Images Arizona (April 2023)

AMY LAY

Hummingbirds and Bear, oil. 60” by 20”

BRYCE PETTIT

Heron, bronze on metal base. 57” by 18” by 18”

SUE KRZYSTON SOUTHWEST REALISM ARTIST

AMY LAY CONTEMPORARY WILDLIFE ARTIST

BRYCE PETTIT WILDLIFE BRONZE SCULPTOR

TREVOR SWANSON LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE ARTIST

S ANDERSON LINCOLN S ANDERSON LINCOLN

From the Publisher

Publisher

Shelly Spence

Managing Editor

Joseph J. Airdo

Graphic Designer

Meaghan Mitchell

Contributing Writers

Joseph J. Airdo

Amanda Christmann

Francine Coles

Rebecca L. Rhoades

Shannon Severson

Photographers

Francine Coles

Loralei Lazurek

Carl Schultz

Advertising Sales

Cindi Calcinari

860-966-3271

cindi@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona

P.O. Box 1416

Carefree, AZ. 85377

623-341-8221

imagesarizona.com

TThis issue of Images Arizona celebrates the special moments in life through which we find perfection. Some of these moments are grand — such as a graduation or a wedding. But the vast majority of them are much smaller — like witnessing a sunset with someone you love or receiving a compliment from a complete stranger when you are having an especially difficult day.

I experience these special moments of perfection every time I look at my kids. I also experience them through my neighbors and the many people in our community who demonstrate kindness, creativity and generosity; the people whose stories we fill these pages with each month, aspiring to provide you with yet another moment of perfection as you read this magazine.

It is my hope that this month’s issue inspires you to seek out or even just become more aware of such moments. They exist in the connections we make with one another on a day-to-day basis. They exist in the art and music that surrounds us everywhere we go. And they exist in nature, as the universe conspires to reveal to us that everything in life happens for a reason.

Our small-but-mighty team at Images Arizona appreciates the moments you spend with us each month. Thank you for allowing us to tell your stories. As always, we encourage you to support the many artists, performers, nonprofit organizations and local businesses that not only make this magazine possible but are also responsible for so many moments of perfection in our community.

Cheers!

Shelly Spence

Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com

623-341-8221

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

DAVID GROSS FINE GEMSTONE COLLECTION

From left clockwise:

18.37 carat cushion red spinel with trapezoid diamonds 1.35 carats set in a platinum and 18k yellow gold ring

6.02 carat blue sapphire heart with diamonds in platinum setting

8.09 carat emerald pink sapphire with diamonds .89 carats set in a handmade platinum and rose gold ring

7.43 carat oval sapphire with Old Mine cut diamonds 4.10 carats set in a platinum ring

7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon.

480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

Earlier this year, photographer Romi Boon opened the blinds of her RV at daybreak to discover a very rare and surprising sight: a winter wonderland in the desert.

“Knowing that I had only minutes before the sun would break through the clouds and melt the snow, I quickly got dressed and headed out into the serene calm of the white desert,” Boon says. “It was so beautiful. It didn’t take long for my hiking boots to become wet and my fingers to freeze; however, I was so excited that it was easy to ignore.

“There wasn’t a lot of light, so I placed my camera on a tripod and took a number of exposures at different focus points then combined them in Photoshop. Fortunately, there wasn’t any wind, or else that would have been impossible; nothing can move when you place multiple images on top of each other.

“What I love about this image is that most of the desert cacti are represented in the photograph and the small shrubbery disappeared beneath the snow. I also love that the mountain is in the background because it adds a sense of depth to the overall image.”

romiboonphotography.com

facebook.com/CreativeRVing instagram.com/romiboontravelphotography

Photo by Romi Boon

© Romi Boon Photography

Meet contemporary artist Loren Yagoda and discover her incredible collection of expressive works that stimulate and explore, and meditative works that unwind and clear the mind. Yagoda’s artwork invites viewers into her world as she dances her emotions onto canvas.

CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY CAREFREE ARIZONA

Space to Roam, Acrylic on Canvas, 58” by 60”

Grace Renee Gallery

Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon.

480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

P

Phoenix Chorale artistic director Christopher Gabbitas strongly believes in the idea that music is the soundtrack to life.

“Music is all around us all of the time — whether we choose to have it or not,” he says. “It is always there. It is playing in the restaurant, it is often in our cars, it is often at our place of work, it is in elevators, it is everywhere. I think that the idea of life without music, the idea of a sort of silence, is a really terrifying one. And perhaps we should be alone with our thoughts more often, but we do not like to be.”

This month, chorale groups and orchestras across the Valley will perform concerts that reflect the thoroughfare that music has in our lives.

ORPHEUS MALE CHORUS OF PHOENIX

On April 30–May 7, Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will perform a concert it calls “Songs from Home” at venues in Litchfield Park, Mesa and Paradise Valley, featuring several selections featuring the word “home” somewhere in their lyrics.

On April 30–May 7, Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will perform a concert it calls “Songs from Home” at venues in Litchfield Park, Mesa and Paradise Valley, featuring several selections featuring the word “home” somewhere in their lyrics.

“We open with a song called ‘Ad Astra,’ which actually means ‘to the stars,’” says Brook Larson, the ensemble’s artistic director. “But there is a line in that song that reads, ‘for the stars will guide you home.’ Another piece in this program is called ‘Like a River in My Soul’ and, in it, there are the lyrics, ‘let the waves bring you home.’”

Other selections include “Rocky Top,” (“you’ll always be home sweet home to me”), “Unclouded Day” (“oh they tell me of a home”) and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken (“There’s a better home awaitin’”). Other selections feature the word “home” in their titles — such as “Bring Him Home” from “Les Misérables” and “Homeward Bound” — and while others feature reflections on the idea of home — such as “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Keep Your Lamps,” “Promised Land”

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

and traditional folk songs “Polly Wolly Doodle” and “Shenandoah.”

“We close the concert with ‘God Bless America,’ which of course features the words, ‘my home sweet home,’ as its final lyrics,” Larson says.

The artistic director adds that, though many of the selections are patriotic, the concept of home is a very universal one.

“We could sing many of these songs anywhere in the world — whether here in America or in Europe, Africa or South America,” Larson explains “And even if someone does not understand the words that are being sung, they just speak to them. They just impact you.

“And the experience of 90+ guys singing this variety of literature and genre truly is an experience. It is the music that draws these 90+ guys together. That is the reason we are there at rehearsal every Tuesday night. We check everything else at the door and the music brings us together.”

Noting that Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix’s membership numbers had taken quite a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, Larson says that he is hopeful of using the music to bring even more guys together.

“We did some stuff online for about a year and a half, then I got creative and we sang in a parking garage where everybody brought their own chair and was in a mask six feet apart,” Larson says. “We only had 55 guys for that, but let me tell you that was a blast compared to doing things online where you cannot even hear the other singers.

On May 5–7, Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert it calls “Soundtrack” at venues in Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale, tracing a history through 500 years of song and exploring how composers throughout the ages have used music to help explain everyday life, love and loss.

“So it has taken a while for us to get our numbers back up. But this is our 94th season and I have a plan to have 200 singers by our 100th season. We have been talking about it for a while, but I am done talking about it. I hope to have a net gain of about 20 guys every year for the next five years so that we can be at 200 singers for our 100th season.”

PHOENIX CHORALE

On May 5–7, Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert it calls “Soundtrack” at venues in Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale, tracing a history through 500 years of song and exploring how composers throughout the ages have used music to help explain everyday life, love and loss.

“The idea of this concert is to show people how over time people have used music and song to relay stories about life,” says Christopher Gabbitas, the ensemble’s artistic director. “The same hopes, fears and dreams that we have now, people have had forever. Songs have been sung about love, hate, breakups, happiness, sadness, drinking, war and fights. All of the main things that we deal with in life have been dealt with in song and have been for a long time.”

One of the most significant and timely aspects of life reflected in the program is womanhood.

“There is this young composer named Jennifer Lucy Cook who got her degree in musical theater and writes in a very accessible, contemporary style,” Gabbitas says. “She wrote a song called, ‘They are Mother’ and she is flying in from Los Angeles to accompany us. It is a piece about femininity, which is in everything around us — even things that we might perceive as being male. And it is quite thought-provoking and the language is beautiful.”

Phoenix Chorale // Photo by Jen Rogers

Phoenix Chorale // Photo by Chris Loomis

Christopher Gabbitas // Photo by Jen Rogers

Another rather unfortunate but very real aspect of life reflected in the program is addiction.

“There is this song that was written by Trent Reznor for Nine Inch Nails in the 1990s called ‘Hurt,’” Gabbitas says. “It was covered by Johnny Cash as the final video he made before he passed away and it is just the most wonderful song. Popular American choral composer Eric Whitacre arranged it for choral voices and we will be performing that. It is about six minutes long and is incredibly powerful.

Gabbitas has aspired to fit as many aspects of life into the concert with the hope of drawing as wide of an audience as possible, who can all identify with at least some element the chorale is communicating.

“I want to say, ‘Hey, we can give a voice to your emotions,’” the artistic director says. “We really want this program to be bittersweet. We want it to feel wonderful and enjoyable, but we also want it to trigger the sort of real emotions that very often the modern world papers over. We want people to come out of the concert feeling a bit raw, but acknowledging that they actually felt something; and that can be really uplifting and cathartic.”

Gabbitas adds that the most important message he hopes to relay through not just “Soundtrack” but each and every one of the concerts that Phoenix Chorale performs is that music and singing are for everyone.

“We think that in each of our performances, we create moments of real beauty,” he explains. “We have a warmth of our sound because all of our singers are from the area. These are your people. Our music is for and of Arizona and we are proud of these connections. And I really want more people to come hear us. I want to have more people experiencing what we do. And I hope that their lives can be enriched by hearing us.”

Music is all around us all of the time — whether we choose to have it or not. It is always there. It is playing in the restaurant, it is often in our cars, it is often at our place of work, it is in elevators, it is everywhere.

Christopher Gabbitas

NORTH VALLEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

On Saturday, May 20, North Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert it calls “Spirit of the American West” at North Canyon High School Auditorium in Phoenix.

“It features all sorts of music that centers around our wonderful American Southwest spirit,” says Kevin Kozacek, the ensemble’s music director and conductor. “We had never really done anything that really focused on our area specifically and we thought that it was just time for us to pick those pieces we thought the audience would really enjoy.

“We open with John Williams’ overture to the movie ‘The Cowboys,’ which is just such a great piece. We will then play some wonderful music from various movies such as ‘Silverado,’ ‘The Big Country,’ ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ ‘Dances with Wolves and ‘How the West Was Won.’”

The concert will also feature a performance of Aaron Copland’s four dance episodes from “Rodeo” — Buckaroo Holiday,” “Corral Nocturne,” “Saturday Night Waltz” and “Hoedown.”

“The song that everybody loves which is probably the most reflective of Arizona is ‘On the Trail’ from Ferde Grofé’s “Grand Canyon Suite,” which sounds so much like a donkey going down the trail,” Kozacek adds.

The music director and conductor says that North Valley Symphony Orchestra is the epitome of a community-based ensemble.

“All of the musicians — including myself — have backgrounds that are reflective of our community,” Kozacek explains. “I was in the military before being a Southwest Airlines pilot for 24 years. Many of our musicians wanted to be professional musicians at some point n their lives but ended up doing other things. We have teachers, lawyers, doctors, first responders and stay-at-home moms. So I think that we are very reflective of a true community orchestra.

On Saturday, May 20, North Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert it calls “Spirit of the American West” at North Canyon High School Auditorium in Phoenix.

Photos by Mike Benedetto

“And what is really great about that is that we have the opportunity to come together weekly with the community spirit and give back to our community by providing very reasonably priced tickets. Our tickets this season are still only $5. We have been able to do that for 11 years. So the entire family can come and enjoy a concert and not break the bank.

“We also have an awful lot of outreach groups that go out and serve the community at retirement homes and grand openings of various establishments. And we support three youth ensembles — beginning, intermediate and advanced. So we are a full-service organization that supports kids who are just beginning to play all the way up to kids who are getting ready to go to college. We try and prepare them and get them ready to go off and study music more seriously.”

In fact, many of the kids who at one time performed as part of North Valley Symphony Orchestra’s youth ensembles are now members of the adult orchestra, further demonstrating not only the community aspect of the organization but also just how significant the thoroughfare of music is in so many of our lives.

Music‘Songs from Home’

April 30–May 7

See website for times and locations

$25; youth, student and senior discounts available orpheus.org

‘Soundtrack’

May 5–7

See website for price, times and locations 602-253-2224

phoenixchorale.org

‘Spirit of the American West’

Saturday, May 20 7 p.m.

North Canyon High School Auditorium 1700 E. Union Hills Drive, Phoenix

See website for price

northvalleysymphony.org

CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY + ART

KATHERINE JETTER

Couture jewelry designer Katherine Jetter will make a personal appearance during a special event to showcase her cutting-edge, wearable art pieces for bold and brilliant women. Discover her eye-catching electric rhodium hues and exceptional, hand-picked gemstones.

April 12–13

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY 10AM TO 5PM

Come by to meet designer Katherine Jetter or call for private or FaceTime appointment.

KATHERINE’S JEWELRY DESIGNS HAVE BEEN FEATURED IN FORBES, VOGUE, TOWN AND COUNTRY, NEW YORK TIMES AND ROBB REPORT.

Grace Renee Gallery

7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and by appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

Katherine Jetter wearing her opal collection accented by electric pink rhodium and diamonds.

COMMUNITY

April 2023

Through April 9

‘RESPECT: THE MUSICAL’

Black Theatre Troupe presents its production of “Respect: The Musical,” which combines excerpts from more than 60 songs with women’s personal stories about realizing dreams, loves won and lost and battering against glass ceilings. $48+. See website for times. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-258-8128; blacktheatretroupe.org

Through April 9

‘SCAPIN’

Fountain Hills Theater presents its production of “Scapin,” a wild physical comedy brimming with zany characters and improvisation. $32; youth, student and senior discounts available. See website for times. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-8379661; fhtaz.org

Through

April 16

‘ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE’

Arizona Broadway Theatre presents its production of “Escape to Margaritaville,” a musical comedy that features the mostloved Jimmy Buffett classics — including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “Fins” and more. See website for price and times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org

Through

April 19

‘ANGELS IN AMERICA’

April 1

ARTRAGEOUS GALA

Scottsdale Arts will bring its annual ARTrageous Gala back to the newly renovated Scottsdale Civic Center for an outdoor celebration blooming with radiant living art experiences and fantastical creations and designed to be an ultra-sensory evening that will reignite the attendees’ passions for the arts. Festivities will include a red-carpet arrival, living art activations, silent and live auctions, a delicious coursed meal, dessert bar and performances by Quixotic and the Valley’s own Walter Productions. See website for price. 6:30–10:30 p.m. Scottsdale Civic Center, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale. scottsdalearts.org

Fountain Hills Theater presents its production of “Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches,” an epic drama, set amidst the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration of the mid-1980s, in which New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell. $32; youth, student and senior discounts available. See website for times. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org

Through April 29

‘STEEL MAGNOLIAS’

Don Bluth Front Row Theater presents its production of “Steel Magnolias.” $30; youth, student, senior, military and group discounts available. See website for times. Don Bluth Front Row Theater, 8989 E. Via Linda, Suite 118, Scottsdale. 480-314-0841; donbluthfrontrowtheatre.com

April 1

‘ANTONY & CLEOPATRA’

Southwest Shakespeare will present its production of “Antony & Cleopatra.” $55+; youth, student and teacher discounts available. See website for times. Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main St., Mesa. shakespeare.org

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

April 1

DESERT AWARENESS PARK TOUR

The Desert Awareness Committee will host a leisurely stroll through its native desert park. Attendees will learn about the plants of the Sonoran Desert upland and how they survive. Free. 10–11:30 a.m. Desert Awareness Park, N. Vermeersch Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org/desert-awareness

April 1

FOUNTAIN HILLS MUSIC FEST

The town of Fountain Hills will host an outdoor music festival featuring performances by The Black Hole, We Are Hologram and Los Straitjackets. Food trucks and beer and wine gardens will also be on-site. Free. 5–9:30 p.m. Fountain Park, 12925 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. experiencefountainhills.org

April 1

PHOENIX ARTISTS GUILD GALLERY RECEPTION

The Phoenix Artists Guild will present an exhibit of works by local artists. Free. 3–5 p.m. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. phoenixartistsguild.com

April 1 and 2

‘THE LAST FIVE YEARS’

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “The Last Five Years,” an emotional examination of relationships and ingenious, interchanging structure between present and past. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

April 1 and 2

THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS IN CONCERT

The Phoenix Symphony will perform the score of the beloved fantasy-comedy-romance “The Princess Bride” as the film is projected on a screen above the stage. See website for price. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. phoenixsymphony.org

April 2

‘SPRING HAS SPRUNG’

Salt River Brass will perform a concert of music designed to make you feel as though you are picnicking in the park on a beautiful Arizona air-conditioned day. $19+; youth, student and senior discounts available. 3 p.m. Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main St., Mesa. saltriverbrass.org

COMMUNITY

April 3

CHRIS BOTTI

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

April 2023

Master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $59+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 5–May 14

‘A CHORUS LINE’

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “A Chorus Line.” See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

April 7–9

‘THE MAGIC FLUTE’

Arizona Opera will present its production of “The Magic Flute,” Mozart’s beloved fairytale of darkness and light which explores the journey in search of truth and reason, love and enlightenment. See website for price. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. azopera.org

April 7–23

FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN THEATRE

The Phoenix Theatre Company will host its annual Festival of New American Theatre, which amplifies new voices and expands the canon of American theatre. Returning for its 25th year, the festival will continue honoring a longstanding commitment to the development of new works, playwrights, and performers and include a variety of events that allow artists of all kinds to see their work come alive onstage. See website for price and schedule. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

April 12 and 13

KATHERINE JETTER

Couture jewelry designer Katherine Jetter will make a personal appearance during a special event to showcase her cutting-edge, wearable art pieces for bold and brilliant women. Discover the secrets of her craft while marveling at the eye-catching rhodium hues and exceptional, hand-picked gemstones that individually tell Jetter what they need during her design process. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

April 7–23

‘SHREK: THE MUSICAL, JR.’

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre will present its youth production of “Shrek: The Musical” See website for price and times. Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre at Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664; desertstages.org

April 10

DESERT PRE-HARVEST SEMINAR

The Desert Awareness Committee will host a pre-harvest seminar on desert edibles. $15. 6:30–8 p.m. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B, Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org/desertawareness

COMMUNITY

April 11

THE FOLK LEGACY TRIO

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

April 2023

The Folk Legacy Trio — featuring former members of the Kingston Trio, The Limeliters and The Diamonds — will perform a concert of beloved songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s as part of Arizona Musicfest. $41+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 12

GET LIT BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a happy hour discussion of John Darnielle’s “Universal Harvester.” Free. 5 p.m. RSVP. See website for location. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

April 13

50 YEARS OF SCOTTSDALE PUBLIC ART

Scottsdale Public Art will celebrate the oldest and newest works in the city’s permanent art collection with a special event, which will feature the dedication of “The Desert’s Garden,” a new mosaic artwork installed by Arizonabased artist Tammi Lynch-Forrest near Scottsdale City Hall, and a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Louise Nevelson’s “Windows to the West,” the first large-scale artwork in the city’s collection. Free. 5 p.m. Scottsdale Civic Center. scottsdalepublicart.org

April 13–16

‘THE ALCHEMIST’

Southwest Shakespeare will present its production of “The Alchemist.” $35+; youth, student and teacher discounts available. See website for times. Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. swshakespeare.org

April 15

ROCK THE DISTRICT

Fifteen talented student musical acts will take the stage to benefit Cave Creek Unified Education Foundation. $25; student and teacher discounts available. 6–10 p.m. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. rockthedistrict.net

April 14–23

‘LES MISERABLES: SCHOOL EDITION’

Fountain Hills Theater will present its teen production of “‘Les Miserables.” See website for price and times. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org

April 14 and 15

‘THE UPSCALE ZONE’

The Upscalde Singers will perform a concert featuring the music of “Les Miserables,” “Jersey Boys,” “My Fair Lady,” “The Lion King” and “Peter Pan.” $35; youth discounts available. Friday 7 p.m. Saturday 2 p.m. Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, 34605 N. Tom Darlington Drive, Scottsdale. upscalesingers.com

April 15

WALK, TALK AND TASTE

The Desert Awareness Committee will host a stroll through the 1/4-mile trails at Desert Awareness Park, where education team guides will share information about plants — including when and how to harvest. Attendees will also have an opportunity to taste foods prepared from the plants. Free. 8 a.m.–Noon. Desert Awareness Park, N. Vermeersch Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org/ desert-awareness

April 17

‘RESPECT’

Arizona Musicfest will present a tribute to Aretha Franklin. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 21–23

JUNK IN THE TRUNK VINTAGE MARKET

With a reputation for featuring quality vendors selling one-of-a-kind items and inspiring design, Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market — a semi-annual shopping experience that connects shoppers with local artists, makers and curators — will return to WestWorld in Scottsdale, offering attendees a vast selection of clothing, jewelry, furniture, vintage, decor and more. The event will also include food trucks and live music. $8+; youth, veteran and active military discounts available. See website for hours. WestWorld, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. junkinthetrunkvintagemarket.com

April 21–May 14

‘SIDEKICKED’

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre will present its production of “Sidekicked,” based on the classic television sitcom “I Love Lucy.”

See website for price and times.

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre at Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480483-1664; desertstages.org

COMMUNITY

April 28–May 14

‘THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME’

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

April 2023

Fountain Hills Theater will present its production of “‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.” See website for price and times. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org

April 29

‘TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS’

Arizona Musicfest will present a tribute to the Doobie Brothers. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 30

DANCE FUSION FESTIVAL

Dance Fusion and Dance Fusion Teen Division/ Dance Fusion Youth Academy will present its annual performance showcase featuring local talent and internationally acclaimed performers and choreographers. $25+; youth discounts available. 4 p.m. Dance Fusion, 7601 E. Gray Road, Suite B-C, Scottsdale. 480-625-3900; dancefusionaz.com

April 30–May 7

‘SONGS FROM HOME’

Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will perform a concert that includes “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” “Rocky Top,” “Bring Him Home” and “Shenandoah.” $25; youth, student and senior discounts available. See website for times and locations. orpheus.org

April 28–30

SPRING OPEN STUDIOS TOUR

The Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition will present its Spring Open Studios Tour, featuring 48 working artists across the Verde Valley. In its 20th year, the self-guided tour will offer attendees an opportunity to visit with the artists in their studios, gain firsthand insight into the creative process and purchase one-of-a-kind works of art. Attendees will also have the opportunity to enter a studio-wide drawing for a $250 gift certificate to be used at a studio of their choice. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. See website for locations. sedonaartistscoalition.org

May 4–7

‘ALL BALANCHINE’

Ballet Arizona will perform three ballets by George Balanchine — “Raymonda Variations,” “Emeralds” and “The Four Temperaments.” See website for times and prices. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. balletaz.org

May 5–7

‘SOUNDTRACK’

The Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert that traces a history through 500 years of song, exploring how composers throughout the ages have used music to help explain everyday life, love and loss. See website for price, times and locations. 602-253-2224; phoenixchorale.org

May 7

‘A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS’

Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform a concert that, acknowledging our world and our lives are enriched by the glory of flowers, will embody a bouquet of flowers in song — bright, colorful and full of promise and delight. $25; student, senior and group discounts available. 3 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. sonorandesertchorale.org

May 10

GET LIT BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a happy hour discussion of Peter Hellman’s “In Vino Duplicitas: The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire” Free. 5 p.m. RSVP. See website for location. 480-4882286; dfla.org

ROSIE’S HOUSE ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS

Rosie's House, one of the nation's largest free after-school music programs, is accepting applications for its 2023–2024 school year. The popular program is open to students of all ages and is taught by leading music teachers in the state. Rosie's House students attend after-school group and private music lessons, perform in recitals and public performances, and connect through community service activities. Programs include piano, choir, band, strings, mariachi, guitar, percussion and digital music, as well as an early music education program for children ages 4–6. 602-252-8475; rosieshouse.org

IIn a brightly lit glass-enclosed studio in midtown Phoenix, 15 men gather around tables stacked with blank art canvases and cups of boldly hued pigments. At the front of the room, former Channel 3 news anchor Brandon Lee, outfitted in paint-splattered overalls and wielding a hair dryer, explains how to manipulate puddles of colorful acrylics into flowing marble-like designs.

As the men, many of whom are covered in tattoos and whose faces lay bare the effects of a hardscrabble life, follow Lee’s instructions — pouring the viscous paint, tilting the canvas to form interesting patterns, and creating their own ethereal images — their hardened demeanors begin to slip away. They laugh, they praise their fellow artists — and for 90 minutes, they forget about their troubles and simply enjoy the moment.

“That’s the magic of this program,” Lee explains. “These are tough dudes, and within 5 minutes of being here, their inner child comes out.”

The men are all residential patients at Crossroads, a substance abuse treatment facility with locations throughout the Valley. Each week, they attend a painting class at Art of Our Soul, an innovative hands-on therapeutic art program founded by Lee in late 2021.

“Because I’ve been in recovery for more than 13 years, I wanted to create something that people look forward to doing in the early stages of their trauma recovery. When you’re in the early stages of recovering from trauma, it’s heavy, and it’s really dark at times. I wanted to figure out a way to bring joy and allow people to experience joy.

Brandon Lee

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades // Photography Courtesy of Art of Our Soul

Brandon Lee’s Art of Our Soul program combines music with the art of acrylic pouring.

FINDING A PURPOSE

To those who tuned in each night to watch him report on the news, Lee appeared to have it all: an exciting, high-profile career that included two Emmy awards; movie star good looks; and a smile that would brighten any room. But the cheery public persona masked a long history of trauma. While Lee never shied away from talking about his past — from childhood abuse to drug addiction — like many addicts, he struggled to process the trauma.

Lee had been in recovery for about 13 years when, during the pandemic, he relapsed and became suicidal. His trauma therapist suggested he reach out to a shaman with whom she worked. Shortly after he began spiritual healing sessions with the shaman, Lee started experiencing a recurring dream of a little boy with a can of paint.

“I kept getting visions of artwork, and it made no sense to me,” he recalls. “I had dabbled in art, but it never connected.”

At the behest of his shaman, Lee went to the store, got some painting supplies and started to create. Then one day, he awoke to find three words written on a paper towel next to his bed: studio, gallery and school.

“My shaman said, ‘This is where the journey is about to lead you, and it will be life changing,’” he explains.

Two days later, a voice told him to leave the news and develop an art healing studio for trauma survivors.

On September 27, Lee anchored his last newscast. On November 1, he opened Art of Our Soul.

When Brandon Lee opened Art of Our Soul 16 months ago, he partnered with only three recovery centers. Today, the studio works with more than 16 healthcare services — offering three or four sessions a day, five days a week.

A NEW TAKE ON ART THERAPY

According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is defined as a treatment in which patients, facilitated by a therapist, use art materials, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their emotions, foster self-awareness, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem. This therapeutic approach has been used to help treat a variety of mental health and physical disabilities since the mid-1940s.

A 2016 study of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder found that art therapy allows patients to experience and verbalize difficult emotions, provides a distraction and can lead to positive emotions through the creation process. And a 2019 study by Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands suggests that art therapy is especially beneficial for survivors of prolonged or recurrent trauma.

But Art of Our Soul is more than therapy. It is healing.

“We’re flipping the script on the tried-and-true traditional clinical art therapy,” Lee explains. “A lot of times in recovery, people will do art therapy, and they collage and do clip art and talk about their traumas. And while there is a purpose in that, it’s not fun, and it doesn't release dopamine.

“Because I’ve been in recovery for more than 13 years, I wanted to create something that people look forward to doing in the early stages of their trauma recovery. When you’re in the early stages of recovering from trauma, it’s heavy, and it’s really dark at times. I wanted to figure out a way to bring joy and allow people to experience joy.”

According to Lee, his program helps create new neural pathways in the brain, which allows dopamine to be released naturally. Often called the “happy hormone,” dopamine is a neurotransmitter that provides feelings of pleasure.

“If you’ve been on drugs for a long time, all the joy is gone,” he says. “Life gets black or gray; there’s no color. We have to re-create those neural pathways in order to bring color back into your life.”

Art of Our Soul combines music with the art of acrylic pouring. There are no paintbrushes or preconceived designs to replicate. Patients use their hands to create vividly hued one-of-a-kind abstract artworks on canvas. In the background, a playlist of high-energy electronic dance keeps the energy flowing.

“When you’re creating something with your hands, you get lost and your body gets elevated into what science calls an alpha state,” Lee says.

Some people refer to this as being in “Zen,” in the flow, or even a light hypnotic state.

Brandon Lee’s Art of Our Soul program helps create new neural pathways in the brain, which allows dopamine to be released naturally. Often called the “happy hormone,” dopamine is a neurotransmitter that provides feelings of pleasure.

Recently, Brandon Lee announced that he is expanding Art of Our Soul to health clinics and hospitals throughout Arizona and the country through franchise opportunities.

Brandon pictured with Christin Day (left) and Carey Gerst.

“It lowers your heart rate; helps with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation; and brings joy and peace,” he adds. “And that’s exactly what happens here — at every single session.”

In addition to working with recovering addicts, Art of Our Soul teaches acrylic pouring to patients with brain injuries, victims of sexual abuse and sex trafficking and folks with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

THE HEALING POWER OF CREATIVITY

Crossroads was one of the first groups that Lee reached out to during the development of Art of Our Soul. He had frequented the center’s 12-step program and knew how much a course like his would help the patients.

“We had been looking for alternative types of programming,” says Karem Garcia, Crossroad’s chief clinical quality officer, remembering the day that Lee approached her to share his idea. “We had tried some art things in the past, but they were hard to sustain because people would come in, do their projects, and then wrap up and go. This was something we could do on a weekly basis. Plus, it was in line with our model of somebody in recovery helping another, a peer helping a peer.”

Each week, 15 of the center’s clients from its multiple campuses partake in a class taught by Lee or one of his fellow art instructors, Christin Day and Carey Gerst, both of whom are in recovery.

“It’s important that anybody who works for me is a trauma survivor,” Lee points out. “They don’t have to be in addiction recovery, but they have to be a trauma survivor. How can you relate to and get on the level of someone who comes in here if you’ve never walked in their shoes or haven’t had their experiences?

“I’ve been down that road. I know what it’s like. I’m one of them.”

According to Garcia, the fact that Lee and his team have survived trauma and addiction is both inspiring and motivating.

“It gives the newcomer a long-term vision of what recovery can look like,” she explains. “Many of our people are so broken when they come in here, they don’t know who they are. Brandon’s story is right in line with so many others’ stories. I love when clients can see that recovery truly is possible.”

Florence Crittenton is a social service agency that provides housing, education, counseling and support to at-risk and disadvantaged youth who are assigned female at birth. Through a year-long grant from Mercy Care, the agency has been able to provide weekly classes for its young women at Art of Our Soul.

“Our girls come to use from various backgrounds, all based on trauma,” says Amy Holstein, director of Florence Crittenton. “This program has been one of the most beneficial modalities of therapeutic support as we teach our girls coping skills. Being able to see an adult who’s been through something similar to them, and to see that they’re happy and they’ve coped and there is a future — it shows them that there is hope.”

Holstein recalls one girl who lacked confidence in just about everything — in her looks, in her ability to make friends, in her creativity. After attending a class at Art of Our Soul, she said, “I feel like I’m good at something now.” Another girl painted an image that started in the bottom left-hand corner with dark shades of black and red and grew into golds and light colors in the upper right-hand corner.

Former Phoenix news anchor Brandon Lee uses art therapy to help heal trauma survivors.

When asked about the painting’s meaning, the girl replied, “This is like my struggle. At the bottom are the bad things that happened to me. The middle is everything that’s helping me. And over here where it’s lighter and brighter, that’s where I’m going.” Through art, she was able to express her feelings in a way that she could not through traditional therapy.

“These classes have made such a huge impact, not just on the kids who come in but also on our program moving forward,” Holstein says. “What Brandon has created is beautiful. It’s on a completely different level of art therapy because it’s more about healing through creative expression. And there’s no script for it. It’s just led with heart and human connection.”

When Lee opened Art of Our Soul 16 months ago, he partnered with only three recovery centers. Today, the studio works with more than 16 healthcare services — offering three or four sessions a day, five days a week. According to Art of Our Soul’s website, the program provides “art healing sessions to more than 600 trauma survivors each month.”

Recently, Lee announced that he is expanding Art of Our Soul to health clinics and hospitals throughout Arizona and the country through franchise opportunities.

“My dream is to have an Art of Our Soul in every state in America,” Lee says. “Trauma will always exist. It is not going away, which means addiction is not going away. My goal is to introduce patients to different modalities that can help them process trauma in real-time rather than suppress it — and heal from it so they don't have to go down the dark path of addiction.”

artofoursoul.com

TThe highly distinguished visual artist Andy Warhol once asked, “Isn't life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?”

Similarly, the notably less illustrious fictional “One Tree Hill” character Lucas Scott said, “Most of our life is a series of images. They pass us by like towns on the highway. But sometimes a moment stuns us as it happens. And we know that this instant is more than a fleeting image. We know that this moment, every part of it, will live on forever.”

Photographer Nick Milotta is perhaps more cognizant than most of these images and moments. Among his favorites are memories of a Japanese maple tree that grew in the yard outside his childhood home.

“I remember my mother taking me into my room to show me how the light from the setting sun would seep through the thin branches and red leaves of the maple, filling my bedroom with patterns of dancing shadow and glowing light,” Milotta says. “Sometimes I would go upstairs to my room and just wait for it to happen.

“There was also a place called Port Richmond where my father used to take me to watch the ships. However, my eyes were usually glued to the shadows an old section of the boardwalk cast across the shore. I would live in these fleeting moments when they happened and wish that I could freeze time — but, eventually, the mental images faded.

“Photography has given me a chance to relive those experiences three decades ago in my bedroom or on the shore. And although it took me many years to make the connection, I am grateful for the journey that led me to this place in my life.

“As I continue to explore the world through my camera lens, I am reminded of the power that photography has to capture emotion, memories and stories. I am grateful for these moments — and for the opportunity to share them with others. I want to make those fleeting moments a little more lasting.”

This month, Images Arizona’s photo essay celebrates the moments in life that stun us so much that they live on forever. Some appear as though they were lifted right out of a detective novel. Others look like they could be a production still from an Oscar-nominated movie. And others are simply so surreal that they may as well have been manufactured by Warhol himself.

But this is real life. This is the world around us. This is fleeting perfection.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Nick Milotta

SENSE OF NOSTALGIA

Having fallen in love with photography two years ago, Nick Milotta has most recently been experimenting with older technology: 35mm film.

“It is a different experience altogether,” he says. “It is a process that involves more intention and mindfulness, as there are only 36 shots on each roll of film. I have to think out and carefully compose each shot. There is no immediate feedback or opportunity to delete and retake the shot. It feels like there is more on the line, so hearing that shutter slap is that much more satisfying.

Milotta adds that 35mm film provides an aesthetic that speaks to him on a level that newer technology cannot.

“It captures a certain warmth and depth that digital often lacks, with a grainy texture and subtle variations in color and contrast,” he explains. “That sense of nostalgia is what I am after.”

As I continue to explore the world through my camera lens, I am reminded of the power that photography has to capture emotion, memories and stories. I am grateful for these moments — and for the opportunity to share them with others. I want to make those fleeting moments a little more lasting. Nick Milotta

I found myself seeking out that perfect moment of light and shadow that would transport me back to childhood memories. Photography became my escape; my way of freezing those fleeting moments in time and preserving them for posterity.

Nick Milotta

Photography is a way of seeing and interpreting the world around me. Through my camera lens, I am able to capture the beauty and complexity of life in all its forms — from the vibrant colors of a cityscape to the intricate and delicate details of dew on a rose petal. Nick

Milotta

About the Photographer

Nick Milotta discovered his passion for photography in an unlikely place.

“At the time, I would frequent a little improv theater in Tempe called The Bridge,” he says. “I would go and watch the shows and also perform from time to time. I had seen a lot of people taking pictures with their phones and I remembered that I had a Canon m50 with a kit lens in the trunk of my car. So I decided to go grab it and take a few shots of the performers.

“It was electric. I found myself skimming between rows and laying on the floor in front of the stage to get good shots. I guess they noticed my zeal and asked me to take photos for their social media team. The Bridge supplied me with fertile ground for growth, for which I am grateful.”

Milotta’s passion for photography quickly became an obsession, as he learned to shoot manual and experimented with shutter speed, aperture and ISO to capture the perfect image.

“I found myself seeking out that perfect moment of light and shadow that would transport me back to childhood memories,” Milotta explains. “Photography became my escape; my way of freezing those fleeting moments in time and preserving them for posterity.”

Realizing that photography was far more than just a hobby, Milotta has spent the past two years leaning into what he views through the lens.

“Photography is a way of seeing and interpreting the world around me,” he says. “Through my camera lens, I am able to capture the beauty and complexity of life in all its forms — from the vibrant colors of a cityscape to the intricate and delicate details of dew on a rose petal.”

instagram.com/nickmilotta.photos

TThere’s no denying that the Globe Theatre on the banks of the River Thames in London is a dramatic departure from the desert masonry and orangehued redwood beams of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. As far apart and varying in origin they might be, both of these settings celebrate a heritage of groundbreaking invention and artistry.

This spring, Southwest Shakespeare Company will once again showcase its talented array of actors, directors and playwrights to Taliesin West’s intimate theater, furthering their mission to bring Shakespeare’s works to life for Arizona audiences.

Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Ben Jonson’s “The Alchemist,” directed by David Ira Goldstein will be staged April 13–16 and Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by Ingrid Sonnichsen, will conclude the series with performances May 18–21.

Writer Shannon Severson

David Ira Goldstein

Mary Way is the executive director of Southwest Shakespeare Company and played a pivotal role in securing the Taliesin West venue, as the company often performs at Mesa Arts Center and at select schools throughout the state as part of its educational outreach efforts.

This marriage of creative legends of the past and today’s performers and preservationists is easy to imagine.

“To give life to Shakespeare, who is a seminal part of Western culture, in a place designed by a modern master of architecture, fuses the past with the present and creates a space that is not only inspiring but is also a welcoming and intimate experience for both the actor and audience.” Way explains. “After all, we are in Mr. Wright’s home theatre — it’s like magic.

“I have always been intrigued by the relationship between place and space on the stage. Happenstance brought me together with Stuart Graff, CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Immediately, we started hatching a plan to stage SW Shakespeare’s ‘Standing O’ series at Taliesin West’s Music Pavilion — the space had not housed a play in 40 years. It was absolutely thrilling to bring to pass a new era in theater history.”

To give life to Shakespeare, who is a seminal part of Western culture, in a place designed by a modern master of architecture, fuses the past with the present and creates a space that is not only inspiring but is also a welcoming and intimate experience for both the actor and audience. After all, we are in Mr. Wright’s home theater — it’s like magic. Mary Way

Photo by Andrew Pielage

David Ira Goldstein and Jeffrey Hatcher

PAST IS PROLOGUE

That fusion of notable theater personalities past and present will take the limelight when leading director Goldstein –– who served as artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company for 25 years prior to his retirement in 2018 –– directs Jonson’s comical satire, “The Alchemist.”

Goldstein explains that Hatcher’s adaptation was performed in New York City last year. While the setting wasn’t changed to modern times, more contemporary language makes it accessible to today’s audiences. Hatcher has his own connection to Frank Lloyd Wright, having written “Work Song,” an epic play about Wright that Goldstein previously produced at Arizona Theater Company. He’s also written a character play about Wright’s relationship with Ayn Rand entitled “Wright/Rand.”

The chance to direct at Taliesin West is a particular thrill for Goldstein, who has always admired Wright.

“To go there in the evening and see Taliesin West at night and sit in the auditorium –– you feel Wright’s spirit in that room,” Goldstein says.

He credits Way with doing everything in her power to keep actors working during the pandemic shutdown and finding a way to access the theater on-site when Taliesin West is such a busy, sought-after location.

Audiences may not be as familiar with Jonson, but that wasn’t the case in Shakespeare’s day and Goldstein is excited to bring forth the work.

“Jonson was a contemporary of Shakespeare and, at the time, was considered England’s greatest playwright,” Goldstein says. “They were friends. Shakespeare’s writing is beautiful and poetic; Jonson was much more cynical and hard-edged. Most of his plays are comedies. I’d describe it as sort of the ‘South Park’ of its time with lots of poking fun at people.”

“The Alchemist” will be staged as an onscript old-time radio play with Foley artists producing sound effects. Goldstein says it’s fun and fast-paced with an all-star cast of Southwest Shakespeare Theatre company favorites.

Mary Way

Hamlet // Photo Courtesy of Southwest Shakespeare Company

“It has the energy of when you’re running at something full speed,” Goldstein reveals. “It’s strangely contemporary in that it's all about the Black Plague in London. The rich people leave town and their homes are left to the servants. A servant hooks up with a con man and they start ripping people off right and left by pretending they have a stone that can turn any base metal into gold. It’s in modern language but still has a touch of period. One of the players now comes from Brooklyn; it’s quite clever.”

While Goldstein remains semi-retired, he has served on the board of Southwest Shakespeare Company for the last two and a half years, previously directing “Hamlet” at Taliesin West. He feels the work the organization is doing is extremely important.

“Plenty of theaters do [contemporary] works and do them well,” Goldstein says, “but only Southwest Shakespeare is dedicated to the classics. There’s no other like them, and they have an educational mission. Every year, they’re exposing thousands of kids to classic theater done in an exciting way.”

FROM THE BIG APPLE TO ARIZONA

Presenting Shakespeare in a way that all audiences can access and identify with is also at the heart of the company’s new producing artistic director, Debra Ann Byrd. She began her time at Southwest Shakespeare Company as an artist-in-residence in 2019, having been much more accustomed to the busy streets and skyscrapers of New York City than the dusty desert vistas of Taliesin West.

Byrd is an accomplished, award winning classically-trained actor and writer and is the founding artistic director of the Harlem Shakespeare Festival.

“My relationship to Shakespeare began around about 1996,” Byrd recounts. “I had been acting for many years in the Black theater and gospel theater musical productions and I was looking for a new challenge –– something that would help me to grow as an artist, something that was interesting and that could improve talent. A troupe came up to perform Shakespeare at the Victoria theater in Harlem and I decided to give [classical acting] a shot.”

She decided to attend Marymount Manhattan College to study, becoming the first person in her family to attend college. As she worked her way through the curriculum, she came to the level four acting class, which was Shakespeare-focused. The challenge came with a natural dose of self-doubt.

When she saw a Public Theater production of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” with Tony Award-winner Jeffrey Wright, something clicked.

“[Wright] had a certain way of being that I recognized, from my community” Byrd recalls. “It made me more comfortable and made me know and recognize and realize that I, too, can probably go ahead [with this] and be OK. It gave me the confidence to go into my Shakespeare class. My professor, Elizabeth Swain, was really a brilliant teacher and very kind. She taught us how to pull apart Shakespeare's texts, look for clues and repeated words and phrases, use alteration and perform monologues. We were told that a time was coming when women would be acting in male roles and we ought to prepare male monologues.”

Death of Kings // Photo Courtesy of Southwest Shakespeare Company

Photo by Yasmin Lawler

“I saw Charles Dutton come to the stage and play Othello,” Byrd says. “It changed my entire world. He was brilliant and moving and strong and stirring and clear. So I told myself, ‘I want to play that role the same way he did with all of his wonderfulness. That set me on the thought pattern –– or a mission –– to be able to play Othello one day.”

And play Othello she did, eventually producing an all-female cast “Othello: The Moor of Venice.” After Byrd earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, she continued to perform while completing advanced studies at Shakespeare and Company, Public Theater’s Shakespeare Lab and The Broadway League’s Commercial Theatre Institute.

“I really wanted to change up the model of how I produce theater,” Byrd says. “From that, came the heart of Shakespeare. I wanted to create opportunities for artists of color to build their resumes. Often, they would train in the classics, but had a hard time securing roles. We produced plays and staged readings of plays so these actors could be ready with a resume. Our focus was people of Asian, Hispanic and African descent, but we always had a mixed-race cast. If Shakespeare is universal, then the people on stage should be universal.”

She founded Take Wing and Soar Productions in 2003 and eventually the Harlem Shakespeare Festival in 2013, producing and acting in multiple productions along the way, including playing the role of Mark Antony in an all-female production of “Julius Caesar” and receiving best lead actress and outstanding actress in a lead role nominations from AUDELCO and the New York Innovative Theatre Awards, respectively

Byrd also embarked on a three-year writing project as writer-in-residence at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to create “Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey” — a documentary feature film; a 90-minute, five-act play; and a written memoir that tell her story of growing up in Harlem and her encounters with race, the classics and her life

Swain took the class to see a special taping of John Barton, who had come to America and was coaching different celebrities.

Photo Courrtesy of Taliesin West

Photo Courtesy of Southwest Shakespeare Company

and influences. When she met Way at a Shakespeare Theatre Association event in 2019, the two decided Byrd would bring her Harlem production to Arizona and perform it at Taliesin West.

“She was looking for a show to put in her presenting season and asked me if I would bring my all-female Othello to Arizona,” Byrd says. “I told her that I was also working on my ‘Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey’ project and Mary said she could help with that. We did a workshop production at Phoenix Art Museum in March of 2020.”

Byrd moved to Phoenix and her successes here came right before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns; but Way, Byrd, Stacey Walston and a team of artists pressed on, producing full Shakespeare performances on Zoom.

“We would perform live on Zoom and then edit it and put it on the [Southwest Shakespeare Company] Facebook page for public consumption,” Byrd recalls. “It was a great time, a busy time. We wanted to create programming so artists would continue to have an outlet. I supported Mary in any way that was needed –– [we worked with] directors across the nation and as far away as the United Kingdom and India. We created an online community for these artists to stay connected.”

When performances resumed in the fall of 2021, Byrd was asked to join the team and she did so in January of 2022. This is her first season as producing

artistic director and she is thrilled to bring her vision of a supportive and accessible space for experienced actors and those just getting their start.

“If we want to grow actors, they need more opportunities,” Byrd explains. “In my practice here at Southwest Shakespeare Company, I’m keenly aware of those actors just getting their start, and I work to make sure they get stage time to grow their talent. Everyone is always welcome –– different ages, races, cultures, abilities –– everyone is welcome as long as we are on the same path toward excellence.”

Byrd grew up admiring Wright’s Guggenheim Museum and is looking forward to bringing performances back to his Taliesin West again this year.

“It’s a beautiful experience knowing you’re coming to Frank Lloyd Wright’s space,” Byrd says. “I like to say it’s ‘mad cool’ –– a special experience not to be forgotten.”

As she looks to the future of Southwest Shakespeare Company, Byrd anticipates sharing the productions with regular patrons and welcoming new ones and students who haven’t yet experienced Shakespeare.

“We want them to enjoy the play, be entertained, be moved and be persuaded to have conversations with fellow theatergoers and their families when they get home,” Byrd says.

swshakespeare.org

Wild H ly Gall y

WWhen dancers perform in a typical theater setting, they are — to some extent — blinded by stage lights and so far away from the seated audience that they are unable to feel much of a connection with them.

On April 14 and 15, Scottsdale Arts and Movement Source Dance Company will strengthen that connection, bringing a series of explorative, mobile dance performances to Old Town Scottsdale via Arizona Trolley Dances — a special event during which guests may board a trolley at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and journey to five unique and hidden public art destinations around the area.

Photo by Alix Theurich

Mary Anne Fernandez Herding

“It creates really nice energy and excitement,” says Mary Anne Fernandez Herding, founder and director of Movement Source Dance Company. “You can see the reactions on [audience members’] faces much more than you can when you are on a stage. You feed off their energy and there is a more interactive and intimate feeling to it. There is more of an opportunity to build a relationship and allows for a moment of conversation, too, before and after the performance.”

The Trolly Dances concept was created more than 20 years ago by San Diego Dance Theater’s former artistic director Jean Isaacs, who aspired to make dance accessible to the entire community by taking art “to the people.”

“A couple of years ago, I was in San Diego attending the National Dance Education Organization Conference,” Fernandez Herding says. “I got to experience Trolley Dances there and loved it. It was so cool to see all of the

“Dancing outside is exhilarating for the dancers and offers an intimate and unique setting to share dance with audiences. It is raw and integrates our art form into real-life spaces. The setting of public art complimenting and inspiring each dance work is also an added point of interest on the Trolley Dances tour.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

spaces that they used, the dances that they created and the vibe that was generated with audiences being on trolleys. I liked how it connected to the community and how it used the public transit that existed there.”

Having enjoyed it so much, Fernandez Herding approached Isaacs about purchasing the trademark and bringing the concept to Arizona — specifically to Old Town Scottsdale which, at the time, already had its own trolley system in place.

“I spoke with Diandra [Adamczyk, senior programming coordinator at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts], and she was really excited and open to trying it and supporting us,” Fernandez Herding adds.

However, at that time in 2021, there had been major shifts in both the arts and public transportation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to keep dance alive, Movement Source Dance Company partnered with Scottsdale Arts to present a parking lot dance show, which gave both nonprofit organizations a taste of outdoor dance.

“I think that our company got a little addicted to and excited about dancing outside,” Fernandez Herding says. “It was so much nicer than being in a theater. Our rehearsals would start around sunset and we got to look up at the stars and just have this whole feeling of being connected to the environment and outdoor space. It just felt so broad and open.”

One year later, Scottsdale Arts and Movement Source Dance Company debuted Arizona Trolley Dances, utilizing Dunn Transportation’s Ollie the Trolley charter trolley service — which will be used again this year.

Each stop on the tour will feature its own site-specific dance work that fuses the creative essence of both performance and public art. In addition to Movement Source Dance Company, this year’s performance lineup includes Furious Styles Crew, specializing in urban hip hop style; Shola K. Roberts, specializing in contemporary

Photos by Larry Hanelin

Caribbean style; and Jordan Kriston, specializing in contemporary style.

“Dancing outside is exhilarating for the dancers and offers an intimate and unique setting to share dance with audiences,” Fernandez Herding says. “It is raw and integrates our art form into real-life spaces. The setting of public art complimenting and inspiring each dance work is also an added point of interest on the Trolley Dances tour.”

Of course, there are some drawbacks to dancing outside, away from the usual sprung floor that provides performers with proper shock absorption.

“A stage is a lovely surface,” Fernandez Herding says. “Concrete, grass and other funky surfaces are not the best for your knees or your body and some of the dancers really feel it. So we have to be a little careful about that.”

But the advantages of fresh air, open space and an environment that changes throughout the day are welcomed aspects of outside dance — especially in a city as beautiful as Scottsdale.

“When you think of the vastness of our Valley and all these little pockets of cities, there are so many different venues for the arts,” Fernandez Herding says. “But there is a nice, heartfelt hub here in Scottsdale. So I want to encourage people to come to this event, which provides an accessible way to enjoy dance alongside public art.”

scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Experience

Arizona Trolley Dances

April 14 and 15

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale

$30; youth discounts available scottsdaleperformingarts.org

OOn a typical day, more than 125,000 passengers arrive and depart at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. They pass through the terminals, ride the AirTrain and stop by the rental car center to pick up vehicles. For most travelers, the airport is simply a place that must be tolerated on the way to their final destination — it’s crowded, it’s chaotic, it’s stress-inducing.

But for those who take a moment to slow down and observe their surroundings, the airport becomes a welcoming space filled with color, beauty and artistry.

“Sky Harbor is the front door to our city and to our state in many ways,” says Gary Martelli, manager and curator of the Phoenix Airport Museum. “Having art at the airport says that art and culture are important to us.”

Phoenix Sky Harbor airport has one of the oldest and largest art programs in the country — second only to San Francisco International Airport. There are more than 40 display areas for individual art and themed exhibitions throughout the airport system. Artworks are displayed in the terminals, rental car center, SkyTrain stations and even outdoors. The museum also has exhibits at the Deer Valley and Goodyear airports.

Sky Harbor is the front door to our city and to our state in many ways. Having art at the airport says that art and culture are important to us. Gary Martelli

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

Phoenix Light Passage, artist James Carpenter

Sonoran Essence, artist Frank Gonzalez

From the Earth to the Sky, artist Bill Dambrova

Some exhibitions are permanent; others change about every six months. There are dedicated galleries, large glass display cases, art-lined hallways, hidden niches and a sculpture garden. Some pieces are integrated, such as artist-designed floors, ceilings and stained-glass walls. And 80–90% of the art on display is viewable pre-security, meaning that you don’t need to have a plane ticket to see it.

HISTORY ON DISPLAY

The Phoenix Airport Museum program began officially in 1988, but the tradition of showcasing beautiful artworks dates back to the airport’s origins in the 1960s.

One of the museum’s earliest pieces was commissioned in 1960 in anticipation of the opening of Terminal 2. Paul Coze’s 75-foot-wide mural, “The Phoenix,” is a three-panel multimedia work comprising 52 different materials. The center panel is dominated by a mythical blazing Phoenix perched atop a native date palm. It is believed to be the first piece of city-commissioned public art that was chosen by a citizen vote.

The triptych debuted in 1962 on the west wall of the Terminal 2 lobby and quickly became an iconic landmark. When the terminal was decommissioned in 2020, the mural was saved, and in fall of 2021, it was installed in the rental car center near the central escalator.

Today, it still attracts art lovers and historians who examine the mural’s tiny details, such as gemstones, tile and even a child’s toy steering wheel, through observation scopes tucked away at the base of the escalator. Display cases tell the story of the mural’s creation and its relocation.

Tucson International Airport's collection features more than 100 works, including paintings, photographs and sculptures.

Phoenix Lights, Phoenix Rising, artist Susan Logoreci

In 1986, the city of Phoenix established the Public Art Program, which allocates 1% of the city’s annual Capital Improvement Program to public art projects — including the airport. Then, the airport’s collection stood at 25 pieces. Today, it spans about 900 works.

There are paintings, sculpture, photography, fiber art, glass, ceramics, architecturally integrated pieces and more from some of the region’s most renowned artists, including Ed Mell, Mark Klett, Frank Ybarra, Anne Coe and Patricia Sannit, as well as internationally recognized artists such as Jun Kaneko.

Travelers at Terminal 3 are greeted by a large backlit stained-glass wall created in 1979 by Ken Toney. The 1,400-square-foot artwork originally was installed in the ceiling above the terminal’s escalators. Comprising more than 2,300 pieces of glass in sunset shades of gold, red and orange, the glass panels were repurposed into an exterior eye-catcher during the terminal’s modernization in 2019.

Inside the terminal, Donald Lipski’s “The Aviators” watches over the daily goings-on — literally. The giant pair of reflective aviator sunglasses hang above the arrivals atrium and are designed to celebrate Arizona’s rich history of civil and military aviation.

“We want to promote Arizona’s art and culture, and that can be expressed in a lot of different ways,” Martelli says when asked about the variety of works on display. “When we say ‘Arizona,’ that doesn’t necessarily mean a landscape or image of something from the state. I want artwork that’s well-crafted and that conveys what the artist intended to convey.”

The Ultimate Landscape, View from Bright Angel Point, artist Merrill Mahaffey

The Phoenix, artist Paul Coze

The Aviators, artist Donald Lipski

WORLD’S BIGGEST GALLERIES

One of the most recent additions to the Sky Harbor museum is a 6,000-square-foot terrazzo floor by Phoenixbased artist Bill Dambrova. Located in the SkyTrain station at the rental car center, the floor, titled “From the Earth to the Sky,” welcomes travelers with bold graphics and vibrant hues.

“The city of Phoenix Offices of Arts and Culture said they didn’t want a ‘design’; they wanted ‘art,’” Dambrova says of the work’s undulating abstract biology-inspired shapes. He notes that the city, when making commissions, “selects artists who they feel have the potential to make something fresh and different, something that feels meaningful.”

Dambrova’s floor debuted in December 2022.

Having art displayed in the airport has become an honor that rivals having work in top galleries and museums — and an opportunity that artists now seek out. Dambrova, who also is a museum exhibition designer, notes that if given his choice, he would prefer to have his work shown in an airport instead of a museum.

“I feel that art is needed in airports,” he explains. “Many people still don’t feel comfortable going to art museums or galleries, and airports are like ambassadors for art. They make art accessible to those who otherwise would not seek it out. Some folks who say that ‘they don’t get art’ may even end up enjoying it, even if only by osmosis. I like the idea of being involved in making art more accessible to everyone, not just people who already like art.

“I’ve designed exhibits at some major well-known institutions with huge budgets that thousands of people see, but my name isn’t on them, and they are not permanent. This will be the most permanent thing I’ve ever done that could last 50 years or more. It very much feels like I am leaving a legacy in my hometown.”

Tucson Airport

Airborne, artist Jeremy Thomas

Making Faces, artist Sebastiao Pereira

Botanical artist Dyana Hesson of Mesa also has a large painting in the museum’s permanent collection. She recalls meeting a woman who had just relocated to the Valley from Canada who recognized her name because she saw the artwork hanging in the airport.

“She said one of the first things she saw when she landed in Phoenix was my painting, and she thought, ‘This is some place I want to explore, someplace I want to live.’ It made an impression on her,” Hesson says. “The Sky Harbor art program is a great venue and a great opportunity for artists. There are so many people you can connect with at the airport. It’s a way for our state to introduce itself to our visitors.”

‘A SENSE OF PLACE’

Travelers who fly in and out of Arizona’s second-largest city also have the opportunity to view beautiful works of art. Since 1987, Tucson International Airport has been showcasing works by artists from southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico.

“In many ways, art is about establishing a sense of place,” says Danette Bewley, president and CEO of Tucson Airport Authority. “Passengers traveling through Tucson International Airport should have no doubt they have landed in Southern Arizona when they are in the terminal. We want [visitors] to be surrounded by Tucson’s unique beauty and culture and understand that they are in Southern Arizona before they step outside and snap selfies with the saguaros.” The Tucson airport’s collection features more than 100 works, including paintings, photographs and sculptures. Some of the most popular pieces are “Desert Ramblers,” a whimsical sculptural scene by Joe Pagac that includes a javelina, jackrabbit, packrat and desert tortoise patiently waiting for their flight, and “Another Way to Fly,” a series of glass flying carpets by beloved Tucson glassblower Tom Philabaum.

“Tucson International Airport is more than just a travel hub; it is a pillar of the Southern Arizona region,” Bewley says. “The Tucson Airport Authority has partnered with local artists for more than three decades, and we will continue to amplify the creativity that makes Tucson such a special place to live, work and travel to from around the world.”

For Martelli, art is a calming distraction in an otherwise hectic environment. It transports travelers to new destinations and sets Phoenix and its airport apart from an increasingly homogeneous world.

“We like to say that Sky Harbor is a museum that planes happen to come and go from,” he says.

skyharbor.com/at-the-airport/amenities/airport-museum flytucson.com/services/art

Round-Up and Superstition Rodeo, artist Bill Schenck

RECIPE

Carrot Cake Loaf

Serves: 8–10

Ingredients:

For the Loaves:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 pound whole carrots, peeled 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed 4 large eggs

1-1/2 cups vegetable oil

For the Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 tablespoons butter, softened 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Green and orange food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Springtime brings Easter, Mother's Day and graduations. It's a perfect time to bake this carrot cake loaf. Simpler than a layered carrot cake but equally delicious, it will please everyone! If you want to take it up a notch, try decorating it with baby carrots on top!

Grease and flour two 9-x-5-inch loaf pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Whisk thoroughly to combine.

In a food processor with a grater attachment, process the carrots until shredded. Pour into a medium bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor and fit with a standard metal attachment. Add white sugar, brown sugar and eggs then process until thoroughly combined.

Next, with the food processor running, drizzle oil into the sugar/egg mixture until thick and emulsified, about 30 seconds. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients then whisk until combined. Fold carrots into the batter using a spatula and distribute evenly between loaf pans.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Meanwhile, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract until thoroughly combined. Pipe or spread onto cooled carrot cake loaves.

Optional: Separate two 1/4 cup portions of frosting into separate bowls. Add a few drops of orange and green food coloring into each bowl and mix, adjusting colors to your preference. Spoon dyed frosting into small Ziploc bags, cut a tiny opening in the corner of each bag and gently pipe carrot designs all over the top of the cake, as desired. Carrots are made by squeezing a blob of orange frosting then quickly drawing the frosting in a downward motion. Add leaves by making 1–2 small green dots on the top of each orange carrot.

Writer and Photographer Francine Coles thefancypantskitchen.com