Images Arizona February 2020

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REVEALING THE SUBLIME: THE ART OF DAVID ROTHERMEL Writer Shannon Severson

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Photography Courtesy of Grace Renee Gallery

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COMMUNITY EVENTS Writer Joseph J. Airdo

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BUTTERFLY BURGER LETTING IT FLY WITH LISA DAHL Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Scott Yates

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NATURAL ROMANCE Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Robert Elenbaas

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A FLAG FOR ALL Writer Shannon Severson Photography by Jonas Jungblut

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ROASTED STRAWBERRY CHEESE DANISH Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Christmann

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Hanie

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph Airdo Amanda Christmann Sue Kern-Fleischer Kyndra Kelly Shoshana Leon Shannon Severson Fadi Sitto

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Kyndra Kelly Loralei Lazurek Carl Schultz

ADVERTISING SALES Cooper Langston 480-544-8721 cooper@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com Submission of news for community section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2019 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited.

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It’s February in the desert, and for me, it’s one of the most meaningful times of the year. Though we can’t see the magic, it is during this month that the desert is transforming beneath our feet.

We may not notice just yet, but every dark cloud and raindrop we’ve endured has been silently coaxing the beauty from our desert home, reinvigorating dormant roots, branches and spines. Soon, the brown earth will erupt in bouquets of brilliant color, all because of Nature’s will to endure.

There is no more beautiful metaphor than the desert to remind us that February is a month of renewal. It’s a season of appreciation for the processes and struggles behind all things beautiful and worthwhile—not only in the natural world, but also in the world we are all creating for ourselves.

This month, our writers and photographers have managed once again to capture stories of so many of our friends and neighbors who are working to share their gifts with us. From visual and performing artists to restaurateurs, these talented people are bringing color into our world in the most profound and fantastic ways, working hard and often overcoming adversity to do so.

As you enjoy the magazine this month, I encourage you to reflect on the gifts we all have in our lives, and on the hard work and sacrifices that have gotten us to where we are. After all, it takes a few storms to make the desert bloom.

The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to be on this journey through clouds and sunshine with each of you.

Local First A R I Z O NA

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Cheers!

Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

f ebruary 2020

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Grace Renee Gallery | 480-575-8080 | GraceReneeGallery.com

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# 7 imagesar | Carefree, Grace Renee Gallery | Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd.2020 f ebruary iz ona .c om AZ 9

Writer Shannon Severson Photography Courtesy of Grace Renee Gallery

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S

Standing before a piece of David Rothermel’s art is to view not just layers of color and texture, but also a process and vision honed by 45 years of inspiration and introspection—and maybe a touch of divine connection.

“I want [people] to bask in the glory of the color and get that quiet feeling,” Rothermel says. “When you look at high art, you don’t know exactly what you’re looking at, but your sensory perceptions are kicking in. Something is going on. It vibrates. They see there’s a lot more work in each piece than what might appear at first glance.”

The Santa Fe-based painter, whose abstract works are on display at Carefree’s Grace Renee Gallery, takes color field style to a new level with his technique of layering acrylic paint in full- and halftones on panels of wood in varying widths.

Community means everything.

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This style is a reflection of his early days as a billboard painter, at which time he first had the idea of painting individual panels to be experimented with and assembled later instead of confining himself to a single surface.

“When the paint is wet and they’re nice and shiny and gooey, it’s a thrill,” he says. “Because I use acrylics, they dry to a middle value. The dark colors dry a little lighter and the lights dry a little darker. The color intensity is slightly muted and that is evident in the work I have hanging at Grace Renee Gallery.”

When the paint dries, Rothermel uses a hand-sander and water to create depth and luminosity by stripping away layers. This process reveals the colors and the texture of the wood panel beneath and leaves a record of the under-color on the edges.

Jeremy Mueller Ins Agcy Inc Jeremy R Mueller, Agent 23341 N Pima Rd Suite D139, AJ’s Shopping Center Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Business: 480-515-5223 www.jeremymueller.com

The painter is coaxing life out of something twodimensional. The debris is wiped away and what Rothermel describes as “spatial continuity turned into the sublime” comes through, creating a “portal” for the beholder.

1601483

State Farm, Bloomington, IL

f ebruary 2020

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SUNSHINE, Acrylic on Wood panel. 38 x 54 in

Some of the arrangements come by chance and many come from intuitive experience, trusting in the process that it will all turn out. There is a lot of flexibility built into his materials and methods. He can assemble and reassemble until the combination feels right.

“When you over-paint and under-paint the panels, that’s when they come alive and you get the color field,” he says. “You have to work it until it works you.”

Rothermel considers his larger pieces to be some of his most successful.

“You’re ‘in’ the painting,” he explains. “You’re in the atmosphere. You notice the edges of colors that you didn’t see at first. The juxtaposition between one panel and the next is really important.”

Rothermel’s approach takes the traditional building blocks of color and technique, the eternal truths of Fibonacci code, ratios and the golden means, and imbues them with the “breath and breadth of abstraction.” It is a spiritual exercise for him.

Art has always been something that he has been compelled to do.

Rothermel first picked up a paintbrush to help his mother—a teacher—paint the plank floors of her oneroom schoolhouse’s porch in Pennsylvania. He always had a love of the outdoors and would create penand-ink sketches of the scenes he saw while playing or hunting small game.

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“

JANUS #8, Acrylic on Wood panel. 30 x 56 in

You have to think with your eyes.

When you’re in the studio, it’s a quiet process where you do one thing and another thing

“

happens and then something else is

revealed, so you try and hit on those special parts.

The painter recalls being influenced by everything from the Paul Cézanne paintings in his elementary classroom to TV westerns like Zorro and Bonanza, which captured his young imagination.

“I always had cowboy boots and a Western hat on,” Rothermel says. “It was always right there on the tip of my conscience that I wanted to go west one day. I’m still a cowboy—just a little older and a little wiser.”

He began studying commercial art at York Academy of Art. After a field trip to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art—where he discovered and was completely inspired by artist Hans Hofmann—and at the urging of an influential instructor, he decided to pursue fine art at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Rothermel also spent a summer in Maine at Skowhegan, studying with well-known artists like Josef Albers and the prolific abstractionist Brice Marden,

while learning, absorbing and finetuning his own abstractionist style.

“I came out of art school painting nonobjectively, very abstract pieces,” he says. “I tried to move to New York four times and it spit me out.”

Rothermel has been sober for 30 years now but admits to partying during his youth.

“It was hell with the lid off,” he explains.

“I’d rather buy a six-pack than pay my electric bill. I didn’t have the maturity.”

In the back of his head, Rothermel knew that being in the studio was the thing that was going to get him ahead—not the other way around.

“You have to think with your eyes,” the painter says. “When you’re in the studio, it’s a quiet process where you do one thing and another thing happens and then something else is revealed, so you try and hit on those special parts.”

EXPERIENCE

The Abstract Art of David Rothermel Thursday, Feb. 20 | 4–7 p.m. | Grace Renee Gallery | Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, Carefree | 480-575-8080 i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m fe b r uary 2 02 0 gracereneegallery.com 14

It was time to fulfill his dream of heading west. Rothermel moved to New Mexico in 1981. He was ready to paint whatever he saw and felt free to experiment without judgment. He painted landscapes and sunsets with oils, watercolors and acrylics.

Painting billboards paid the bills until a strong gust of wind knocked him from his ladder and he broke both of his arms.

“The accident was a godsend,” he says. “It prompted me to really pursue my art. I had to go out on my own and get back to the source. I quit my job, got a divorce and moved to Santa Fe in 1987. That’s when the market was hopping and everyone was moving here. It was great energy.”

His Santa Fe gallery has been open for many years and Rothermel has mostly concentrated on creating and displaying his abstract work.

As time and technology have changed the world and the way people consume art, Rothermel ponders how art— true, transcendent art––shapes our experiences as humans as well as the legacy of his own art. He believes that the human connection to the spiritual realm is strengthened by principles that exist outside of the immediate.

“The eternal rules are what make things work,” he explains. “I want to reveal the sublime. If it doesn’t reveal the sublime, it’s not art because it won’t do anything.” drcontemporary.com

f ebruary 2020

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INTERNATIONALLY

ACCLAIMED

AMERICAN ABSTRACT ARTIST

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

G R A C E R E N E E G A L L E RY P R E S E N T S

David Rothermel Come meet David and view his bold, colorful paintings on display in our gallery located in the Historic Spanish Village.

Wind down from your week while enjoying wine and light appetizers with the artist.

Thursday, February 20 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

EMERALD LIGHT: 38”x 50”

Historic Spanish Village 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 480.575.8080

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GraceReneeGallery.com

ARTIST

DAVID

ROTHERMEL

FEBRUARY 20,

2020

FEATURED SELECTED COLLECTIONS:

Phoenix Children’s Hospital Revlon, Inc. General Motors Corporation Pennsylvania State Museum Joe Walsh/Eagles National 3M Corporation Hilton Hotels President George W. Bush Two Dolphin Hotel Union Pacific Railroad

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

JANUS #8: 30” x 56

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COMMUNITY

2020 FEBRUARY

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Feb. 1–29

ROMANTIC FLORALS Throughout February, Scottsdale’s Gallery Andrea will feature romantic florals by artist Andrea de KerpelyZak, internationally known for painting “Healing Flowers.” The artist has created a special series of florals for Valentines Day. Free. Monday–Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Gallery Andrea, 7019 E. Main St., Scottsdale. 480-481-2530; artandrea.com

Feb. 1

Feb. 1

The Foothills Community Foundation

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum

ANCIENT GEOLOGY CREATES MODERN CAVE CREEK

has assembled 40 fine artists for the

of the West will screen the feature-

Join Chad Kwiatkowski—master’s

5th Annual Arizona Sage Art Market.

length documentary “Maynard

student in geology at Northern

During the juried show, a wide variety

Dixon: Art and Spirit,” which profiles

Arizona University—for this seminar

of fine art from local artists will be

the breathtaking art and complex

about the rocks and landscapes of

available—including beautiful gourd

life of artist Maynard Dixon.

the Desert Foothills region, which

art, dazzling jewelry, vibrant wooden

Narrated by Oscar-winning actress

developed as a result of geologic

bowls, whimsical ceramics, fiber art,

Diane Keaton, the movie provides a

events in just the last 15 million years.

photography, paintings and more. Free.

revealing look at Dixon’s life through

The seminar, sponsored by the Desert

10 a.m.–4 p.m. Holland Community

his paintings and drawings, family

Awareness Committee of the Foothills

Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale.

photographs and interviews. Free

Community Foundation, will take

480-488-1090; azfcf.org

for members; included with $15

attendees on a tour through space and

museum admission for guests. 2 p.m.

time to understand how the Desert

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum

Foothills region came to be. Free.

of the West, 3830 N Marshall

6:30–8 p.m. Holland Community

Way, Scottsdale. 480-686-9539;

Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale.

scottsdalemuseumwest.org

azfcf.org/about-desert-awareness

ARIZONA SAGE ART MARKET

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MAYNARD DIXON: ART AND SPIRIT

Feb. 3

Feb. 5

WYATT EARP: A LIFE ON THE FRONTIER

Museum of the West will host an event that features free museum admission, live entertainment, family-friendly games and more. The Hashknife Pony Express

The great-grandnephew of Wyatt Earp

will arrive at Noon, delivering more than

will perform his biographical drama

20,000 pieces of mail to the U.S. Postal

“Wyatt Earp: A Life on the Frontier,” in

Service. Free. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Western

which he portrays his famous relative.

Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West,

The play imagines a conversation

3830 N Marshall Way, Scottsdale. 480-

between an elderly Wyatt Earp and

686-9539; scottsdalemuseumwest.org

author Stuart Lake during the mid1920s as they discuss Earp’s adventures during the final days of the American frontier. Free for members; included with $15 museum admission for guests.

1 p.m. Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, 3830 N Marshall Way, Scottsdale. 480-686-9539; scottsdalemuseumwest.org

Feb. 7–23

BLACK THEATRE TROUPE’S TROUBLE IN MIND In recognition of Black History Month, Black Theatre Troupe will present “Trouble in Mind,” a comedic drama that was written by Alice Childress—a

Feb. 6

WESTERN WEEK GOLD PALETTE ARTWALK

pioneering African-American playwright who was one of the first black female writers to win an Off-Broadway Theater Award. $41+. See website for dates and

In continued celebration of the Scottsdale

times. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts

Gallery Association’s 45th anniversary

Center, 1333 E. Washington St. Phoenix.

season, the organization will dedicate

602-258-8129; blacktheatretroupe.org

a Gold Palette ArtWalk to the theme of Western Week. The event will feature entertainment, music and special offerings at participating galleries throughout Scottsdale Arts District, which is located along Main St. from Scottsdale Road to Goldwater Blvd. and north of Indian School Road on Marshall Way to 5th Avenue. Free. 6:30–9 p.m. scottsdaleartsdistrict.com

Feb. 8

ARIZONA NATIVE EDIBLE EXPERIENCE Arizona American Indian Tourism Association will pay homage to the Native culture and heritage with an event that features Native art and artists as well as Native chef tasting stations offering traditional and fusion foods and

Feb. 7

HASHKNIFE PONY EXPRESS ARRIVAL

cocktails. $25+. 6–8 p.m. Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, 3830 N Marshall Way, Scottsdale. 602-2999576; arizonanativeexperience.com

In celebration of the 62nd ride of the Hashknife Pony Express—the oldest officially sanctioned Pony Express in the world—Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s

f ebruary 2020

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Feb. 8 and 9

ARIZONA INDIAN FESTIVAL Celebrate Arizona Indian culture with a spirited and immersive festival that features traditional food, storytelling, dancing, singing and dwellings. Additional features include native arts and crafts as well as innovations and trends in cultural tourism experiences in Arizona. Free. Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Scottsdale Civic Center Plaza, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale. arizonaindiantourism.org

Feb. 8

DESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY’S IMAGINE GALA

Carefree Desert Gardens will

Experience an evening of glitz

welcome gardening educator Carol

Experience a tour of mountain

and glam during Desert Foothills

Stuttard for a discussion about the

lions, coyotes and Mexican gray

Library’s 11th annual gala.

vital role that insects play in our

wolves as the Southwest Wildlife

Attendees will enjoy cocktails and

local ecology. During the lecture,

Conservation Center shares the true

a gourmet dinner by Creations in

Stuttard will introduce attendees to

love stories of its resident animals.

Cuisine as well as live and silent

the wonderful and fascinating world

Light refreshments and gourmet

auctions. English Rose Tea Room

of insects, helping to distinguish

desserts will be served and each

owner Jo Gemmill will serve as the

between those that are garden allies

couple will receive a gift. $100 per

evening’s master of ceremonies and

and those that are garden enemies.

couple. 6–7 p.m. RSVP. Southwest

entertainment will be provided by

The program will include a plant

Wildlife Conservation, 27026 N.

We3—including celebrated pianist

raffle. A $5 or more donation is

156th St., Scottsdale. 480-471-3621;

Nicole Pesce, vocalist Renee Grant

appreciated. 9:30 a.m.–Noon. Town

southwestwildlife.org

Patrick and violinist Suzanne

Council Chambers, 33 Easy St.,

Lansford. Proceeds benefit Desert

Carefree. 480-488-3686.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480488-2286; dfla.org

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GARDEN INSECTS: FRIENDS AND FOES

Feb. 8

HEARTS AND HOWLS VALENTINE EVENT

Foothills Library. $200. 6 p.m.

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Feb. 8

Feb. 8

PARADA DEL SOL PARADE AND TRAIL’S END FESTIVAL The 67th Annual Scottsdale Parada del Sol Parade will travel along Scottsdale Road from Drinkwater Blvd. to Brown Ave. and Indian School Road, boasting nearly 150 entries including colorful floats, mounted horse-riders, horse-drawn carriages, marching bands, wagons and stagecoaches. Following the parade, the Historic Old Town District will become

Furnace Tune-Up Includes: • • • • •

Safety Inspection Calibrate Gas Valve Clean Flame Sensor Electrical Component Test Check and Clean Gas Burner Membership Price:

the setting for a Western-style block party. Free. 10 a.m. scottsdaleparade.com

Feb. 9

SALT RIVER BRASS CONCERT Toes will be tapping and hands will be clapping as Salt River Brass steps into the Big Band era for its All That Jazz concert. $16+. 3 p.m. Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. 480-

$79.00 Normally

Call or Text 480.478.3384 to Schedule your Appointment!

644-6500; saltriverbrass.org

Feb. 9

SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT

AIR CONDITIONING • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • WATER TREATMENT

Scottsdale Philharmonic will begin its eighth season with a classical music concert featuring works by composers Georges Bizet and Gioachino Rossini. Free; VIP reserved seating available for $15. 4 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. 480-951-6077; scottsdalephilharmonic.com

Language Immersion PROGRAMS AT CCUSD

Feb. 9

WE LOVE ARIZONA! As part of its monthly Kiwanis Family Sundays series, Cave Creek Museum will welcome a representative from the Rosson House Museum to discuss how the Territory of Arizona transitioned to become the Valentine State. Free. 2–4 p.m. Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Drive, Cave Creek. 480-4882764; cavecreekmuseum.org

Feb. 10–14

PAINTING THE OLD WEST Paint with Phil Starke during this Scottsdale Artists’ School

Attend a language immersion information and lottery meeting to learn more!

Desert Willow Elementary 5:00-6:00 pm • 480.575.2800 Thursday, January 30th • ______

Desert Sun Academy Wednesday, February 5th______ • 5:00-6:00 pm • 480.575.2900 Horseshoe Trails Elementary Thursday, February 6th • 5:00-6:00 pm • 480.272.8500

course and learn how to simplify the plein air subject and mix colors that suggest light instead of detail. Students will focus on developing a sense of design and rhythm, learning to take what the landscape gives them and improve upon it. $665. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Tubac Golf Resort, 1 Ave De Otero Road, Tubac.

480-990-1422; scottsdaleartschool.org

480.575.2000 www.CCUSD93.org f ebruary 2020

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Feb. 20

THE ABSTRACT ART OF DAVID ROTHERMEL Grace Renee Gallery will showcase the abstract art of David Rothermel, a Santa Fe-based painter whose works take color field style to a new level.

Rothermel layers acrylic paint in full- and halftones on panels of wood in varying widths. He then uses a hand-sander and water to create depth and luminosity, revealing the colors and the texture of the wood panel beneath and leaving a record of the under-color on the edges. Wine and appetizers will be offered. Free. 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Feb. 12

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE PROTECTION

Feb. 13

KNIFE SKILLS WITH THE DOCTOR

featuring female artists. In addition to the yearlong rotational selection of works, an installation-based gallery

Learn essential skills and fundamental

will be on view through May 31.

Anthropologist John Welch will

cuts that will boost your kitchen

$10. See website for hours. Scottsdale

speak about the new means and

competence and confidence from

Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374

methods that are being developed

the Center for Integrative Healing

E. 2nd St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666;

in close partnership with the White

and Wellness nutrition experts Dr.

smoca.org

Mountain Apache tribe to prevent,

Fabio Almeida and Cindy Almeida.

investigate and remediate looting in

The class will include a light meal of

one of Arizona’s most beautiful and

vegetable stir fry. $50. 1:30–3:30 p.m.

important cultural resource regions.

RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443

The lecture is presented by the Desert

N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek.

Foothills Chapter of the Arizona

480-488-2286; dfla.org

Archaeology Society. Free. 7:30 p.m.

The Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. azarchsoc. org/desertfoothills

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Art will unveil a yearlong exhibition

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Feb. 15–May 31

UNAPOLOGETIC: ALL WOMEN, ALL YEAR

Feb. 21–March 15 TOP SHELF INVITATIONAL SMALL WORKS SHOW

Sonoran Arts League will present its fourth annual juried fine art show, featuring more than 200 works by Arizona artists—including paintings,

Coinciding with the 100th anniversary

drawings, sculptures, jewelry,

of the Women’s Suffrage Movement,

photography and mixed media.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary

An opening reception and cocktail

chic gala featuring live music, hors d’oeuvres and a beer and wine garden is scheduled for 5–8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21. Free. Mondays– Saturdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sundays 1–4 p.m. Sonoran Arts League’s Center for the Arts, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Suite 144, Cave Creek. 480-575-6624; sonoranartsleague.org

Feb. 22

MAKING MEMORIES H WESTERN STYLE

OLD WEST SPIRIT NEW WEST TALENT

CELEBRATING BEETHOVEN In recognition of Beethoven’s 250th Anniversary Celebration, virtuoso pianist Taek Gi Lee will present a piano recital featuring Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111 as part of Christ the Lord Lutheran Church’s Living Music Performance Series. $25. 4 p.m. Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, 9205 E. Cave Creek Road, Carefree. 480-488-2081; ctlcarefree.org

Feb. 22 and 23

ARIZONA MATSURI: A FESTIVAL OF JAPAN Japanese traditional taiko drummer Ken Koshio will perform at the 36th Annual Arizona Matsuri—a festival that celebrates Japanese culture and heritage The event will also feature Japanese exhibits, demonstrations, arts and crafts as well as children’s activities, bonsai displays, Japanese food, Japanese beer and sake garden, games, contests and live entertainment. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. azmatsuri.org

Feb. 23

FORTÉ HANDBELL QUARTET CONCERT Arts at the Rocks will present a concert by Forté Handbell Quartet, a Colorado Springs-based group that aims to challenge audiences’ perceptions of what handbells can do. The concert will be preceded by a 2:30 p.m. workshop titled, “So Many Bells, So Few Hands: A Conversation with Forté About the Art of Ensemble Ringing.” 4 p.m.

Free. Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, 34605 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Scottsdale. 480-488-3384; deserthills.org

Feb. 26

TASTE AMERICA POP-UP DINNER Phoenix will welcome the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America for a pop-up dinner as part of a national tour that celebrates diversity of American cooking and highlights the nonprofit organization’s Good Food for Good platform. The intimate dinner will feature a menu crafted by Kristen Kish and Christopher Gross. $225+. 6 p.m. Wrigley Mansion, 2501 E. Telawa Trail, Phoenix. jamesbeard.org

6130 East Cave Creek Road • Cave Creek, AZ

www.lastiendascavecreek.com f ebruary 2020

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Feb. 29

CAVE CREEK CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL The town of Cave Creek will host its first-ever craft beer festival, showcasing beverages from the top breweries across the country. In addition to craft beer, the event will also feature cider, kombucha and meads. Entry includes a sampling mug and 20 drink tickets. Pub food will be available for purchase throughout the event, which will also feature live music by Lindsey Vogt.

General admission $45; VIP admission $60. 1–5 p.m.

Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-6636; cavecreekcraftbeerfestival.com

Feb. 29

THE BEATLES: THE MAKING OF REVOLVER

Feb. 29

more effectively express your vision

Follow the footsteps of The Beatles

KOKOPELLI’S JOURNEY SET TO MUSIC

as the music group redefined

Desert Hills Native American Flute

to painting locations, while

contemporary music, breaking

Circle will perform “Kokopelli’s

instruction will focus on light, design,

boundaries by expanding the scope

Journey Set to Music” as part of

color, value, edges and brushwork.

of pop and rock sounds as they

Christ the Lord Lutheran Church’s

$600. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 480-990-1422;

created their timeless

Living Music Performance Series.

scottsdaleartschool.org

masterpiece “Revolver.” Recently

Free will offering. 4 p.m. Christ the

retired LaGuardia Community

Lord Lutheran Church, 9205 E. Cave

College professor Vinnie Bruno will

Creek Road, Carefree. 480-488-2081;

discuss the genesis of the songs, their

ctlcarefree.org

musical influences, their recording and even the creation of the artwork on the album’s legendary cover sleeve. $5. 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

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process and create landscapes that

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March 2–6

TAKING YEARS OFF THE LANDSCAPE PAINTING CURVE

as an artist. Most time will be spent painting on location in Gold Canyon, which will allow for closer proximity

March 6–8

TOUR D’ ARTISTES STUDIO TOUR AND SALE Fountain Hills Arts League will present its 9th Annual Tour d’ Artistes Studio Tour and Sale, showcasing the work of more than 60 artists in 13

Paint with John Hughes during this

studios and galleries. Attendees can

Scottsdale Artists’ School course and

interact with local artists and observe

learn how to simplify the painting

them in the process of creating

original works—including paintings, mixed media, glass, metal sculptures, digital photography, fiber art and jewelry, all of which will be available for purchase.

Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Fountain Hills. fountainhillsartleague.com

March 6–19 IT’S ART FOR LAND’S SAKE

Desert Foothills Land Trust will host its sixth annual juried art exhibit and sale designed to promote conservation and wildlife protection through representational art. Artists of all ages and levels of experience are encouraged to submit their work by Friday, Feb. 7. Entry is $25 per piece. All works of art must be 2D and representational of a Desert Foothills Land Trust preserve. An opening reception is scheduled for 6–8 p.m.

Thursday, March 5. Proceeds will benefit Desert Foothills Land Trust and Desert Foothills Library. Free. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-6131; dflt.org

March 22

ANDREA MARKOWITZ HAT SHOW Andrea Markowitz will host a hat show during which she will raffle and auction off more than 50 vintage hats from the 1950s through the 1980s that belonged to her late mother. Markowitz will also share stories about hats and their designers, offering attendees insight into a time at which women wore hats for every special occasion. Admission includes five raffle tickets as well as tea and cakes provided

by English Rose Tea Room. Proceeds will benefit Desert Foothills Library. $35. 2–4 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-4882286; dfla.org

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Sculptor, world-renowned photographer and installation artist Miguel Edwards believes that art is an incubator and an expression of innovative thinking.

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Miguel Edwards, Suzette Hibble and Lonnie McKenzie

I

In the 1930s, President Franklin Roosevelt was faced with some of the most difficult days in American history. The Great Depression, which began four years before his first term in office, had split the country at the seams. Families and communities were economically devastated in ways never seen before, and desperation and suffering wove dark threads into the fabric of American life.

Roosevelt knew that, to architect a solution for one of the worst crises in U.S. history, he would not only need to enlist help from the country’s leaders and intellectuals; he would need to empower writers, photographers and artists to bear witness to the stories.

These creatives set out to document the lives of their fellow Americans, and the work they did helped policymakers to understand the importance and urgency of the decisions they were making.

Today, we are facing different challenges as individuals, as communities and as a country, but art and ingenuity are no less crucial. Art, it can be argued, is the human thread in an increasingly impersonal world.

In fact, like Roosevelt, sculptor, world-renowned photographer and installation artist Miguel Edwards believes that art is far more than a side note. He believes that art is an incubator and an expression of the innovative thinking that has been integral to human expression, and even survival, throughout history.

“Inspiration and creativity are the antidote to the current trajectory of our society and environment,” he explains.

“There is so much darkness and distraction in our world. I love to create arresting beauty that causes a moment of pause or reflection—taking a moment when we’re not staring at a screen— and asking questions like, ‘What is that?’ or, ‘How does this make me feel?’

“An even loftier goal is that, if I can inspire people beyond asking questions and into being creative in their own lives, I would call that success.”

For his part, the New Mexico native has created strong roots among the Seattle arts community, encouraging other artists and creating opportunities for meaningful conversations. He served on the board for Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) for just under a decade, and founded and ran an artists’ organization called Scartists.

Still, it is Edwards’ art that has given him a distinguished reputation among galleries, collectors and public art enthusiasts.

Edwards’ metal and glass sculptures are a study in movement and in transformation. From smaller private pieces to large public displays, he creates works that seem to defy gravity and create the illusion of motion.

His work is not only provocative for the viewer; it is also a source of challenge for the artist.

“I enjoy pushing my own personal and material boundaries,” he says. “It is the act of creation that defines my work, as much as it is the finished piece.”

From a workshop tucked in the ponderosa pines of Bend, Oregon, where he moved two years ago with his wife Corrina Jill, Edwards creates what he refers to as penumbra sculptures. He spends long hours cold rolling steel flat bars into graceful arcs and curves, then welding, grinding, sanding and filing them into often complex forms to be interpreted by the eye of the beholder. f ebruary 2020

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Miguel Edwards' Ascent recently made its Arizona debut at Grace Renee Gallery.

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“With steel, you can make shapes and forms that defy gravity,” Edwards explains. “You can create curving cantilever forms that look like they stand against our perception of gravity. There’s something conceptually neat about that.”

Energy of movement is an important element of Edwards’ work. His sculptures offer an unlikely balance between the unyielding properties of steel and the fluidity of graceful design.

“Some of my pieces are, in fact, kinetic, but even in those that are not, I like to convey motion,” he says.

“Implied kinetics—that feeling of motion while things are actually standing still—is something I strive.”

Much of his most recent work integrates cast and blown glass, LED bulbs and sensors into his colorful steel designs, enhancing the dance between shadows and light. Each element creates a new layer of depth and leaves the indelible signature of an artist willing to push creative boundaries.

ASCENT One of Edwards’ pieces, Ascent, recently made its Arizona debut at Grace Renee Gallery. The brilliant red steel and cast glass sculpture rises nearly eight feet in height and stretches three feet wide, yet it exudes a nearly ethereal sense of grace.

Separate elements intertwine symbolically as the entire sculpture seems to float weightlessly on a breeze.

Created for the Bellewether Exhibition in Bellevue, Washington where it was positioned in front of City Hall, Ascent has gained a following at exhibitions from Washington to CONTEXT Art Miami, including a twoyear stint with the city of Palm Desert, California, and last summer in Sun Valley, Idaho.

It’s one of Edwards’ favorites, and it is also deeply personal.

“It’s a piece I love,” he says. “It’s an historical piece for me. It was inspired by a spiritual experience that my wife and I shared. It’s about transcendence, levity of spirit and rising up.”

PERSEUS I AND II In 2010, Edwards created Perseus I, a kinetic sculpture built for the CoCA’s “Heaven and Earth II” temporary sculpture exhibit at Carkeek Park. Soaring over 22 feet tall, Perseus I is wind-powered and kinetic. Solar-powered LEDs shine from red and blue crown-like expansions that top a moving pendulum balanced between a tripod of legs. f ebruary 2020

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Miguel Edwards' Ascent is a brilliant red steel and cast glass sculpture that rises nearly eight feet in height and stretches three feet wide.

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“

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it simply changes forms. These bold shapes and implied kinetics are about changing human energy and shifting it toward those places of

“

creativity and inspiration.

EXPERIENCE

What makes Perseus I stand out—other than its original design and impressive size—is an unusual added element.

Edwards collaborated with Tick Tock, a Pacific Northwest-based aerial troupe, to blur the lines between art and performance.

First, Microsoft came knocking. Then, the CFO of Chihuly Studios pointed to Edwards when Special Olympics needed an expert artist to create their epic cauldron—which he did with his characteristic panache.

“People really loved Perseus I,” Edwards says. “Four or five years after the piece had been removed, there were still grooves in the lawn from people interacting with my piece of sculpture. It was a favorite for years.”

INSPIRED ENERGY

In 2016, Edwards topped that accomplishment with a second ideation of Perseus.

“Perseus II was my first big public art piece,” he says. “I started it the year my wife and I got married. It’s three-and-ahalf stories tall and made from steel, cast glass, blown glass and LEDs. It’s kinetic and interactive, and we had to pass a city ordinance to place it there. Even the installers said it was one of their favorite pieces they’ve worked with.”

Perseus II was commissioned by Security Properties, a Seattle-based investment and development firm. It is featured outside of their trendy Janus Apartments building and has become a Seattle landmark.

The massive 35-foot-tall sculpture is integrated into the building itself, with one of its tripod legs passing through a metal awning. It is whimsical and memorable, eliciting the kind of curiosity that stokes Edwards’ creative fires.

After completing Perseus II, Edwards solidified his place among premier metal sculptors. He began to receive referrals for coveted commissions that challenged his artistic finesse and his problemsolving skills.

As Edwards continues to create, he does so with a strong sense of purpose and a never-ending inquisitiveness that is evident in his work.

Defining that purpose can be a bit elusive for the artist.

“I feel like it's changing all the time,” he explains. “It seems like the second I finish an artist’s statement, it’s obsolete.

“When you really get down to the meat and potatoes of it, I just love building beautiful things. It’s exciting to toil away, then take a step back and look at the finished piece and say, ‘Wow, that’s awesome!’ I’ve enjoyed that feeling as photographer and a sculptor my whole life.

“The other thing about making beautiful things is that inspiration and creativity are human traits that are more important every day.

“Energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it simply changes forms.

These bold shapes and implied kinetics are about changing human energy and shifting it toward those places of creativity and inspiration.

“With the state of the environment and of humanity right now, I don’t think I will change the world, but if I can move the scale and get people to ask questions, I’ve accomplished something very good.” migueledwards.com gracereneegallery.com

Artist Reception with Miguel Edwards Thursday, March 19 | 4–7 p.m. | Grace Renee Gallery | Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, Carefree | 480-575-8080 f ebruary 2020 imagesar iz ona .c om gracereneegallery.com

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Scott Yates i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m fe b r uary 2 02 0

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I

It has been said that life is about reinventing one’s self.

When one of Arizona’s most renowned woman chefs, Lisa Dahl, first told me she was opening a burger restaurant in the then-less-than-swanky former Outlets at Oak Creek, I have to confess that my initial thought was that Dahl was morphing into something so out of character that I wasn’t entirely sure even this queen of couture could pull it off.

After all, Dahl is responsible for some of the most iconic upscale restaurants in Sedona. Dahl & Diluca, Cucina Rustica and Mariposa have put the once-sleepy culinary scene of Sedona on the international map.

Even her more casual Pisa Lisa provided a new twist on an old theme that brought a heightened level of class and elegance—Dahl’s signature.

But burgers? I wasn’t sure.

If there is one thing I have learned about Lisa Dahl, however, it is that one should never underestimate her ability to breathe life into the most unlikely, yet most wonderful dreams.

In Butterfly Burger, which opened Sept. 18 on National Cheeseburger Day, not only has she created what’s likely the most hip and splashy burger restaurant in the state (country?), she’s built a menu that turns the boring old burger into a gourmet meal built with layer upon layer of fabulous flavors.

What’s more, with the low-light glamour of a speakeasy, intimate seating and Dahl’s trademark world-class servers, chef and staff, she’s infused her latest restaurant with a je ne sais quoi that goes well beyond great menu selections.

Diners may come for the burgers, bourbon and boozy shakes, but what they get is an unmatched dining experience that brings them back time and again.

“People come up to Sedona, and when they come to our restaurants they expect something different. This is not just about the burger, but the burger must speak.

“Butterfly Burger is a burger place that catches everyone off guard. When they come here, they are prepared to have a fabulous burger, but they don't realize that they are walking into the Cartier of burger places.

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FAVORITE FIXTURE: “We have an extravagant round table with a fabulous granite top that’s wrapped in distressed bronze and a crocodile banquette. In every restaurant, I have a favorite thing I gravitate to, and that’s the thing at Butterfly Burger.”

FAVORITE STAND-OUT FEATURE “The thing that makes the burgers unique, and what makes them so decadent that you don’t forget them is that every burger has a flavor profile that makes you die over the combinations. It makes you want to come back because the first burger you choose is so drop-dead delicious that you want to try the others.”

FAVORITE DESCRIPTION “Whimsical ethnicity. We use flavor profiles found all over the planet to create burgers no one has ever thought of before. For example, our Italian Stallion is slow-roasted Campari tomatoes with Burrata mozzarella cheese and balsamic reduction finished with pesto and arugula—and incredibly gourmet. If you are very sophisticated, that burger is a must-have.”

FAVORITE INGREDIENT “Anybody who knows me knows that I am a self-professed mushroom maniac. Each restaurant has some mushroom thing.

Of course, many of my burgers have them. My favorite is the Fungi Sublime. If you can eat that burger and ‘sublime’ isn’t part of your description, I don’t know what is! You’ll think about that burger for the next month.”

FAVORITE NON-BURGER BURGER “All of my veggie burgers are all delicious and, quite honestly, the Primo Portobello will stand up to any burger or steak sandwich anywhere. The marinade on the portobello alone, along with the incredible caramelized onions with the manchego and smoky chipotle on a grainy bun—ah! Killer!”

FAVORITE SURPRISE HIT “One of the things that I’d hoped would work out and has really worked out is the Mowee Wowee, which is my mahi-mahi flatgrilled fish burger. It’s beautiful! I created a very natural maple teriyaki, which is off the charts. People who love fish sandwiches tell me it’s the best fish sandwich they’ve ever had.”

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dahl Restaurants Sedona

dahlrestaurantgroup.com

2019 Food Pioneer Award Arizona Restaurant Assoc

2018 TOP CHEF Award Arizona Restaurant Assoc

SCOTTSDALE BURGER BATTLE CHAMPION 2016 - THE GRINGO 2018 - THE FUNGHI SUBLIME 2019 - THE WACO KID

PROJECT SOUP HOPE $40,000 DONATED (% OF SOUP SALES)

Chef Lisa Dahl

butterflyburger.com 982-862-4448

cucinarustica.com 982-284-3010

pisalisa.com 982-282-5472

CONTRIBUTED TO Chef Jose Andres World Central Kitchen for disaster relief

mariposasedona.com 982-862-4444

dahlanddiluca.com f ebruary 2020 982-282-5219

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“It’s all about the layering of every element, but it starts with the best quality of ingredients that we can find. We’ve pushed the envelope on all the elements that are needed to pull that off: fantastic meat, cheese, our selection of buns and the sauce combination that makes us extremely unique.”

A WINNING BEGINNING It was the Scottsdale Burger Battle that made Dahl’s wheels begin to turn. She first entered in 2016, not long after she opened the doors of Mariposa Latin-Inspired Grill.

She’d never entered a burger battle; in fact, she’d never even seen one, yet the concept of a comfort zone does not seem to exist for Dahl. She threw her name in the hat and did what she does best.

“The first burger battle was held at the Valley Ho,” she said. “I’d never been there and I’d never even seen one of those concepts. It sounded like fun, and I thought it would be a fun way to promote our lunch opening at Mariposa.

“I’d created my very first burger for the menu at Mariposa called the Gringo Burger. I had no premeditation of what people were going to be cooking up, so I took what I thought was going to be one of the most spell-binding, delicious burgers I could make.

“The Gringo is a Latin twist on an American classic. It’s not trendy or different, it’s just mastery of all the components being right.”

Not only did she impress at the competition, she won. The following year, she was the runner up, and in 2017 and 2018, she again took the title.

“I was the only woman chef, but I was also doing certain things that the others didn’t. When I won People’s Choice, I thought, ‘This ain’t so bad! Maybe we’ve got something!’

“It was the stepping stones that made me go, hey, people like these burgers,” she said.

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EMERGING FROM A CHRYSALIS Those who have followed Dahl know how deeply personal her attachments to her restaurants are.

Lisa’s son, Justin Wesley Jones, was senselessly murdered at the age of 23 when he tried to break up a robbery in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district.

The two of them had been inseparable, and making great food together was often at the center of their love. They talked about opening a restaurant someday to share the recipes they’d come to love through the years.

When Justin died, Dahl packed up her belongings and moved to Sedona, where she felt embraced by the energy of the red rocks. She opened up the restaurant of her dreams, then another, then another.

Her fourth restaurant, Mariposa, which means butterfly in Spanish, is a monument to the beauty and depth of their relationship.

Those who have had the pleasure of tasting some of the most indulgently satisfying flavors imaginable while taking in the restaurant’s breathtaking views and dramatically fantastic décor know just how special Mariposa is.

Many thought four restaurants would be the entirety of her work. After all, each has become wildly successful in its own right, and Dahl herself has earned one award and recognition after another, including hosting two James Beard house performances in New York City.

As it happened, however, Dahl’s story has not yet ended, nor has her ability to express each chapter in a new iteration of culinary accomplishment.

Once again, death has solidified itself as a metaphor in one of Dahl’s restaurants—not as a tragedy, but as a celebration.

In November, Lisa’s mother Dorothy, whose fashionable flair and kind yet determined presence were clearly influential to her daughter, passed away just a few days shy of her 95th birthday. Though her death was not unexpected, it did elicit a tremendous sense of loss— and, like a butterfly, of rebirth.

“Through the whole thing was an amazing closeness,” Dahl said. “In many respects, it was as perfect as

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anything so sad can be. You know your parents are eventually going to die of old age, but there were many, many blessings that were so stunning during the process.

“Mom was a huge force. Everyone around here knew her because of her persona. My mother represented her love of fashion and décor in her own incredibly sweet, humble, non-ego-driven way for over a decade here.”

As she spoke, I smiled at my own memory of Dorothy. Though she was a tiny woman—much like her daughter—she entered a room with quiet elegance. Her outfits were always perfectly coordinated with her hats, and she never seemed to wear the same combination twice.

Not one for fanfare or pomposity, Dorothy likely wouldn’t have wanted much to-do to be made over her life, but because she’d managed to touch an impressive number of lives, quite a few people showed up to pay their respects, and to hear Frank Sinatra sing “Come Fly with Me” one last time in Dorothy’s honor.

“We all felt that we did what she would have wanted. We were lucky to have her for 95 years,” Dahl said.

And so, once again, food is a source for love, sustenance and comfort, and it represents love, loss and all of the delicious beauty of life itself.

SETTING IT FREE As I’ve watched her vision unfold, I’ve realized that, for Dahl, life is not so much about reinventing herself; it’s about peeling away layers to expose and embrace beautiful parts of herself that were previously hidden.

Butterfly Burger isn’t shy about its smooth, sultry vibe. Seating is intimate and decidedly grown-up. Cell phones are discouraged, and there is a dress code (no tank tops, flip flops or provocative clothing allowed). Also, parents are discouraged

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Lisa Dahl is responsible for some of the most iconic upscale restaurants in Sedona.

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from bringing small children because, frankly, it’s just not that kind of place.

What Butterfly Burger does so well is envelope its guests in rich warmth. It invites them to sit down, enjoy a killer cocktail, spend quality time with friends and loved ones and reimagine all they knew about burgers.

“I think it’s a great concept,” said Dahl. “I like the fact that the unique envelope or canvas that it sits in is also an equal part of that experience.

“We want you to hang out feel its arms around you. I want you to love it!”

Though she’s poured no less of herself into the creation of Butterfly Burger than she has building the rest of her small restaurant empire, this particular concept is different.

Unlike Dahl & Diluca, Mariposa, Cucina Rustica and Pisa Lisa, which she built to be constantly nurtured and groomed, Butterfly Burger was built to fly.

Each of her restaurants is like one of her children, and Butterfly Burger is the first restaurant she’s developed that can soar without her.

“It’s huge for me to say this for the first time,” she said.

“It was designed to be a prototype for future restaurants that would not require me to be their mother hen for the rest of their life. It’s a very different thing because the other four restaurants were meant to be little worlds of constant nurturing that were literally like my kids.

“It’s not that I don’t feel a strong sense of love for this restaurant, because I really do. I also feel like I kind of want something that would have its own wings and could start to fly out into the world in a bigger way.”

Butterfly burger represents the new paradigm for Dahl.

“It is the only restaurant that I ever felt this way about. I love it, I adore it, but I don’t feel like I have to live in it.

I want one in all kinds of hip cities. This is part of that metamorphosis that is coming.

“There is a healthy attachment. There was a different feeling I had when I was dreaming it up, and seeing it manifest, I know that it is a transitional new way of looking at myself as a restaurateur.” butterflyburger.com f ebruary 2020

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Robert Elenbaas

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One of the things that I enjoy most about photography is the opportunity to be out by myself. Most people are warm in bed asleep at the hours that I am usually out photographing. I very much enjoy being able to appreciate whatever the setting is without a bazillion people around.

Robert Elenbaas

E

Experiencing the beauty of nature first-hand has an unparalleled positive impact on cognitive functioning, emotional wellbeing and other dimensions of mental health.

A scholarly article published last summer by the American Association for the Advancement of Science provided points of consensus across the natural, social and health sciences on the inherent value of experiences with nature.

The article is just one of countless studies performed over the years that have concluded that the beautiful sights and sounds that can only be found out in nature elicit feelings of peace, joy and serenity—emotions that are closely tethered to the state of being in love.

Although many people may enjoy dinner at a fancy restaurant and a showing of one of this season’s most buzzed-about movies this Valentine’s Day, Arizona has much more to offer those seeking a romantic date night.

Instead of sitting indoors with several strangers in situations that limit conversation, why not opt for an intimate evening picnic with your significant other against the backdrop of one of our state’s stunningly gorgeous sunsets? Afterward, allow Arizona’s birds and insects to provide the heavenly soundtrack to a night of dancing underneath a sky scattered with glimmering stars.

The natural romance of that date will provide you and your Valentine not only with a purely Arizona experience that cannot be replicated in more urban environments but also a feeling of fantastic euphoria.

Anthem resident Robert Elenbaas has enjoyed the benefits of the Valley’s landscapes for the past decade.

Although he admits to occasionally venturing out into nature by himself, he never passes up the opportunity to bring his wife Julia along as he captures our state’s remarkably romantic skies with his camera.

It brings Images Arizona great pleasure to share some of his phenomenal photography with our readers this month. It is our hope that they encourage you to think outside of the box this Valentine’s Day and make a reservation in the most romantic setting imaginable—beneath Arizona’s amorous skies.

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Sunset among the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, can be a truly magical time. For a few, brief moments on this particular evening a wonderous pink hue being reflected from the clouds cast a gentle glow over the entire scene.

Robert Elenbaas

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In early summer it is possible to appreciate the Milky Way as a low arc across the eastern night sky, with the galactic center in the southeast. Being more sensitive to light than the human eye, the camera is able to capture the color and beauty of the billions of stars and nebulae as one looks toward the center of our spiral galaxy.

Robert Elenbaas

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SEEING WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US Fine art, landscape and nature photographer Robert Elenbaas has made it his mission to record and capture images that allow people to see things in the natural world that they would not normally see.

“Our natural world amazes me, be it grand vistas or intimate details one sees only on close inspection,” Elenbaas says. “Through the expressive art form of photography, I seek to communicate aspects of our world people may not normally appreciate—either because of the limitations of human vision or because we just don’t take the time to really see what is in front of us.”

Seeing what is in front of us is critically important.

Elenbaas hopes the people who view his photography gain an improved and enhanced appreciation of the natural world. He also wants people to understand that our continued appreciation of it is dependant on us taking care of and protecting it for future generations.

Be it our national parks, which Elenbaas believes are overused and underfunded, or wilderness areas that most people may never visit because getting to them involves either riding a horse or walking a great distance, he hopes his photography encourages wildlife preservation.

However, he also hopes that it relays something that may never be able to be put into words.

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“It has been said that photography has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them,” Elenbaas says. “My goal is that my images serve as visual metaphors for the emotions I felt when the shutter clicked.”

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Robert Elenbaas first began dabbling in photography while he was in college in San Francisco.

However, at the time, it was merely a hobby since he was studying to become an emergency medicine clinical pharmacist.

“The San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department had a really cool photography center,” Elenbaas says. “It was basically a big darkroom. You could just go there and play around. I did not have a lot of time to do so, but that is when I first developed an interest in photography.”

That interest in photography never faded over the years as Elenbaas paired it with another hobby—wilderness backpacking.

“That takes you to some really amazing places,” he says. “I very much enjoy the outdoors and I like to be able to share with people what I see. My treks would take me to unique places whose wonder I was not skilled enough to relate verbally. In this case, a picture truly did tell the story better than a thousand words.”

The advent of digital photography made accurately relaying those stories significantly easier, especially since Elenbass has had very little darkroom experience. Therefore, upon retirement, he leaned into his interests, moving to Anthem with his wife Julia in 2011.

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“This allows ready access to many varied and beautiful sites in Arizona, Utah, California and other western states—whose marvels comprise the bulk of my current portfolio,” Elenbaas says. “If I am not playing golf, I am doing something related to photography.”

Much of Elenbaas’s portfolio may be seen and purchased at The Gallery at el Pedregal, 34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. relenbaasphoto.com

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The art of R. Nelson Parrish might appear as varied as his background and diverse interests.

Parrish is a painter, sculptor, muralist and photographer.

He is drawn to adventure sports as a means to push the body and mind to further limits. He has traveled around the world. He has worked at a roller rink, in digital marketing and on Capitol Hill.

But move in closer and you will see a common thread that runs through Parrish’s work, philosophy and perspective. It is something that connects all of us: time, our shifting perspective of it, and how to capture a story in a single moment.

“If you look at my entire body of work, it can be seen from the lens of expansion and contraction of time,” Parrish says. “I want to create works that people can come at from multiple vantage points. I like the idea of art being inclusive rather than exclusive. You don’t need to know about the post-modern aesthetic or the neoclassicism that’s in my work to appreciate it.”

All of his art is narrative. It is not painting for painting’s sake or sculpture just to celebrate form, though he does not object to such an approach by others. For Parrish, each piece is a moment in a story this third-generation Alaskan feels compelled to tell. His goal is to coax the observer to pause and connect with a feeling or emotion, and to be inspired.

Writer Shannon Severson Photography by Jonas Jungblut

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R. Nelson Parrish sitting in front of "21 Flags" intallation.

Flag "Ted" to artist's right is currently in the US Senate building in Washington DC. f ebruary 2020

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“In all of my work, the subtext is viewer empowerment,” Parrish says.

“I’m really more interested in creating a piece of work that allows the viewer to transport themselves somewhere else. There’s no wrong answer.

“Most of my works don’t have an orientation. Just like a record album, there are A-sides and B-sides. Some songs are better than others, but I can’t stop you from dropping beats on your DJ set. It’s yours. Art should be dynamic. It reflects a time period, but great artwork is timeless.”

His “21 Flags” series, pieces of which can be seen at Carefree’s Grace Renee Gallery, is a presentation of varied perspectives on the American flag.

“I use the flag as an idea that is inclusive,” Parrish explains. “Each representation of the flag pulls from a part of our history. Our definition of ‘American’ varies and nobody is wrong. When we put it all together, our real strength and power is when we are all unified.”

In some instances, it takes a moment to realize the flag is being depicted because they are abstractions, using paint and sometimes negative space to represent the different iterations and representations of the flag over time. It is a uniquely American artifact with its own mythology and symbolism, celebrated in art, raised or trampled in protest, displayed with pride, brandished in war.

“If you look at the work itself, it’s a reference to time,” Parrish explains.

“The pigment sits stagnant. It’s laid down and dries quickly. Scraping

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SHELBY Fast. Unstoppable. Fearless.

Always ready for a race. Zooms recklessly down the rain-slicked roads.

Accelerates through the darkness, feeling nothing but freedom. f ebruary 2020

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PATSY, LORETTA AND DOLLY Tenacious. Vibrant. Alive.

Spurns convention with conviction and flair.

Equal parts tender and tough. Blazing the trail to the future.

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causes the stripes. History moves along, events—bits and pieces— solidify to define each era. We only get to see that portion of time that shows through.

“Today, history is moving fast. The stripes themselves are almost like film strips or white noise. So much information is coming it us, it can get muddled, but when we step back, it makes sense.”

Parrish purposely painted the flags on paper to show the tenuous nature of democracy.

“America is seemingly robust, but democracy is a fragile thing,” he says. “If you twist it the wrong way, it can’t be put back together.

Our country, written out in the Constitution, is a concept that was well thought out and we are trying to execute that concept well.

“The ideals of America are both a document and an artifact. The Constitution is a piece of paper under bullet-proof glass. That document means so much to so many people and that meaning is represented and illustrated in so many ways.”

Why 21? Parrish notes that in American culture, the number represents an epistemic shift. It is the winning number in Blackjack, the drinking age, the winning point in a pick-up game and the number of gunshots we use to salute our heroes. It is a number that means something has changed.

When he began the project in 2018, it was in response to seeing

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our country experiencing a major shift—a tumultuous presidential election, the ubiquity of the iPhone and the pervasiveness of social media.

“It’s referential to myself, as well,” he says. “I’m no longer just a person, I’m now a father. On a macro level, it’s about what is going on with our country. On a micro level, it’s what was going on with me. Families change; people evolve. And there is nothing wrong with that, but things will never be what they used to be. Tomorrow should always be different than yesterday. Time does not allow us to go backward.”

Up ahead, Parrish envisions a new iteration of the “21 Flags” project in 2021, perhaps at regular intervals in the future. He is keeping the details close to the vest, but he says it will be very different.

“I want to create a series that is referential to what is important in our country,” he explains. “What is it people need to see and be reminded of? There is always work that needs to be done.

ROCKWELL Dedicated. Constant. Traditional.

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“I have always wanted to inspire people. I’m a nobody who grew up 12 miles north of America’s northernmost stoplight. If a guy like me can have the slightest positive effect on culture and society, that means anybody can do it. Hopefully these works will be there to say—in the most American sense possible— if you dream big and work hard enough, it can happen.” rnelsonparrish.com gracereneegallery.com

EXPERIENCE The Art of R. Nelson Parrish a g ea.m.–5 s a r i z o np.m. a.com fe b rRenee uary 2 02 0 | Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, Carefree | 480-575-8080 | gracereneegallery.com | Grace Gallery 56Dailyi|m10

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Since 2009, an eye-catching vintage red truck has enticed Cave Creek’s visitors and locals to turn in and browse Red Truck Trading Company’s broad selection of new and consignment home furnishings and decor.

In 2011, the charming Grotto Café was added to bring even more to the table at this family-owned and operated endeavor.

“Consignment is always fun,” says Louann Robertson, owner of Red Truck Trading Company. “You can always find new pieces. We really try to be different and work hard to create vignettes so people can visualize how the items will look in their homes. We only take things in excellent condition. Both our buyers and sellers are high-end clientele.”

Robertson prides herself on presenting all of her products in organized and attractive ways. There are always new items coming in.

At the time of this writing, there were Zapotec wool rugs, a carved mesquite dining table, a one-of-a-kind midcentury Norwegian desk of solid walnut and a pale gray linen couch that appeared brand new. Many pieces are from vacation homes and are only lightly used.

Red Truck Trading Company’s general manager Antonio Peirce is always accepting new deliveries and re-arranging the store’s treasures.

“We have a lot of international items because of corporate relocations,” Peirce says. “I’ve had teak from Thailand, Antique Persian rugs from Iran. We have options for every room in the house.”

While the business’s 10,000 square feet has always featured about 90% consignment items, Robertson and her son, Curtis Arny, are in escrow to purchase the entire complex, which is also home to Tame Studio Salon and Boutique and Sergio Ladron Art Gallery. At the center of it all, Robertson and Arny are adding an exciting new element: New West Gallery.

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From left, Curtis Arny, Louann Robertson and Mike Seitts invite Cave Creek's visitors and locals to see all that Red Truck Trading Company has to offer.

Writer Shannon Severson Photography Bryan Black and f ebruary 2020 by imagesar iz ona .cLance om Headlee

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New West Gallery showroom

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“New West is our high-end, contemporary Western look,” Robertson says. “It’s a custom line of furniture and will feature the art of Lance Headlee. It’s going to be a great fit for people who want new furniture and then they can add in items from our consignment collection. The furniture is high quality, the manufacturer’s customer service is first class and the price point is good. You don’t want to be married to a couch.”

Step inside New West Gallery to black walls, copper industrial accents and a 16-foot-wide glass wall that opens up to the outdoors where a paved patio will connect to the restaurant’s outdoor eating area.

The American-made furniture at New West Gallery features contemporary shapes with traditional Western-style accents. For example, track armed sofas are covered in ochre leather with nailhead trim. A pair of Zebraupholstered swivel chairs are arranged in front of a Headlee painting entitled, “Animal Protection,” with a boldly depicted Bonnie and Clyde pair in a safari setting. The vibe is fun and unexpected.

“Hopefully it will go over well,” Robertson says. “Lance Headlee’s art is a fresh take on Western. His paintings look great in the gallery space. I love how his version of ‘Bonnie’ is a girl wearing chaps and a hat but holding an iPhone and a vintage Louis Vuitton bag. My own home’s style is straight out of Italy, but his pieces fit right in, as they do with any decor.”

Robertson envisions utilizing the space for special events. With the new connected outdoor space and a planned bar area, it will also expand

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the event capabilities of the popular Grotto Café, which is operated by and co-owned with Arny.

The cafe is part of a pair of buildings originally constructed by the hands of a ceramicist.

Its cement building blocks are inset with sea glass, quartz and accent rocks. The lower consignment area, which once held kilns, has a ceiling of wood batten and columns lined with sculpted ceramic forms. In the cafe itself, windows light the rooms and afford views of the beautifully maintained desert gardens that flow throughout the property.

It feels like a storybook discovery—one that just happens to have really delicious food, drinks, and fun rock-and-roll decor. Robertson’s husband, Mike Seitts is an avid music fan who created the fun vibe that has become the café’s trademark.

“We have developed our menu over time, but I’ve always been passionate about consistency and guest service,” says Arny, whose extensive background with a prominent Southern California restaurant group got him his start in the business.

Red Truck Trading Company showroom

“We make our own pastries, bake our scones and muffins from scratch and we have a dedicated customer base. I’m really proud of our great reviews and it’s exciting to see how much we have grown over the years.”

The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days per week.

While it is a popular spot for visiting snowbirds who are known to enjoy a mid-morning Bloody Mary or Mimosa—yes, they have a liquor license—the endearingly mismatched tables and chairs fill up quickly in the hottest days of summer, too. The rough-hewn stone walls just feel cool and refreshing when the day is blisteringly hot outside.

Arny strives to continue the feeling of family with his staff of 23. He has been able to take his background in large restaurant operating systems and successfully apply it on a smaller scale at Grotto Café.

He has hosted some very special events, including the 90th birthday of famed Hollywood and

The Grotto Café

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RESIDENTIAL

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Broadway choreographer Dee Dee Wood—whose credits include “The Sound of Music,” “Mary Poppins” and Michael Jackson’s Super Bowl halftime show.

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“Dee Dee was even on the cover of Time Magazine,” Arny says. “She comes in often. Being a part of her celebration was really an honor for us.”

We Cover it All!

Robertson has a track record of positive community relationships and running successful businesses.

She has always landed on her feet, even if it means taking a few calculated risks. She owned her own software development company for 12 years and worked with major corporations all over the country.

When Robertson decided to sell the business and stay closer to home in the Cave Creek/Carefree area, she obtained her real estate license and routinely remodeled, staged and sold homes.

“2009 came and it wasn’t a good time to be a real estate agent,” she says. “I needed to re-invent myself once again. I’m kind of the queen of doing that. Everyone except my dad thought I was crazy to open Red Truck Trading, but I did it anyway.”

Taking that chance has led to great success. The iconic red truck that Robertson bought as a birthday present for Seitts continues to bring in customers new and old, and the future remains bright for this industrious hometown family business.

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Writer Shannon Severson

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Twenty years ago, the future of Ballet Arizona—and ballet in Arizona—hung in the balance.

The cultural landscape in Phoenix was in its infancy and struggling to gain a foothold. Within a week of being hired as artistic director by then-Board Chair Gwen Hillis, Ib Andersen was told the entire endeavor would shut its doors if they did not quickly raise $450,000.

“It was a dramatic start,” Andersen recalls. “We raised the money. The first couple of years were scary.

We didn’t know if we would make payroll each week. Sometimes we had to borrow money from board members to pay the dancers. It’s different now, but being in the arts, financing is always a challenge.”

Ballet Arizona is in the midst of its 34th season and is about to bring the Shakespearean comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the stage Feb. 13–16 with the live accompaniment of the Phoenix Symphony.

It is a fantastical tale with a lovable cast of quarreling fairies, mistaken identities and plenty of laughter. It is also an exceptionally beautiful production with new costumes, sets and choreography—all orchestrated

by Andersen, who makes decisions as minute as what threads New York costume designer Fabio Toblini will use in each costume.

“It’s very collaborative and it’s going to be super exciting,” he says. “We started from scratch, one costume and one set at a time. Our sets are being built here under the direction of lighting and set designer Michael Korsch, who I’ve worked with for 19 years. He’s phenomenal.”

FEAST FOR THE EYES, HEART AND IMAGINATION Andersen likens planning each season to cooking a meal from ingredients you already have in your pantry and refrigerator, and on a limited budget.

“You have to think of the meal you haven’t cooked,” he explains. “The thing you haven’t seen, using only what you already have, to present something new. And you might have only carrots and peas!”

Year after year, audiences are delighted by Andersen’s feast for the eyes, heart and imagination. His vision, innate talent and years of dedication have anchored Ballet Arizona as the only professional ballet company

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in the state and brought international acclaim for his visually resplendent and technically superior productions.

All the attention tends to make this natural born introvert a bit uncomfortable. He doesn’t crave the accolades. His reward is seeing his work performed on stage and having the chance to evolve and create every day.

As he reflects back upon years that in some ways have flown by, he notes how the organization and the area have changed and grown.

“Arizona is completely different from when I first arrived,” he notes. “We are a big city now and I think I’ve experienced that expansion and contributed to bringing more of a variety of culture; something for people to experience apart from the nature and good weather.”

One of the game changers Andersen credits for the growth of the school and performing arts company is its move to a 50,000-square-foot headquarters in 2013. With seven state-of-the-art studios, a performance space, offices, costume and scene shops, it has enhanced his ability to attract and train talent from all over the world. The company now employs 30 professional dancers.

“Over 20 years, we have created a repertoire that wasn’t here before,” he explains. “To do the classics, you usually need 50–75 dancers. I had to choreograph in order to bring in those audiences. Without that, we wouldn’t have been able to survive. It’s out of necessity, you could say.”

He’s established some much-anticipated annual traditions at Ballet Arizona, including “All Balanchine,” the dazzling $1.8 million production of “The

Nutcracker” and “An Evening at Desert Botanical Garden,” where dancers perform at sunset with the desert as a stunning natural backdrop.

“I’m proud of what we’re doing at the botanical garden and the money we raised for the new 'Nutcracker' production,” he says. “‘Romeo and Juliet’ also stands out to me. I’m proudest of having lasted this long without slacking. I actually feel I’m better now than I was 20 years ago.”

A BALANCHINE REPETITEUR Throughout his professional career as a dancer, ballet master, choreographer and artistic director, Andersen has excelled.

He began dancing lessons at age 3.

By age 7, he was dancing, acting and singing professionally with the Royal Danish Ballet School.

At the time, the school employed 1,000 people and performed operas, plays and ballets. Andersen recalls catching the bus on his own for the early morning 45-minute trip to the school, where he would train six days per week with performances each night that ended at 11:30 p.m.

Looking back, it was just a different era that allowed him to live life and pursue his passions so independently; he did not know any other life than the one he lived as a young performer and he loved what he was doing.

By age 16, Andersen had joined the Royal Danish Ballet. At age 20, he became the youngest principal in the company’s history and was performing all over Europe. A performance in New York City drew the attention of the New York City Ballet and its legendary co-founder and artistic director, George Balanchine—who is widely regarded as the father of American Ballet.

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For the past 20 years, audiences have been delighted by Ballet Arizona Artistic Director Ib Andersen’s feast for the eyes, heart and imagination.

EXPERIENCE Ballet Arizona’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Feb. 13–16 | 11 a.m.–7 p.m. | Symphony Hall | 2835 E. Washington Street, Phoenix | $25+ | 602-381-1096 | balletaz.org

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“Balanchine was sick that day, but I was invited to a future audition with him in London,” Andersen recalls. “He saw me for five minutes and invited me right away. I couldn’t just walk away from Royal Danish Ballet, so seven months later I moved to New York and danced for 10 years.”

Balanchine was so impressed by Andersen that he created principal roles especially for him. Today, Andersen is one of a handful of choreographers worldwide appointed as a Balanchine Repetiteur, meaning he has been granted authorization by The George Balanchine Trust to stage the legend’s pieces, much to the delight of Arizona audiences.

Because of his talent and notoriety, Andersen was invited back to Copenhagen as a guest choreographer for the Royal Danish Ballet while he was still with New York City Ballet.

“I started choreographing and once you start, you get the bug,” he says.

“You start thinking maybe the next will be even better. I’ve always had an eye for technique and an interest in helping people do better. As a choreographer, you’re basically a teacher. And with that comes the mental side of getting into another dancer’s psyche. Each person is different and responds to certain methods.

“It can be complicated, but it’s also a gift.

You need to have some sort of innate psychology or feeling. I think you have it or you don’t. You can’t learn it. And you have to get along well with people.”

HONORING AND CONTINUING THE LEGACY

“We are so proud to be celebrating these two extraordinary individuals this year,” says Samantha Turner, executive director of Ballet Arizona. “It is safe to say that the company might not exist today without the work of these two passionate people.

“Gwen Hillis rallied the community in support of the ballet 20 years ago when it faced financial crisis. And Ib has created an artistic jewel in the desert that has elevated the arts and cultural offerings in our community for many years.”

As he heads into the next 20 years, Andersen is always dreaming of the next thing, the next challenge. One of those dreams is working with a composer on a commissioned score.

“I’ve tried most things, I think, but I haven’t tried that,” he says. “I have a few composers in mind. The ones I have interest in might take five years to complete it, but it would be fun to do.”

Retirement is not even a passing thought.

“I don’t really believe in retiring unless you really have something to do and you need to do something you love,” he says. “It’s not enough to just have time. You have to have something you use your time for.

“In that way, I want to die working.

Maybe not working as hard as I do now, but I don’t believe in retiring. You need to keep physically fit and your brain active and you need to challenge yourself and hopefully you need to do something you haven’t done before.” balletaz.org

Ballet Arizona is planning to honor the impact and contributions of Andersen and Hillis at its annual Dance with Me Gala at The Camelback Inn on April 18.

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As an 8-year-old boy, Christopher Gabbitas listened to his father's old LPs of choral and classical music recordings from the 60s and 70s. As the record player spun beneath the needle and his world filled with sound, he began to understand the unparalleled power of music.

Thirty-two years later, Gabbitas’s experience with music has expanded beyond even his wildest dreams.

Although he has learned a lot more about it, his earliest inference remains the most resonant: Music makes him happy.

“Whatever else is happening in my life—whatever struggles, difficulties or decisions are concerning me—I can always turn to music and find peace and solitude,” Gabbitas says. “I normally find that, when I am wrestling with a big decision, if I get involved with music for an hour or two, the decision has worked itself out in my mind. It is almost like my therapy.”

Rather than keeping the happiness that he has discovered through music for himself, Gabbitas has made it his life-long mission to share it with the world.

He has been involved with music throughout his entire life, having gone from boy-chorister at Rochester Cathedral in Kent County, England, to choral scholar at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, where he graduated with a law degree. He continued singing even as he began his career as an attorney, performing with a number of different groups.

In 2004, he joined The King’s Singers—a British a cappella vocal ensemble with which he would go on to perform almost 2,000 concerts worldwide, conduct more than 500 master classes and appear in more than 30 commercial recordings.

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Phoenix Chorale's new artistic director Christopher Gabbitas has been involved with music throughout his entire life.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Phoenix Chorale

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He had an exceptionally successful career with the group until late last year, when he announced that he would be stepping down from it.

“A group like that is cyclical,” Gabbitas explains. “You have different forms of membership as time goes on. When I joined The King’s Singers, I was a young guy—the only bachelor in the group. The majority of the members had families so there was a great work-life balance and there was a lot of consideration given to singers who had children.”

At the time, Gabbitas found the situation to be a bit frustrating as he just wanted to carry on singing and touring. But he respected it with the assumption that the same courtesy would be extended to him once he had a family. Unfortunately, the group dynamic eventually shifted younger and Gabbitas found himself becoming the only member with children.

“Without that critical mass of fathers in the group, it was a lot harder for me to maintain a decent balance between touring and home life,” Gabbitas says. “It became obvious to me that my position was a bit untenable. I had also done the repertoire for so long that it was not challenging me anymore.”

Christopher Gabbitas has performed almost 2,000 concerts worldwide, conducted more than 500 master classes and appeared in more than 30 commercial recordings.

Gabbitas looked for a new challenge—one that would not only give him an opportunity to spread his creative wings but also allow him to share with others everything that he had learned over the course of his career as a professional singer.

“What I enjoyed the most during my final few years in The King's Singers was the time that we spent doing master classes and passing on what we knew to choirs,” Gabbitas explains. “We were describing our craft and passing it on to other people. I really enjoyed that process.”

He took an artist professor position at the University of Redlands, teaching a new master’s degree course focusing on elite choral performance along with music business education. He also applied for an artistic director position with Phoenix Chorale at the encouragement of one of its members, his friend Kira Zeeman Rugen.

Christopher Gabbitas opend Phoenix Chorale's season in October with the Lux Aeterna concert series

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Gabbitas had heard of Phoenix Chorale about five years earlier when he stumbled upon its rendition of one of his favorite Christmas carols—“A Spotless Rose” by composer Herbert Howells.

“Each year, I like to create a Spotify playlist of different versions of the song to analyze and compare in terms of pacing, sound, text and diction,” Gabbitas notes. “The clarity and the honesty of Phoenix Chorale’s performance really struck me and I found myself listening to it over and over again. I sought out more of their recordings and tried to find out more about them.”

Gabbitas was delighted to learn this past summer that the chorale had selected him for the artistic director position, granting him an opportunity to work with the group of which he had become a fan. He believes that the collective weight of his experience has prepared him for this exciting new chapter in his career.

“These are some of the finest professional singers in North America,” Gabbitas says. “If you are going to stand in front of people like that, you have got to own your position and know that you are worthy. I think all of my training and experience has brought me to this point where I feel confident to be in front of the Phoenix Chorale.”

Gabbitas’s first year at the helm of Phoenix Chorale will be somewhat

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Christopher Gabbitas will helm Phoenix Chorale's Cosmos and Birth and Rebirth concert series this spring.

of a transition season. He intends to spend plenty of time listening, learning and working out what the singers enjoy and what techniques and procedures they get the most out of through rehearsals and performances.

“When you join a new organization, you cannot come in and present huge swaths of change,” says Gabbitas, noting that he will begin developing a blueprint of how to move forward during his second season with the ensemble.

“You have got to work within the existing framework and not so much change things as grow them—and build upon them organically.

“I am looking forward to working with the singers in the Phoenix Chorale, hearing their ideas and putting performances together as an ensemble. But I am also looking forward to coming in with my own ideas.”

Gabbitas opened Phoenix Chorale's season in October with the Lux Aeterna concert series before taking a brief break for its concerts in December. He returns this spring to helm the ensemble’s Cosmos and Birth and Rebirth concert series.

The Cosmos concert series will take audiences on an interstellar journey through ancient and modern cultures Feb. 28–March 1 with night sky-inspired music. The Birth and Rebirth concert series April 24–26 will then celebrate some of the most timeless and inspiring works for voices, from the Renaissance to the present day.

MUSIC Phoenix Chorale Presents Cosmos imagesariz1 o n|aSee .com fe b r uary 2 02and 0 locations. | $37 | 602-253-2224 | phoenixchorale.org website for times 74Feb. 28–March

“The repertoire in the first season is fairly standard and fairly mixed with a good variety and balance of artistic concepts that lend themselves well to concerts,” Gabbitas says. “Perhaps we will present music with a slightly different interpretation, but we will really just be honoring the wealth of contemporary American choral music.”

As Gabbitas moves into the new horizons that await him, he aspires to use that unparalleled power of music that he discovered long ago for the greater good. He believes that tangible benefits to spiritual, emotional and physical health are manifested not only through regular performance with choral groups and belonging to a community that sings, but also listening to music in general.

“I have seen the benefits that music can bring to children through their education,” Gabbitas says. “I have seen the healing power that music can bring to adults who are struggling.

There are so many people out there who can benefit from music, so I want to share my joy of choral singing as far and as wide as possible.”

Gabbitas believes Phoenix Chorale is the perfect vehicle for that mission.

“Phoenix Chorale is a shining gem in the middle of the desert,” he says.

“It is the most extraordinary group of the most extraordinary people. They are pretty amazing on their own, but when you put them together, they can move mountains. It is that sense of community, dedication, teamwork and family that adds to the sound.” phoenixchorale.org

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art "Standing Textiles" by Fransje Gimbrère Photo by Ronald Smits

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Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s latest exhibition is comprised of objects made out of materials that may surprise you.

Through May 17, museum visitors can stroll through a collection of building materials, home furnishings and fashion accessories that have been transfigured from waste. Sources include polluted air, land and water; the byproducts of manufacturing, mining, agriculture and aquaculture; and even food and human waste.

“I think that people would be surprised to learn what the materials are because the objects are interesting in their own right,” says Jennifer McCabe, director and chief curator of the museum. “What the materials are just adds another layer. I hope that people's curiosity will be sparked and that they may see design and waste in a different way.”

Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined aims to provide Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s visitors with new ways of thinking about design, the life of products and how everything becomes a form of refuse. It is the first exhibition to recognize designers using extreme and inventive upcycling to address the current state of our depleted and polluted environment.

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Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is the second institution to show the traveling exhibition’s works since they debuted last year at Maria and Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The exhibition features the works of 30 international designers and studios—from Asia, Latin America and Europe—who are pioneering a new direction in design by radically transforming waste into useful products in order to reduce our footprint on the earth.

“These are designers who are thinking about how to use waste in new ways so that we can recoup the damages that we are doing, especially as it relates to industry and all of the waste that is produced from that,” McCabe says. “I am always interested in artists who are thinking really smartly about materials. And these artists are pushing the limits of what we consider to be material.”

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s assistant curator Lauren R. O’Connell says that the labs and studios whose objects are on display in the exhibition are making bold moves to rethink the life of a product and its material.

She adds that each object featured in the exhibition has been revived and refreshed.

Therefore, while the materials may at first sound a bit shocking, nothing in the gallery is toxic or harmful.

“In fact, some of the designers are also making billboards that clean polluted air,” O’Connell notes. “The material that they are using actually takes pollutants out of the air. So it is not only a revitalization and refreshing of the pollutants but also a cleaning of our natural resources so that we can better our environment.”

Ginger Gregg Duggan and Judith Hoos Fox of c2-curatorsquared curated Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined in an effort to make a difference in a world in which our waste is overtaking our natural resources.

“In the face of climate change, the more creative minds behind solutions, the better,” they said in a joint statement, adding that the designs featured in the exhibition are both conceptual approaches as well as potential and/or actual products ready for the market.

Fashion accessories that will be on display in the exhibit include coats, shoes and even a ring that was made from condensing a large amount of smog into one cube. Building materials include ceramic tiles that have been colored with metal waste that give them surprisingly beautiful color and texture.

One of O’Connell’s favorite objects in the exhibition is a home furnishing item created by Swedish designer Jesper Eriksson.

“We all recognize and understand that coal is a material that we burn to create energy,” O’Connell says. “But it is also a very big pollutant to our environment. Jesper Eriksson has taken coal and designed these solid, grid-like tables from it. He has taken a material that we understand to be a dirty pollutant and used it to make a beautiful object.”

"TabloidTables flowertable 04" by Vij5 Photo by Vij5

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"Industrial Craft Collection" by Charlotte Kidger

McCabe is especially drawn to textiles that have been reimagined as a 3D-woven bench that essentially flips the fashion industry waste on its head.

“They are decorative rather than something that you would wear,” says McCabe, noting that the entire gallery has the distinct feel of a design show.

O’Connell notes that many of the designers whose works are featured in Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined are recent graduates or faculty of design academies and universities.

“They do not necessarily have a lot of platforms to share their discoveries,” she adds. “Contemporary art museums are the perfect places to show these objects. They are spaces for conversations—especially about things that are still somewhat experimental.”

In conjunction with the exhibition, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will also present a series of programs Feb. 13–17 through a collaboration with the Center for Philosophical Technologies—a strategic initiative of Arizona State University and a global hub for critical and speculative research on philosophy, technology and design.

EXPERIENCE Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined i m a g e s a17 r i z|oSee n a . cwebsite o m fe bfor r uary 0 hours2 02 | Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art | 7374 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale | $10 | 480-874-4666 | smoca.org 78Feb. 1–May

Each Visit includEs:

• Visual inspection of all rooms • Check HW heater • Check for pests, insects • Check landscaping, pool and spa • Check for signs of leaking • Check thermostats • Visual inspection of garage and systems • Run water, flush toilets • Check fridge

Weekly Checks While You’re Away Dubbed “Design Reboot: An International Conversation on Design Rehabilitation,” the weeklong event includes public talks, student workshops and networking events featuring six of the exhibition’s international designers.

Among the public talks is a Feb. 15 event that Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art has titled “Waste Not: Sustainable Approaches to Design,” during which the designers will discuss innovative approaches that address diminishing natural resources.

On Feb. 17, the discussion will move to Arizona State University for “Alchemical Design: Reimagining Sustainability”—a public talk focusing on the scientific complexities of sustainable design.

Peace of Mind While You’re Away.

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O’Connell hopes that by bringing Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the institution will be opening a dialogue between the international designers whose objects are featured in the exhibition with the innovative designers and thinkers here in the Valley.

“We buy products and we use them,” O’Connell says. “Then we throw them away and we do not know where they go. So I would really love for people were to come see how beautiful waste can be once it is turned into design but also think about a product's life—from its creation to its use to its disposal.” smoca.org

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Roasted Strawberry Cheese Danish This sweet breakfast is the perfect way to wake up your special someone this Valentine’s Day! Makes: 4–6 pastries

Ingredients: 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (thawed) 8-10 medium strawberries (sliced) 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature) 1 egg yolk 1-2 tablespoon sugar (depending on your preference) ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon zest ½ cup seedless raspberry jam

Directions: Combine softened cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in small bowl. Beat with hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment and lay puff pastry on top. Cut into heart shape using a cookie cutter or freehand. Peel away the puff pastry, leaving the cutouts on the baking sheet. Reuse the pastry as desired.

Spoon a small amount (about 1 tablespoon) of the cream cheese mixture on each heart, leaving a small border around the edge. Top each heart with sliced strawberries. Warm the raspberry jam until smooth and brush onto fruit.

Brush the edges of the puff pastry with an egg wash or a tiny bit of cream and sprinkle with additional sugar. If your dough is quite soft, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Bake until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.

Chef's Notes: Any combination of berries will work. Use your favorite or what you have on hand.

I didn’t have a cookie cutter the size I wanted, so I cut out the hearts with a knife. You could do these in any shape you desire, but make sure it is big enough to accommodate the cheese filling and fruit.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

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You can use any flavor of jam that you wish. It works better if it is smooth.

M I C H A E L

M c K E E

Celebration of Fine Art Studio #157

I strive to create dynamic landscapes of the southwest featuring distinctive, joyful color.

Come and see me at ‘Celebration of Fine Art’.

Jan 16 - March 29 (Hayden and the 101) We can also schedule a personal visit if you would rather see my work in your home. Together, we’ll try to find a beautiful piece that brings joy to your life.

Your friend in Art - Michael

m i c h a e l m c k e e g a l l e r y. c o m Call for a home visit; 630-779-3793 f ebruary 2020

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Herbed Cauliflower Mash This creamy side dish is a great and yummy alternative to regular mashed potatoes!

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 1 large head cauliflower (trimmed and cut into florets) 3 tablespoons butter 1-2 cloves garlic (minced) Âź cup sour cream Âź cup grated parmesan 2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped) 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped) Salt and pepper

Directions: Steam cauliflower until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to pot, covering with lid. Allow to sit for a few minutes or longer.

When ready to proceed, add steamed cauliflower to food processor and pulse until smooth.

Add butter to pot along with garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant.

Add the pureed cauliflower to pot with butter/garlic mixture and stir in sour cream, parmesan, dill, parsley, and salt & pepper to taste.

Stiruntil combined, adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Chef's Notes: Use cream cheese, plain yogurt or heavy cream in place of the sour cream.

Use any combination of fresh herbs that you have on hand.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

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Feel free to use any cheese you like. Make it your own and tailored to what you are serving it with.

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