Pensacola Magazine

Pensacola • Your City • Your Magazine ARTS + CULTURE January/February 2013

VANGUARD

30 A S ONGWRITERS F ESTIVAL + G MO s, O RGANICS AND A GRI - FARMING + M ARDI G RAS 2013 + A RT P ARTY Inside

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Weddings 2013

February/March 2013

We’re looking for the perfect wedding model for the cover of Pensacola Magazine Weddings 2013, and that model could be you.

Submit up to three wedding photos —high resolution please— to weddings@ballingerpublishing.com, and you could be featured on the cover of the February 2013 issue. Candid shots by your professional photographer are best. Please include Bride, Groom and Photographer’s name. For more information, visit www.pensacolamagazine.com or email us at the address above.

Please send us the high resolution photos by February 1, 2013.

Winner 2012

editor’s note > my two cents on the subject

Kelly Oden Executive Editor Pensacola no longer has the potential to be a great arts community. It is one.

With a full spectrum of cultural and artistic offerings and a more open mindset toward original, eclectic, avant garde and untraditional work, the Pensacola community has embraced the arts in ways that many cities our size have yet to do. Can we do more? Of course we can, but as it stands, our community is home to a number of truly innovative and progressive artists and in this Arts and Culture issue of Pensacola Magazine, we introduce our readers to just a few of them, a growing group we’ve dubbed The Pensacola Vanguard. While we love the work of the extremly talented artists we’ve chosen to profile, it’s important to note that this list is by no means exhaustive. Being limited by page space, we had to narrow it down, but we do plan to continue covering the Vanguard talent in our community in a monthly department, so if you were not included in this issue and feel you should have been or if you know an artist you think is an innovator, please let us know. We’d love to profile them in a future issue.

In this issue, we’ve also tried to bring you news of exciting upcoming art events like the 30A Songwriters Festival and Art Party X. The 30A Songwriters Festival takes place along Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A on January 18-20. 30A features an amazing lineup of more than 200 singer/songwriters including Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter and many more. I hope to see you there! Art Party X takes place on March 9 is the brainchild of local photographer Jef Bond. Art Party is a combination of gallery show, performance art, and warehouse party. This year’s location is top secret, but promises to be a great time. Also, be sure to check out the Greater Good Music, Art and Children Festival in Milton at Adventures Unlimited on March 2-3. The GGMACF features family friendly art, music and activities in a beautiful setting.

We hope you enjoy this Arts and Culture issue of Pensacola Magazine. We welcome your thoughts!

Pick up any of our magazines at one of these fine locations: Barnes and Noble Ever’man Natural Foods Bookseller 315 W. Garden St. 1200 Airport Blvd.

Pensacola, FL 32501 Pensacola, FL 32504 850-438-0402 850-969-9554 Varona’s Airport Gift Shop Family Christian Stores Area Books-A-Million 1520 Airport Blvd.

Area Walmart Stores Pensacola, FL 32504 Area Bruno’s Stores 850-474-9324 Area K-Mart Stores

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Contents departments

features Pensacola Vanguard ....................22

music Heat Up the Winter at the 30A Songwriters Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 food Knowledge is Power! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 festivals Mardi Gras 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 community The 2013 Greater Good Music, Art and Children Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Scott Novota

UWF book club Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos . . . . . . . . . .18 art Art Party X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Evan Levin

repeats datebook .....................38 pensacola scene ..........40 Cover: Artwork by Evan Levin

Alex McPhail 8

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music

Compiled by Kelly Oden

HeAT UP the Winter at the 30A Songwriters Festival The 30A Songwriters Festival will heat up Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A, January 18-20, 2013, where writers who perform their own music and performers who write their own songs meet for a weekend of soulful melodies, powerful vocals and compelling lyrics throughout the northwest Florida beach neighborhoods of South Walton.

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Representing diverse styles ranging from folk and country to rock and blues, the 2013 line-up features more than 125 songwriters and 200 musical performances, including nationally acclaimed songwriters and musicians Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, Shawn Mullins, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jeffrey Steele, Suzanne Vega and Fastball.

Venues range from unique listening rooms to spacious outdoor amphitheaters. each location is distinguished by its own individual vibe, ambiance, and musically-inspired stage artwork, and is situated amid the brilliant white sand beaches, turquoise waters and stunning architecture

of Highway 30A. The Festival is produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County and is presented by Visit South Walton.

“The 30A Songwriters Festival has quickly gained a reputation among musicians as a forum for true songwriters to perform their self-penned songs as well as established performers to showcase their original compositions,” said Russell Carter, 30A Songwriters Festival chair and producer and owner of Russell Carter Artist Management. “We book artists with diverse musical styles. Our emphasis is the art of the song.”

As in years past, venues for performances are being built out along Highway 30A from Vue, Gulf Place Amphitheater and Fire on the western end to Amavida, Town Hall and Summer Kitchen in Rosemary on the eastern end. In between, count on great concerts in Seaside at Bud & Alley’s, the Pizza Bar, the ReP Theatre and the Amphitheater; WaterColor venues including the Gathering Spot, Fish Out of Water and the Boat House; Pandora’s and Hibiscus in Grayton Beach; Caliza in Alys Beach; and new venues including 723 Whiskey Bravo in Seagrove and Bentley’s in Seacrest. WaterColor Inn & Resort will serve as the Festival headquarters. emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls and Mary Chapin Carpenter will perform in the round on Wednesday, January 16, for a special pre-Festival membership drive for the Cultural Arts Alliance. Lucinda Williams and Nanci Griffith are confirmed for a Sunday afternoon concert at the Seaside Amphitheatre.

“We are honored to feature talented artists from around the country who are generously supporting the CAA and our mission to grow the arts in Walton County and make it a destination for cultural and artistic excellence,” said Jennifer Steele, Festival producer and executive director of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County. “South Walton celebrates a thriving arts community, and we are proud to showcase our local talent alongside nationally-acclaimed songwriters and upand-coming artists to raise funds and awareness for arts education initiatives that benefit the children of Walton County.”

Festival weekend passes are now available for $150 and can be purchased at www.30asongwritersfestival.com, at the Cultural Arts Alliance office and at Central Square Records in Seaside. Net proceeds from the 30A Songwriters Festival benefit the CAA and members of the CAA will receive an additional 10 percent off weekend passes. Call (850) 622-5970 to become a member and take advantage of the discount.

For more information on the 2013 30A Songwriters Festival, including a full list of artists, venues, accommodations packages and to purchase tickets, visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com.

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food

By Jodi Brown, the Ultimate Kitchen Commando

Power!

Knowledge is

Ah, January. By the time this month rolls around, food consumption, guilt and extra pounds are vying for the number one spot in the front of your brain. To make matters worse, the cold of winter has you craving mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and donuts.

In my opinion, the cool weather of January is the worst time of year to start beating yourself up about food consumption. By early February our weather will start to get warmer and your desire for hot carbs will begin to wane. This month, let’s focus instead on educating ourselves and preparing our lives to make some serious changes as the weather starts improving.

As an educator focused on food consumption as a vehicle towards better health, I am frequently shocked when I engage in conversations with smart, articulate adults that don’t have any idea what a GMO is. I am equally shocked that they have managed to evade the frightening information about agri-farming, or large scale chemically controlled factory farming of beef, chickens and pigs. To be clear, I am not against animal consumption per se.

What I am against is the consumption of toxic animal products.

GMOs

Genetically modified organisms came to market in the late 90s touted as the great white hope for the future of food. The GM industry and its supporters claimed that these newly engineered crops were strictly regulated for safety and would increase yields, reduce pesticide use, reduce energy usage, benefit the environment, and would help feed the world.

Unfortunately, none of that was true.

Genetically modified organisms result when you take the DNA of one species and force it into the DNA of another. In food there are two main types of GMOs. The herbicide tolerant ones allow plants to be

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sprayed with chemicals and not die. Those are made by injecting glyphosate (aka RoundUp) into the DNA of the seeds. The pesticide producing crops are injected with bacillus thuringiensis (BT), which creates a protein that causes the bugs that eat the plant to die. The U.S. government has allowed these organisms into our food supply without ever requiring the manufacturers (or anyone else) to test them to see if they are safe for human consumption. GMOs are in 70 percent of the processed foods on our supermarket shelves. We consume them every day.

No laws require that they are labeled. I strongly urge you to further educate yourself about GMOs and I suggest you do it through independent information sources. Find out why over 60 countries worldwide have chosen to ban them.

There are nine GMO food crops. They are corn, soy, canola, zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, alfalfa, sugar beets, cotton (seed for oil) and papayas. Fresh produce with the USDA Organic label is your best choice for avoiding GMOs in the fresh foods area of the market. The Non-GMO Food Project is a non-profit organization whose website states, “We offer North America’s only third party verification and labeling for non-GMO food and products.” If you want to avoid GMOs in your prepared foods, look for this label.

Agri-farming

This is the most important stuff you need to know. When you consume animal products cultivated in this way, you are eating everything the animals receive via food and injections.

• 70 percent of the antibiotics used in the country are used in agri-farming.

• Growth hormones are the reason that chicken breasts now look more like turkey breasts.

• Grain-fed cows get fat faster on GMO crops like corn and alfalfa. So do you.

Organics

Manufacturers of foods take a very liberal approach to labeling foods. Difficult as it may be to hear this, most everything on the front of any packaged food item is intended to confuse you. It’s marketing pure and simple and for some reason the FDA and the USDA are not bringing the hammer down on what’s on the front of your packaging. But, the ingredients list on the rear is a whole different ball of wax. They can get in big trouble for lying there, so if you really want to know what’s in your prepared foods, start on the ingredients list.

Organic, unfortunately, means nothing unless it is USDA Organic, so be sure and look at the packaging carefully for this label. If it says organic on the front (not USDA certified) I can pretty much guarantee that when you flip the package over and look at the rear, all of the ingredients listed will not be organic.

Becoming USDA certified is a cost prohibitive endeavor for many small farmers. When you are shopping at a farmers’ market, you might want to just ask the farmers individually if they use pesticides or herbicides.

Or, you might ask if they maintain organic “methods” in their farming. Many small farms can’t afford to pay to get certified, but keep clean land. If they are growing organically, they are going to want to elaborate and share the info with you as it is a great source of pride for many.

If you can’t afford to buy organic all the time, the environmental Working Group (ewg.org) has a list of the “dirty dozen/clean fifteen” that can help you to make choices by understanding which foods have the most pesticide residue on them. You can lower your chemical intake greatly by understanding which fruits and veggies are the most chemically laden.

Organic matters to your body and the planet. Please support organics by purchasing them whenever your budget allows.

You are powerful. You cast a vote about our food system every time you shop. Buy local, organic, seasonal items from farmers’ markets and independent shops whenever you can. You won’t regret the feelings of community and good health.

Nothing you do is too small or insignificant to matter. A series of small successes always adds up to a larger one.

I hope you’ll join me for one of my upcoming retreats at the state of the art and very luxurious spa, Escape at Wind Creek in Atmore, Alabama. My Food Makeover Retreats in February and April will hold your hand through the process of transitioning to a healthier food lifestyle. I’m not going to tell you how to do it; I’m going to show you. In addition to a ton of great and useful information about food and diet choices, you’ll learn how to handle your fresh food purchases completely--from the selection process, through prep and storage. Then I show you how to gain maximum nutritional value from it when it’s consumed. Grab a friend and share a room and the rates are even lower.

Please log onto my website at www.UltimateKitchenCommando.com for more information.

About the Author: Jodi Brown is the Ultimate Kitchen Commando and loves to turn people on to delicious and healthy foods. She assists people with food transitions and teaches healthy cooking classes. She shares her time between New Orleans and Pensacola. To learn more, visit www.ultimatekitchencommando.com.

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festivals

By Christienne Cloutier

Mardi Gras 2013 The time has come once more to celebrate Mardi Gras on the Gulf Coast. The annual Pensacola carnival is among the oldest in the United States, dating back to 1874. The city’s coastal flavor, food and culture give this celebration a small city family-friendly atmosphere with more than 100 active krewes and 200 floats for everyone to enjoy.

The annual Wind Creek Pensacola Mardi Gras Kickoff Celebration on the 12th Night was held on Saturday, January 5 in downtown Pensacola. This event marked the official beginning of the Mardi Gras season, which is always on the twelfth night of Christmas.

The celebration was open to everyone and several large Mardi Gras Krewes even brought their floats, along with their King and Queen, to the celebration.

“This is a great opportunity for people to come out and celebrate the beginning of Mardi Gras, and enjoy the King Cake,” said executive director of Pensacola Mardi Gras Amy Newman.

Father Jack Gray blessed the Pensacola Mardi Gras season and all its participants. After the blessing, Father Jack Gray, the Knights of Columbus royalty, Wind Creek tribal royalty and all of the participating Krewe royalty follow Pensacola’s second line marching procession up

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Palafox. During the procession, Father Jack Gray individually blessed each float and each Krewe on the float until the entire fleet had been fully blessed. each float was duly honored by the town crier who delivered to each float an official declaration and proclaim their welcome. The King Cake, provided by Oh Snap! Bakery, was cut at 12:01 am on January 6, to officially open the 2013 Pensacola Mardi Gras season.

The next Mardi Gras event will be Jubilee By The Bay, January 18 at 12 pm. A celebration, combining a rich blend of sensational culture, food, music, theatre, art and fun, this event kicks off with the signature tradition of the Mardi Gras Festival, followed by the Unity Festival and Martin Luther King Celebration.

On Saturday the 19, Jubilee will hold the first Jubilee Run/Walk or Drag with Color to launch the second day of the Mardi Gras Festival. The Jubilee run is a casual fun-filled event where participants are doused in Mardi Gras colors. The festival will be located in Maritime Park.

Also on January 19 is The Krewe du YaYas’ Annual Mardi Gras Ball from 8 pm to midnight. This Krewe is an organization of women that volunteer their time and efforts to help make a difference in the crusade against

breast cancer. The whimsical costumes of a “YaYa” include bright pink hair, tiaras and boas. This is a Black Tie event located at the Hilton on Pensacola Beach. RSVP by January 6 at Ball@KreweDuYaYas.com.

The 18th Annual Cordova Mall Ball will be held Saturday, January 26 from 8 pm to midnight at Cordova Mall in Pensacola to benefit sick and injured children at Sacred Heart's Children’s Hospital. The Krewe of Les Petits enfants coordinates this event. You must be 21 or over to attend. Dress is costume or black tie.

Attendees will enjoy live music and sample foods from approximately 25 Pensacola restaurants. For more information or to purchase Mall Ball tickets visit sacred-heart.org/mallball.

Also on Saturday, January 26 is the 2013 Black Tie Mardi Gras Ball at New World Landing from 8 pm to midnight. There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and live music

by Rez the Solutions. This event is open to the public. Formal attire is required. For more information, email KOS_Ball@kreweofseville.org.

The 2013 Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade will begin at 2 pm on Saturday, February 9. One of the country’s original celebration sites, Pensacola hosts this family-friendly Mardi Gras parade where crowds catch beads, doubloons and moonpies as they are thrown from floats. The parade will start at the corner of Spring and Garden and wind its way to Palafox and Wright then back down to end at Palafox and Main Street.

February 12 will mark the end of the Mardi Gras season with the Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday Street Party.

All are welcome to have the last hurrah before Lent. The Procession officially begins when Palafox and Government Streets host the biggest Mardi Gras Street Party this side of Bourbon Street. The celebration is from 7 pm to midnight. During this event the 2014 King and Queen Priscus will be crowned.

For more information on all upcoming Mardi Gras events, visit pensacolamardigras.com.

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community

By Christienne Cloutier

The 2013 Greater Good Music, Art and Children Festival

Looking for a great time for the whole family while supporting a great cause? The 2013 Greater Good Music, Art and Children Festival will be Saturday and Sunday, March 2-3 at in the Blackwater State Forest at the spacious and secluded natural environment of Adventures Unlimited in Milton.

The festival is family-friendly with children’s activities, yoga classes and vendor booths offering both beautiful art and delicious food. The festival features diverse musical entertainment by R&B, bluegrass, folk, reggae, and contemporary singer-songwriters and rock musicians.

The mission of Greater Good Inc. is to enrich the fabric of the community through music, visual arts and the healing arts by providing cultural opportunities for people of all ages while creating awareness of local children’s organizations.

This year GGMACF is recognizing the Global Corner Organization for its work with children. Global Corner is an international learning center for children in Northwest Florida. The not-for-profit organization creates a new curriculum every year to bring the culture of a specific country to life. Teachers and volunteers use interactive, age-

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appropriate activities to help children understand and embrace other cultures. Global Corner promotes understanding and embracing of other cultures and their differences through the arts, language, geography, cultural traditions and the food of other nations.

“It’s all about diversity,” festival producer Ric Kindle said. “It’s about bringing people together from all different backgrounds. It’s about building the community. We want to bring people together for the greater good.”

The festival guests will be able to purchase zip line tours through Adventures Unlimited where they’ll be able to soar through the air and get a bird’s eye view of the forest and streams below. Canoe and kayak rentals will be available for exploring Coldwater Creek. Camping discounts will also be provided to festival patrons for tent or cabin rentals.

The music lineup will feature Fatman Squeeze, Tammerlin, Paloma, Dinosaur Daze, Space Voyager, Moiser Brothers, Ashmen, Joni Greth, Mike Musick, Pensacola Music Company Students, Hollowman/Badwater, Flannel Church, Guffman Trio + 1, Martha’s Trouble, Lee Yankee and Louise Mosrie.

In addition to these great musical acts, there will also be face painting, crafts and children’s games for the whole family to enjoy. Food vendors will also be there with healthy options for all that attend.

The GGMACF provides diversity of music, arts and children’s activities in a wholesome, fun, outdoor environment that cultivates the spirit of community.

For a family fun packed weekend, experience the GGMACF and all it has to offer for just $25/day. explore nature, listen to great musical acts and take part in the activities that make our community diverse. For more information, visit greatergoodmusicandart.com.

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UWF book club

Galápagos Newspaper

Hannah Tilden Blyn, English Capstone. 28 March 2012

T HE HMS BEAGLE Vol. 32, No. 12

THE NEWSPAPER OF GREAT CONCERN ON THE REASONING OF THE “BIG BRAIN”

A 1980s Recap

Latin American Debt Crisis at Hand Recent economic collapse has led to recession in Latin America as foreign debts continue to accumulate.

Sharp rises in crude oil prices have created inflationary pressures resulting in commercial banks pulling funding to developing countries. Lenders are now demanding immediate payment of billions of borrowed dollars.

The sudden hike in loan costs has greatly exceeded the value of exchange rates against the U.S. dollar. The Ecuadorian sucre’s exchange rate plummeted to 42 sucres per U.S. dollar, a major dip from the rate of 25 sucres per U.S. dollar reported in 1979. The value of Latin American currencies continue to decline while debts skyrocket beyond Latin American earning power.

The severe loss in purchasing power and rapid decline in exportation values has brought Latin American countries to a standstill, a large portion of the developing nations’ income dependent on the exportation of primary resources.

Importation has been reduced in an effort to save funds but the action has consequently raised Continued on page 2

Scientist Discovers Virus Responsible for AIDS The U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler announced April 23 that Dr. Robert Gallo of the National Cancer Institute has isolated the virus responsible for AIDS. Having quickly risen to the status of a global epidemic, AIDS has affected approximately 7,699 individuals and led to 3,665 deaths in the U.S. alone. European officials reported 762 cases Man of infection with 48 deaths documented in the U.K. Health organizations have spent many Decapitated years searching for the origins of the disease Leon Trotsky and groups susceptible to infection with little result.

Trout, a 40-year-old With the virus identified as HTLV-III, work has begun veteran of the on creating a vaccine which Gallo hopes to have ready Vietnam War, was for testing in approximately two killed today in a years. shipyard accident.

“Yet another terrible disease is about to yield to Trout was patience, persistence and outright genius,” Heckler decapitated when Continued on page 4 said.

Continued on page 3

20 cents

“The Nature Cruise of the Century”

Celebrity passengers await an unforgettable adventure in the state of the art luxury cruiseliner, the Bahía de Darwin, which will set sail on Nov. 28 for the Galápagos Islands.

The Bahía de Darwin’s owner, Bobby King, said the ship will port in Quayaquil, Ecuador to begin its two week trip to the evocative world once admired and studied

by Charles Darwin himself.

Several guided excursions will be offered on the Islands, focusing on Galápagos’ natural splendor. This venture will connect passengers with the world in new and exciting ways.

The highlight of the cruise is expected to be the courtship dance of the blue-footed boobie. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who has reserved two outside staterooms, is reported to be especially fascinated by the sea bird’s dancing ritual.

Other guests include: Dr. Henry Kissinger, Mick Jagger, Robert Pepín, Andrew MacIntosh, Rudolf Nureyev, Walter Cronkite, Zenji Kenzaburo, Paloma Picasso, William F. Buckley, Jr. Continued on page 4

Lost in Translation? Homelessness on the Rise The Mandarax, successor of the popular Gokubi translator, is finally here!

Mandarax translates 1,000 languages, diagnoses disease, and contains countless literary quotations and records of historical events!

FEED YOUR BRAIN TODAY!

1-911-411-1986

Citizens expressed concern this afternoon for President Reagan’s Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act as homeless numbers continue to rise.

Since COBRA was signed and put into effect one year ago, homeless numbers have risen from 600,000 to 1.2 million. With this law in place, Reagan cut taxes and increased defense spending, reducing funds once provided to domestic programs such as social services.

“People who are sleeping on the grates… the homeless…are homeless, you might say, by choice,” Reagan said on Good Morning America.

Many Citizens disagree, reminding Continued on page 3

Works Cited: Dreier, Peter. "Reagan's Real Legacy." Nation. 4 Feb. 2011: n. pag. Web. 1 Mar. 2012. www.thenation.com/article/158321/reagans-reallegacy>. Office of Technology Assessment. Review of the Public Health Service's Response to AIDS. Washington. DC: U.S. Congress, 1985. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <http://www.blackvault.com/documents/ota/Ota_4/DATA/1985/8523.PDF>.

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Lagging Behind the Digital Evolution

By Rachel Beard, English Capstone 2012 I'm not real. You see, I'm a university student, majoring in english Literature and, as I've been told many times, english is not a real major. So I'm a university student without a real major. Therefore I am not a real student. ergo, I'm not real. I am something like the ghost of Leon Trout in Galápagos: an insubstantial figment of the past, trapped in a world of new humans with whom I cannot fully engage. How did I come to this state of irrelevance? Kurt Vonnegut knows. It all started before I was born.

In late January 1985, the Bahía de Darwin of the academic world set sail. Like Vonnegut's fictional ship, its launch was destined to result in a new phase of humanity, one that shed the trappings of art and emotion like an old skin and attuned itself to science. This pioneering vessel was the Apple Macintosh, and it was followed less than two years later by the release of the first Microsoft Windows platform. The transformative effect that these major technological innovations would have on the academic world was immediately evident. In May of 1984, The New York Times ran an article discussing the incorporation of the “micro-computer” into university campuses. This article focused on the ways in which “the computer is now changing basic academic subjects [and] even how students think.” The race for dominance within the species was on. By late '85, an article appeared in the “education Watch” segment of the paper. Here, Dr. George Tressel lamented the limited focus on technology and science in the United States compared to other major nations. He worried that we were falling behind in this game of “survival of the fittest.” “Our children could end up as second-class citizens in a world of technology,” he cautioned, calling for a refocusing of educational priorities. “Our lives are controlled by chemicals and computers, not Gothic cathedrals, and science is the 'humanities' of our time.”

Galápagos critiques this changing notion of the human in evolutionary terms. even as its shipwrecked colonists evolve fur to survive the elements, they cast off familial bonds; they develop flippers that make them more efficient swimmers, but also render them incapable of producing art. This new race of creatures is far more efficient than their impassioned, sentimental ancestors. evolution, that is to say science, has given them the tools of survival, while the passions of their ancestors only produced war, depression and human misery.

Through these furry, flippered creatures, Vonnegut shows us our own voluntary dehumanization. Like Vonnegut's new humans, we have surrendered the unnecessary. We have eliminated or downsized humanities and arts programs in public schools and universities, for what good are Gothic cathedrals and orchestral symphonies compared to the warm fur coat of digital advance? every one of us can see how technology has insinuated itself into the tiniest aspect of our lives. We do not chat over dinner; we text. We don't rally; we blog. We wouldn't dream of majoring in literature, art, theatre, or music. We study practical, useful things, the “humanities of our time.” Dr. Tressel has been vindicated. We are well on our way to becoming the new race that Vonnegut foresaw: efficient, functional, fit for survival.

All we are sacrificing is art and passion. All we are sacrificing is our humanity.

Attack of the Big Brains: Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos

By Regina Sakalarios-Rogers, English Instructor, UWF Leon Trotsky Trout, the ghost narrator of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Galapagos, tells a story of global economic collapse, worldwide pandemic, war, and survival of the “fittest.” Leon died in the construction of Bahia de Darwin, a luxury cruise ship whose maiden voyage of 1984 was to carry the likes of Mick Jagger and Jackie Onassis to tour the Galapagos Islands. Though the civilized world may be in peril, Leon is more interested in the survival of the individuals (minus such luminaries as Jagger and Jackie) who escape to the Galapagos Islands on his ship. He remains with the survivors and their descendants a million years after they land on the rocky chain of islands, and narrates his story from the year 1,001,984 A.D., though he isn’t sure anyone is still marking time.

This is as much as I am willing to divulge. A reluctance to “ruin the ending” does not hold me back. Vonnegut tells us who is going to die, and sometimes how, shortly after we meet them. He even includes an asterisk after the name of each character to let us know they are going to die. So suspense is hardly what matters to Vonnegut.

Rather, for him it is a surface level distraction, much like his humor, which is the element that initially draws most readers to his work. In Vonnegut’s novels, the strange plot turns and humor are whipped topping. It is what lies underneath that really matters. As Vonnegut said, “Once you get bogged down in a plot that’s all the reader can think about.” By obscuring a clear chronological timeline and giving us spoilers early on in Galapagos, he hopes to focus his readers on those things he finds more important.

In Galapagos, the question is whether our species will, or should, survive our own best efforts to destroy ourselves in the name of progress.

Our problem, according to the 1,001,984 years of wisdom accrued by Leon Trout, is our “big brains.” These brains are constantly occupied with creating gadgets, theories, laws, philosophies, weapons, and so on to reassure ourselves we are at the top of the survival of the fittest heap. According to Leon, big brains “made acting for the benefit of future generations seem one of many arbitrary games which might be played by narrow enthusiasts.” It is no surprise to Leon, then, when ecuador and Peru go to war over the rocks of the Galapagos Islands. Though he condemns “big brains,” Leon might himself argue that in the end one of these problematic big brains ultimately ensures our survival (of a sort).

Vonnegut wrote this novel four years after visiting the Galapagos Islands himself. He claimed a distinct advantage over Charles Darwin, whose famous two-week visit did not involve guides with advanced degrees in biology, motorboats, or Darwin’s own theory of evolution as explanatory model. In Galapagos, the survivors of the ecuador-Peru war end up to be the last humans alive on the planet, and all they have as a guide is Mary Hepburn, a former high school biology teacher. What does she do to ensure the survival of the species? That’s one of those tasty bits of Galapagos that I just cannot give away. My big brain will not let me.

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ar t

By Emily Lullo

Art Party X Forget the usual gallery opening featuring walls lined with static canvases, subdued chatter and toothpick bedecked cheese platters. To feel the pulse of a sometimes hidden aspect of the local art scene in a completely new and dynamic way, art-lovers need to ditch the art show and attend this year’s Art Party. It’s not completely new, as this is the tenth edition of the previously sporadically recurring event, but each iteration features numerous surprises making attendees eager to come back year after year to the growing event. The brainchild of local photographer Jef Bond, this year’s event will take place Saturday, March 9 at an as yet undisclosed location.

As for the location, Bond will only give one tip: it will be somewhere in Pensacola. Only ticket holders will be privy to the exact location. Last year’s was held in a versatile warehouse location that was transformed with artistic offerings from area artists.

“The space this year is much, much larger and the setup will be completely different,” Bond says. “The VIP area is twice the size and will have more to offer at Art Party X. Also X marks the spot! The location is being kept under wraps.”

Art Party 2012’s spacious venue allowed room for a stage for live music, plenty of wall space for hung art, as well as 3D pieces, and even interactive art and a live painting demonstration by local tattoo artist and painter Gabe Smith. Models with painted and otherwise decorated bodies and elaborate hair pieces created by local stylist Rebecca Taylor mingled with guests, leading by example in the “Dress the Art” theme of the event.

The “Dress the Art” theme will continue into this year, with Bond encouraging all attendees to think outside the box and enter this year’s costume contest, which

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has a grand prize of an Art Party X trophy and $100.

As in year’s past Art Party X will benefit the HelpHopeLive Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps patients and families facing transplantation or catastrophic injury afford uninsured medically related expenses through grass-roots fundraising. This organization helped Bond himself when he faced the prospect of kidney transplant after a kidney failure in 2008. Since then, he’s been paying forward the help he received from the foundation through the event.

“My vision for Art Party has not changed; however, now it’s not only a vehicle to show off local creative artists and businesses, it is also a vehicle to help raise funds for HelpHopeLive.org,” he says.

Though the night is currently shrouded in mystery, those who attended last year will likely be clamoring to find out what’s in store for this year’s event. As of right now, most of the surprises are staying under wraps, though Bond will be doling out some information here and there.

“Tidbits about Art Party X will be revealed on our twitter account @ArtPartyX and to ticket holders when they receive their tickets two weeks prior to Art Party X,” he says.

Hopeful attendees have a variety of packages and ticket prices to choose from, starting with $10 general admission and going up to $390 for the VIP elite package, which includes hotel and limo. If you don’t want to spring for the biggest ticket options, any of the VIP offerings will give a premium experience.

“VIP gets you away from the crowd and allows you to sit down and mingle with other VIP guests. VIP will also get you free eats, treats, drinks, an Art Party X collectors shirt, which will list on the back all the acts, artists, and sponsors of Art Party X, and you will also get free swag from our sponsors when you arrive,” Bond says. “VIPs have another treat in store that will only be revealed to VIP ticket holders.”

Ticket prices increase by $5 to $10 weekly as the event draws closer, so get tickets soon at ArtParty.JefBond.com.

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VANGUARD

\ van-gärd \ n : a group of people

leading the way in new developments or ideas.

Compiled by Kelly Oden, Emily Lullo and Josh Newby

Despite being a relatively small city, Pensacola is overflowing with creative talent represented at galleries, in private homes and at events and festivals throughout the year. In the areas of music, theatre, visual arts, design and cuisine, there’s no shortage of talent and imagination in this city.

With a bevy of mainstay artists in the area and with UWF and PSC’s arts departments constantly reaping a new class, the creative sparks are always flying.

In this Arts & Culture issue of Pensacola Magazine, we’re shining the spotlight on artists who are bringing something new to the local canvas. Whether young up-and-comers or artists who’ve honed their craft over time, each of these innovators uses their considerable talents to do something unique and striking, setting a new pace for the local arts. In these Q&As, we introduce the vanguard of Pensacola arts.

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Alexandra Gjurasic

Kristen Regan

Evan Levin

Blake and Amber Rushing

Scott Novota

Alex McPhail

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ALEXANDRA GJURASIC \ Visual Arts

Briefly explain your style.

The work I’m known for is Japanese influenced. I’m really known for work based around the Japanese Kokeshi dolls, but I’m not limited to that. I am all about striving to create work that creates harmonious vibrations overall.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Definitely Sherry Markovitz, who was the neighbor of a friend in Seattle. Her work is sculptural and based on dolls. I am also influenced by modern Japanese painters and by nature in general. A lot of my work is based around plants and flowers, which are never-ending inspirations.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

The light and brightness of the city have definitely influenced my development. I live near a forest where I also draw inspiration. Whether the seasons change or don’t change is another creative motivation. Watching nature run its course in the area has definitely inspired me.

What Pensacola artist do you consider a vanguard?

I personally enjoy the work of Michael Dicks. He works a lot in metal and actually designed the New Years Pensacola Pelican.

If you were not an artist, what would you be?

Well, in college, I took one of those tests that was supposed to tell me what I would be best-suited for. Based on those results, I would be a grounds-keeper or gardener, but I don’t have a green thumb at all. I buy plants, they die, and I buy new ones. I’m definitely glad I’m an artist.

What has been the high point in your artistic career thus far?

Definitely the show at the Japanese American National Museum. Just to be included in that show was great validation and making connections with the people was wonderful. It was all around pretty lifechanging.

The Oil Spill

EVAN LEVIN \ Visual Arts Photo by Brian Oden

evan Levin has lived in Pensacola since he was one year old. Growing up, he was constantly drawing. Levin graduated from Pensacola Catholic High School in 1998. While in high school, he realized he wanted to study art and pursue a career as an artist. Levin went to the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, majored in illustration, and graduated with a BFA degree in 2002. Since then, he has moved a few times to places like Atlanta and New York, but always finds his way back to Pensacola. He currently lives and works in downtown Pensacola and is a partner in Vinyl Music Hall.

Briefly explain your style.

It’s always been difficult for me to place my drawings and paintings into a certain style, but I think a lot of my work falls into the realm of surrealism.

Who are some of your inspirations?

I find inspiration everywhere. Sometimes it’s something abstract like paint splatter on the floor or a water stain on a table; I see their shape and imagine how that could be the head of one of my characters and I try to imagine where the eyes and teeth would go. I am inspired by nature. I find insects fascinating: their legs, the shape of their antennae, etc.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

I love living in Pensacola and have received a lot of support and interest from people here. That interest keeps me motivated to continue pushing the development of my style and see how far I can take new paintings and drawings.

If you could own any piece of art in the world, what would it be?

It is impossible for me to name one. I love so many different styles and artists: everything from Renaissance, Impressionism, Modernism, to current Pop Surrealism artists.

A few of my favorite paintings and artists are: Charles Demuth’s “My egypt,” John Singer Sargent’s “Fumée d’Ambre Gris,” anything Caravaggio painted, as well as Travis Louie, Shawn Barber and the list goes on and on.

ART + DESIGN

Alexandra has been a working artist since she was 15 and has displayed her work in solo and group exhibitions for as long. She is originally from Seattle, where she honed her skills, acquired a degree in arts management, and received many local honors and awards. She has been living in Pensacola for about two years now and has work currently displayed at the Leisure Club.

If you were not an artist, what would you be?

I can’t imagine doing anything that doesn’t involve art in some fashion. If I had to choose a different artistic path, I would be an architect.

What has been the high point in your artistic career thus far?

I don’t think I have had it yet.

The Flying Fooladi January/February 2013

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QUINTIN OWENS \ Sculpture + Mixed Media Quintin Owens heads up the Ceramics Department at the University of West Florida. He received a master’s degree of Fine Arts at Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Herron School of Art & Design. He and his wife, Natalie, relocated to Pensacola in August from Nashville, Tennessee. This past year, Owens’ work has been on view at various galleries and shows throughout the country.

Briefly explain your style.

I love getting my hands dirty. For me, the physical labor that clay demands serves as a validation for play. Working in ceramics is unique because the material embodies both high cultural value and domestic functionality. I think of my work as bundling memories and experiences into placeholders that help me recall a sense of a moment that can never be had again.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Growing up, I didn’t know a life in the arts was possible. I am inspired by all the educators who took the time to share a curiosity with me that expands out from my studio and into everyday life.

ART + DESIGN

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

Fleeting moments in former places I have lived—Indiana, West Texas, Pennsylvania and Tennessee—have all found a place in my work. I look forward to discovering how life in Pensacola influences me.

What Pensacola artist do you consider a vanguard?

The real vanguard is our art supporters, donors, patrons: those who reach out and make it possible for art to leave our studios and engage the public.

If you were not an artist, what would you be?

Discontent.

What has been the high point in your artistic career thus far? everyday is. I consider myself very lucky. My job allows me the opportunity to engage with smart and creative UWF students while also providing me a means to create my own work and spend time with my beautiful wife. I’m not sure it gets much better.

Escarpment

KRISTEN REGAN \ Photography Kristen Regan received a Master of Fine Art degree at Savannah College of Art and Design and a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in Photography from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

She is currently a faculty instructor teaching photography at Pensacola State College. Her work has been published in numerous photographic catalogs as well as The Johns Hopkins University Press book Addiction and Art. Her photographs have been featured in galleries in Puerto Rico, New York, Maryland, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, Kentucky and Virginia.

Briefly explain your style and/or artistic philosophy.

Recently I have been working with organic materials to create photographic still lifes that reference the momento mori and vanitas paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries. This genre abounds with symbolism meant to remind the viewer that beauty and wealth are fleeting pleasures that all come to an end. I have always been fascinated with presenting images in a circular format and I continue to explore the use of spheres and circles within my work to represent the cyclical nature of life.

Who are some of your inspirations?

I am truly fortunate to have grown up with parents that nurtured my creativity and encouraged me to follow my dreams. My mother, Pat Regan has always been a source of inspiration. I have also been fortunate to have some amazing teachers that rarely get the recognition that they deserve. As for famous contemporary artists I find tremendous inspiration in the work of Adam Fuss, Bill Viola and Andres Serrano.

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If you could own any piece of art in the world, what would it be?

It’s so difficult to pick just one. Think of the fun it would be to have exhibits perpetually travelling through your home. Can you imagine having a Giacometti next to your bathroom scale or having eliasson transform your dwelling?

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How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

I was one of the first graduates of the photo program at Pensacola Junior College and it was this school and program that enabled me to develop my personal creative perspectives prior to moving to New York City.

What Pensacola artist do you consider a vanguard?

If I had to pick one individual who uses, their art to reach out and truly make a difference in peoples lives it would have to be Professor of Arts and Ceramics Bill Clover and the work he does with Fill a Bowl for Manna Food Bank. I also believe that First City Arts Center is at the forefront of an exciting movement with the development of an arts district.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

I would have to say one of the high points of my career was traveling to India as a still photographer for a documentary film in 2007. The experience of playing with orphaned children, being chased by the police in Agra and photographing the Taj Mahal from across the Yamuna River at sunset was truly life altering.

From the Vanitas Series

BEN BOGAN \ Furniture Design

Briefly explain your style and/or artistic philosophy.

A simple design with attention to detail. When done correctly I think simplicity can go a long way.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Architecture and everyday object design inspires me and speaks a lot to me in how it works with its surroundings, which is an important aspect to me.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

I think from an early age, my community and schooling here have shown me many artistic designs and styles that have influenced me in negative ways, as well as positive ways and I have met many influential teachers and artists whom I have garnered many ideas from and who have inspired me to really come in to my own and go my own route.

If you could own any piece of art in the world, what would it be?

To me that is a very difficult question that I am not sure I can answer.

What Pensacola artist do you consider a vanguard?

There are a few but I am inspired by my friend Chip “Houdini” Spirson. He can do many different types of art; from fine art painting to building motorcycles and designing many parts and pieces to make things function and work and all in a way that there is more than meets the eye. You always see something later that you missed before and he makes you think about many things in a different way.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

I think the high point for me is that I am able to create things as a daily part of my life and that the life around me continues to inspire me and that people give me the opportunity to design and make pieces for them that bring them enjoyment.

New Orleans U.S. Marine Sculpture

FLUID METALWORKS \ Architectural Design employ multiple disciplines such as engineering, carpentry, cement and stone masonry, glass work, acrylics, and metal finishing. On many occasions our clients present us with concepts or ideas at the outset of a project. Our design team works closely with each client to create a piece that may be very ornate in a traditional style or conversely very clean or minimalist and more contemporary in appearance. Our philosophy is simple: Think…Feel…Innovate.

Founded in April of 2010, Fluid Metalworks develops, manufactures, finishes, and installs specialty metal products and systems for a variety of applications ranging from decorative architectural railings, such as spiral staircases, balcony railings, and gates, to alternative and renewable energy technologies. The brainchild of Jonathan Waldrop, conceptual designer Vladimir Asparuhov, and operations manager Brandon Godwin, Fluid Metal Works also expertly work on historical renovations, such as the railings for a historical reproduction of the Napoleon House in New Orleans, and one of the company’s first projects, a railing replacement for Waters and Hibbert Funeral Home in Downtown Pensacola.

Briefly explain your style and/or artistic philosophy.

Fluid Metalworks, Inc. is an artistic and architectural metals manufacturing company. Collectively our architectural and artistic styles vary greatly and are often quite distinct from project to project depending on the particular client/commission. We work with mixed-media and often

ART + DESIGN

Ben Bogan is a local artist from Pensacola that has been doing art since he was a small child and throughout school. As he moved through life’s experiences he later settled into a groove of designing and building art, furniture and architectural pieces based mostly out of metals. You can now find him in his studio creating works for companies, beautiful homes and individuals throughout the United States as well as here along the Gulf Coast.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Christo, Frank Gehry, eames, Gaudy, Frank Lloyd Wright, escher, Walter Anderson, Andy Goldsworthy, and the list goes on.

If you could own any piece of art in the world, what would it be?

Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture “Walking Man I.” What Pensacola artist do you consider a vanguard?

We could name several but the first two who come to mind are evan Levin and Charles Bodree.

If you were not doing metalwork, what would you be doing?

Making art or playing music.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

Starting this company has really been a huge step for us. It represents the culmination of a lot of planning and dreaming.

We are experiencing a high point right now.

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SCOTT NOVOTA \ Glass Arts

ART + DESIGN

Scott Novota has always been drawn to glass, but he first started to really modify anything and everything he could get his hands on shortly after college. It was not until he moved to New York City as a network engineer that he got exposed to offhand glassblowing. In 2003, Novota seized the opportunity to move back to Pensacola, where he rented out studio time, but things really took off when he built his own shop, Strong Street Studio.

Briefly explain your artistic philosophy.

I really just go have fun in the glass shop. Fire, molten glass, and your friends helping you create glass starts to get very addictive. You could call it a philosophy of fun.

Who are some of your inspirations? everyone that I get to work with is an inspiration to me, from the guy who just learned to blow glass yesterday to the guy who has been doing it for 40 years.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

When I moved back to Pensacola, not only did I get a support system of family and friends, but the Pensacola community as well. I believe without all three of them, Strong Street Studio would never have made it off the ground.

If you could own any piece of art in the world, what would it be?

I enjoy pieces that I am personally involved in, but made by

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someone that is much better than me. Actually having a part in the creative process is a big deal to me, even if it is just watching. So the one piece I would like would have to be one made working with someone like Josh Simpson, William Morris, or Dante Marioni.

What Pensacola artist do you consider a vanguard?

Ashton Howard seems to really be up at the front of artists leading the charge in the Pensacola area. It does not hurt that I personally really enjoy his work.

What has been the high point in your artistic career thus far?

The high point so far was when we had our last Strong Street Studio Pumpkin Party and saw what looked like over a hundred people lined up outside, waiting to get in. It was such a huge validating moment for me. The community showing up like that really hit me hard and made me want to hug every person that came through the door.

never be bored

www.downtowncrowd.com

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In 2011, he was a featured soloist with the PSO performing Mozart’s Symphony Concertante and will repeat this performance at the PSO’s finale concert in April 2014.

Briefly explain your style.

Music comes to life when it’s performed. I want to be its best advocate at that moment.

Who are some of your inspirations?

That’s a long list. I’m going to say my mom and dad, Leonard Bernstein, John Lennon, J.S. Bach, Igor Stravinsky and Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips.

MUSIC

Brian Brown is currently the principal violist of the Pensacola Symphony, Mobile Symphony and Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. He has studied at Yale University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In recent seasons, Brown has performed in recitals and chamber music performances in many of the country’s most prominent venues: Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall in Boston, and Severance Hall in Cleveland. He has also performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, members of Lincoln Center Chamber Players, and members of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. As an instructor, he has served on the faculties of Northwest Florida State College and The Summertrios Music Festival at both Bryn Mawr College and Wilson College. He has also taught secondary violin and viola at Yale University. Brown joined the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra his freshman year of high school in 1990. In 2006, he was appointed principal violist of the PSO.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

I moved here in 1989 and began violin lessons with Anna Tringas and studied eight years with her. This area is saturated in art and music. I feel lucky to work with and be surrounded by extremely talented and creative people.

What musician living or dead would you love to play with?

I’ve been practicing improvisation with my violin and viola these past couple of years, so I’m going to say Miles Davis.

What Pensacola musician do you consider a vanguard?

It’s hard to name just one. Without a doubt Jonathan Clark, Peter Rubardt, Heidi Salanki, Nathan Mitchell, Christopher Powell, Barbara Gabriel, Dale Riegle, Don Snowden, Bret Barrow, Richard Jernigan, and Clark and Company.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

I’ve been fortunate to have a few, but playing with my dad before he passed away was my favorite.

MICHAEL BRANT DEMARIA \ New Age Musician Dr. Michael Brant DeMaria is a New Age Music chart-topping songwriter and performer, playing many instruments including Native American flute, piano, synthesizer and percussion instruments. In addition to his multiple award-winning musical career, DeMaria has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and he has also authored two books of prose and a book of poetry. Brant has also written a play and co-written two others, for which he also composed music.

Briefly explain your style and/or artistic philosophy.

Flow. Since I was a young child I have always experienced reality as extremely fluid. In fact, you might say I have always had a very interesting and curious relationship with reality. For me there is a life force that moves through everything.

What are some of your inspirations?

The wind, sea and sky. I have always had a deep love and reverence for nature and the natural world. It remains my greatest teacher and inspiration. For me, nature and creativity are both inherently healing and very much related. My other major inspiration is inward silence and meditation.

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Photo by John O’Connor

BRIAN BROWN \ Principal Violist for Pensacola Symphony

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What musician living or dead would you like to play with?

It may sound funny to say, but when I am playing I feel like I am in touch with something so beyond the human world, that there is nothing that tops that. There is something deeply spiritual about music for me, so perhaps the 12th century poet Rumi or the 10th century Saint Hildegaard von Bingen. In more contemporary terms, I have had two dreams come true already, playing with poet Robert Bly onstage and my dear friend, teacher and mentor David Darling.

What stage or venue would you love to play?

Paul Horn has been a huge influence in this regard. His groundbreaking recording, “Inside the Taj Mahal,” was inspired by his experiences with meditation and really touched me deeply. Where some musicians might dream of playing Carnegie Hall, I’d much prefer playing in places that have amazing acoustics in a natural or sacred settings. My flutes lend themselves to vast cavernous places like cathedrals, canyons or temples. Of course, I suppose it would be great fun to play the Saenger one day.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

My first was when my album Siyotanka won a Native American Music Award, it was a huge honor and the first major award my music ever received. My second was when my album Gaia won the ZMR/New Age Album of the Year award competing with over 2,000 other releases. However, the top of the list by far are my four solo Grammy nominations and being a contributing artist on a Grammy winning children’s album last year at the 54th Grammy Awards.

SEAN PETERSON \ Musician + Music Producer

Briefly explain your style and/or artistic philosophy As far as an artistic philosophy, I’d say an honest, informed sense of adventure is what I like to embrace. It all comes back to my love of playing jazz. You know the tune, you’ve practiced the fundamentals, now let it all go and see what happens.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Again, jazz is a huge influence and inspiration. Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Sun Ra, and Thelonius Monk, men who gave it their all. Col. Bruce Hampton certainly helped to shape much of my musical point of view.

What stage or venue would love to play?

I’m so ready to tour again, so any stage or venue that would be part of that is very much looked forward to. Of course, I can’t ride my bike by the Maritime Park Amphitheatre without wanting to be on that stage.

What Pensacola artist do you consider a vanguard?

Joey Allred is world class. His playing, knowledge of music, sense of adventure, everything, is just far beyond not only Pensacola but most of the world in my opinion. Joey is just an influence and friend that I’m extremely grateful for.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

Now is the creative high point for me, simply being here in Pensacola and interacting with people like Brandon Warren, Aaron Finlay, Tobi echevarria, Mikey Maleki, John Hart, Joey Allred and many others. The high point in my bass playing career would still probably be the year I spent touring with Col. Bruce Hampton, one of my heroes and biggest influences. During that year I got to share the stage with many great musicians, including Jon Fishman and Mike Gordon of Phish, Susan Tedeschi and the late, great Vassar Clements.

BETSY BADWATER \ Musician Betsy Badwater began performing in 2005 with what she called her “Hillbilly Chrome” band: a group of guest musicians from across the country who joined her for shows. As their sound matured, Badwater and slide guitarist Lang Hollowman became galvanized as a team and now appear as power-duo Hollowman Badwater. The pair’s signature style is a stout distillation of rockabilly, country, blues and highlonesome, with Badwater’s soulful voice at the forefront of their sound.

they are all expressly meaningful. Before I dedicated myself to creation, I was a school teacher and then a mental health counselor. I think it was my vehicle of function that changed with my career shift, not my soul’s purpose.

Briefly explain your style and/or artistic philosophy.

When I write songs I often like to say things that most people are too ashamed to admit out loud. I like to tell deeper truths that support introspection and deeper understanding of humanity in general. Pulling off all the fancy decorations of the ego is a tradition as old as Ireland, but shining a grace-giving light—even a dim one—on the guts of the human experience, I think, is what might set my writing apart. By no means are all of my songs sad or deep; most are full of love and humor, but

What has been the high point in your artistic and/or musical career so far?

I’ve traveled a lot, performed in amazing venues, opened for and have even gotten to play with a bunch of my heroes, but the ultimate musical reward and challenge is at hand. Within two weeks of this printing I will be traveling to The Music Shed Recording Studio in New Orleans with Hollowman Badwater & Friends to have my songs produced by Chris Thomas King.

And then the real work begins. We are galvanized!

MUSIC

Local musician and cofounder of Raw Panda Records, Sean Peterson moved to Pensacola in 1997 and after joining the house band at the Fish House, he’s played and toured with a variety of groups over the years. Peterson started Raw Panda Records as a music collective that serves as “an umbrella under which such diverse acts as Chainsaw Kelly and Transmute can exist together based on mutual respect and love for honest music regardless of genre.” Fellow musical powerhouses like Timberhawk, Pioneers! O Pioneers!, Paloma, Imaginary Airshow, Kent Stanton and many others take part, and together they release individual records and compilations, book shows, collaborate, and generally act as a network of diverse musicians willing to play together and trade ideas. Local music lovers can catch Raw Panda artists performing at the east Hill Yard, and this year they’ll record more compilations and collaborations between Raw Panda artists.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

There are a ton of great people here who have believed in me, protected me, forgiven my failures, and allowed me to re-create myself over and over. With that kind of support, if you’ve got heart and a good work ethic, you’re bound to get better. My friends are the best and I always want to make them proud.

What musician living or dead would you like to play with?

Jay Farrar, Tom Waits, eric Haywood, Willie Nelson, and Jack White. All at the same time. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t even be worthy to sit on the front row for Nina Simone, Son House and RL Burnside.

What stage or venue would love to play?

Theaters, music halls and festivals are my focus. Locally, I want to thank Vinyl Music Hall and The Handlebar for all the lifechanging love.

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BLAKE AND AMBER RUSHING \ Owners + Chefs at R&R Fine Catering How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

Pensacola over the past two years has grown so much in the culinary scene. It allows us to push the envelope with certain dishes while staying loyal to our take on southern Gulf fare. Also, all the farms that have been popping up locally are making local ingredients even better. When I get a beautiful pork belly in from just 40 miles away my mind is overwhelmed with ideas on ways to cook it and what to pair it with for a great dish.

There is just something wonderful about produce and animals that are grown close to home.

CUISINE

Blake Rushing graduated magna cum laude from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in Orlando, Florida and was one of the top 20 students in his class. His real education began at a three-month internship in London at the world-famous Savoy Grill.

Blake moved back to the US and while working at Jackson’s in Pensacola, he met his future wife, Amber.

They moved to London together and Blake resumed working at The Savoy Grill, which had earned an impressive Michelin star.

Blake and Amber have impressive resumes, having worked for renowned chefs Gordon Ramsay in NYC and Daniel Boulud in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The couple moved back to Pensacola and opened elise, Coastal Dining. In less than three months the prestigious James Beard Foundation recognized them with a nomination for Best New Restaurant in the country. Blake was also featured in Southern Living for his house-cured bacon.

Blake says he owes his success to hard work, love of creating new and exciting dishes, the support of his mom Terry Hoffman, and his dad Frank Rushing, and the love and encouragement of his wife, who always pushes him to be better.

Briefly explain your style and/or culinary philosophy.

I try to use ingredients from the Gulf Coast as much as possible. I prefer to use Florida cane sugar and citrus fruits, local tomatoes and okra, fresh herbs from local gardens, Gulf seafood, and meats from Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. I like to combine local items with some of the finest ingredients from around the world, such as French cheeses, caviar, foie gras, truffles, and olives. I base my menus on unique flavor combinations and foods that are in season, fresh, sustainable, and of the highest quality.

Who are some of your inspirations?

All the chefs Amber and I have worked hard with over the years in London, NYC, and Vancouver, and Daniel Boulud, Jean Georges Vongerichten, David Chang, Ferran Adria.

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What would you order for your last supper?

Amber: Crusty Baguette and high quality olive oil, a black truffle the size of an apple, and a glass of Chateau d’Yquem.

Blake: Seared Foie Gras with fresh grated black truffle, crusty sour dough, Dourade a la Plancha with Sauce Vierge, and a selection of macaroons and canelles from Bordeaux with a glass of 1982 Petrus.

What other Pensacola chef do you consider a vanguard?

Bar chef Pat Bolster is really leading the way in culinary cocktails. He really brings the best of the New York cocktail scene home to Pensacola.

If you were not a chef, what would you be?

Rocket scientist.

What has been the high point in your culinary career so far?

All the thank you cards we get from clients and guests for our food and service. It feels great to be appreciated and really bring something unique and exciting to our clients and guests.

MARICARMEN JOSEPHS \ Owner + Chef at Carmen’s Lunch Bar

Briefly explain your style and/or culinary philosophy.

Great food to me is all about flavor, balance and color. I strive to create intensely flavored dishes that incorporate hot, sweet, sour and salty components in a harmonious way. Freshness is key, and I love to use fresh herbs and produce to create pops of color. Pomegranate seeds, red cabbage and green herbs such as fresh mint really make a dish stand out.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Of course my mother has inspired me my whole life with her amazing food. I began working with her at a very young age and this is how I learned about the joy of cooking and sharing food with others. Spanish Chef Jose Andres always inspires me with his creative renditions of Spanish cuisine using the highest quality ingredients and adding the most important ingredient: imagination.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

I love living in a small town where I have a loyal and supportive

clientele that is willing to try new flavors and dishes. They are willing to go on the culinary journey with you! Pensacola is ready for new ideas and they are embracing change. The farmers at the Palafox Market also inspire me to create healthy and delicious food with their beautiful produce.

What would you order for your last supper?

Can it be a buffet? A Spanish buffet… Paella, croquetas, Jamon Serrano (Pata Negra of course), fried boquerones, morcilla, chipirones a la plancha, tortilla, lamb sweetbreads, fresh cherries, arroz con leche… Oh my!

What other Pensacola chef do you consider a vanguard?

Alex McPhail at Iron at Marcus Point and Blake Rushing of R&R Fine Catering. These guys are my contemporaries and they are both amazing. So creative and daring!

If you were not a chef, what would you be?

I studied journalism in college so that I could pursue a career in culinary journalism.

What has been the high point in your culinary career so far?

Definitely right now! The Pensacola Business Challenge has given me the tools to create, design and operate the business of my dreams.

Carmen’s Lunch Bar actually exceeds any dreams I had envisioned for myself. I work in a beautiful environment with an amazing team and get to cook everyday and make people happy.

Kale Raspberr y Salad

KILEY BOLSTER \ Owner + Chef at The Magnolia Kiley started cooking as a child, and has vivid memories of rolling out dough by the age of 7. Her first kitchen job was when she was 12 years old at her Aunt Michelle’s house, where she would prepare appetizers and desserts for her aunt’s lavish parties. Her wanderlust has taken her halfway around the world. Tasting foods from different regions, countries, states, and ethnicities has developed her palate and influenced her technique.

Briefly explain your style and/or culinary philosophy.

My cooking style is explosive. I love taking risks and pairing unlikely flavors together. I love using what I have available. I have never followed a recipe from start to finish. I always find my stride halfway through a recipe and add my own twist to it.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Ina Garten. I relate to her as she has zero culinary training, yet her recipes are inspired and thoughtful and you feel something when you eat her type of food. Good food should conjure emotion in you. A good meal is a multisensory experience.

Locally, I have the utmost respect and adoration for Norma Murray, a self-taught businessperson who has worked so hard and whose success is inspiring. I also adore Julia Child and Anne Burrell, both ballsy women who went for it and didn’t look back. Finally, Hemingway. You cannot read his books without salivating over his detailed descriptions of suckling pig and oysters.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

I met the love of my life in Pensacola, and he inspires me every single day to push myself harder, test my own boundaries and open my mind and heart to try new things. I truly believe that you cannot cook great food if your heart is in the wrong place. Thanks to Bill, my heart is always right where it should be.

CUISINE

MariCarmen Josephs is a local to Pensacola and has been in the food and beverage industry for the last ten years. Previously, she and her mother co-owned Juliet’s World Café – a lunchtime restaurant and catering company.

Josephs’ career also includes managing Artesana Fine Wines and The Wine Bar on Palafox and cooking as the executive chef at 600 South. Her travels, especially to Spain, have influenced her cooking style and her desire to bring a little piece of europe to her hometown. Josephs—with her business plan for Carmen’s Lunch Bar—was recently selected as the winner of the Pensacola Business Challenge.

What would you order for your last supper?

Whatever is in season. Cheese. Red wine.

What other Pensacola chef do you consider a vanguard?

Amber and Blake Rushing have changed the culinary climate in Pensacola. Sandy Veilleux (of Florabama Farms) constantly blows my mind with her generosity and kindness and the care with which she takes over every ingredient. I also love Chef Tricia Horton’s food and spirit.

If you were not a chef, what would you be?

I am not a chef. I am a cook. I am an event coordinator. I am an aunt. I am a writer and am working on my first cookbook.

I cannot imagine another career for myself.

What has been the high point in your culinary career so far?

I am simply excited and grateful for the opportunity to do what I love for a living with the person I love the most by my side.

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ALEX MCPHAIL \ Chef at Iron

CUISINE

Alex McPhail was born and raised in Pensacola. He is a graduate of Catholic High and PJC. He has been cooking professionally for over 15 years, six of those years he spent in New Orleans mastering his skills in legendary restaurants like Commander’s Palace and Restaurant August. Alex recently returned to start his project, Iron at Marcus Pointe, A southern contemporary eatery fueled by an on-site garden and progressive menu design.

Briefly explain your style and/or culinary philosophy.

Local, local, local. I believe that using ingredients from local vendors and farmers not only supports our local economy but it provides a unique dining experience. We have the best food products here in the south, why not use them?

Who are some of your inspirations?

Chef John Besh, Chef Tory McPhail and Chef Irv Miller are three chefs that I chose to work for. They all have played a huge role in molding my career and it was an honor to work for all of them.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

My entire family and network of friends is here in Pensacola, so having that network of close people really helps steer me in the right direction. Not to mention this is where I started my culinary career, at Jackson’s and The Fish House.

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What would you order for your last supper?

I love southern soul food so much, so just a family style spread with all the fixin’s.

What other Pensacola chef do you consider a vanguard?

Two new and young chefs come to mind: Daniel Watts from Wine Bar and Blake Rushing. Both are very talented and progressive chefs.

If you were not a chef, what would you be?

I come from a huge military family and I always felt the need to serve my country. However my true passion is food so that usually trumps. More specifically, I wanted to work with the Special Forces Community/Secret Service and maybe cook in the White House one day.

What has been the high point in your culinary career so far?

Aside from getting my own restaurant, which I’m incredibly thankful for, it would have to be serving the President and his entire staff at Commander’s Palace in 2008. I got to meet the President and work with the Secret Service for several days to get ready for him.

It was an unbelievable honor and to see it all go down is a Lamb Ribs sight to see.

DUSTIN SIMMONS & KRISTOPHER WILLIAMS \ Dancers with Ballet Pensacola outside stress. It’s comfortable to dance here, and creativity comes more easily without too much stress.

What stage or venue would you like to play?

DS: I don’t know that I want to go anywhere else to dance. I love it here and feel like this is a great town in which to dance. Maybe someday I will want to leave, but not now.

KW: I don’t have a dream stage or a company I want to dance with. I just want to keep dancing and sharing dance as long as I can.

What Pensacola artist do you consider to be a vanguard?

DS: All the dancers here are amazing in their own way, but I think Kristin Springer is the person whose art I look up to.

KW: Not to sound predictable, but Richard Steinert. His choreography is miles from classical; the ideas, formations and overall aesthetic is mixed with modern, ballet and even tasteful hints of hip-hop. He is inspired by the movements he sees from us and uses that to his advantage.

Photo by Meg Baisden

If you were not a performer, what would you be?

DS: If I wasn’t a performer, I’d like to teach and pass on the stuff I have learned. I definitely would want to be involved in dance somehow.

KW: If I weren’t a performer, I would be an athlete or something that made me enough income to raise a family.

Dustin Simmons Explain your style.

DS: My style is a little bit of everything, from ballet to hip-hop and everything in between. Mostly I try to make my style match what Richard Steinert, our artistic director, is looking for.

KW: I don’t consider myself as having a specific style. I try to let the music move me, and knowing how to move between styles helps me be more cast-able.

What has been the high point of your artistic career thus far?

DS: Right now is the highest point for me. I feel like I can do what Richard asks of me artistically and technically. I understand his vision more all the time, and that makes it easier to follow that direction. I definitely think this is the best time of my career.

KW: The highest point in my career was the time I spent in Los Angeles dancing. Leaving was tough, like breaking up with a first love, but I knew I needed to get back home and build myself technically so I could survive in a competitive realm.

PERFORMING ARTS

Though they come from two very different parts of the country—Pensacola and Virginia Beach—Dustin Simmons and Kristopher Williams are both very passionate about dance and music, and both are active at Ballet Pensacola. Simmons and Williams both credit artistic director Richard Steinert with their maturity as artists and dancers. Simmons graduated from the academy two years ago and, at 17, is the youngest full-time professional in Ballet Pensacola history. In his second year as a dancer, Williams brings an earthy, natural timbre to his work, which has been noted in such Ballet Pensacola productions as Dracula and Thunderstruck.

Who are some of your inspirations?

DS: My first inspiration was my mom and step-dad, both of whom are professional ballroom dancers. I would have to say that now my inspirations are Richard Steinert and Christine Duhon, Ballet Pensacola’s ballet mistress.

KW: I have many inspirations. In hip-hop, Shaun evariste, Poppin Pete and Madd Chad. In ballet and more classical dance, it’s Carlos Acosta, Alvin Ailey and Desmond Richardson. I am constantly inspired by my company mates, too; they are some amazing movers.

Photo by Meg Baisden

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

DS: Pensacola helped me fall in love with ballet. I started dancing in Pensacola, not knowing there would be a place for me to pursue a professional career. But here I am, and I love dancing here.

KW: Pensacola is a small but exciting city, and it has helped me to hone in on being the best I can be without too much

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Ayinde Hurrey was born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Goldsboro, North Carolina. At an early age, he began his career on the stage as a drummer/musician with The Cultural Movement, Inc., a company his father founded. Hurrey’s background in African dance and percussion has provided him with the opportunity to perform as a guest artist with various dance companies all over the country and abroad. He has been in Pensacola since 2003 and is committed to expanding cultural diversity of the arts in the city. He is an adjunct teacher at UWF and a theater teacher at Workman Middle School.

PERFORMING ARTS

Briefly explain your artistic philosophy.

I like breaking down the barriers that the actors are taught in textbooks and helping them figure out their own style from the basics. I try to get actors to think out of the box and be in the moment. I always ask myself, “How can we present a work

Who are some of your inspirations?

My father was active in the rise of rap in the late 60s and early 70s. He played for the Last Poets on their original three albums. I would drum with my dad in rehearsal and go on shows. John Singleton, a director, is another great inspiration, as is Spike Lee. My mom has also always been a huge support.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

Pensacola has inspired me to bring awareness to the community about cultural diversity for the arts. There are talented artists here locally that aren’t seen everyday at popular theater outlets. My journey is all about trying to bring together talent from all walks of life.

If you were not a performer, what would you be?

I love teaching and am currently teaching middle school now.

There’s nothing like inspiring students at that age. Hopefully they can take the things I’m teaching them with them the rest of their lives.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

My one-man show that I wrote, directed and performed in 1997, Nappy Journeys, was accepted at the 2009 National Black Theater Festival. They called me, hired me, and that was absolutely amazing.

DARREN CAMPBELL \ Actor Darren Campbell grew up in a military family and spent his childhood living in europe and New england. After graduating high school in Connecticut, he moved with his family for their last orders to Pensacola. He’s lived here for eight years, spending the first five attending the University of West Florida for a degree in theater, and the past three years working with one of his mentors on establishing the Pensacola Shakespeare Theatre.

Campbell has also spent more than seven years performing improvisational comedy with local troupe IMPROVable Cause.

Briefly explain your artistic philosophy.

If you look at the majority of things quoted from actors, directors, theater/film critics, there’s a common thread that connects them all and I believe that thread to be honesty.

Theater is all about storytelling, and storytelling is one of the major foundations of the human race. If the acting isn’t honest, then the story loses its composure and fails to reach an audience.

Who are some of your inspirations?

My mom. She’s from the UK, so I grew up learning the difference between dry wit and being offensive (I’m still learning). My job allows me to meet many people with some really great stories, and I think great theater is created from great stories and great personalities.

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differently?” Theater is bigger to me than the ticket sales; it’s about teamwork, community and self-confidence. You have to be culturally and self-aware. It’s okay with me to break the rules.

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How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

Attending UWF, with its humble class size, enabled me to take advantage of many opportunities that I would not have received had I chosen to stay in Connecticut and attend a larger college. Those opportunities were key in growing my skill set. Pensacola’s growing arts culture provided me the chance to put what I learned, while I continued my education, to work and forge community connections.

If you were not a performer, what would you be?

I love reading about the brain and how we function, so I’d probably go into neuroscience.

What has been the high point in your artistic career so far?

I love it when people take a chance on going to the theater or attending a Shakespeare play, to be specific, and they walk away from the performance excited, fully understanding and appreciating the performance.

While it may not seem like a singular high point, it is these instances that I consider high points that make it worth doing theater.

Pensacola Shakespeare

Photo by Hurrey Up Stage & Film Works

AYINDE HURREY \ Actor + Musician

JOE SHADDAY \ Tenor with Pensacola Opera

Explain your artistic philosophy.

As an artist, it is my personal duty and responsibility to be perfect. every time I perform on any stage, I demand perfection from myself. It’s the only standard that is acceptable as a performer in our current artistic world. Anything less is just mediocre.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Personally, whenever I want to listen to famous opera singers

for inspiration, I always turn to the greats such as Pavarotti or Carreras. However, I have found inspiration from my colleagues and other contemporary performers.

How has Pensacola influenced your creative development?

The great thing about Pensacola Opera is that they allow their young performers to take risks. Not often do you find a company willing to put young singers on a stage in full productions. It’s truly an honor to be cast along superb performers and to learn from them.

What stage or venue would you like to play?

If I could perform anywhere, it would have to be at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It’s such a beautiful hall, and I’d love to sing for that many people.

If you were not a performer, what would you be?

I love teaching music to new and eager generations of musicians. All of us who have been educated in music have a responsibility to pass our knowledge on, because if we don’t, our wonderful art form will diminish.

What has been the high point of your artistic career thus far?

I was fortunate enough to perform the Berlioz requiem last May with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir under the direction of eric Stark. It was wonderful to sing in my home state, with my friends and family in the crowd. The highlight of the performance was that my father is a member of the Symphonic choir, and it was a joy to be the featured soloist while he sang along.

SAVANNAH GREEN \ Actress

Photo by Mitzi Holt

Dubbed a triple threat of acting, singing and dancing from her director at Pensacola State College, Savannah Green has appeared in Legally Blonde, Sound of Music, 13 the Musical, Rocky Horror Show, and the Pensacola Children’s Chorus—and that’s just locally. She has lived in Pensacola her whole life and began ballet at the age of four and singing at the age of seven. She has auditioned in New York and performed in Atlanta, as well as the Pensacola Little Theatre and Saenger Theatre locally. All that, and she is still just a senior in high school with her best years ahead of her.

true this past summer. My dream role now is Glinda from Wicked.

If you were not a performer, what would you be?

I suppose I would like to major in some type of public relations or communications field. That career is all about connecting with the audience, much like theater.

PERFORMING ARTS

Joe Shadday is from Indianapolis, Indiana, and attended DePauw University, where he received an excellent education and superb vocal skills that helped to prepare him for the world of performing arts. He then pursued a master’s from the Maryland Opera Studio at the University of Maryland. Since then, Shadday has spent two summers with the Santa Fe Opera as an apprentice artist. The upcoming season is Shadday’s second with Pensacola Opera.

What has been the high point in your artistic career thus far?

I love being able to pass on my training to younger kids. I have choreographed for children’s theater since I was 13, and it’s such a joy to be able to help guide and motivate next year’s leading acts.

Briefly explain your artistic philosophy.

You have to love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.

The best performers are the humble ones. They may not be receiving standing ovations, but they work quietly and consistently to entertain and enlighten people.

Photo by Xiaolun Chen

How was Pensacola influenced your creative development?

This is such a wonderful, close-knit city for the arts. The directors in town especially have influenced me greatly. They are at every rehearsal, working right beside the students and performers, honing their skills. They are passionate about the arts, and I have learned so much from them.

What venue would you love to play?

I have played the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, which is a Broadwaysize venue. I would love to perform there again. My dream role used to be elle from Legally Blonde and that dream came

Legally Blonde January/February 2013

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datebook Art Youth Art Focus January 15 experience the next generation of great Pensacola artists.

The Pensacola Museum of Art, in recognition of National Youth Art month, and in partnership with the escambia Country School System, presents the 57th annual Youth Art Focus exhibition. It highlights the best work from art students and educators in escambia County schools. This exhibition of work from more than 500 students, grades pre-K through 12, recognizes their strong artistic achievements and area teachers' dedication to art education. Tuesday from 5 to 7 pm. For more information, call 850.432.6247.

Jubilee of Antiques January 31-February 3 Thursday's preview will include music, wine and light hors d’oeuvres with a special theme. Dealers are expected to show wonderful antiques, including silver flatware, hollowware and charms; estate jewelry; fine and vintage costume jewelry; rugs, china and porcelain; orientalia; lovely linens; art; collectibles; prints; bottles; postcards; vintage and first edition books, many with fine illustrations; maps; crystal; tin toys; primitives; crockery; redware; spongeware; salt glaze pottery; cast iron; decoys; native American artifacts and more. Admission is $20. Thursday from 6 to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Located at the Currin Center at Christ Church on W. Wright St. For more information, call 850.432.5115.

Music Pensacola Bay Center Presents Jimmy Buffet & the Coral Reefer Band February 5 Parrotheads won't want to miss this opportunity to soak in the full Margaritaville experience. Tuesday at 5 pm. Tickets start at $33. For more information, call 850.432.0800.

Theatre PLT Presents A New Brain January 17-19 An energetic, sardonic, often comical musical about making the most out of life in the face of tragedy. When a neurotic, frustrated composer is confronted with a terminal illness, he finds comfort in the healing power of art. The show is in fact the William Finns autobiographical account of his own battle for life when he was afflicted with a seemingly terminal illness. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm. For more information, call 850.434.0257.

Saenger Theatre Presents The Barber of Seville January 25, 27 In Rossini’s most cherished comic classic, the impending wedding of the lovely Rosina has created chaos in the

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hearts of her suitors. The barber, Figaro, works tirelessly to help the love-struck Count wrest Rosina from her marriage to Dr. Bartolo. The characters disguise and transform themselves, confusing each other until they find that the world around them has become utter mayhem, heralded by Figaro’s famous aria, Largo al factotum. In the end, this musical comedy results in the happy marriage of young lovers upholding the virtues of love and faithfulness. Friday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm.

Tickets start at $30. For more information, call 850.433.6737.

PLT Presents The Philadelphia Story January 25-27, 31-February 3 One day before her marriage to a successful businessman, haughty socialite Tracy Lord is sure of her herself and her future. However, with the surprise arrival of ex-husband Dexter Haven and the tempting presence of tabloid reporter Mike Connor, Tracy’s perfect vision of herself is shaken to the core. It will take a bottle of champagne and a compromising situation to crack her forbidding exterior and reveal an understanding heart.

This classic comedy of manners finds that sometimes getting what you want means learning to let go.

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. Tickets start at $14. For more information, call 850.434.0257.

Saenger Theatre Presents Hair January 29 This exuberant musical about a group of young Americans searching for peace and love in a turbulent time has struck a resonant chord with audiences young and old.

Note that Hair contains adult situations that may not be suitable for children under 14. Tuesday at 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $48. For more information, call 850.595.3882.

Saenger Theatre Presents Google God – A Gospel Stage Play February 2 A heartwarming, suspenseful and over-the-top hilarious gospel comedy stage play, Google God is about searching the internet and looking for love in all the wrong places.

Google God will be remembered as one of America's most unique gospel comedy plays ever seen on stage.

Saturday at 2 and 7 pm. Tickets are $27.99. For more information, call 850.595.3880.

PLT Presents Short Attention Span Theatre February 15-17 Studio 400's ninth installment of the ever-popular “Short Attention Span Theatre” series—an evening of one-act plays that find the humor in romance and relationships.

Plays are typically original and unpublished. For many, this will be their world premiere performance. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. For more information, call 850.432.2042.

Special Events Cooking with Chef Irv Miller January 16 Chef Irv is a proud Southern transplant of three decades. He has committed his talent to the Northwest Coast of Florida and is recognized from Pensacola to Seaside as one of the Gulf Coast's best chefs. Chef Irv will walk participants through some of his favorite Southern-inspired dishes. His regional dishes include ingredients that he has enjoyed and found remarkable as both traditional and nontraditional Southern foods. He will share information and prepare treasured locally available foods and recipes in a four-course sampling for attendees to enjoy. 5 to 6:30 pm and 7:30 to 9 pm at Jackson’s Steakhouse. Admission is $45 per person.

For more information, call 850.217.2347.

Mystic Krewe of Nereids' Moonpie Party January 18 Fun, dancing and music by Boogie, Inc. The Nereids will be dancing all night long, along with lots of other krewes that come out to party. Moonpies will fly through the air.

Admission is free! Come out and celebrate Mardi Gras at Sandshaker Beach Bar on Pensacola Beach. For more information, call 850.438.1660.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade January 21 Parade route begins at Spring & Garden Streets; travels east to Palafox; turns north onto Palafox; Palafox to Wright Street, and turns left; turns left onto Palafox; travels south on Palafox to Main Street. Begins at 11 am. For more information, call 850.377.1898.

Gallery Night January 25 Stroll through the charming brick walkways of Downtown Pensacola to experience an eclectic array of music, art and cuisine. explore galleries and businesses featuring the works of dozens of local artists. Soak up the sounds of local musicians and the aromas of local cuisine as the energy of the evening carries attendees from venue to venue. Gallery Night is a free event from 5 to 9 pm and many businesses provide light refreshments.

18th Annual Cordova Mall Ball January 26 Celebrate Mardi Gras in style each year at the Cordova Mall Ball! Participants are invited to don their best Mardi Gras gown, get decked out in their tux or best suit and come down to the first and the best Mardi Gras party in town. This annual party is held by the Krewe of Les Petits enfants (the Order of the Small Children) to benefit the sick and injured children and infants at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Pensacola. For more information, call 850.416.4661.

Krewe of Seville Black Tie Mardi Gras Ball January 26

Live band, cash bar, and heavy hors d'oeuvres. Open to general public. Must be 21 or older to attend. Ticket prices are $35 till day of event, and $40 at the door. Credit cards accepted. 8 pm to midnight at New World Landing.

Our Lives, Our Stories Exhibit February 1-March 16 Our Lives, Our Stories: America’s Greatest Generation, a new exhibition opening February 1 at the T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, explores the life arc of the World War II generation—as told in their own words. Born in the 1910s and 1920s, these people were decisively shaped by the Depression and World War II. They went on to make the “baby boom” and shape the economic boom of the postwar era. Today – well into the 21st century – we are all living with their legacy. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. For more information, call 850.595.5985.

Pensacola Double Bridge Run February 2 A 15K course takes runners over two bridges crossing Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound, from downtown to Pensacola Beach. Runners and walkers are also welcome at the 5K course and Kids Fun Run. Race begins at 7 am and walk begins at 8 am. For more information, call 850.434.2800.

Mardi Gras Kiddi & Kritter Parade February 2 This walking parade on Pensacola Beach is open to children and pets and starts at 10:30 am. For more information, call 850.932.1500.

ABC Beer Tastings February 7 The first series of classes known as ABC (Atlas Beer Classes) will be held on the first Thursday of the month through June and will feature a presenter discussing the highlighted craft brewery and three selections from that brewery. Classes will cover the basics, as well as specific information regarding the history of the brewery and their beers. 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Atlas Oyster House. Admission is $10 per person. For more information, call 850.470.0003.

59th Annual Krewe of Lafitte Mardi Gras Parade February 8 The only illuminated nighttime parade in Pensacola. The crowd can expect to be entertained with marching bands, lighted floats and great throws as the Krewe of Lafitte kicks off Pensacola Mardi Gras celebrations. 8 pm at the intersection of Spring and Garden. For more information, call 850.982.4004.

Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade February 9 The 2013 Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade! Rain or shine, the parade will begin at 2 pm, starting at the corner of Spring and Garden and winding its way to Palafox and Wright, then back down to end at Palafox and Main Street.

For more information, call 850.434.7777.

January/February 2013

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pensacola seen

...at the ARC Gateway Wreaths of Joy

John and Nancy Hutchinson

Bob Givan and family celebrate his 100th birthday

...at Roger & Raisa Webbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Party

Susan and Jim Reeves, Lisa and Matt Durney

Nancy and Doug Halford

Roger, Phylls (Mom) and Raisa Webb

...at the Five Flags Rotary Christmas Party

Mary Hoxeng and Kathy Anthony

Brian and Kimberly Hooper

Wendi Summers and husband Bob Beargie

...at the Council on Aging Annual Meeting

Jennifer and Terry Cole, with Glenys Ballinger

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Justine Simoni who opened her beautiful home to Five Flaggers

January/February 2013

John Clark, Caron Sjoberg and DeeDee Davis