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Linton chosen for Hidden in the Hills directory

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

The nonprofit Sonoran Arts League’s Hidden in the Hills will take place Friday, Nov. 19, to Sunday, Nov. 21, and Friday, Nov. 26, to Sunday, Nov. 28. This year’s free, self-guided tour features 192 artists at 45 private studios throughout the Desert Foothills communities of Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale. The league also announced that Jon Linton’s “Barrio Viejo” photograph of the front entrance of a colorful adobe home will grace the cover of this year’s four-color artist directory. Linton is an acclaimed photographer and activist who advocates for the homeless and other underserved populations. He is best known for his “I Have a Name” street photography series as well as his serene and stunning black-and-white landscape photography. “Jon’s photograph captured the sentiment of our 25th annual event beautifully,” said Jane Boggs, a gourd artist and studio host who serves as the event’s co-chair. “Now that the world is opening back up, we are eager to welcome collectors and art enthusiasts to our studios for what is sure to be a memorable artist studio tour.” Hidden in the Hills co-chair and mixed-media sculptor/studio host Joanie Wolter said the cover art selection is also significant because it is the first time a photographer’s work has been featured on the artist directory cover. “We had many strong entries, but ‘Barrio Viejo’ really stood out,” Wolter said. “It’s conveys a warm, welcoming message that resonated with us, and we’re thrilled that Jon will exhibit his new work during the tour this year.”

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Linda Lindus explores the wild with her art

BY SHEA STANFIELD

Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

Wildness, wandering and mystery make up the creative spirit of Scottsdale artist Linda Lindus’ approach to capturing nature’s musings. Born in a rural Washington state logging town, Lindus spent her early life exploring the magic of her surroundings as a wide-eyed nature child. “I traipsed through the woods, following my father’s footsteps, as I learned to read the forest’s signs — the moss on the pines, the deer tracks, the rabbit scat, and the grunt of a bear hidden in the blackberry patch,” she said. Life, as a child in a military family, moved her from the woodlands of the Pacific Northwest to the rocky shores of upper New England, then back to the congestion of Los Angeles. Lindus learned that these moves in and out of country and city formed the hues of nature and represented man’s intrusive changes. “Change became a constant like the season’s changes and the sun moving across the sky,” she said. “Not only do I see with my eyes, I wanted to touch the environment. Those early tactile experiences of the ocean’s sand running through my fingers, the smell of salt air and the rough edges of a see LINDUS page 20

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | AUGUST 11, 2021

FEATURES 19 ••

More smiles per hour is the way to go

CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION Pastor Ed Delph

Foothills Focus Columnist

Ilike that headline. Life can be about increasing your and others’ smiles per hour if you know who the accelerator is and where the accelerator pedal is. So let me explain using the following story by an unknown author. There was a farmer who grew excellent-quality corn. Every year, he won the award for the best-grown corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned how the farmer grew such quality corn. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked. “Didn’t you know?” said the farmer. “The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.” This “corny” story applies to our lives, too. Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all. Think of it; none of us genuinely wins until we all win. That increases the smiles per hour for you and those you influence. Lift them out, then lift them up, and you will lift yourself. Years ago, author and organizational consultant Laurie Beth Jones wrote about a multimillionaire who wanted to take everyone to the top in his organization in her book, “Jesus CEO.” Read on. “In Chicago, there is a multimillionaire who persists in working 18 hours a day developing his people. When asked why he works so hard, since he had already made his millions, he said, ‘My goal is to help create more millionaires out of this company.’ Motivation runs high in his office. People feel empowered and energized. Cynics might say it is the promise of gold. I say that his employees also are responding to the promise of loving guidance and support.” That millionaire understood he was blessed to bless others. So, his desire became lift them out, then lift them up. Years ago, a significant pastor and my colleague, Mel Mullen of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, started what he called the Millionaires Club. The goal of this ministry was to create new millionaires in his church; in Alberta, Canada; and beyond. Pastor Mel proposed to take as many as possible who wanted to come to the top. It was a big, hairy, audacious goal, but it was a goal that inspired many people from all socioeconomic levels to start. Pastor Mel gave them what he knew and mixed it with what they knew to achieve their goal. The result was that some who never dreamed they would ever reach that financial level became millionaires. Others also grew in their faith and income level. Recently, Mel told me they just “graduated” their first billionaire. Where did all this start? A pastor and leader wanted to take as many people to the top with him as possible. Pastor Mel was willing to share his corn (God-given time, talents, character and treasure) and raised the quality and quantity of the corn in the whole area. Lift them up and lift them up. That’s a win-win for everyone. I realize being a millionaire or achieving some other goal is not the only measurement of success. What I desire for you readers to understand is what Mother Teresa once said: “You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together, we can do great things.” In the farmer’s case — the Chicago millionaire’s case and Pastor Mel’s case — common people, working together toward a common vision, attained uncommon results. Sharing their corn didn’t just bring them up. In varying degrees, sharing their corn brought everyone else up also. Similarly, this is what God did through Jesus. A vast majority of people living in Jesus’ time had a history of underachieving. So, because God cared, God gave the gift of His Son to the world. God shared heavenly corn with the whole world through Jesus. Jesus was God’s gift to lift us out of our past and then lift us up to a God type of life. Just like God, Jesus views you and me as a gift also. In his final recorded prayer on earth in John 17, Jesus said to his disciples, “These people were your gifts to me.” God gave Jesus the gifts of Peter, John, Mary and us, too. Think of this. Some of the people around you are gifts, too. Your greatest accomplishment might be lifting someone out and then lifting them to “bigger, better, greater.” Service is a circle. When you serve others, you are also served. Could it be that God is calling you to find a need and meet it? Think in terms and ask, “Who is God’s gift to me? Don’t think, “What is my gift?” Giving your corn to others, ladies and gentlemen, is how we all get more smiles per hour. Ah shucks!

Ed Delph is a native of Phoenix who lives in the North Valley. Since 1980, he has pastored three churches in the Valley. He is a noted author of 10 books, weekly columnist in several local and worldwide newspapers, teacher, business owner and speaker. Delph has been to or ministered in over 100 countries. He is president of a worldwide ministry, NationStrategy.

To learn more about Pastor Ed Delph, the Church-Community Connection and NationStrategy, call 623-376-6757, email nationstrategy@cs.com or visit nationstrategy.com.

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Foothills community rallies to help neighbors

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Desert Foothills Family YMCA hosted its fourth annual Case for a Cause water drive to support local nonprofit organizations in the Foothills community. The YMCA dropped off 75 cases of bottled water to the Foothills Caring Corps to benefit neighbors, older adults and persons with disabling conditions. The community contributed more than 200 cases of water at drop-off points in the YMCA and Desert Hills Presbyterian Church. “All donated cases of water were distributed to local organizations, including Foothills Caring Corps, Foothills Foodbank and Resource Center, and St. Vincent de Paul,” YMCA Executive Director Raye Gall said.

LINDUS from page 18

cedar’s bark are permanent images in my mind.” Also contributing to Lindus’ education in found objects was her great aunt, an artist in Seal Beach with an antique store. Her creative exploration was secured when she completed, with leftover paint from a paint-by-numbers set, her take on her neighbor’s dog. When Lindus announced she was going to be an artist, her mom steered her to business instead. After all, a girl has to support herself. Lindus obliged and enrolled in evening business classes, along with private painting lessons. Arizona became Lindus’ future when her second daughter was having difficulty breathing the California smog. Once Lindus saw the amazing skies, wideopen spaces and the red rocks, she knew she was home. At this point, Lindus became a single mom, raising her two daughters alone. She fell back on her business training and accepted a position as a publisher of chain-owned newspapers, which sent her out of Arizona. Lindus’ media career gave her many opportunities for fantastic journeys, eventually landing her in a position as an operating vice president for a publicly traded newspaper/media company. “Life on the deadline,” as Lindus refers to it. The curve balls in life continued to come her way. The internet transformed the news business, and she broke her back in a riding accident. “As I was recovering in my chestto-hips body cast, I found myself reassessing my life,” she said. “Painting was always a constant, and rehabilitating by standing for hours at an easel gave me more than adequate time to think.” Two years later she unpacked her bags at her new home in Scottsdale’s Sonoran Desert. Now, Lindus is a juried artist with numerous awards to her credit. “I paint with brush and palette knife,” she said.

“Stormy Path Out” by Linda Lindus

“The knife creates tactile reminders from childhood and mimics the rough textures of our surroundings.” Her themes are big, bold, open skies and landscapes as awe-inspiring as the reality of their subjects. Lindus is a member and board member of the Sonoran Arts League and has a working studio space in Unit See MORE 140 in Stagecoach Village in Cave Creek. Online! To read more about Lindus’ journey, view a selection of her paintings www.TheFoothillsFocus.com or keep up with her exhibit schedule, visit lindalindus.com.

Artist Linda Lindus is a Sonoran Arts League board member.

(Photo courtesy of Linda Lindus)