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THE MESA TRIBUNE | MAY 22, 2022
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Camp Taliesin angles kids on ‘Wright’ path BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Staff Writer
A
bbie Wilson had just landed a dream job in December 2020 with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, where she would get to work at the famous architect’s winter home, Taliesin West. As excited as she was about her job, she was confronted with the tall task of creating one of the most exciting young engineering and architecture camps in the Valley under the veil of the pandemic. Wilson’s most daunting task was devising an online version of Camp Taliesin West for kids that captured the same fun and creativity that the camp conventionally offers. She was able to find a way to utilize google classroom to provide instructions on how to create crafts, partake in activities and ask all the questions they wanted. While the in-person camp proceeded with patrons masked up indoors, the online camp became a sensation as kids from
Abbie Wilson, education manager and Jenna Green, senior museum educator, work for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer) countries like Puerto Rico and Ecuador signed up for the closest visit possible to Wright’s winter quarters that a screen
could offer. The online camp was such a hit that this year’s camp will be offered in-person with
Phoenix Fan Fusion offers folks a ‘Disneyland for geeks’ next week BY ANNIKA TOMLIN GetOut Staff Writer
P
hoenix Fan Fusion convention director Matt Solberg likens his upcoming event to a legendary tourist destination. “It’s really like Disneyland for geeks to come to our show,” he said. After a multiple-year pandemic-dictated break, Phoenix Fan Fusion will make its return to the Phoenix Convention Center Friday, May 27, to Sunday, May 29. Solberg assures that only minor changes were made to the 20-year event. It’s still a one-stop shop for actors, comic book creators, authors, cosplayers, costume groups, vendors, artists, creators, dealers and publishers. “We are bringing badges back, which
has been a long-standing attendee request, given their collectible nature,” Solberg adds. “We are expanding gaming that we do into its own hall within the convention center. We are also really focusing our efforts within the exhibitor hall. I’m creating great energy within the hall by having the actors, the costuming groups, the exhibitors, authors, artists, creators all in one space on the lower level of our exhibitor hall.” Anticipated guests include actors Doug Jones (“Hellboy,” “Star Trek: Discovery”) and Felicia Day (“Supernatural,” “The Magicians”), along with authors Erin Jade Lange (“Mere Mortals”) and Lisa McMann (“The Unwanteds”), comic book creators Fabian Nicieza (co-creator
of “Deadpool”) and Tony Parker (cocreator of “Mayday”) along with various cosplayers and costume groups. “We’re bringing three full days of the exhibitor hall, panels of events, a full lineup of celebrities, comic creators, authors, costume groups, after dark parties, theatrical events,” Solberg said. “For our attendees, it should be no different than when they’ve attended our shows in the past. We’re bringing
see FUSION page 27
X-Men meets Spy Kids in the instant New York Times bestseller “Forgotten Five,” the first book in a new middle-grade fantasy/ adventure series from the author of “The Unwanteds.” (Special to GetOut)
no restrictions as well as virtually again. “In light of everything that has happened over the last couple of years, my big belief is that kids need to do hands-on things,” Wilson, who currently operates as the education manager for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation said. Because of this, each summer camp will kick off with an expansive tour of the campus’ historic areas where kids are wowed by the buildings’ unique geometry and the combinations of shapes the facility’s furniture displays. One stop on the tour wows students virtually and in person. “They love seeing the garden room, which is Frank Lloyd Wright’s living room, and I think that’s true for both kiddos onsite and over zoom,” Wilson said. “When they see it, all of a sudden, he becomes a real person with a family who had a living room and not just a historic figure. Then also seeing the historic furniture makes it
see TALIESIN page 27
