ve really raised the bar in this industry by nurturing creator-owned properties. It’s a whole different ballgame than Marvel or DC. For an artist, landing a job with one of “The Big Two” is a dream come true. They pay well and you have the opportunity to get your name out there while working on world-famous and iconic characters. At the end of the day though, you will never own those characters and will only ever see minimal royalties for you efforts. At Image, you retain 100 percent [of the] rights and profits for what you create, and that is very exciting and appealing to creators. It’s a real game changer.

Arkansas isn’t traditionally known as a hot bed of comic book artistic activity. As you continue to work on high profile projects such as Outcast, is there any chance you’ll abandon the Natural State?

Both of our families are here so no matter where we end up, Arkansas will always be home. The beautiful thing about this industry is that you can live and work anywhere and, right now, we choose to be here.

FOLLOW: @BETTIEB

What is your favorite thing about working on Outcast thus far?

The anticipation of reading each new script and receiving fresh pages! I am genuinely hooked on Robert’s skillful and character-driven writing and Paul’s moody and atmospheric artwork. It’s like having little presents pop up in my inbox, and my nerdy colorist brain gets so excited to put together the pieces of the color puzzle.

Do you have any other projects coming up or will you be doing Outcast long-term?

In addition to Outcast, I work with writer Ed Brubaker on all of his Image projects. We just finished up the Fatale series with artist Sean Phillips, and launched a new titled called The Fade Out. [W]e can’t wait for everybody to see it. I’m also working with Ed and artist Steve Epting on Velvet. That’s been exciting in and of itself as it is the first time Steve and Ed have worked together since their epic run on Captain America.

The Fade Out, Velvet and Outcast are my current monthly ongoing titles and I plan to work on all three long term. In addition to these, I’m also coloring two oversized graphic novels; one through Image called Crooked Man with Gabe Hardman and Corinna Bechko, and the other called Blood & Stone with Sean Womack and my husband, Mitch.

What should those of us who read and enjoyed the first issue of Outcast expect going forward?

Lots of twists and turns and spine-tingling chills and thrills!

It’s going to be a sprawling and epic journey, so I hope everybody is ready to buckle in!

idleclassmag.com

31

I REMEMBER THREE SPECIFIC THINGS about my first musical theatre audition: a karate uniform (green belt, by the way), “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and the South Arkansas Arts Center stage.

I remember being mesmerized by the local talent that preceded and followed my awkward a cappella rendition of the bedtime classic. I immediately knew that this stage, this community of the arts, would be a place where I could fail, grow, rinse, and repeat as an actor - a place that would foster me as both an artist and a person. This is all a setup to say: the South Arkansas Arts Center just turned 50 years old and the celebration has made a rather large impact on the community. In fact, it is because of this 50th Anniversary that I ended up back in El Dorado, Arkansas all the way from Malmö, Sweden.

The South Arkansas Arts Center (SAAC) was founded, for all intents and purposes, in 1964 by a group of movers and shakers in the community. At the time, El Dorado was home to an existing theatre company and an existing El Dorado Art League, neither of which had adequate equipment or space to pursue their passions. Charlie Murphy took note of this and, along with the advocacy of Theodosia and William Nolan and Jess and Lyda Merkle, purchased the building which hosted both a theatre and a gallery space. This new space allowed both of these groups to practice their art under the same roof and SAAC was born.

50 YEARS STRONG THE SOUTH ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER HAS SERVED AS A CULTURAL FOCAL POINT FOR THE REGION FOR HALF A CENTURY. NOW THEY’RE READY FOR MORE. WORDS & PHOTO / ALEXANDER JEFFERY

Current SAAC Executive Director, Jack Wilson, has a long-standing history with the Arts Center. When asked about SAAC’s impact on his life, Mr. Wilson replied: “My mother, a founding member of the SAAC, drug me down here kicking and screaming at the young age of 13 and it literally changed my life in more ways than I can explain. Now as the executive director I have the opportunity to witness every day the power arts have on young people and I am honored to have been given the opportunity to look after the care and feeding of this organization for a short period of time.”

The 50th Anniversary of SAAC has provided Jack Wilson and committee members the opportunity to produce some of the best content El Dorado has ever seen. Since my return in March, I witnessed SAAC’s history unfold in a concise 15 minute documentary, I watched as Julliard pianist Colton Peltier dazzled audiences with his magical fingers, I “heard the people sing” as a cast member in the musical phenomenon “Les Miserables” alongside Broadway star Craig Schulman, I took in the beautiful paintings of Clementine Hunter, and helped jumpstart the first annual El Dorado Film Festival - an event that brought films from all over the world and filmmakers from across the United States to our humble town. All of this momentum is catapulting towards the grand finale: “Encore,” a musical revue taking us back through SAAC’s history of putting on hit summer musicals. “Encore” will feature a cast of local talent along with the return of Little Rock resident, Tracey Wilson Rice, to perform some of her iconic roles on stage once again.

George Maguire, chair of the 50th Anniversary Committee, said, “Being a part of this endeavor has been a wonderful experience. There have been so many ideas from so many different people, culminating in a year of tremendous activities.” Richard Wharton, one of the creative minds behind bringing the Clementine Hunter gallery to SAAC, said, “I knew it would be an important show in terms of raising the bar for the future of the Arts Center.”

The South Arkansas Arts Center has a bright future ahead, with plans for the second annual El Dorado Film Festival underway and an upcoming production of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night (Or What You Will)” in March.

The 2015 summer musical will take audiences to the magical land of Oz in the classic tale, “The Wizard of Oz.” On a daily basis, SAAC offers classes for all ages in visual art, theatre, dance, and new media design.

I don’t know if I would be back in El Dorado right now if it weren’t for this wonderful celebration of an artistic community. My return in March for the production of “Les Miserables” was supposed to be a short one, but this town is alive with artistic energy right now. 50 Years of SAAC is launching us into the next step as community to raise the standard for what theatre, music, film, and visual art means to Arkansas and making way for a new generation of creators to take the reins.

visit: saac-arts.org 32

idleclassmag.com

MUST SEE EXHIBITS All across the Natural State, you can catch some of the best art in the world.

We tracked down the shows you can’t miss this season.

An American in Venice: James McNeill Whistler and His Legacy

Color, an Artist’s Tale: Paintings by Virmarie Depoyster

Zeek Taylor: A Life of Color & Vox Femina

Van Gogh to Rothko: Masterworks from the Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Regional Art Museum Fort Smith Oct. 2, 2014 – Jan. 4, 2015

Arkansas Arts Center Little Rock October 28, 2014 – February 15, 2015

Art Center of the Ozarks Springdale February 5 – 26, 2015 Reception February 12, 6-8pm

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Bentonville February 21 – June 1, 2015

In 1879, James Whistler arrived in Venice to create 12 etchings for the Fine Arts Society of London. In a little over a year, he produced some of this most important work. The prints are distinguished by the artist’s original approach to capturing the unique qualities of the canaled city and his innovative use of the etching process.

Work by other artists like Mortimer Menpes, Joseph Pennell and Minna Bolingbroke appear to provide contrast between Whistler and his contemporaries.

FSRAM.ORG

The work of Virmarie Depoyster is not easily forgotten. Her use of color commands your attention. As she says in her artist statement, “color is my silent narrative.” She finds inspiration in the overlooked aspects of our daily lives – the tint of red in a coffee bean, the hot pink veins of a lettuce leaf. She says, “[C]olor is a technique, a tool, a language used to emphasize the meaning of my current human experience.” This exhibition is a doorway into her life.

ARKANSASARTSCENTER.ORG

The Art Center of the Ozarks spotlights Eureka Springs artist Zeek Taylor. Over the course of his career, Taylor’s work has brought acclaim nationwide. His work often showcases members of the animal kingdom and features vivid colors, intricate patterns and incredible details.

Vox Femina will be featured in the second gallery. The show highlights a diverse collection of contemporary female artist and their voices within the art world. Look for both local and national artists.

ACOZARKS.ORG

Van Gogh to Rothko brings together 75 artworks by more than 39 influential artists from the late 19th century to the present. The exhibition features masterpieces by some of the most prominent names in art history including Vincent van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Joan Miro, Andy Warhol, and Mark Rothko. The works were selected from the collection of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, one of the finest collections of twentiethcentury art in the country, located in Buffalo, NY. CRYSTALBRIDGES.ORG

idleclassmag.com

33

COLLIN VS. ADAM’S SECOND ALBUM “Bloodsucker” is a groovy dance-pop, punk album that unconventionally shatters the bridge between darkdisdain and dance. The album cover illustrates the music: the front is full of black with the moonlight straining to shine as a morphed, foggy image hovers above and blocks most of the moon’s light emphasizing the darkness behind the album.

NO ORDINARY RIVALRY COLLIN VS. ADAM WALKS THE LINE BETWEEN NEW WAVE, POP, & ROCK. NOW THE LITTLE ROCKERS HAVE RELEASED THEIR DEBUT “BLOODSUCKER” TO THE DELIGHT OF FANS STATEWIDE. WORDS / RACHEL HILL PHOTO / HEATHER CANTERBURY

34

idleclassmag.com

The album, released October 7, 2014, reveals Collin vs. Adam’s upbeat attitude that parallels with a sense of hopeless disparity as the ten tracks are neither black or white but reside in a grey area of bold uncertainty and emotions.

The band began as a synth-pop, two-man band made up of Adam Hogg and Collin Buchanan but eventually added a bass player (Mason Mauldin) and a drummer (Mike Motley). Motley became the drummer for Collin vs. Adam when the band ran into him at a venue. “They needed a drummer so they asked me to join,” Motley said.

The band was “about 60 percent finished with the album in January 2013, when we were scheduled to play at the Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase but we had to cancel our show,” Buchanan said. “Because the day we were suppose to perform we received news that Mason had died in a plane crash.” Buchanan said that Mauldin was a vital part of the album and thinks he would be proud of the finished product.

After Mauldin’s death, Brian Wolf joined the band as the bassist/graphic designer.

Once the album was finished Collin vs. Adam sent it to Max Recordings in Little Rock, “Max recordings helped us out by fronting the money to get our album recorded” Motley said.

“Bloodsucker” draws from a diverse array of styles. “The track ‘Information’ is a good example of the album’s diversity,” Hogg said. “The song starts out as a hip-hop song featuring 607 the rapper and then transforms into a rock song”.

607, winner of the 2008 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase and widely regarded as the state’s finest rapper, has released around 40 albums, “Once he opened for Project Pat and nailed it,” Motley said. “He used breathing techniques of an opera singer while singing as a rapper”.

Norman Williamson is another artist who is featured on “Bloodsucker.” He awakens the song’s pace with a saxophone solo.

The album’s lyrics confront sadness and tragic truths, “The songs on ‘Bloodsucker’ associate with a chapter of one’s life, with one emotion exposed,” Hogg said. He described himself as a bright guy with dark outlets in music. The album may be dark but the beats are filled with jazzy, electric sounds that roll on through the exhaustingly emotional lyrics.

Motley said his favorite song on the album is “Get Back To You” because it sounds upbeat but also displays an emotional strife.“”The song’s sound reminds me of a Cheap Trick song,” he said. “The album releases every true emotion while dancing through a fortitude beat.”

VISIT: SOUNDCLOUD.COM/COLLINVSADAM

idleclassmag.com

35

THIS IS MORE THAN

FURNITURE

POLIS DESIGN FINDS ART IN THE UTILITARIAN. NOW THIS CENTRAL ARKANSAS START UP IS SEEING YEARS OF WORK PAY OFF. WORDS / STACEY BOWERS

“HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC?” Marcus Boyce, one third of the North Little Rock-based furniture design group Polis, pondered the question for a fraction of a second before responding that his furniture looks “like it was forged in the fires of Mordor.”

Fellow Polis founder and designer Tim Freeman laughed, then tried to seriously describe Polis’s look: “clean, modern ... timeless” - words commonly used to describe welldesigned, contemporary furniture.

But there is something so uncommon about the playful, yet structured designs that make up Polis’s first collections.

Each piece is as much a sculpture as it is a utilitarian object.

Every chair, table and sofa marries perplexity and simplicity in a way that demands attention and sparks fascination. Like a work of art, each piece makes you feel a certain way.

Freeman explained that each of Polis’s four collections, named for cities, started with the feelings those cities inspired. “There’s this cycle of creativity when you hear a song.

There’s a color psychology that goes with it. There’s a mood, an emotion that is associated with it. Cities, for me, are the same way,” Freeman said.

The collections - named for Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago and London - draw from the mood, art, culture and architecture of their namesake cities. Los Angeles mingles metal, wood and asphalt gray, and each design employs a feeling of floating - a sofa supported by thin steel legs that gracefully curve back under it and a wooden dining chair suspended from metal arms that circle into legs. The London Collection contains several designs that are cut from a single material, like a coffee table made from one bent piece of wood and a dining chair cut and bent from a single sheet of metal. The Chicago collection repeats a stacked metal slat design reminiscent of high rises, and the New Orleans collection carries a stitch motif, pulled from the eye of a voodoo doll.

Boyce, Freeman and a third partner, Will Means, are all graphic designers - Boyce and Freeman still work day jobs in the field, designing Polis at night - but they’ve never had any training in furniture design or construction, which is a good thing, Boyce argued. “We haven’t been so embedded in that industry,” he said. “We haven’t had anybody put up these walls and say we can’t go outside of them ... [W]e don’t have these parameters that we have to go by. We do whatever we want.”

He said having no formal training has its downside, too.

They’ve had to learn a lot as they go, and they’ve definitely taken chances.

The first fragments of Polis formed nine years ago, when Freeman had a random inspiration for a bed design, which he sketched onto a legal pad, he said. He shared that design on Myspace, where it garnered a lot of praise and some buying questions, but he never set out to start a furniture business.

At the time, he was working in web design with Boyce, who coincidentally had been coming up with his own designs for furniture. The pair didn’t know much about the furniture industry, but they shopped their designs around to manufacturers for a couple of years, even landing a meeting

with an interested company in Los Angeles, but the deal fell through when Boyce and Freeman couldn’t self-finance the designs. After that, they tabled the furniture ambition.

Nothing advanced until several years later, when Freeman was chatting with Means, and, purely by coincidence, Means revealed his dream of owning a furniture business. The furniture coincidences started to pile up over the next couple of weeks, culminating when Freeman saw a Facebook post of a bed that was shockingly similar to the bed he’d designed.

“I shared [that post] on Facebook and kind of arrogantly said, ‘Braggable moment of the day: I basically designed this bed seven years ago and this guy is selling it for $7,000.’”

People hammered that post with comments, he said.

Then Boyce commented on the post: “We were ahead of our time.”

“I didn’t think that was off-base at all. I felt it was true,” Freeman said.

Freeman united Boyce and Means in the project they eventually named Polis, the Greek word for city. The trio built their brand, designed their collections, and Means set out on the bold mission of cold-calling manufacturers at High Point Market, the world’s largest home furnishings trade show. At that point, Polis was still up in the air. “This was a test. It was just to see if there was any interest at all [from professionals] ... if this was worth doing.”

Means was met with praise from professionals, and eventually with offers. They decided their best manufacturing option was to license their designs to an established furniture producer, and they set out to find one company to buy their work.

They were humbled when 13 parties were interested, and they signed with four contractors. Dallas-based American Leather released Polis’s first physical products in the spring of 2014, North Carolina-based Phillips Collection has a Polis dining chair on the way, and Polis will be the first American furniture design group manufactured by Italian brand Natuzzi. Polis has a contract with another company in the works.

Manufacturing their own products isn’t out of the question for the Polis founders, but it’s much farther down the road.

Freeman said they would need investors to front that initiative. In the meantime, they’ll license their designs while they build their portfolio. Right now they’re working on a collection inspired by a faraway city they’re keeping a secret, and they’re anxiously awaiting the announcement of the American Society of Furniture Designer’s Pinnacle Award winners, for which they’re finalists. They’re rapidly making up for time lost while their dream was on the shelf.

VISIT: POLIS-DESIGN.COM @POLIS_info

idleclassmag.com

37

TAKING THE REINS IN 1997, JOEY LAUREN ADAMS HAD HER BREAKOUT ROLE IN “CHASING AMY.” AS THE YEARS PASSED, SHE GREW FRUSTRATED WITH BEING AT HOLLYWOOD’S BECK & CALL SO SHE DECIDED TO TAKE MATTERS INTO HER OWN HANDS. NOW SHE’S BRINGING HER DIY SPIRIT BACK TO THE NATURAL STATE. WORDS / KODY FORD

PHOTO / RETT PEEK

JOEY LAUREN ADAMS STOOD before a mirror that hung on the wall of an abandoned diner, trying to assess the problem. It was her first day on the set of “All the Birds Have Flown South,” the feature debut of Little Rock writer/directors The Miller Brothers. She had signed on to play Tanya, a hardened woman struggling to make ends meet while caring for her terminally-ill husband. She had spent a long time talking with Josh and Miles Miller about the character and brainstorming Tonya’s backstory with her co-star Dallas Roberts.

But now with only minutes left before the camera rolled, she knew she still didn’t have the character. Then she saw a pair of scissors.

Adams grabbed them, cut a jagged set of bangs and roughed her hair up a bit. Just this simple change brought a look of desperation and longing that Tonya needed. She turned to Josh and said, “Now I’ve got it.” He agreed and the cameras rolled.

Her eye for detail is the result of a few decades of honing her craft. Perhaps you remember her way back in Richard Linklater’s “Dazed and Confused” or as Adam Sandler’s love interest in “Big Daddy.” Or maybe you caught her starmaking role opposite of Ben Affleck in Kevin Smith’s “Chasing Amy.” She has done dozens of other films throughout her career. Known for her distinctive voice - a mixture of sweet and sultry - casting directors have often maligned Adams to the role of the best friend or the girlfriend. Odds are you have seen Joey Lauren Adams in a film, but there’s no doubt, you have never seen her like she is in “All the Birds.”

“Joey brought life into this character,” said Miles Miller, co-writer and director of the film. “She gave an honest performance that was both raw and explosive. Her transformation was, at times, heartbreaking and, at other times, terrifying.”

Arkansas Film Commissioner Christopher Crane, who recently caught an advance screening of the film, concurred declaring Adams’ performance “a career-defining role.”

Only time will tell if “All the Birds” will be a success that

40 38

idleclassmag.com

will once again inject Adams’ striking visage into mainstream pop culture, but one thing is certain, her role as Tonya isn’t a “comeback,” because she never went away.

Leaves are fading into shades of red and yellow along the edges of the Ozark National Forest. Across the street, the Arlington Hotel is bustling with people in town for a class reunion. Rumor has it President Clinton may stop by (he does). But more importantly, an annual event that has put Hot Springs on the map is taking place in this majestic hotel.

It is the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. Adams is in town to catch some films and speak at a panel discussion for a retrospective on Linklater that is being previewed.

The last year has been a busy one for Adams as she has filmed “All the Birds,” planned her wedding and formed a new company called Argenta Productions with her business partner Kerri Elder. As we chat, people stop by and ask for pictures, say hello or even hand her a script. Adams takes it in stride, grateful and professional, for her lot in life. Even those who don’t stop, still have that gleam in their eye...

Where do I know her from?

Adams is from North Little Rock, the hometown of another famous Arkansan, Mary Steenburgen. As a teen, Adams would drive by the actress’s childhood home and

idleclassmag.com

41

think, “If she can make it, so can I.” This determination led her to flirt with the idea of getting her GED and moving to Hollywood, a notion her mother deterred. After high school, Adams attended the University of Arkansas for a semester before dropping out and returning to North Little Rock for a few months. She worked three jobs to save $1,000 and bought a plane ticket to Los Angeles. But things weren’t as easy as she had hoped.

At first she enjoyed the new experience, but as a naive 18 year-old, had trouble getting past the riff raff to meet people who were actual professionals in the field. Feeling disillusioned, she wandered down to Bali and eventually to New Orleans. During this time, she met a legitimate producer who introduced her to an actual casting director.

She returned to Hollywood and things began looking up.

She landed roles in films with Linklater and Smith and ran in circles with up-and-coming actors like Vince Vaughn. Over the years, her career bloomed and she shared the screen with major stars. Still, she had the urge to do something more.

She had roles in films directed by Shirley Maclaine and Sally Fields, “Bruno” and “Beautiful” respectively. Watching the actresses behind the camera inspired her, but a few more years would pass before she took the leap.

Adams found herself at the mercy of Hollywood. The roles she was offered tended to be one-dimensional for her tastes so in her downtime, she set out to do something she’d never done before - write a script of her own.

“I”ve always admired writers but never went to school for it so never felt qualified,” she said. “Being an actress I’d get scripts and think, ‘This is awful. I can do better.’ Also, I was getting frustrated with roles being available for women. I don’t see a lot of female characters on screen I can’t relate to.

They’re either a lot of whores, workaholics or prudes. I mean where’s the complexity, where’s the woman who’s a hard worker and a whore? I just don’t see a lot of complex females on screen.”

While her frustration grew, her agent encouraged her to keep writing, but still she felt that if the film was produced, she might only star in it. As she sought directors, she found them all coming up short due to the budget concerns. Finally, a friend suggested that Adams direct it herself. So she took the leap and became a director. In 2005, one of her producers gave Ashley Judd the script at the Sundance Film Festival. Judd loved it and signed on. Adams knew she wanted to shoot in Arkansas, but faced the challenge of filming in a state with very little crew, minimal filmmaking infrastructure and subpar tax incentives for production.

“You want people to make their money back if they invest in your film,” she said. “The challenge on the business side is how do I justify [filming in Arkansas]? How do I tell an investor this when we can save hundreds of thousands of dollars if we shoot in Louisiana?”

40

idleclassmag.com

Adams managed to film in Arkansas, but the pressure mounted as her Assistant Director walked away from the film shortly before production began, declaring “Come Early Morning” a “B-movie in the making” due to some hiccups during pre-production. She called her friend - actor and director Jon Favreau - to see if she should pull the plug, but he told her to persevere. Her producer Dan Etheridge flew down just after wrapping up a season of “Veronica Mars” and, according to Adams, saved the day.

Throughout the production, she found herself amazed at the support her friends and family provided. It left her wanting to return to film in the state again. A few years had passed when Adams attended the Little Rock Film Festival.

She found herself in awe at how much things had changed in just a short period of time.

“I was so blown away by the talent in Arkansas and was so impressed by what was happening in my home state,” she said. “When we shot ‘Come Early Morning,’ the crew base was smaller and now there are so many talented people here so you don’t have to bring everyone in. LA is so competitive but in Arkansas it feels like people are rooting for each other and offering to help.”

This experience renewed her interest in filmmaking in Arkansas. In 2013, she had a supporting role in the film “Valley Inn.” Though she was on set for a short time, she immediately struck a friendship with the film’s executive producer Kerri Elder. This was Elder’s first feature film to work on, although she had been around movies since her son Blake had begun shooting them as a child. Her sister Kim Swink had wrote and directed “Valley Inn.” During their downtime, Elder and Adams discussed Adams’ career and ambitions to return to film in Arkansas once again. Elder was impressed with Adams’ ability to balance the creative side of filmmaking with the business side. An idea began to take shape and talk began of forming a production company to produce Adams’ second outing as a writer and director “Bye Lines,” a film about two workaholic journalists.

“When Joey went to leave, I took her to airport to leave and her plane was delayed,” Elder said. “We sat in the car at XNA and really talked for an hour to an hour and a half. We voiced our concerns and clarified verbally our commitment.

We said if it’s meant to be, then it’s going to happen. We set a schedule for the next week about what we’d like to do and what steps to take. When she flew back to LA. we knew it was more than an idea.”

That idea has grown into a company called Argenta Productions, which will produce feature films that are homegrown and from out-of-state along with commercials and music videos. Their mission is to jumpstart the film industry in Arkansas by providing work to the state’s crew, building

Adams, cont. on pg. 46

idleclassmag.com

41

WELCOME TO THE

NEW NOW ARTIST’S LABORATORY THEATRE MOVES BEYOND THE STAGE WITH THEIR SITE-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCES. WORDS / KATY HENRIKSEN PHOTOS / COLLEY BAILEY

“WE CAN’T FOLLOW THAT OLD PARADIGM. Our brains are new now. That’s ok.

Let’s have fun with that. Let’s exploit that.” – Erika Wilhite, founder and artistic director of The Artist’s Laboratory Theatre The experimentation of Erika Wilhite’s Artist’s Laboratory Theatre is a fierce vision, at once playful and thoughtprovoking. With each handcrafted theatre experience, the audience is not simply viewing a performance, they’re connecting and being engaged. Whether through the odd juxtaposition of an office culture whose cubicles and break rooms are set amidst the heirloom tomatoes and Thai basil backdrop of an urban farm, or community members telling personal stories within the whimsy of a giant sheet fort, barriers crumble, lines blur and storytelling becomes an interactive experience that enlightens, delights and asks us all to think anew.

“We’re interested in the way we’re changing, how our brains are changing, how our attention spans are changing therefore our storytelling modes have to adapt,” says Wilhite.

“We want it to be intimate and we want it to be personal.

We attempt to do so by putting you in a familiar situation in an unfamiliar way. It’s not just weird. It does something that alters your view.”

The company’s most recent topic is what they deem “The New Now,” which they’ve described as “an immersive theatre experience that explores connections, conflict, romance, food, identity and death in world of technology and social media.”

Joseph Fletcher, associate company member and coconspirator for so many of ALT productions, elaborates on this concept and why it’s worth an exploration. “We are on a cusp right now,” he says, talking about pivotal societal moments such as the industrial revolution or when the plow was invented with big developments spaced thousands of years apart, then hundreds until the new now’s rapidity. But “The New Now” has this shift happening faster and faster.

“The new now is going to happen to us regardless of whether we want it to happen or not. If we’re aware of it we can shape a bit of it, decide what we value and what’s important and keep things in the past that did have a value and add on new things that have value. It’s an exploration of identity, how we relate and what our values are.”

Held at Tri Cycle Farm, an urban community farm in a small plot of land behind an unimposing house on Garland Avenue in Fayetteville, the audience is greeted in the front yard by an ensemble cast of seven, adorned in blue denim work suits and chanting: “I’m alive, I’m well, I’m enthusiastic! More Users. More Users. More Users. More Users. More Content. More Content. More content. More content. New now. New now. New now. New now. New now. New now. Neeewwww nooooooow!”

We’re then encouraged to use our cell phones to text, tweet and FB, rather than the usual “please turn off your cell phone” message when going to a black box performance.

Cast members introduce themselves with titles such Senior Operations Manager and Human Resources Director and we’re inundated with office jargon, told via a computerized intercom voice about Taco Tuesday and to join a meeting in

44

idleclassmag.com

the conference room in ten minutes all within the confines of the open evening sky, underneath trees and surrounded by food grown by and for the community.

This is participatory theatre, one I’ve had the pleasure encountering as an audience member, performer and, in one case, even as a game show panelist for a live game show hosted once a month as part of the theatre’s ambitious Maxine’s “Sunday Night Service,” now also airing as a 30minute variety show on KUAF 91.3 public radio, where I work. The experiences of ALT are what you’d expect from a troupe on a big city in the coast, or maybe Chicago, but not here in the quaint hills of the Arkansas Ozarks.

“When I landed in Fayetteville there wasn’t that model for me. I’d spent four years studying with a professional internship and everything and was ready to go as a professional artist,” says Wilhite, who moved here in 2009 after finishing her MFA in theatre at the University of Central Florida when her husband Rodney Wilhite was accepted into the poetry MFA program at the UA. “There wasn’t an opportunity for me so I made one.”

She couldn’t find a typical black box venue for her first production “Bombs, Babes and Bingo” in 2010 and instead signed a short term lease to perform in a storefront. “That’s when we turned into a site-specific theatre company and that’s when things got really interesting for me,” Wilhite explains. “In theatre, in a black box, you control with lighting and sound but it still feels manufactured. It doesn’t feel organic.”

Sparks flew when she realized she was liberated from the need for overhead to rent a traditional venue and ALT became site-specific. A limitation became a way to think anew. “That obstacle became an opportunity because it’s part of our identity now,” she says. “We create theatre by collaboration with community and that’s important to us.

“Now the stuff we make is written with the community expanded [from] ensemble-devised to community-devised,” she explains. That means that not only does she come up with theatre via an ensemble where actors develop a script together, many ALT productions pluck inspiration from the community — asking them to tell their stories — and incorporating that into their productions. “It seems like all my dreams are coming true. We’re starting to look like the companies I admire,” she says, also acknowledging she couldn’t have done this in LA, NYC or Chicago, where the niche is already saturated.

Instead Artist’s Laboratory Theatre’s made its home here, shrouded in the rugged hills entirely off the beaten path. In each performance this tiny theatre company with a grand vision asks us to question, engage and most importantly revel in wonder at the mystery of existence in participatory theatre meant for us all.

VISIT: ARTLABTHEATRE.com

idleclassmag.com

37

STAY SPICY THIS SEASON

NO MATTER HOW COLD IT GETS, WE’VE GOT WHAT YOU NEED TO STAY WARM.

W

PHOTO / KAT WILSON

WINTER BERRY FLIP Ingredients: - 1 oz pH winter berry syrup - 10 dashes pH tart cranberry bitters - 2 oz Cathead Vodka - 1 egg white - Rosemary sprig

Add to shaker: Winter berry syrup, vodka, 5 dashes of bitters, egg white, (dry shake for 15 seconds), add 8oz ice (shake additional 15 seconds), strain into coup glass.

PHOTOS / KAT WILSON & MARTY SHUTTER

hen winter arrives you’ll want to stay warm. We asked two of our favorite bartenders - Emily Lawson of Pink House Alchemy and Jacqueline Shin of Maxine’s Taproom to mix up some drinks for the cold weather. They did not disappoint. Emily came up with a stylish cocktail while Jacqueline gave us a “temperance drink” for the designated driver to your holiday parties.

Garnish with 5 more drops of bitters onto the creamy foam, ignite rosemary branch, sprinkle cinnamon onto the flame for cinnamon sparks.

cherry phosphate Bomb Ingredients: - 1 1/2 oz cherry - 1 oz lemon juice - 1/2 oz simple barspoon phosphate - muddled habanero - mint - soda float

Add to shaker: 1 1/2 oz of cherry flavoring, 1 oz of lemon juice, 1/2 simple barspoon phosphate, and muddled habenaro.

Shake for 15 seconds, strain into a zombie glass.

Add ice, soda water and garnish with mint and habanero.

Adams, cont. from pg. 40 infrastructure such as a soundstage and putting Arkansas on the production map in Hollywood. They will open offices in North Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas. Adams feels that the time everything is aligning to support their vision.

She said, “The tax rebates are competitive. We have the crew. We have the community’s support. People realize that Arkansas will be a more interesting place to live if we have a film industry. With technology, people don’t have to live in LA anymore. We have extremely talented people who have moved back and are doing their thing.”

One such person was Little Rock native Kathryn Tucker, who was producing “All the Birds” for the Miller Brothers.

After meeting Elder, Tucker brought up the idea of casting Adams in the role of Tonya. Having seen their short film “Pillow,” Adams was already a fan and, after reading the script, she could see their vision clearly. “All the Birds” is neo-Southern noir film. The story begins after the death of a sheltered man’s overbearing mother, he attempts to win the affection of a degenerate waitress by caring for her terminally

46

idleclassmag.com

PHOTO / MARTY SHUTTER

ill and abusive husband. Soon all three lives begin to unravel as obsession and disease consume them all.

Along with co-starring in the film, Adams and Elder signed on as Executive Producers, officially making “All the Birds” the company’s first film. It has been submitted to the Sundance Film Festival and should be making the rounds in the festival circuit in 2015.

Later that night in the Arlington Hotel after the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival had ended, Adams relaxed surrounded by her husband, her friends, her family and her business partner. They sipped their drinks and listen to the soulful sounds of the Little Rock band Amasa Hines.

Fans occasionally stopped by the table to chat and she happily obliged. She was back in her home state at the moment, taking it all in. But this calm won’t last long. As an actor, writer, director and now executive producer, her work is just getting started.

VISIT: FACEBOOK.COM/JOEYLAURENADAMS

idleclassmag.com

47