Images Arizona February 2021

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f ebruary 2021

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CAPTURING MOMENTS Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Jonas Jungblut

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COMMUNITY EVENTS Writer Joseph J. Airdo

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OFRENDA Writer Shannon Severson Photography Courtesy of Alexi Rose Productions

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ANIMAL ATTRACTION Writer Joseph J. Airdo

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Photography by Lisa A. Langell

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A HOME FOR LIFE Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Bryan Black

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STRAWBERRY SPRING SALAD Writer and photographer Kyndra Kelly

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f ebruary 2021

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

MANAGING EDITOR Joseph J. Airdo

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Hanie

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph J. Airdo Amanda Christmann Kyndra Kelly Shannon Severson

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Brandon Dunham 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 © 2020 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

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

I

It seems as though with each and every issue of Images Arizona that I have published for the past 20-plus years, I find more and more things to love about our incredible community. From the tremendously talented artists and performers to the hugely generous organizations and businesses and everything in between, I have come to value finding new reasons to cherish our unique little corner of the world each month. And it truly is an honor to spread that love to our readers.

What is even more inspiring, though, is how the concept of love permeates every nook and cranny of our community. As I look through the pages of this month’s issue, I see innumerable interpretations and variations of how love strengthens, enhances and benefits our lives.

This month’s photo essay showcases love — in all of its forms, from romantic to familial — in Arizona’s animal kingdom. Not only does it offer insight into the many ways we can emulate the magnanimous, unconditional love of our desert coinhabitants in our own relationships but it also illustrates the unparalleled passion that photographer Lisa A. Langell has for nature as well as for her craft.

In fact, love for one’s craft happens to be an overarching theme throughout this month’s issue. Artist R. Nelson Parrish, artist Katalin Ehling, architect Nick Mancusi and singer Isabella Martin each exhibit an exorbitant amount of appreciation for the talents and skills that they have worked so hard to perfect. They love what they do and that shows through the unrivaled excellence of their individual gifts.

Meanwhile, Michael Stone and Carlos Marquez demonstrate love through their friendship. They also do so through their determination to deliver a unique dining venue to the community — a quality that is also displayed by the various restaurant and business owners whose voices and stories are represented in this month’s issue as they express their gratitude for their customers.

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

Love is quite evidently all around us in everyone we meet, everywhere we go and everything we do. And love begets love so that makes me love our community all the more.

Local First A R I Z O NA 6

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Cheers!

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

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CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY + ART

– AARON HENRY JEWELRY– The hallmarks to Aaron Henry jewelry are design integrity, gemstone quality, fine craftsmanship and attention to detail. Each brilliant piece is hand-crafted bringing classical Old World quality to modern design.

[

February 5–6

Call for private appointment or come by to meet the designer of Aaron Henry Jewelry.

Grace Renee Gallery 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 Hours Tue.–Wed. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Thur.–Sat.10 a.m.–7 p.m.

By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080 8

GraceReneeGallery.com i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m fe b r uary 2 02 1

]

Aaron Henry Designs 18-karat gold with diamonds and fine gemstones. f ebruary 2021

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Artist R. Nelson Parrish began his career as a photographer more than 20 years ago — not to observe the world through a lens, as many photographers aim to do, but to record emotions, time and experiences.

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i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m fe b r uary 2 02 1 Writer

Amanda Christmann | Photography by Jonas Jungblut

W

When a sawyer creates wooden beams for use in homebuilding or other construction projects, they begin with a raw and natural log. Through a process called hewing, the rounded edges are sliced off, turning the log’s beautiful, flawed and unique natural surface into a flat, standardized plane that can be cut into unremarkable pieces of lumber.

The discarded edges of this process, which contain the tree’s individuality, are called “flitch.” They’re considered to be scrap, though some would argue this idea from a philosophical perspective.

Whether or not contemporary artist R. Nelson Parrish intended to make a profound statement about trees, create a metaphor about discarded beauty or simply evoke discussions, thoughts and feelings, he’s achieved his goal in his new Narrative Artifacts series.

By incorporating flitches, cairns, bio-resin and striking color, he has created visceral and tangible narratives that reflect very real aspects of our lives.

The Alaskan artist’s Narrative Artifacts series may seem, at first glance, to be a divergence from his earlier work, but look a little closer, and the common threads are there. Beyond striking use of color — or strategic lack of color — and expert technique, Parrish has a knack for depicting the intangible and borderless construct of time in everything he does.

“A lot of my work deals with the expansion and contraction of time,” Parrish says. “Narrative Artifacts is about making time tangible. The crux of my entire practice has always been the marriage of concept and

craft. I like to take an idea and I like to execute that idea really, really well.”

Vivid, time-lapsed stripes of color define his Sunset Strip Motion Studies series. A profoundly allegorical study of the American flag’s meanings throughout our country’s history are represented in his 21 Flags series. Stark black-and-white snapshots of signs show us who we are in his This Great Land series.

Through these creations, Parrish gives us glimpses into moments. What is different about this latest series is that it’s an exploration meant to be touched as much as it is meant to be viewed.

THE PERFECT SLICE OF A MOMENT

Parrish talks about his newest installation at Carefree’s Grace Renee Gallery from behind a screen on FaceTime — another sign of the times, as it were.

With untamed curly, brown hair, a casual plaid shirt and well-worn jeans, he looks as approachable as his art. He speaks with candor and intelligence.

“Narrative Artifacts is really about finding visceral moments in our lives that we cannot explain or verbalize using traditional verbiage or words, and expressing those moments in color and form,” he says.

“Art is often seen as a ‘hands behind your back, only look, can’t touch’ kind of thing. Narrative Artifacts gives the viewer license to touch them.

“For example, cairns are stacks of rocks that mark trailheads or paths. Inevitably, they fall and they get rearranged over time. I wanted to take that idea of

f ebruary 2021

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By incorporating flitches, cairns, bio-resin and striking color, contemporary artist R. Nelson Parrish has created visceral and tangible narratives that reflect very real aspects of our lives in his latest series — which is now on exhibit at Carefree’s Grace Renee Gallery.

R. Nelson Parrish says that his Narrative Artifacts series is really about finding visceral moments in our lives that we cannot explain or verbalize using traditional verbiage or words, and expressing those moments in color and form.

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using the metaphor of the trail as life’s journey. Most of our memories have pivotal moments, represented by the cairns, that shape our paths. When we go back and reflect on those moments, it’s often in a non-linear fashion.

“Those memories, like cairns, are connected; they belong to each other, but they can be rearranged and viewed in a way that relates and is relevant to our lives right now.”

Flitches is a unique element for artwork; but to Parrish, it makes perfect sense.

“Almost like a photograph, a flitch represents the perfect slice of a moment,” he says. “It’s the combination of the manmade and the natural and organic versus synthetic. I like that marriage. All of the flitches I use are reclaimed from mills. I see them as these absolutely beautiful moments. Instead of taking a photograph of the moment, I put the experience into the flitches.

“Flitches represent a kind of suspension of time. They quite literally hang from the ceiling, suspended in space. They allow the viewer to experience a small slice of that moment, and it opens up a much larger engagement.”

BEYOND SPOKEN WORDS

Like his art, Parrish is better described through actions than in words. He began his career as a photographer more than 20 years ago — not to observe the world through a lens, as many photographers aim to do, but to record emotions, time and experiences.

f ebruary 2021

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As an avid fan of auto racing, skiing and surfing, R. Nelson Parrish has an obsession with speed — not so much for competition, but because of the sensation of adrenaline running through his veins. He’s drawn upon that feeling many times in his work as an artist.

“

Life on this planet isn't very long. If I can make things that continually inspire people after I’m gone, regardless of race, creed, socioeconomic background, or any other category we divide each other into, then I’m doing my job.

R. Nelson Parrish

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As an avid fan of auto racing, skiing and surfing, he has an obsession with speed — not so much for competition, but because of the sensation of adrenaline running through his veins. He’s drawn upon that feeling many times in his work.

Parrish once served as an intern in the United States Senate. He also once swam 19 miles across the Santa Barbara Channel to experience and understand the color blue. He’s a free but critical thinker, and is one of those fascinating people who can discuss politics and policy as keenly as he can talk about art or music.

“If you want to understand something, you have to dive right on in and get to know it,” he says. “A lot of our experiences go beyond spoken words — in fact, there are no words for them.

“That’s why I call these ‘artifacts,’” he says of his latest series. “They are the launchpad for what I consider to be art dialogue between art and the viewer. Really what I’m trying to make is those moments.”

As such, his art is more of an undeniable calling than a career.

“Life on this planet isn't very long,” he says.

“If I can make things that continually inspire people after I’m gone, regardless of race, creed, socioeconomic background, or any other category we divide each other into, then I’m doing my job.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about me; it’s about the work and how it connects to people.

“That’s art.”

EXPERIENCE

The Art of R. Nelson Parrish f ebruary 2021 imagesar iz ona .c om Grace Renee Gallery | Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree | 480-575-8080 | gracereneegallery.com

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COMMUNITY

2021 FEBRUARY

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Jan. 15–March 28

ARIZONA FINE ART EXPO Organizers will transform North Scottsdale into Arizona’s premier venue for collecting fine art during the 10-week Arizona Fine Art Expo. The event will feature 124 patronfriendly artist studios in a 44,000 square-foot space, where guests have a rare chance to meet the artists, see them in action and learn about their journey, inspiration and techniques. $10 season passes; senior, military and youth discounts available.

10 a.m.–6 p.m. 26540 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480837-7163; arizonafineartexpo.com

Dec. 17–March 18

Keep in mind Although Images Arizona magazine has made every effort to publish

comedy “The Odd Couple.” See

Scottsdale artist Sherry Blanchard is

Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-

being featured via a solo exhibition.

483-1664; desertstages.org

traditional and representational styles, the artist loves the American West as its history and tradition

other factors associated with the

inspires and informs much of

COVID-19 pandemic. Please use

her work. Free. Mayo Clinic,

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production of Neil Simon’s classic

Stages Theatre, 7014 E. Camelback

that illuminates her work in both

confirm dated details.

Desert Stages Theatre will present its

Center for Humanities in Medicine,

at press time, some events may be

the contact information provided to

THE ODD COUPLE

website for times and price. Desert

Known for the richness of color

with social distancing measures and

Jan. 22–Feb. 14

In conjunction with the Mayo Clinic

the most up-to-date information canceled or rescheduled to comply

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SHERRY BLANCHARD STUART SOLO EXHIBITION

Building 3 — Second Floor Hall, 5777 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. sherryblanchardstuart.com

Jan. 26–Feb. 7 GET HAPPY

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present Angela Ingersoll in a concert of Judy Garland classics. See website for prices. 7 p.m. Central United Methodist Church, 1875 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

Jan. 29–Feb. 21

WALKIN’ THE LINE Arizona Broadway Theatre will present a tribute show during which audiences can relive the amazing songs of Johnny Cash.

The show will feature Scott Moreau, who starred as Cash in the national tour of the Broadway hit “Million Dollar Quartet.” See website for price and times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org

Feb. 1

GEOLOGY ROCKS WEBINAR The Holland Center will welcome guest speaker Chad Kwiatkowski for a webinar about the geology of the Cave Creek area. $10. 6:30 p.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Feb. 2

Right coverage.

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Right here in town.

ANTHROBITES: THE ARTS The Holland Center will welcome anthropologist Jan Downey for a virtual discussion on the subject of art. Participants will learn how art is conceived by people in different societies, what its function is and why we sometimes disagree about its definition. $20. 10 a.m.

RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Feb. 2

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ASU CHAMBER WINDS Jason Thompson will conduct an uplifting evening of music and song with Arizona State University’s Chamber Winds. $10. 7:30 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Feb. 2–28

FRITZ SCHOLDER EXHIBITION The Larsen Gallery will host an exhibition of Fritz Scholder’s works that will include original paintings, limited edition graphics, sculptures and books. Having sold more than 300 of the artist’s works at a value exceeding $6 million, the gallery will celebrate Scholder’s legacy as an important 20th-century figure. Free. Larsen Gallery, 3705 N. Bishop Lane, Scottsdale. 480-941-0900; larsengallery.com

Feb. 4

CAREFREE ART WALK Stroll, shop, dine and enjoy an evening celebrating the arts in

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downtown Carefree while helping to support local businesses and local creativity — which makes our Arizona culture a better place to live, work and visit. Begin at any gallery, then continue on to other participating galleries. Enjoy a diverse display of artistic styles and mediums, meet the artists, enjoy refreshments and engage in conversation about art and architecture. Free. 4–8 p.m. See website

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for participating galleries. visitcarefree.com f ebruary 2021

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Feb. 14

VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER Chef Marcellino Verzino will create a special menu for Valentine’s Day that will feature a diverse selection of favorite dishes from which guests may choose.

Delectable entrees will include Santa Lucia, filet mignon and Zuppa di Pesce Royale. Guests can pair their meal with imported Italian wines and beers or enjoy a special cocktail from the chef’s personalized mixology list. The memorable evening will also feature music by Monte Procopio. Additionally, the chef will be preparing his special panna cotta dessert throughout the weekend. Marcellino Ristorante will also offer beautiful “Baskets of Amore” to-go for those who prefer a romantic evening at home. Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale. 480-9909500; marcellinoristorante.com

Feb. 5

DESTROYED AND DAMAGED ART

Feb. 5 and 6

AARON HENRY JEWELRY

practice their drawing skills with a series of fun portrait prompts. Students will learn life drawing techniques

The Holland Center will welcome

Grace Renee Gallery will welcome

as they engage their imagination to

Nicolette Bonnstetter for a virtual

the designer of Aaron Henry Jewelry

illustrate how they would like to be

discussion about who would

during an event that showcases

seen. The workshop, which will be

destroy art and why they would

the brand's brilliant pieces — each

offered virtually on Zoom, is designed

do it as part of her Art, Coffee and

of which is hand-crafted, bringing

to inspire children's creativity and give

Conversation class. $5. 10 a.m.

classical Old World quality to modern

students the opportunity to develop

RSVP. hollandcenter.org

design. The hallmarks of Aaron Henry

important avenues for self-expression.

Jewelry's lines are design integrity,

Free. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. RSVP.

gemstone quality, fine craftsmanship

visiongallery.org/vision-kids

Feb. 5

DORRANCE DANCE

and attention to detail. Free. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum

Founded by Michelle Dorrance,

Road, Suite 7, Carefree. 480-575-

Dorrance Dance will perform a

8080; gracereneegallery.com

program featuring the exhilarating “Myelination,” the Bessie Awardwinning “Three to One” and the

Feb. 6

Feb. 6

BROADWAY PERSPECTIVES: A CONCERT CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second

VISION KIDS: IMAGINATIVE PORTRAITS

St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587;

Chandler's Vision Gallery will host a

Broadway cabaret in a unique

scottsdaleperformingarts.org

class during which Clayton Swenson

recognition of Black History Month.

whimsical “Jungle Blues.” $25+.

8 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the

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will encourage youth aged 6–16 to

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Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present a brand-new

The show will feature some of Broadway’s top Black artists performing their signature works as well as roles that Black artists have not traditionally played. $28+. 8 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Feb. 6–Aug. 22

DIEDRICK BRACKENS: ARK OF BULRUSHES

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Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art debuts an exhibition with

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new works by artist Diedrick Brackens that incorporate textiles with

CathyHotchkiss.com

ideas of agency to advance change. In this series of works, Brackens forms visual allegories of emancipation by intertwining symbology from the Underground Railroad and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, offering a meditation on liberation, the climate crisis and the power of craft. The colorful and textural landscapes are filled with constellations, rivers, coded patterns, boats and Black figures that, together, create narratives of hope in times of oppression and turbulence. $10; youth, student and senior discounts available. Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St.,

WaltDanley.com ChristiesRealEstate.com

Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org

Feb. 9

ANTHROBITES: SHAMANS AND HEALERS The Holland Center will welcome anthropologist Jan Downey for a virtual discussion about the important role shamans and healers have held within small-scale societies for most of human history. $20. 10 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Feb. 11

FERMENTED FOODS WEBINAR The Holland Center will welcome guest speaker Garden Goddess Suzette Smith for a virtual presentation about how fermented foods can boost your immune system. $25. 10 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Feb. 12

TRAVEL TALK: FREQUENT FLYER MILES The Holland Center will welcome guest speaker David Decker for a presentation about how to get, use and maximize the value of frequent flyer miles. Both in-person and virtual attendance options are available. $10. 10:30 a.m. RSVP. The Holland Center, 34250 N 60th St, Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org

f ebruary 2021

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Feb. 20–Sept. 5 VOICE-OVER: ZINEB SEDIRA

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art presents an exhibition of the personal and political work of artist Zineb Sedira, who creates work with expansive themes around memory, migration and the archive.

Posing important questions on the relation between history and aesthetics, trauma and form, the artist has established herself as a significant voice in a global contemporary art world conversation. $10; youth, student and senior discounts available. Wednesday– Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale.

480-874-4666; smoca.org

Photo Courtesy of Thierry Bal

Feb. 13

DESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY’S VIRTUAL CELEBRATION

Cave Creek Museum. Watch history

power of the human spirit. $36+.

come alive as the ten 1,000-pound

7:30 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the

stamps slam down in synchronized

Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second

precision and hear the pounding

St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587;

echo against the desert foothills —

scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Desert Foothills Library will host a

just as it did more than 140 years

creative re-imagining of its annual

ago. Also on exhibit outdoors on

gala, which is part of a month-long

the museum campus are various

celebration of the library’s past, present

pieces of equipment from the early

and future. Participants will receive an

mining days of Arizona and many

artisanal charcuterie sampler, a bottle

agricultural tools used at local

LUNCH AND LEARN: GNOCCHI SORRENTINA

of champagne, a floral centerpiece, a

farms and ranches. See website for

Marcellino Ristorante will host a

commemorative library memento, a

times. Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E.

cooking class during which chef

special “I Love My Library Month”

Skyline Drive, Cave Creek. 480-488-

Marcellino Verzino will teach

video and access to a silent auction

2764; cavecreekmuseum.org

participants to cook a blissful dish

and raffle. $125+. dfla.org

Feb. 13

GOLDEN REEF STAMP MILL DEMONSTRATION

20

Feb. 15

that features light purple potato,

Feb. 14

RENÉ MARIE QUINTET CONCERT

pasta and parmigiana orbs in a creamy gorgonzola sauce. After the class, guests will enjoy a delectable lunch of the chef’s dish, a fresh

Jazz vocalist René Marie will

organic salad and Marcellino’s

perform a concert of music that

delicious biscotti. $50. 1 p.m. RSVP.

Arizona’s only fully operational

is an exploration of the bright

Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E.

ten-stamp ore crushing mill will run

and dark corners of the human

Stetson Drive, Scottsdale. 480-990-

several outdoor demonstrations at

experience and an affirmation of the

9500; marcellinoristorante.com

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m fe b r uary 2 02 1

Feb. 16

ANTHROBITES: SEX AND GENDER The Holland Center will welcome anthropologist Jan Downey for a virtual discussion about the difference between sex and gender. $20. 10 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Feb. 16

MERZ TRIO CONCERT Praised for their fresh and surprising interpretations, Merz Trio will perform a concert of interpretations of traditional classical music and 21st-century compositions with violist Jordan Bak. $19+. 7:30 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Feb. 17

HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE WEBINAR Hospice of the Valley will sponsor an online talk through the Holland Center to inform participants how hospice supports patients and families in their homes, when hospice is appropriate and how Medicare and insurance companies cover the cost. $10.

11 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Feb. 18

THE IMPACT OF MUSIC ON YOUR BRAIN The Holland Center will welcome guest speaker Dr. Ron Bonnstetter for a virtual presentation about how listening to music can decrease anxiety, speed healing, increase optimism and decrease pain. $10. 10 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Learn with us!

Black Mountain Elementary School PERFORMING ARTS SPANISH PRE-K-6

2021

Enrollment NOW OPEN

Desert Sun Academy FRENCH IMMERSION STEAM SPANISH PRE-K-6

Feb. 19 and 20

BUYING AND APPRAISAL EVENT With a reputation for offering expert advice to people looking to buy, sell, trade or consign coin collections and precious metals since 1980, American Federal Rare Coin and Bullion will partner with renowned appraisers from the worlds of jewelry, watches and antiques to host a two-day-only buying and appraisal event. Free, fair and honest valuations will be available as will no-pressure, onthe-spot cash offers to buy. Free. American Federal Rare Coin and Bullion, 500 Easy St., Carefree. 800-221-7694; americanfederal.com

CAVE CREEK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT is inspiring excellence in young minds. Explore our five A+ elementary schools – each with its own signature curriculum.

Or, consider The Cave Creek Academy of Excellence, a fully online K-12 school offering exceptional online education.

Desert Willow Elementary School SPANISH IMMERSION INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SPANISH PRE-K-6

Horseshoe Trails Elementary School

llment Now Open 2021 Enro

Registration online at: www.ccusd93.org/Page/8080

CHINESE IMMERSION HORSEMANSHIP CHINESE PRE-K-6

Lone Mountain Elementary School 480.575.2000 www.CCUSD93.org f ebruary 2021

STEM PROGRAM CHINESE PRE-K-6

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Feb. 20

VISION KIDS: NOT-SO-EMPTY BOWLS Inspired by the Empty Bowls Project, Chandler's Vision Gallery will host a class during which Sylvia Fugmann-Brongo will teach youth aged 6–16 to create imaginative bowls out of air-dry clay representing the things in their lives that nourish them. Families are encouraged to bring a canned food donation for a local food bank when they pick up supplies for the workshop which, offered virtually on Zoom, is designed to inspire children's creativity and give students the opportunity to develop important avenues for self-expression. Free. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. RSVP. visiongallery.org/vision-kids

Feb. 20

THE NIGHT THE GRANDFATHERS DANCED Artist Katalin Ehling will participate

space adventure. See website for

Feb. 23

Theater, 1611 W. Whispering

ANTHROBITES: RACE AND ETHNICITY

Wind Drive, Suite 9, Phoenix.

The Holland Center will welcome

starlightcommunitytheater.com

anthropologist Jan Downey for

price and times. Starlight Community

in Desert Foothills Library’s month-

a virtual discussion about how

long Love Your Library celebration

our understanding of race and

with a virtual reading from “The

Feb. 23

ethnicity informs our relationships

book in which her artwork was used.

CHOPIN: TORMENT AND TRIUMPH

During the virtual program, Ehling

Pianist Jeffrey Siegel will explore

will encourage children to create

Chopin’s sparkling Waltz in E-flat,

their own art inspired by the story

gorgeous Nocturne in F-sharp,

and share with them what it is like to

diabolical Scherzo No. 2 and

13 AUDITIONS

be an artist. Free. 11 a.m. dfla.org

masterful B-flat minor Sonata, which

Desert Foothills Theater will audition

boasts the most famous funeral

potential cast members aged 12–15 for

march ever composed. $25+. 7:30

its upcoming production of “13.” RSVP.

p.m. Scottsdale Center for the

See website for times. The Holland

Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second

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

St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587;

480-488-1981; dftheater.org

Night the Grandfathers Danced,” a

Feb. 20–28

STAR STARS: THE FRANCHISE AWAKENS Starlight Community Theater will present its production of “Star Stars: The Franchise Awakens,” a loving,

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loopy parody of fandom and a certain

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m fe b r uary 2 02 1

scottsdaleperformingarts.org

with others. $20. 10 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

Feb. 25–28

Feb. 26–March 21

CRAZY FOR GERSHWIN

instruments, percussion and voice during a concert that is part of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts MusicaNova-curated

Arizona Broadway Theatre fan-favorite Kurtis

classical lounge series. The trio's music

Overby will perform a musical spectacular

encompasses a wide variety of styles —

that will transport audiences back to the days

including ancient Bambara songs, music

when Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced

from the African diaspora and original

across the silver screen to classic Gershwin

compositions and improvisations inspired

hits. The toe-tapping production will feature

by each member’s musical background.

favorite tunes such as “I’ve Got Rhythm,”

In-person and livestream ticketing options

“A Foggy Day,” “Let’s Call The Whole Thing

are available. $24+. 2 p.m. Scottsdale Center

Off” and “S’Wonderful,” coupled with musical

for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St.,

mashups and more. See website for price

Scottsdale. musicanovaaz.org

Tankless Water Heaters Starting at:

$4796*

and times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org

March 1

WILDLIFE WISDOM

Feb. 27

JEREMY JORDAN CONCERT

The Holland Center will welcome Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center’s education director Robyn Moul for a

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Desert Awareness Committee presentation

will welcome film, television, cabaret and

that features live animals. Free. 6:30 p.m.

Broadway star Jeremy Jordan as part of its

The Holland Center, 34250 N 60th St,

Seth Rudetsky concert series. $45+. 8 p.m.

Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-4998587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Feb. 27

March 2

ANTHROBITES: CULTURAL APPROPRIATION

VISION KIDS: POP-UP ACCORDION BOOKS

The Holland Center will welcome

Chandler's Vision Gallery will host a class

how it differs from cultural appreciation.

during which Jennaway Peterson will teach

$20. 10 a.m. RSVP. hollandcenter.org

• • • •

Enjoy Endless/Instant Hot Water Adjust Using WiFi Connectivity Increase Savings Little to No Maintenance

anthropologist Jan Downey for a virtual discussion about cultural appropriation and

Prefer the Older Tech?

No Problem. That’s Easy For Us!

youth aged 6–16 some fun bookmaking skills with a zig-zagging accordion design.

When the book is created, students will add

March 5 and 6

pop-up element. The workshop, which will

OH SOLO WAINWRIGHT: AN EVENING WITH RUFUS

be offered virtually on Zoom, is designed to

Vocalist, songwriter and composer Rufus

inspire children's creativity and give students

Wainwright will perform a concert of songs

the opportunity to develop important

from his self-titled debut album “Poses”

avenues for self-expression. Free. 10 a.m. and

and his second album “Want One.” $55+.

1 p.m. RSVP. visiongallery.org/vision-kids

8 p.m. Friday; 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday.

the content of their choosing and a surprise

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts,

Feb. 28

BURKINA DREAMS IN THE DESERT AZ63 — the trio of Sonja Branch, Arouna and Zaza Diarra — will play a mix of string

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7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-4998587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

480.478.3384 f ebruary 2021

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KIWANIS HOSTS ‘MISTY EVENT’ The Kiwanis Club of Carefree recently hosted a “Misty Event” at the Sanderson Ford Pavilion in Carefree. Chaired by the organization’s president Kimberly Marie Jack, the program featured a patriotic song and story by Ted Dimon followed by a presentation to Desert Foothills Library of a $50,000 donation to support its teen room. Donnie Veal then provided novel insight into his career as an aspiring professional baseball player and a major league baseball scout. kiwaniscarefree.org

March 7 MOMIX

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will welcome MOMIX, a company of dancer-illusionists under the direction of Moses Pendleton.

Known internationally for presenting work of exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty for more than 40 years, MOMIX has been celebrated for its ability to conjure up a world of surrealistic images, using props, light, shadow, humor and the human body. $29+. 7:30 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-4998587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

KIWANIS RECAPS CHRISTMAS EVENT Carefree’s regular December meeting,

SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL POSTPONED

Eric’s House grief specialist Greg

Sedona International Film Festival

Eckerman shared a presentation of

organizers have postponed the 27th

the possible depression of parents,

annual event, originally scheduled

relatives and friends who have lost

for Feb. 20–28, to June 12–20 due

children to suicide, and the need

to the surging COVID-19 pandemic.

to recognize and support these

New offerings will include outdoor

people during the holiday season.

screenings of films and events

The presentation was followed

at venues throughout Sedona.

by a gift-wrapping session during

Modifications at screening venues will

which more than a dozen volunteers

ensure appropriate social distancing

prepared more than 100 presents

and masks will be required for films

that, in addition to hundreds of

scheduled at Mary D. Fisher Theater,

presents wrapped earlier in the

Sedona Performing Arts Center

week, were given to recipients

and the two largest auditoriums

of the nonprofit organization’s

at Harkins Sedona 6. A virtual

Adopt a Family program. The

component for online screening of

Upscale Singers provided festive

films will also be part of this year’s

entertainment throughout the event.

event. sedonafilmfestival.com

During the Kiwanis Club of

kiwaniscarefree.org

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Lucy Dickens Fine Art LucyDickensFineArt.com - 602-653-7002

Missed seeing my African Safari collection at the Phoenix Zoo before quarantine? These special paintings have returned to my Carefree gallery.

Check out these award winning paintings along with new Southwest pieces during my February open studio.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Also by appointment 34820 N. Whileaway Rd., Carefree, AZ www.LucyDickensFineArt.com

OPEN STUDIO FEBRUARY 5-6, 10-3 PM f ebruary 2021

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Writer Shannon Severson Photography Courtesy of Alexi Rose Productions

“

When you walk through the doors of Ofrenda, you’re walking into our home. Everything on the menu is filled with heart and inspiration.

Carlos Marquez

C

Carlos Marquez and Michael Stone know that when we gather around the table, we share more than just a meal. We also share memories.

by hand. Rounded stone plates and bowls both hold the heat of the dishes and serve as a neutral canvas for the bright colors and flavors of each culinary delight.

The pair built their new Cave Creek restaurant Ofrenda with that concept in mind, serving Pan-Latin cuisine in an environment that evokes artisanship, exquisite attention to detail and the connective roots we all share.

Overhead, the lighting blooms in bright yellow and orange, the work of a skilled glassblower in Mexico. The bar is lined in barrel staves taken from tequila barrels.

The restaurant’s distinctive Marigold logo is repeated in art and custom-made medallions on the walls. The medallions were created from cattle hide by Stone’s friend — world-renowned luxury designer Kyle Bunting.

As “ofrenda” translates to “offering” in English, the restaurant’s decor features a colorful Day of the Dead-style altar, paying homage to family and heritage.

The space itself is alive with vibrant hues and artwork — an atmosphere that welcomes with open arms.

Owners Marquez and Stone may not share a last name, but they say their friendship is akin to being family. At the end of 2019, as Marquez was reimagining a new future for his restaurant, previously known as Indigo Crow, he and Stone began to lay the groundwork for a new joint venture.

“Our friendship comes first,” Stone says.

“We are completely different human beings, but we’re like a family. Ofrenda is an offshoot of that friendship. The concept and brand is derived from the connection we have with each other and with our friends and family. With Carlos’ engineering vision and knowledge of food and restaurant operations and my experience in restaurant development, we knew we had the bones of something that could be terrific.”

The building blocks of that “something terrific” aren’t just found in the steel beams that hold up the roof of this airy eatery. Marquez sanded and polished every single raw-edged rosewood table

“Kyle also did the medallion art piece on our second floor,” Stone says. “He’s a dear friend of mine and very gracious with his art and craft. What Carlos has done with his handcrafted tables and meticulous nature with which he went about it … our customers notice and see the difference. Everything in the restaurant has been picked for a reason.”

Marquez, who is also Ofrenda’s executive chef, cannot recall a time when he wasn’t working in a kitchen. His mother is a native of Chihuahua, Mexico and emigrated to El Paso, Texas at 6 years old when her chemist father was hired at an American company. He has always enjoyed visiting most of his family across the border and recalls a time when the family could walk across to get all the best ingredients for making Mexican food at home.

“I’ve been in the kitchen since I could walk,” says Marquez. “Food is such a huge part of my heritage. The kitchen is always the heart of the home. The most important talks about life happen around the kitchen table. I grew up with that and I love the warmth and love of family and friends.

And the tequila wasn’t bad, either.”

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Speaking of tequila, most of Ofrenda’s 600plus bottles of tequila are housed in the stunning Agave Library, in a rounded turret on the second floor. The restaurant hosts special tastings and pairing menu events that educate and delight their customers and has a newsletter with information about agave and recipe tips.

There is also a little trove of cigars in a specially built, walk-in humidor on the first floor.

With so many areas of the restaurant that can easily be utilized for private events, both indoors and outdoors, Ofrenda lives up to its mission of gathering people to enjoy a meal, a sip and a special occasion — and do it with aplomb.

When Marquez attended culinary school and in his first job as a corporate executive chef, he learned the intricacies of the restaurant business that aren’t taught in the classroom. He and Stone have traveled and researched to bring the finest in decor and ingredients.

“It’s fun being able to research and mix cultures,” Stone says. “I’m German-Irish and I have a love for Mexico. Mexican culture is part of who we are in the Southwest. Our commonality is much deeper than anything.”

That cultural mix keeps diners coming back for more of the specialties from the wood-fired oven and grill and deliciously crafted cocktails from the bar — like the signature Marigold made with gin, strawberry, guava, Aperol, lime and Xtabentun, an anise liqueur from Mexico’s Yucatán region.

“When you walk through the doors of Ofrenda, you’re walking into our home,” Marquez says.

“Everything on the menu is filled with heart and inspiration. Our whole-tail lobster tacos are something you don’t see anywhere. We have a lot of unexpected things that have been very popular. Our fideo gnocchi is made from native mesquite flour, and we serve nopales (cactus) as well as trout, pasta, salmon and an incredibly juicy tomahawk steak.”

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Chef de cuisine Daniel Masferrer worked hard to create an inventive menu of elevated classics and new selections unique to Ofrenda. His grandmother’s traditional Salvadoran style tamales share the stage with a living mole made with apples for a lighter flavor perfect for accompanying fish.

“When Carlos and Michael teamed up, I knew cool changes were coming,” Masferrer says. “I was excited to join the Ofrenda team and to have the chance to put my heart and soul into developing the recipes. It’s nice to use as many local ingredients as possible. I’m into foraging and I harvest prickly pears, cacti and mesquite pods. We will eventually source all the nopales on the menu ourselves. It makes the menu more personal.”

And personal is exactly the goal of Ofrenda. The kitchen team happily accommodates a range of diets and dietary restrictions with many items being naturally gluten-free. The sauces are generally served on the side and the emphasis is on flavor, not overwhelming spice. It’s a gathering of flavors and people that will please most any palate.

“Ofrenda is something that stays true to what we want in a restaurant experience,” Stone says. “When we say, ‘It’s a privilege to serve you,’ we mean it. We truly feel that what we bring to the table, day after day, is something special.”

Ofrenda 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek 480-488-2187 theofrenda.com

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo | Photography by Lisa A. Langell

L

Love is in the air.

Couples all around the world this month will enjoy expensive, candle-lit dinners and exchange candy, flowers, jewelry and teddy bears to show their affection for one another. Pet names will be used, expressions of adoration will be spoken and romance will rain down.

Valentine’s Day offers all of us the perfect excuse to make our significant others aware of just how much they light up our lives.

Yet many view it as an inconvenient obligation instead.

Even more resort to very unloving behavior the other 364 days of the year. Both are qualities that are unique to humans as you will never find examples of such in the animal world.

Lisa A. Langell knows this better than most people as she has been observing and photographing animals for nearly her entire life. From that wealth of experience, she firmly believes that animals experience a range of love and other emotions.

“Love has many definitions but one of the simplest is ‘feeling deep affection for someone,’” Langell says. “I find it impossible to watch animal behavior without noticing an apparent deep, strong affection and connection with their young, their mates and many times even their relatives and members of their social circles.”

The photographer also believes that we can learn a lot from animals — especially with respect to relationships.

Whether it is a sandhill crane dancing to express frustration, a black vulture’s lifelong loyalty to its mate or a cliff chipmunk’s adoption of co-denning behavior, animals can teach us some pretty powerful lessons when it comes to love.

Images Arizona hopes that this month’s photo essay featuring the various types of love — from romantic to familial — as expressed by those more emotionally evolved than we humans will relay those lessons thereby making us all better equipped at showing appreciation to those who light up our lives not just on Valentine’s Day but all year round.

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LOVE BIRDS

Lisa A. Langell has long held a special affinity for all animals but birds have been a particular fascination for her since she was just 8 years old.

“At first, I loved them for their color and species diversity,” Langell says. “It was a challenge to improve my ability to identify the various species by sight and — as I learned more — by song.

“Today, I still love birds for those reasons, but also because science indicates that they have evolved from theropods — a type of carnivorous dinosaur — more than 150 million years ago. It is fascinating to me to watch these little, beautiful ‘dinosaurs’ flit and fly about.”

However, the thing that draws Langell to birds the most is their unique courting behaviors. The moment she sees a bird engaging in such rituals, she feels compelled to stop whatever it is that she may be doing and observe them.

“What birds go through to attract a mate is absolutely fascinating,” Langell explains. “They sport phenomenal colors, give visually spectacular aerial displays that would compete with the best of the Blue Angels, dance like Baryshnikov, sing like Pavarotti, elaborately decorate their surroundings and seduce and charm the female — all while fighting off contenders for the hope of earning her love and affection.”

Moreover, many birds migrate thousands of miles to do so.

“If it is true that partners get from a relationship as much as what they put into it, imagine how much we could gain from that kind of determination, dedication and love,” Langell says.

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While humans tend to lash out, shout, fight, argue or become silent when frustrated, sandhill cranes simply dance. Imagine how much better — and funny — it could be if every time we got upset with our spouse or partner, we just danced around the living room instead.

Lisa A. Langell

DELIGHTFUL SURPRISES

Lisa A. Langell believes that one of the best assets a photographer like herself can have when capturing animals on camera is a firm understanding of their behavior because it helps one anticipate the types of movement an animal will engage in thereby facilitating “the perfect shot.”

She says that watching an animal's behavior often offers delightful surprises — none more so than when said behavior mimics that of humans.

“I have photographed cliff chipmunks engaging in nosing — a type of social greeting that looks a lot like they give one another a kiss,” Langell explains.

“I have also observed male cardinals giving food to their mate and a wild mare gently encouraging its foal to tread into the water with her.

“Many times, I have witnessed shorebirds sheltering their young under their wings. I was utterly awestruck a few years ago when I came upon a pair of red foxes engaged in a ceremonious grieving ritual because their young were killed by a predator just moments before.”

Langell adds that evidence animals experience a range of love and other emotions is especially obvious when they have lost a loved one.

Cliff chipmunks can teach those of us in loving relationships that being stuck in your ways is not always the best way to behave. Historically, cliff chipmunks den alone. But new research in Arizona has discovered some of these creatures have adopted co-denning behavior — even outside of breeding season. This could assist them socially and in survival. We could all benefit from taking a page from the evolving rules of cliff chipmunks.

Lisa A. Langell

“For example, elephants notoriously mourn the loss of their children and family members, exhibiting complex physical signs of sadness and engaging in grieving rituals that can last for years,” she explains.

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I find it impossible to watch animal behavior noticing an apparent Arizona has so many opportunities outsidewithout of the desert Phoenix deep, strong affection their young, their mates and metro area to get outand intoconnection nature. Wewith as Arizonans are really blessed manyatimes their members of their social circles. with wideeven variety ofrelatives differentand climates throughout the year.

Lisa A. Langell

NO STRINGS ATTACHED The lessons about love that animals can teach us are not exclusive to just romantic relationships. Photographer Lisa A. Langell believes that our interpretations of familial love are also often outdone by our four-legged or feathered friends out in nature.

“We see protection and caring of offspring to be a consistent theme among most animals,” Langell says. “For example, killdeer and ducks commonly feign broken wings to lure predators away from the nest. American avocets, normally docile, will become extremely aggressive on breeding and nesting grounds, dive-bombing and loudly protesting intruders — all for the sake of protecting young.”

Langell adds that animals lovingly raise their young with one goal in mind — to be independent, healthy and skilled so that

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they can survive well as adults in a challenging world.

“There are simply no additional ‘strings’ or expectations in return,” Langell says. “Their children are free to do this in whatever manner they choose. With humans, the concept of giving without expectations — or ‘strings’ — in return can really strengthen the bonds and love within families. Doing so removes the tallykeeping’ that many of us incorporate into our relationships.”

Langell notes that tally-keeping and “strings” have manipulative origins and that relationships are rarely ever strengthened through manipulative means.

“This is a powerful lesson for us all,” she says.

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Lisa Langell meets every challenge she confronts.

And she has intentionally confronted a number of different challenges across a wide array of areas.

Over the years, Langell has worked as a master floral designer, a licensed psychologist, an instructor at a university, an international consultant in K–12 education, the chief business development officer of an education technology company, a researcher, a writer and an artist.

However, through all of those challenges, photography has remained a strong calling.

Camera in-hand, bird-watching ignited Langell’s lifelong love of nature when she was just a child. In 2010, she turned her passion for photography into a business. Five years later, she left the corporate and consulting world behind and transitioned to photography full-time, applying the vast knowledge that she had gained from each of her experiences to her art.

Today, Langell is a full-time, award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in several prestigious publications, galleries and more. An ambassador for Tamron and FotoPro, she also currently sits on the board of directors for the North American Nature Photography Association.

Passionate about instruction as well, Langell thrives on creating innovative learning experiences that enrich, invigorate and expand photographers’ minds emotionally, creatively and intellectually. She places a high value on honesty, integrity, care and concern for everything she delivers to her clients and to the photographic community.

“Great photography shouldn't just document what you saw or even how you experienced it,” Langell says. “It should capture how you want your audience to experience that moment.” langellphotography.com

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Writer Amanda Christmann | Photography by Bryan Black

Nick Mancusi is among the latest of a growing line of architects, including Mies van der Rohe, Luis Barragan, Paolo Solieri, Frank Lloyd Wright and Michael P. Johnson, who is questioning i m aand g e s acoming r i z o n aup .co m different fe b r uary 2 02 1 answers. the status quo with and exciting

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A little less than midway up the western face of Black Mountain is something a little unusual, not just because of the contrast that its bright white and brilliant yellow cantilevered form creates with the surrounding slate and shale.

The most remarkable aspect of this unique residence is not the building, but the residents themselves.

Nick and Ada Rose Mancusi may march to a different beat, but it’s a wonderful rhythm they follow.

Both masters’ degreed-graduates of Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, they’ve set out to live in a way that is kinder and more compassionate to the desert environment that they love.

They’ve also remained true to their laurels and refused to compromise form and function for the sake of style or trends. They’ve done it with a sense of fun and wittiness that not only makes them approachable; it makes people want to listen to and emulate what they’re doing.

Casa Mancusi, completed in late 2019, is their American Institute of Architecture Arizona merit award-winning home. It was designed and built primarily by Nick, but with significant help and input from Nick’s father, Ada Rose, various friends, and another colorful Cave Creek resident, Nick’s architectural mentor, Michael P. Johnson.

Straightforward with clean lines and breathtaking views, the two-bedroom, twobath dwelling serves as both an architectural and graphic design office and a home,

emphasizing all that is important without paltriness.

The color scheme is based primarily in white but is far from stark. A sunny yellow panel on the exterior and a bold fuchsia patio wall reflect the couple’s often whimsical personalities. Both vivid colors were inspired during a vacation to Mexico, and Nick and Ada Rose argued over which to use until they found a way to incorporate both.

“My favorite parts of the house are the little things,” Nick says. “The view is awesome.

I like how we used the glass in a way that really blurs the line between the inside and the outside. The views of the mountains and the town constantly give us the sense of being in Cave Creek. The house doesn’t let you forget that.”

Every space and feature was created with intention, from the way cabinetry was hung to tiny details in the flooring. Even the size of rooms and segments of the house were designed to maximize the budget by minimizing the number of lumber cuts and construction waste.

BUILDING UPON A DIFFERENT MODEL

More than a house, Casa Mancusi is part of an ongoing conversation to change the way architecture is approached — and it is a very personal one.

“I hate tract housing,” Nick says. “I think every architect hates tract housing. What I dislike the most is the idea of trends — this notion that, because some famous architect

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Casa Mancusi, completed in late 2019, is Nick and Ada Rose Mancusi’s American Institute of Architecture Arizona merit award-winning home. It was designed and built primarily by Nick, but with significant help and input from Nick’s father, Ada Rose, various friends, and another colorful Cave Creek resident, Nick’s architectural mentor, Michael P. Johnson.

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did something, that I need to try that same gimmick or trick, too — or because my neighbor did something, I need to do it.

“Trends are not what make homes and communities better. They’re really just about the flash and the show.”

Casa Mancusi is the exact opposite.

“For me, because it was a home for myself and Ada Rose, it gave me an opportunity to experiment on my own,” Nick adds. “I have always been fascinated with how architecture can be conceived in a way that’s competitive from a cost standpoint. I wanted to create a modest home on a modest and reasonable budget.

“Being a young person, and this being my first home, I didn’t have millions of dollars to spend. I really had to be methodical about how to use the resources I had so I could afford the materials and make something beautiful, but I also wanted to show an example of how to build in the desert.

“I had to ask myself, ‘How do you disturb the desert as little as possible?’

The answer was what it always should be in architecture — to let the site tell you what the building needs to be.”

Nick is among the latest of a growing line of architects, including Mies van der Rohe, Luis Barragan, Paolo Solieri, Frank Lloyd Wright and Michael P. Johnson, who is questioning the status quo and coming up with different and exciting answers.

“My goal is to create spaces that respond to how people live their lives,” Nick says.

His is a theory that veers sharply from decades of trends that force people’s lives to fit into dysfunctional design trends.

“Most buildings that are built today are medieval buildings,” he adds. “The people who originally came over [to the New World] were farmers, not architects or home builders. They built what they knew how to build, not necessarily what was the most functional or what made the most sense.

“We continue to build the same way today because it’s what we know. It’s a very narrow view.”

The idea of permanence seems to have been lost in many of the homes built today, replaced by temporary fads, Nick explains.

“We need to start to think about a building as designing with pertinence,” he adds. “One reason I like old buildings is that, when they were built, people weren’t talking about trends and what was ‘fashionable.’ It was all about making it functional. I resonate with that. Old buildings are honest and true. Anyone can put lipstick on a pig, but at the end of a day, a good building doesn’t need anything to look good.”

To the architectural amateur, his approach would be described as “style.” Not so, argues Nick.

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“There is absolutely no such thing as style in architecture,” he says. “It’s just a gimmick. I hate that.

“It’s not like the flashy minimalism you see in magazines. Real architecture is when things are done in a way that is really smart, sensitive and balanced, and it’s spending time on the quality of

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Casa Mancusi encompasses Nick and Ada Rose Mancusi’s approach to architecture. Form and function are one and the same. Its foundation in common sense is a refreshing departure from the fussiness and impracticality found the last two decades or so in Valley construction.

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the space. Once you break away from convention, you allow the system you’re working in to narrate what is needed, and what the structure will look like.”

Nick has followed his own philosophy in executing every detail — including in the foundation — of Casa Mancusi.

The home’s patio and living room rest upon the grade of the mountain, while the rest of the house seems to float above the desert.

“I had to figure out how to work with the natural grades of the mountain,” Nick says. “It was a challenge to balance the cut and fill with the practicality of what we needed. I think we did a pretty good job of that. The only real cutting we had to do was to create the driveway and septic system.

“First, I had to figure out how to put everything on one level and how to save money. The answer was to build a structure that cantilevers out. To do that, a beam became necessary. When you come upon the house from the southeast, you just see a white box hanging off of what looks like a really thin post, like a stiletto heel.

“All of a sudden, you have all of these elements that satisfy needs, and the exterior of the building begins to look the way it does as you achieve those aesthetic elements. The building looks the way it does because I didn’t build it around a particular style.”

AN ORCHESTRATOR OF ELEMENTS

The brilliance of Casa Mancusi is in its simplicity. Save for maple shelving and a few other touches, concrete, steel and glass are the primary building materials. Floors are covered

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Architect Nick Mancusi aspires to create spaces that respond to how people live their lives. His is a theory that veers sharply from decades of trends that force people’s lives to fit into dysfunctional design trends.

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“

We continue to build the same way today because it's what we know. It's a very narrow view.

Nick Mancusi

Nick Mancusi has followed his own philosophy in executing every detail — including in the foundation — of Casa Mancusi. The home’s patio and living room rest upon the grade of the mountain, while the rest of the house seems to float above the desert.

in rectangular gray tile, and the bright white interior and exterior accentuate clean, straight lines.

Living spaces are uncluttered and void of knickknacks but offer plenty of storage and comfort. Small touches like built-in cubbies on Ada Rose’s side of the bed where she can keep her favorite things, and bookshelves for Nick so that he can indulge in his favorite pastime take the building beyond the status of a house and turn it into a home.

The kitchen is separated from other living spaces upon Ada Rose’s request. She enjoys the separation it allows to get creative with pies and biscuits.

There are no doors to be found inside the house. Each module flows logically and cleanly into the next. Still, there are plenty of privacy and spaces to relax thanks to walkaround walls and other creative solutions.

“It’s really dialed around having space for two people to live,” explains Nick, who, along with his dad, who is a contractor, and a few friends, did the majority of the construction.

Casa Mancusi encompasses the couple’s approach to architecture. Form and function are one and the same. Its foundation in common sense is a refreshing departure from the fussiness and impracticality found the last two decades or so in Valley construction.

“I read a quote recently that said something like, ‘An artist is constantly simplifying, and an amateur is constantly trying to make things more complex,’” Nick says. “The process of designing this home really drove that home for me.

“Architecture is this really unique balance between art, the majesty of spatial planning and how people live and think and breathe, and then you add proportion and scale. At the other end of it is that a home must have quality and function.

“If you weigh one element against the other and don’t balance all the elements, it ends up terribly. If you balance those elements, then you hit a sweet spot.” mancusidesign.com

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Strawberry Spring Salad This colorful salad is just perfect for Valentine’s Day — or to begin welcoming springtime. Plus, it can be easily customized to your taste. The strawberry vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. You may not need all of the strawberry vinaigrette so remember to refrigerate any leftovers for a convenient dressing the next day.

Serves: 5–6

Ingredients: For the Strawberry Vinaigrette: 1/2 cup strawberries (sliced) 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar Dash of coconut aminos 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and pepper For the Salad: 1 tub arugula and baby spinach or other mixed greens 1 pint strawberries (sliced) 1/2 cup candied pecans or other candied nuts 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta Black sesame seeds Mixed sprouts

Directions: Blend strawberry vinaigrette ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Set aside.

Place mixed arugula and baby spinach in a large salad bowl.

Add sliced strawberries, pecans and goat cheese to the bowl.

Lightly dress the salad with the strawberry vinaigrette and toss.

Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and mixed sprouts before serving.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

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David Van Omen Associate Broker, Senior Partner David@BVOLuxury.com

(480) 999-5460 | www.BVOLuxury.com