IDYLLWILDLIFE art - culture - ideology SPRING- SUMMER 2019
cole withers - where i belong
women of the white buffalo
spring-summer 2019
the art of resilience
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F R O M
T H E
PUBLISHERS idyllwild life magazine
WELCOME TO IDYLLWILD LIFE MAGAZINE Welcome to the inaugural issue of Idyllwild Life Magazine! Our aim is to reflect Idyllwild’s many dimensions as an outdoor enthusiast’s dream and the perfect place for artists, writers and technocrats to commune, create and rejuvenate! Profound natural beauty, artistry, activism, progressive and resilient community spirit exist in abundance on “The Hill.” Sharing lifestyle, gallery’s, music, restaurants, shopping and culture is as natural to residents as breathing. It’s no secret, Idyllwild residents have endured an action-packed winter. Exhilarating winds, record amounts of rejuvenating rain and awe-inspiring snowfall converged to a crescendo lasting a full month. In the midst of all this excitement it’s true, partial access to “The Hill” is compromised for a fewl months. It’s also true that access through Palm Desert up Highway 74 is wide open, visitors should consider stopping at the lovely Sugar Loaf Café before heading into town! The traditional route up from San Diego and North County through Temecula on Highway 79, to the junction with Highway 371 through Anza to Highway 74 is also wide open. Highway 243 from town to the Bunkhouse, Pine Cove, the Nature Center and Thousand Trails are all accessible and Hemet Lake was recently stocked with 1300 lbs. of trout. The word is out, get up here soon…bring your tackle box! Look for us bi-annually for new spring/summer and fall/winter editions, receive a copy by mail, or find us wherever artists and nature enthusiasts gather throughout So Cal or at IdyllwildLifeMagazine.com For ongoing road conditions visit: www.LoveIdyllwild.com maintained by CalTrans.
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IN THIS ISSUE
IDYLLWILD LIFE M
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FEATURE ARTICLES
publishers Les M. Gin / Holly Parsons editors Donna Elliot & Holly Parons ad design Donna Elliot art director / layout & design
Dan Milner advertising / distribution director
Les M. Gin poetry editor
brian michael tracy
COLE WITHERS - Where I Belong THE POWER OF METAPHOR WOMEN OF THE WHITE BUFFALO THE ART OF RESILIENCE CELEBRATING NATIONAL POERTY MONTH and MARY OLIVER
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FOCUS ARTICLES
accounting
Debbie Daniels administration / operations mgr.
Susan Wofy contributing writers Deborah Anderson, Donna Elliot, Lynne Eodice, Neil Jenkins, Pamela Jordan, Marsha Kennedy, Steven Morrison, Holly Parsons, Don Stoll, Brian Michael Tracy, Cole Withers.
contributing photographers Deborah Anderson, Scott Bump, Dennis Clark, Jason Cleghorn, Donna Elliot, Lynne Eodice, Steven King, Jon Millhouse, Ken Pivak, Lois Sheppard, Bruce Watts, Christian Wehrum.
Copyright 2019 Idyllwild Life Magazine Issue: Spring- Summer 2019. All rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission of the publishers. Publishers cannot be held responsible for breach of copyright arising from any supplied material. All manuscripts and images become jointly held by author or photographer and publisher and may be submitted for re-publication with publishing credit to ILM. No responsibility is taken for errors, inaccuracies or claims in advertisements or articles. ILM retains the right to refuse any advertisement. All advertisements must be prepaid prior to printing. IDYLLWILD LIFE MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED SEMI-ANNUALLY: SPRING - SUMMER, FALL- WINTER Print run: 12,000 copies, complimentary, see website for distribution locations. Website: IdyllwildLifeMagazine.com or IdyILM.com Advertisers: Media Kits are available on our website, non-profits ¼ page free fundraising event ad. Subscriptions: Available for $16 per year.
Contact Information: InfoIdyLifeMag@gmail.com Submissions: Articles, stories, photographs of Idyllwild and cartoons are invited with no warrant or implied condition of publishing.
EARTH DAY - NURTURING NATURE "IN YOU WE TRUST" TAKE A LOAD OFF ENCHANTED APRIL PAMELA JORDAN SPRING INTO IDYLLWILD SPIRITUAL WORKOUT DARCY GERDES IDYLLWILD LIBRARY CENTENNIAL IDYLLWILD EVENTS
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on the cover: spring photo of lake fulmor by Dennis Clark. Hello Dear Friends, Spring is wondrous in Idyllwild! Being dazzled by nature calls many to enjoy camping, hiking, climbing, dining, extraordinary art galleries and eclectic shopping. The coolest people live here and I can attest we’re dog friendly. In fact, the Mayor of our town is me, Mayor Max. I’m a Golden Retriever, assisted by two doggy Deputy Mayors, Mitzi and Mikey. Should you have any questions about Idyllwild, feel free to call my office at 951.659.0283 and my Chief of Staff will assist. We can’t wait to see you! MAYOR MAX
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arth Day 2019’s Protect our Species campaign (tinyurl. com/y238ebcv) will be celebrated late at Idyllwild Arts Academy: on April 28, six days after the global event, but nonetheless sincere and supportive of it.
This free public fair on that Sunday from 1-5 pm will reach out to the entire Idyllwild community with exactly the kind of warm, welcoming embrace that has always distinguished Earth Day. The Academy’s homage to the Earth Day Network mission of "Building the world’s largest environmental movement" (earthday.org/about/) will include activities and games for local children, all organized by Idyllwild Arts students. The Mountain Cahuilla Bird Singers will perform and help dedicate the Mountain Cahuilla Bird Singers mural, Academy students will perform, and yoga and soundbaths will be offered along with chances to work on service projects like meadow restoration and
Earth Day Nurturing Nature
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” By Don Stoll
creation of a Three Sisters garden. Community outreach is appropriate for a movement based on the need for interconnectedness, expressed by the late Rachel Carson’s 1962 assertion that "In nature, nothing exists alone."
And involving Native American people and themes—the Mountain Cahuilla Bird Singers and the Three Sisters (squash, maize, and climbing beans)—is especially suitable for a celebration of Earth Day 2019’s determination to Protect our Species. Greg Ballenger, a 2014 Idyllwild Arts Academy graduate who descends from the Diné (Navajo) people, recalls that decades ago "my grandmother was already noticing fewer insects every year." Earth Day Network’s web page for Earth Day 2019 names insects as well as bees, coral reefs, elephants, giraffes, whales, "and more"—the list goes on—as life forms put in danger of extinction by human-caused climate change and by deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution, and pesticides. The ongoing bad news about endangered and threatened species has caused some people to despair. Earth Day Network warns that "extinction may be humanity’s most enduring legacy."
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ENVIRONMENT But passion to bequeath a different legacy to future generations has driven other people into activism. For a decade or more, Indigenous peoples have been on the front lines of the battle against extinction, refusing to acquiesce as victims of environmental devastation (tinyurl.com/y32mfdce). Instead, they’ve often acted as agents of environmental conservation at international environmental conferences and through local and national political engagement. The 2019 Southwestern Tribal Climate Change Summit (tinyurl. com/yyojhnr2), at Idyllwild Arts Academy from August 13 to August 16, will give many Native Americans and their allies at the forefront of environmental protection another chance to act. Meanwhile, the Idyllwild Nature Center (tinyurl.com/yxsf6osc) offers programs in mountain ecology, Cahuilla Native culture, and the history of the San Jacinto Mountains, and the Idyllwild Library (tinyurl.com/y2tf3pzl) hosts talks about similar topics. Local residents can also enjoy and learn from Lemon Lily Restoration Day, Butterfly Daze, and Wildflower Day. In short, you can find countless ways to express love and concern for the natural environment here in Idyllwild, where we experience nature so vividly. Discovering the majesty of the natural world leads one to believe John Muir’s words: "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
Learn what you can do: Earthday.org Rivercoparks.org/idyllwild-nature-center Friendsoftheidyllwildlibrary.com Look for Idyllwild Earth Fair on Facebook
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STUDENT SHOWCASE
“IN YOU WE TRUST” Idyllwild Arts student filmmakers make their first indie feature film set in Idyllwild By Don Stoll
Idyllwild Arts stu-
explore self and world in multiple dimensions.
dent filmmakers make their first indie feature film set in Idyllwild
According to Martin, his film will demonstrate the “independent power of a Native American woman.Yet 'In You We Trust' revolves around issues of trust: the trust between the forest rangers, the community, and most importantly the people whom Leela trusts in her life.”
T
Much of the film’s power lies in its subtle treatment of the interrelated topics of independence and trust. Leela possesses the intelligence and strength of character to exercise independent judgment and defy the opinions of others. But to accomplish the healing her community needs, she needs help. She therefore depends on trust, and must learn to recognize people “who are worthy of that trust.”
Now, a 19-year-old recent grad and current postgraduate student who embodies the department's diversity like no one else will direct the first feature ever created by Academy students, taking aim at specific reflections of sexism and racism.
“Leela’s arc,” Martin explains, “sees her rise from a person who is neglected and discarded to become a person who gains the respect and trust of the people around her.”
he diversity of the Idyllwild Arts Academy Film & Digital Media Department makes their goal of challenging the sexism and racism of many Hollywood feature films unsurprising. Film-industry veteran Annette Haywood-Carter chairs a department whose students come from 10 different countries.
Martin Gerard is a Haitian-born Belgian citizen who started making films in Ethiopia but now lives in Mexico. His "In You We Trust" will address domestic abuse and the marginalization of Native Americans as it follows the efforts of a young Native woman to uncover the truth behind murders committed in her small community.
The story’s beauty will be deepened by its setting in the natural beauty of Idyllwild, showcased when "In You We Trust" travels the festival circuit.
Martin calls filmmaking “one of the most liberating forms of art.” Film’s power to draw upon images, words, and music frees both a filmmaker like Martin and a character like Leela, the young woman at In You We Trust’s dramatic and moral center, to
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Martin and his Idyllwild Arts Film colleagues need support that can be provided by visiting Indiegogo and searching for Arts and Film “In You We Trust.” The trailer available there leaves no doubt about the power and passion behind this project. The Idyllwild Arts Academy provides pre-professional training in the arts and a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum to a diverse student body of gifted young artists from all over the world. More information at Idyllwildarts.org
WEEKEND OF MUSIC
Friday, May 24
Take a flight of fantasy with 30+ of Southern California’s most talented artists in our new exhibit, Sun, Moon & Stars.
Jamie, Don & Lenny
5:30-8:30 pm
Country, Folk & A Little Blues
April 24 - July 7, 2019 AFTERNOON WITH THE ARTISTS
Saturday, May 4 • 2-5 pm
Wine Specials • Live Music
Saturday, May 25
4:00-7:00 pm
Neil Diamond Tribute Artist
Jason Lohrke
Sunday, May 26
Hot Flash & Men of Pause WHERE WINE, ART AND FRIENDS MEET
2:00-5:00 pm
Fusion Blue Grass
54301 N. Circle Dr., Idyllwild 951.659.9000 middleridge.com
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COLE WITHERS Where
I
Belong By Donna Elliot
T
he sentiment is clear … and dear. The words echo in my mind. Such is the magic created by Cole Withers in his song “The Last Bookstore” as well as the title of his CD. Cole had only
been playing his guitar for six months when he met a virtuoso guitar player in Steve Desterhaft during the summer of 2016. Thus began a collaboration completed by the addition of master drummer, Mike Gustin, in the fall of that year. Serendipity. By January 2017, they were in Mike’s studio recording the songs Cole had written in Los Angeles the year before. They have been making magic ever since and entertaining folks with their live performances throughout Idyllwild and beyond.in nit, con re optaspel spring-summer 2019
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My challenge is to write songs that are useful to the soul; that evoke emotion, that speak honestly, that
Idyllwild is the beneficiary of Cole’s varied and remarkable background. Fine Art Major, Photographer,
Playwright,
Screenwriter,
Songwriter, Singer. What inspires his music? “Life, the human condition and the potential for transformation.” His songs “Wash Away” and “Rescue Me” seem to bear out a life lived in transformation, a revolution of a soul, heartfelt and hungry. One of Cole’s favorite songs “Wash Away” is a
don’t pander."
prayer to remove “the shortcomings that keep us from connection, from love.” We have Van Morrison to thank for influencing Cole’s mellow and mesmerizing style; we have his son, Dash, to thank for his stage name. Born Tom Gallagher, he wanted to differentiate his screenwriting persona from that of his developing songwriting/performing career. A random name generator search and “Cole Withers” was born. According to Cole, he is a writer first and a musician second. “My challenge is to write songs that are useful to the soul; that evoke emotion, that speak honestly, that don’t pander. My job is to be honest and truthful about my experience. Period. I can only write what I know.” Listening to “Mary Queen of Mt. Washington” and “Ghost of God” you can feel the soul-searching and a life filled with more questions than answers. Perhaps influenced by his year studying to be a Franciscan Priest or simply jumping into life with both feet, quickly, enthusiastically, but not without trepidation. A native New Yorker, Cole boasts being “loud, direct and jocular in a way that makes most feel
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a bit uncomfortable.” His song “Eastern Standard” evokes memories and places missed, such as East Village, 12th Street and Broadway where he was raised artistically and of mentors, teachers and his fathers: “the great minds that did their best to help shape the man I am today.”
I feel like I am in an oasis in Southern California; a deep textured, colorful tapestry of life and experience.” When asked if he had a favorite quotation about music, Cole replied with one by Bob Marley: “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
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Looking forward, we can anticipate more original songs for the next CD, a video “Love Never Ends” and films that include some of Cole’s songs.
With that, I will leave you with Cole’s lyrics in my head from “The Last Bookstore”
“… many years ago, many dreams ago, many books ago,
I found you …
In the last bookstore, I fell in love with you.”
Thanks, Cole.
Contact redmanzanitarecords@gmail.com to get your copy of “The Last Bookstore” CD. Check out https://www.facebook.com/thecolewithers/ to find out where the group is performing. For quality recording, contact MTG Recording Studios 760.851.5432 Mike@mtgrecordingstudios.com / facebook.com/MTGRecordingStudios
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10 TIPS FOR SONGWRITING By Cole Withers
1- WRITERS WRITE No great mystery. Writing is an action. 2 - WRITERS REWRITE I can count on one hand the pieces I have written that were perfect on the first pass. Writing is rewriting. Your audience is your best editor. Pay attention to feedback/reactions. They will help you rewrite. 3 - DON’T INVEST TIME THINKING ABOUT THE OUTCOME When you do, you may not write the first word – see WRITER’S BLOCK and TIP #7. 4 - WRITE OFTEN Don’t wait for the right time, the right mood, the right Muse. Again, writing is an action. 5 - WRITE MORE Don’t edit yourself on the first pass. Let it flow out of you. 6 - WRITE LESS Now edit your work. Strip it down to what is necessary. Less is more. 7 - “THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN” This is a favorite saying in writer’s rooms from jaded mentors who want to sound erudite. Its origin is biblical. Ecclesiastes. It keeps young
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writers from trying. The truth is there is always something new under the sun… The light the sun casts across the tall pines is not exactly the same as it was yesterday. You are not the same. Your life and experience are at the same time unique to yourself and universal. The truth is at once familiar and brand new. 8 - “BE BOLD AND MIGHTY FORCES WILL COME TO YOUR AID” This is a quote from Goethe that I have found to be true. Write something that frightens you. Reveal yourself. Be vulnerable. When you are frightened to share it (song/poem, etc.) that’s usually when it’s gold. It will find an audience. 9 - SURROUND YOURSELF WITH TALENTED PEOPLE WHO KNOW MORE THAN YOU I am only as good as the people I surround myself with… Steve Desterhaft is a brilliant professional guitarist. Mike Gustin is an amazing professional drummer. They are infinitely more knowledgeable than I am AND they serve the song. You can’t ask for more. 10 - CAN YOU PLAY THIS SONG FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS? And never get bored with it? If the answer is “no”, then don’t torture your audience with it – even if your only audience is your loved ones and Mayor Max.
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TAKE A LOAD OFF By Lynne Eodice
How Idyllwild Welcomes Pacific Crest Trail Hikers
B
eginning north of the Mexican border and ending just shy of Canada, the 2,653-mile long Pacific Crest Trail offers a challenging
and life-altering experience. We often see PCT hikers in Idyllwild in April or May as they make their way north. And because we’re eager to lend a hand to these adventurous souls, Idyllwild offers a plethora of services to PCT hikers. The following organizations and businesses are among those that make it possible for hikers to enjoy a great meal, shower, pick
also wash a single load of laundry for free when they stay a
up supplies, or just hang out for a while.
minimum of 2 nights, otherwise it’s a nominal fee of $5.
• Idyllwild Bake Shop & Brew offers up a number of hearty
• Hikers can have supply packages shipped to themselves at
sandwiches named after local trails. The PCT sandwich features bacon, spinach, avocado & tomato on your choice of bread.
the Idyllwild Post Office. A log book is also available if they want to sign in or leave messages.
• For hikers who seek to lighten their load or perhaps exchange an item for another, adventure retailer Nomad Ventures offers a hiker box for unwanted items in their pack. • Hikers can sit back in a comfortable, overstuffed chair at Higher Grounds Coffee and enjoy an invigorating PCT Sunrise, made with orange juice & yogurt. This coffee shop also serves PCT hikers one gratis coffee. • At the Idyllwild Inn, PCT hikers get a discounted hotel rate and can pick up their shipments of supply packages. Hikers can
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SEASONAL
• The Idyllwild Library prints out updated reports on water along the PCT, and offers hikers guest privileges on library computers. Hikers can also get a free book from the clearance section, and are encouraged to place a dot on a wall map that indicates where they’re from. • Idyllwild Laundry Service will loan hikers clean clothes while they do their laundry, and offers limited amounts of free soap to PCT hikers only. • Located in nearby Mountain Center, Paradise Valley Café allows PCT hikers to ship their supply packages to the restaurant, and they can even camp out on the property overnight. Sometimes a local resident is available to give hikers rides to Idyllwild. • The Idyllwild Town Crier prints a handout of coupons from local businesses that offer discounts and other services to PCT hikers. These handouts are available around town and at the newspaper’s office. You only need to read some of the kind remarks about Idyllwild left by our daring friends in the many log books dotted throughout town to know how special Idyllwild is to them.
- “I have to keep going, but I love this place.” - “Idyllwild and The San Jacinto Wilderness is the best part of Southern California.” We look forward to welcoming them once again and hearing of their adventures. spring-summer 2019
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the arts
ENCHANTED APRIL
a breath of fresh spring air By Marsha Kennedy
Stage Play by Matthew Barber Adapted from the novel by Elizabeth von Arnim’s 1922 novel
A
fter fire, flood, and snow,
Enchanted April was a Tony Best Play
Stratford Players of Idyllwild’s
nominee and won the prestigious John
production of Enchanted April
Gassner award for Outstanding New
comes as a welcome breath of fresh
American Play. You may also recall the
spring air.
atmospheric 1991 film, nominated for
three Academy Awards.
First produced on Broadway in 2003,
this civilized romantic comedy is based
Stratford Players was founded in 2010
on the 1922 novel by British author
by artistic director Marsha Kennedy. This
Elizabeth von Armin. When two London
production of Enchanted April marks
housewives decide to escape post-war
Stratford's seventh season on the Hill.
London and their bleak marriages, they
From the beginning the troupe has
must enlist two other women, who are
aimed to exceed typical community
also escaping dreariness, to share the
theatre standards and treat its audiences
cost of the holiday. In a Mediterranean
to live performance of the highest quality.
castle featuring wisteria and sunshine,
“Serious, experienced actors want to
the four initially clash and then bond and
work with one another,” Kennedy remarks,
blossom.
“This is not a group of beginners. We are
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presents
passionate about professional-quality theatre.”
“Awakening”
at the Eye of the Artist
Kennedy describes the play as, “a beautiful story of renewal and hope”. She sees Enchanted April appealing greatly to audiences.“This is the one to see,” says Kennedy, “It's such a charmer; everybody will go away feeling good.”
Friday April 26, 2019
The hand-picked cast includes excellent actors from both on and off the Hill. Allison Fedrick, Nicole Hock, Scott
from 5-9pm
Wilson, Christopher Morse, Barbara Rayliss, Harriet Briant, and Ralph Griffey, have more than 100 years of acting experience and two dozen theatre awards among them. Marsha Kennedy directs this sterling ensemble. "ENCHANTED APRIL is as good as they come: a lush, thoroughly refreshing theatrical holiday. Escape has seldom seemed so sweet. A magical triumph." —LA Times. There will be just three performances: Sunday, April 28th at 2pm, Saturday, May 4th at 7pm, and Sunday, May 5th
Town Hall Judged Art Show 25925 Cedar Street Raffle & Silent Auction Idyllwild Wine & Nibbles www.artinidyllwild.org artwork by NS David
at 2pm. Stratford's venue is the new stage at the Christian Science Church, 25970 Cedar Street, across from Town Hall. Tickets are $15, and complimentary refreshments will be served.
Always Organic
Always Fair Trade
In-house micro roasted Open everyday 6am till 7pm
For further information and to reserve your seats, visit the troupe's website: www.stratfordplayers.com
Friday & Saturday open until 9pm with Live Music
Awards •
John Gassner Award Winner – Outstanding New
Come visit Idyllwild ... in the cool air of the San Jacinto Mountains and have a cup of our fresh roasted coffee 54245 N. Circle Drive Idyllwild, CA 92549 951.659.1379 IdyllwildCoffeeRoasters.com
American Play •
Tony Award Nominee – Best Play
•
The 1991 Film version was nominated for 3 Academy Awards and one Golden Globe Award
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THE POWER OF
METAPHOR By Brian Michael Tracy
A
s a poet I have always been drawn to language and the
By way of example, here’s a well- known metaphor by the poet
use of language to convey deeply embedded feelings in
Wallace Stevens from his poem Sunday Morning:
poetic form through the power of metaphor. In the years
“Death is the mother of beauty.”
spent reading and writing poetry I began to study more closely
the relationship between poetry and psychology. It seemed to
me that poetry’s source came from what Carl Jung called our
Stevens replaces common vernacular with a metaphor
“collective unconscious,” our collective human repository of
compressing image. He did so because that compressed
available wisdom, emotion, symbology and imagery.
image contains all possibilities for interpretation. By his use of metaphor, the author creates an association pared down
James Hillman’s book, A Blue Fire explores archetypal
sufficiently to provide “meaning” but not so much as to reduce
psychology. In the preface his editor Thomas Moore writes:
the image to mean only one thing.
“… all of Hillman’s work – theorizing, analyzing, culture, practicing
As we celebrate National Poetry Month this April it is worth
therapy – presupposes what he calls a ‘poetic basis of mind’…. By
noting that poetry is one of our most important vehicles for
taking everything as poetry Hillman frees consciousness from its thin,
the use and expression of image; metaphor helps us create a
hard crust of literalism to reveal the depth of experience. The soul, he
“poetic basis of mind” opening ourselves to renewed emotional
says, turns events into experience. But it is image that is experienced
and thoughtful possibilities.
not literalism.”
Our lives, weighed down as they are by our loves and labors, by
But what then is image? As a poet image to me is compressed
the constant barrage of demands and advertising – oft renders
and associated sensation. It is what appears before me in
imagery and meaning - thin and brittle. As a result, we often
waking, dreaming, fantasizing, thinking, and other “imaging”
find ourselves not only seeking but craving new possibilities,
states. It is “visualized thought,” conscious or unconscious,
new meaning. Spending time with poetry is an excellent start
full of possibilities and held together by our instinctive use of
to finding them.
association and metaphor.
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“To see a world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour...” - William Blake
“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” – William Wordsworth
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
Dying is a wild night and a new road.” – Emily Dickinson
“Chaos is a friend of mine.” – Bob Dylan
“Conscience is a man’s compass.” – Vincent Van Gogh
All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.”
Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso
– Albert Einstein
Where locals shop for
fine leather goods | mountain gifts | hats, gloves, scarves | unique clothing | & more
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women of
thea personal white buffalo journey Photos & Text By Deborah Anderson
"This project is a gift to me, I know this deeply. To shed light on the murdered and missing Indian women that go un-documented. To bring change to the continued racism, genocide and chemical as well as alcohol addiction on the reservation."
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I
f someone had told me a year ago I
stars, movie stars, music album covers
would be living in the mountains of
and advertising campaigns. This all
Idyllwild, editing a documentary film
made for an exciting life, or at least
about the modern day lives of the
that's what I thought, until it all fell
Native American Lakota Women having
apart before my eyes.
spent two months with them on the Pine Ridge reservation earlier this year,
Over a couple of short years everything
I would have given them a quizzical
I knew my life to be was stripped from
look of concern.
me... my health, my financial stability and my work, which may have looked
You have to understand, I was happily
like a complete melt down of sorts
maintaining my world on another sacred
to some and to a selective few a
mountain in California called Topanga,
spiritual cleansing. However for me this
shooting images for magazines, pop
experience brought me to my knees, to
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stillness. It was in this stillness that I was brought to Idyllwild. Now in hindsight, I see this shedding experience was a preparation for this great new chapter in my life, one that included sacred ceremonies, ancient wisdom, native music, prayer and the power of thousands of years of ancestral understanding whilst living on a magical mountain that supported this adventure from the very beginning. I just wish I had had been given a small clue alluding to this whilst in the throws of the darkness I experienced on the road to getting here, yet that is not how 'personal growth' works and what I have come to understand is that nothing is by accident, that everything is in perfect Divine time and I am exactly where I am meant to be. I recently traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the home to the Oglala Lakota Nation. I was told it is one of the poorest of all the reservations and as I observed the broken pieces of a history that has tried to erase these people, I met with the women that are the backbone of the community and keepers of their ancient wisdom. These photos presented are stills from my upcoming feature documentary film about the Native Women that live on the Indian reservations in America. Their stories of loss, suicide, murder and epidemic meth addiction amongst
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I know this journey for me has just begun as I stand by my Sisters and help raise the volume of their voices."
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I believe that as we murder and rape our indigenous women, it is deeply reflected in the
murdering and raping of our Mother Earth so we have to wake up and join the conversation. their community are mirrored by their deep ancestral roots, traditional ceremony, prayer and hope. The story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman holds a deep importance within the Lakota tribe and many other Native tribes across the continent. The understanding is that of manifestation, rebirth, abundance, and world harmony. In the words of Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe of the Lakota Nation: “It was told that next time there is chaos and disparity, she would return again. She said she would return as a White Buffalo Calf. Some believe she already has.” This project is a gift to me, I know this deeply. To shed light on the murdered and missing Indian women that go undocumented, the continued racism, genocide and chemical as well as alcohol addiction on the reservation, is to bring change. I sat and listened to a women recall her first hand experience of losing a child to suicide, another mother explained how she is fighting to find her daughter after she had been stolen from the reservation for sex trafficking. I, with these stories and more, realized that this is a result of hundreds of years of human rights violations of the Native American people by the federal
I
n 1880 Congress established the Civilization Regulations, a series of offenses that only Native Americans could commit. These regulations outlawed Indian religions, the practices of medicine men, traditional ceremonies like the Sun Dance, and even leaving the reservation without permission. These regulations were in place until 1936, and many traditional practices remained illegal until the American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed in 1978.
government that put them there in the first place. Having successfully premiered the first photographic exhibition from this project, “Women of The White Buffalo” at the Leica Gallery in Los Angeles, I am proud to present a portion of the show at my own gallery and boutique, Wyld Sage at The Fort, Idyllwild, then it is travelling to the Leica Gallery in New York. The documentary film will be completed and released in 2019
For more information on this project visit:
www.womenofthewhitebuffalo.com or
Contact:
info@womenofthewhitebuffalo.com
Personal website:
www.deborahanderson.com
and premiered in Idyllwild.
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T
he thathánka provided food, shelter, and weapons for the indigenous peoples. Providing for the them spiritually, culturally, and socially, the lives of the Plains tribes were dependent on the thathánka. Noting this reliance, Colonel Dodge said in 1867, “Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone.” U.S. government initiatives at the federal and local level were created to starve the population of the Plains Indians by killing off the American Buffalo. Prior to 1800 there were 60-million wild, American Buffalo. By 1900 there were only around 300. Without them, the people were forced to move onto reservations or starve.
H
istorically, the tipi was used by Indigenous people in the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies of North America. The word tipi comes from the Lakota language. Tipis can be packed away quickly for relocation and can be reconstructed quickly in a new area. Indigenous peoples were driven out of their tipi and away from their nomadic lifestyles and tribal communities through the land allotment policies of The Dawes Act of 1887. There is an estimated average of 17 people living in each family home (a home which may only have two to three rooms) on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Some homes, built for 6 to 8 people, have up to 30 people living in them.
F
ollowing the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 the Oglala Lakota people were moved onto the Red Cloud Agency in Wyoming. They were moved two more times before they arrived at their current location at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota in 1889, where less than 4% of the land was suitable for agriculture and where the once prosperous Bison population had been almost completely decimated. Oglala Lakota County, which lies entirely within the Pine Ridge Reservation, is the poorest county in the United States.
I
n 2011 Canadian Artist Jaime Black began The Red Dress Project, an installation of red dresses representing the thousands of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (#MMIWG) in Canada. The project has spawned community driven movements across the Americas because of epidemic levels of murder, sex trafficking, disappearance, and rape that have continued unreported due to the historically abusive relationship between federal governments and Indigenous peoples.
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"
voices
Idyllwild Spotlight Pamela Jordan
Art has the power to transform the lives of
both the makers of art as well as those who witness it. Whether creating beauty in the world, raising levels of consciousness, or
Alumni of Idyllwild Arts Academy often describe their school experience as teaching them to explore themselves, their world, and their place in it. Clay Alexander ’94, who holds over 100 patents and invented the world’s first LED track light bulb, says that he has always been an inventor and that studying Theatre at Idyllwild Arts Academy taught him the value of collaboration,
making what is invisible visible, art has the
which is the underpinning of his success today. Elora Hardy ’99
power to transform one’s thoughts, one’s
is described as “having it all as a designer for Donna Karan.”
actions, and even one’s purpose in life."
company in Bali, and was named one of Architectural
She is now the founder of IBUKU, a sustainable construction
the perfect place for Classes &Workshops Private Parties Gifts &Memberships “Artist on Art” Discussion Second Tuesday of each month from 7-8pm Pottery Demonstration Every Friday from 10-11
54716 N Circle Idyllwild, CA 92549 (951) 659-7117
www.mountain-pottery.com 30 l
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Digest’s top ten innovators in 2013. And Claire Chase ’96, flutist and Harvard professor, was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012 and in 2017 was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize. In education today, we realize we are preparing students for success in a world that is rapidly changing. Teaching in environments that support creativity, imagination, and innovation are all in an effort to equip this generation and those that follow with the ability to be divergent thinkers and to express new ideas and solutions to the challenges that await. Whether one is a student of art, a professional artist, or an appreciator of the role of the artist in society, I hope we all embody the soul of an artist.To do that is to cherish differing opinions, draw upon inspiration, and put forward new and useful ideas for the betterment of all humankind.
Pamela Jordan was appointed President of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation in July 2014. Prior to joining IAF, she worked at the Chicago Academy for the Arts (CAA) for twenty-three years, serving as Head of School for thirteen years. Jordan received a Bachelor of Music from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma and a Master of Education from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL. Jordan is a former faculty member of the National Association of Independent Schools’ Institute for New Heads. She has served on the boards of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools, and is currently Immediate Past President of Arts Schools Network. She has served as a resource panelist to the School of the Arts, Singapore where she also delivered the keynote address for the school’s first bi-annual Arts Forum.
Open April-May 9am to 5pm Closed Monday & Tuesday Festival Days April 26th - May 26th Over 165 colors in bloom Plants & cut flowers for sale
25025 Fern Valley Road Idyllwild, CA 92549 951.659.9711
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SPRING INTO S
pring is here and it’s time to explore the outdoors in the wonderful mountain community of Idyllwild. What can you expect? Wild strawberries at the Cienega along the Pacific Crest
Trail, wildflowers along Strawberry Creek, Wallflowers on the slopes of Black Mountain, proud-standing lupins and the aroma of black currants up the Devil’s Slide Trail.
Camping Here’s how to enjoy Nature during the months of April, May and June. The San Jacinto State Park and Riverside County’s Idyllwild Park are open to camping throughout the period. Forest service campsites open May 25th. For backcountry camping, get a permit in advance at either the Forest Service or County Park Ranger Station in Idyllwild. During Spring, be prepared for temperatures anywhere from freezing at night to the high 40’s. In the day, mid 60’s are typical – perfect for hiking and climbing.
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the great outdoors
IDYLLWILD By Neil Jenkins
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the great outdoors On the Trails Once you’ve set up your tent, it’s time to explore the outdoors. The rock climbing and bouldering season will be getting into full swing. Suicide Rock and Tahquitz are favorites, but check with the locals about conditions. Certain routes may be particularly unstable after a wet winter. Get up-to-date information at Nomad Ventures on North Circle Drive. If you’ve just come out of a winter in the climbing gym, remember that most of our routes here require a trad rack. Black Mountain is great for bouldering and hiking; check with the Forest Service for the condition of the road to the lookout. Spring is the perfect time for backpacking in the wilderness that is our backyard. The weather is mild and there should be plenty of water in the mountain streams to replenish your supplies. Strawberry Junction (no water) and Little Round Valley (seasonal streams) are favorite spots on the way to San Jacinto Peak and camping at either requires a permit. It should still be cool enough to enjoy the hikes out of nearby Garner Valley, but check for route closures at www.loveidyllwild,com. The effects of last years Cranston fire are not visible from town. If you travel up from Banning, you won’t even realize there was a fire. So, to get a true appreciation of the devastation these wildfires cause, and perhaps encourage greater care with campfires, hike to the top of Tahquitz Peak via Saddle Junction. If you want a slightly less energetic outdoor experience, the County Nature Centre has a network of beautiful nature trails with information
Whatever you decide to do in the great outdoors, Idyllwild
boards. You can also access these trails from the County Campground.
is the perfect place to start your adventure. See you soon!
Dog-Friendly Trails
You can find additional information at:
Much of our backcountry is designated as wilderness and so, to protect
www.recreation.gov (search Idyllwild, CA)
our precious wildlife, dogs are not allowed on many of the trails.
www.fs.usda.gov/activity/sbnf/recreation/camping-cabins
Idyllwild is, however, a very dog-friendly town. Four legged visitors are
www.rivcoparks.org
welcome on the Ernie Maxwell and South Ridge Trails in Idyllwild and
www.lakehemetrecreation.com
on the some trails on the nearby Black Mountain and out of Garner
www.thousandtrails.com/California/idyllwild-rv-resort
Valley.
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Delicious Swiss-Infused American Dishes created by Executive Chef Thomas Bachmann
54700 N. Circle Drive, Idyllwild, CA 92549 951.468.4222
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body & soul
Spiritual Workout®: Native to Idyllwild
By Steven Morrison
S
piritual Workout as a practice provides a way to live
And, while issues related to relationships, careers, physical
consciously in everyday life within an ideology of sorts.
health, money, personal identity, and loss often top the charts,
Its effectiveness only enhances spiritual practices such
this approach will meet you right where you are and show a way
as meditation, silent walks in nature or however you experience
to a happier place.
the renewing power of silence. Unlike other modalities that encourage the “management” of
I’m Steven Morrison, M.A., a former psychotherapist who
conditions like fear, anxiety and depression, this approach stands
ruminated for several years about expanding my portfolio in
apart; unwanted conditions can be eliminated.
service of my client’s wellbeing, ultimately forming the premise and ideology that became Spiritual Workout.
With few, if any exceptions these conditions are the result of nonproductive thinking and those who engage Spiritual Workout in
The premise is based entirely on teaching oneself to apply a
any real way, will absolutely change how they think. And when we
collection of 15 universal concepts, moment to moment:
change how we think about a thing, the thing changes.
• Be Compassionate • Beliefs Matter • Be Present • Choices
It is also an excellent practice for anyone whose life is humming
Abound • Everything Is Energy • Have an Attitude of Gratitude •
along just fine and who is eager to create the next big thing for
Intentions Matter • Judgments Separate Us • Listen to Inspiration
themselves. If you’re clear about what you are wanting; fantastic.
• Mind and Body Are Connected • Take Responsibility • The Law
If you need help articulating it, that’s one of my superpowers.
of Attraction Is Always On • We Are All Connected • We Are Here for a Reason • We Belong to the Planet, Not the Planet to Us.
I work with many “BHAG” entrepreneurs with big, hairy, audacious goals, as well as leaders of companies, organizations and
Moving to Idyllwild provided the launching pad, something
team leaders. This work produces a powerful halo effect within
about the place and the people helped germinate and grow
organizational models. The positive ripple permeates projects
into a remarkably effective system, at least that’s what clients
and departments and we find it’s highly effective for creativity.
report. Looking back, it was utterly organic that Idyllwild provided such Spiritual Workout is for anyone who’s sick and tired of something
fertile ground for this endeavor and I’m humbled by how people
being the way it is and has been. It’s for anyone looking to
on the Hill continue to be drawn to and appreciate this unique
make real, lasting change. It’s an alternative to regular talk
brand of personal, spiritual growth and development.
therapy. It’s for individuals and couples.
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Come Discover Yourself Find the Extraordinary Within Individuals Groups Sabbaticals 25661 Oakwood Street Idyllwild, CA 92549 951.659.2523 www.spiritmountainretreat.org
Easy meditation techniques for experiencing peace, happiness and freedom
(801) 971-6116 TheBrightPath.com
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&
Permaculture
the Art of Resilience I
By Holly Parsons
dyllwild’s Community Garden and Education Center, located
Himalayas, community and home gardens provide food security
at the corner of Alderwood and North Circle Drive is well
and enrich community experiences by sharing the harvest,
underway! Sponsored by Young Idyllwild Inc. in partnership
canning, storing and seeding each spring.
with the Idyllwild Association of Realtors, under the leadership of Kat Wilson, former San Diego garden project manager Bob
The fragile nature of life integral to mountain living, recently
Greenamyer, landscape and garden designer April Palmer and
punctuated by ravages wrought by extreme weather, remain an
educator Helen Hixon, is made possible by a land use donation
ever-present reality for Idyllwild’s enduring residents.
provided by Idyllwild realtor Dora Dillman.
Strategies for resilience and principles for whole systems development are effectively addressed by the astonishingly
The project is designed to offer Idyllwild residents a real shot
broad scope provided by the Permaculture paradigm.
at food sustainability, conferred in part by the Permaculture paradigm.
Predicated on the outstanding efficiency and best use techniques demonstrated by natural systems, communities
Stewarded by a team of permaculture aficionados, gardening
are strengthened when cross discipline design challenges are
experts, educators, volunteers and financially endowed by
solved within this model.
a Placemaker micro-grant from the National Association of Realtors, provided stage I infrastructure including a green house.
The in-depth study of Permaculture is worthy of community leaders and anyone who perceives the flaws intrinsic in lifestyle
The gift of trees, plants, irrigation systems, stonework, a custom
models that create waste, pollution and toxicity.
bench and all manner of useful tools by community members, has provided a solid basis for the garden’s growth. One purpose:
If interest in co-creating a more equitable society floats your
to develop and teach a multiplicity of basic food gardening
boat, “Thinking, designing and creating from a whole systems
techniques within a whole system model - to everyone and
perspective is key to arriving at resilient, regenerative solutions,”
anyone, all ages, no experience necessary. Another purpose is
writes Toby Hemenway in his book “The Permaculture City…”
to provide education and shared resources for home gardening designs, box and container construction, irrigation systems set-
Hemenway goes onto say, “Rural self-sufficiency rarely exists…
up, composting, fertilizing, seedling starts, toxic free pest control
we need to make the transition.”
systems and greenhouse designs. In “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” author Jane Since ancient times, through today - mountain communities
Jacobs argues, “a healthy social order cannot be imposed by a
throughout the world are avid gardeners. From the Alps to the
plan. A social fabric is not created or maintained by laws, police
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and officials. Public daily life is kept by an intricate, almost unconscious network of voluntary controls and standards among people themselves, and enforced by people themselves.” This reality is patently obvious to residents of Idyllwild who rely, for harmonious living, almost entirely on this very premise. One
might
ask, what
does
this
conversation have to do with gardening? It’s like asking what does breathing have to do with industry. Like breathing, whole systems gardening provides a basis from which all aspects of sustainable living rely… For more information about how you can get involved stop by the garden and pick up a brochure or contact: info@youngidyllwild.com
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ARTS
DARCY GERDES “Up Close and Personal” presented by Middle Ridge Winery Tasting Gallery
A
visitor to Idyllwild is first treated to Darcy Gerdes’ imagination and talent as soon as they approach Middle Ridge Winery Tasting Gallery.
Featured
outside near the patio is her painted deer “The Spirit of Tauquitch.” It captures the legend of disappearing maidens and Chief Tauquitch and recognizes the Native Americans who believe in the sacred powers of the white deer. Inside Middle Ridge, on the second floor of the gallery, we see a true retrospective of Darcy’s art spanning some five decades. Viewers can appreciate her artistic journey from her early illustrative works created for Leanin’ Tree Greeting Cards
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to products created for Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm to her
of endangered species.
View these up close and personal
current wildlife and landscape paintings.
at Middle Ridge Tasting Gallery until April 21, 2019. 24301 N. Circle Drive, Idyllwild, CA 92549 (photo above).
Many artists are known for a particular style, subject matter or technique. Not Darcy: the full range of her talent in the exhibition includes Illustrations, Fantasyscapes, Naturescapes, Landscapes, Environmental Wildlife/Vision Series, Still Life, Signed Artist Proofs and Mini Paintings.
“Painting nature comes very naturally. It’s where I live; it’s where I dream; and it’s with whom I coexist.” “My treatment of animals on canvas is my way
Shining through the canvas of her Naturescapes and Environmental Series is her love of nature and concern for the
of honoring the majesty of these creatures which have inhabited this planet long before us.”
environment. She was particularly drawn to the soulful eyes
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CELEBRATING
National Poetry
Month
and Mary Oliver By Donna Elliot To many people, poetry is unfathomable and highbrow. Let us introduce you to Mary Oliver who believed that poetry “mustn’t be fancy.” Inspired by the natural world, she would have been right at home in Idyllwild. We are all poets if “poetry is lofty thought or impassioned feeling expressed in imaginative words.” What differs is our own perception of what constitutes “lofty thought,” “impassioned feeling” and “imaginative words.” Though we may not sit down with a poetry book very often, we look at a tree, a mountain, a loved one and we contemplate lofty thoughts.
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To help us discern our own lofty thoughts and that of other poets, the Academy of American Poets introduced National Poetry Month in 1996. It is celebrated during April every year. Its aim is to increase the awareness and appreciation of poetry. Possibly, Oliver’s simple words could help us lead better, more fulfilled lives. To her “Poetry is a life-cherishing force. For poems are not words, after all, but fires for the cold, ropes let down to the lost, something as necessary as bread in the pockets of the hungry.” Read her words and see if you agree.
idyilm.com
culture
Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Still, what I want in my life Be astonished. Is to be willing to be dazzled – Tell about it. To cast aside the weight of facts And maybe even to float a little Above this difficult world. I want to believe I am looking Into the white fire of a great mystery. I want to believe that the imperfections are nothing – That the light is everything – that it is more than the sum of each flawed blossom rising and falling. And I do.
We need beauty because it makes us ache to be worthy of it.
Listen – are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?
Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift. Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.
When it’s over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms. When it is over, I don’t want to wonder If I have made of my life something particular, and real. I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened, Or full of argument. I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.
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IDYLLWILD INTERNATIONAL
FESTIVAL OF CINEMA Movie Magic Comes to Idyllwild IIFC Celebrates 10 Years By Lynne Eodice
The Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema [IIFC] - dubbed “the Greatest Little Film Festival on Earth” by indiefilm.com, screened 109 films in this year’s festival from 22 countries. IIFC Executive Producer, Trinity Houston said, “this year celebrates a milestone, after a decade of bringing incredible independent films to “The Hill.” we’re about to become Oscar accredited. This means that winning films will get submitted to the Oscars.” From March 5 - 10, 2019, moviegoers in Idyllwild were treated, at several venue’s around town, to a wide variety of documentaries, music videos, feature films, featurettes and shorts. Even our own Mayor Max was a star! The week culminated with the IDY Award Ceremony, which was held at the newly restored Hemet Historic Theatre on March 10th.
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A Little History
its potential, as every year the quality of filmmaking gets better bigger, and more inspiring.”
It all began when filmmaker and former Idyllwild resident Stephen Savage took a trip to the Sundance Film Festival in 2009 for a special screening of his movie, Cosmic Radio. He’d been invited by Sundance Institute’s Native Film Studies Department. Throughout the week he was amazed how a small town like Park City became a world-renowned destination because of the festival. Inspired, Savage worked with community leaders to lay out a plan for the first IIFC in January 2009. After the success of the first festival, he decided to bring film and music video producer Trinity Houston on board because of her creativity and business
Trinity Houston - IIFC Executive Producer As a producer of
acumen.
feature
Principal Players
films,
TV
shows and concert DVDs, Trinity brings to
Stephen Savage - IIFC Founder & Director
IIFC extensive event
Although he’s a feature filmmaker, staff writer at Paramount and
planning background.
director of commercials, Savage is modest about his role with
When asked why they
the festival. “Trinity Houston has a great team, and they do all of
chose Idyllwild as the
the big stuff.” In a statement, Savage says, “IIFC moves into this
venue for the festival, she says, “Even though it’s only about two
milestone season so strong and so viable, I am literally in awe of
hours from L.A., Idyllwild is an amazing, artistic environment.”
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Andrea Charles - IIFC Executive Artist Liaison Andrea’s
Marianne Hettinger, Filmmaker & Actress, Prince Harming responsibili-
Andreas Beckett, Actor
ties vary from, scheduling the venues, li-
Jillie Simon, Supporting Actress
aising with artists, and
Marianne Hettinger won the Mary
promoting the festival,
Austin Award for Excellence in
inns, and restaurants in
Directing
a
Idyllwild to viewing all
Feature Film.
the films as one of the judges She also manages the festival
She
wrote,
volunteers.
directed and starred in this film about a woman who falls in love with a former
David Minasian - Producer, Director & Composer
charming champion skier during the
A Filmmaker himself, Minasian assists Trinity Houston to ensure
couple’s courtship to becoming abusive
the festival runs smoothly. His recent film, The Story Behind
once they’re married. “It’s wonderful to
Knights in White Satin won Best Documentary Short in the
be able to create art from tragedy,” she observed.
festival three years ago. A recent collaboration with Justin Hayward, the lead singer of the Moody Blues produced “The
Taylor Horky, Filmmaker & Director, The Mayor
Wind of Heaven, title song for a film Trinity and I are producing.”
This film was awarded a trophy for Indi Spirit, Documentary. “It was a lot of fun to actually screen
This veteran-themed film will shoot in Idyllwild this summer.
this movie in Idyllwild,” Taylor says. “Touring Idyllwild with my wife I
An Insight Into Several Filmmakers
thought that it odd for a small town like Idyllwild to have such a large motorcade for its mayor.” As they
Linda Palmer
got closer, they discovered that the
Writer, Director & Producer, Turnover
mayor was actually a dog. Horky says,“Immediately I thought, ‘there’s
This film won awards for Best Feature Film,
a story here.” The Mayor is his first documentary.
Family and Audience Choice. When asked
Dwight Friesen, Filmmaker, Henlightenment
about her inspiration
This animated short won the Harvey Award for Best Children’s
for this movie, Palmer
Film. Henlightenment was five years
replies,
been
in the making and is Friesen’s first
writing for many years, and actually wrote this script 10 years
animated film. This film will go on
ago about the dynamic between an older man and a younger
to the New York Independent Film
man, and that the older man was trying to regain his youth.” she
Festival in May..” Henlightenment is
says. It’s evident that Palmer loves ensemble stories, and much
a parable about a hen who wants
of her work features ensemble casts.
to escape her coop, and finds a
“I’ve
spiritual path to freedom.
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Yennifer Behrens, Director & Actress, Mi Amor Behrens won the Mary Austin Award for Excellence in Directing a
Featurette
for
Mi
Amor.
“My passion is to delve into the emotional aspect of love relationships and family.” She says that Mi Amor encompasses all of these elements. This movie marks her directorial debut, although she with her husband, Mauricio Mendoza formed True Form Films, producing films for eight years.
Sally Brooks, Writer & Actress, Someone You Know Peter Spruyt, Director of Photography
Cottrell Guidry, Writer & Actor, Grimshaw This film won awards for Best Editing
Someone You Know won the award for Best Short Film-Comedy.
in a Featurette (Matt Alanzo), and
This movie is about a Los Angeles couple who play a game
Best Supporting Actor in a Featurette
when they go out, in
(Cornell Womack). Grimshaw is a tale
which the winner is
about a man dealing with addiction
the one who runs into
who is visited by his deceased father
the most people he or
over a game of chess. Guidry shares,
she knows. The story
“I grew up with a father who was an
takes a surprising turn
addict and passed away when I was younger; I chose to grow
when the wife bends the rules. Brooks and Spruyt—a husband and wife team—play this game in real life. “One night, I really did cheat at the game,” Brooks says.“I walked up to a stranger and asked him to pretend that he knew me.” He did so, and the interaction didn’t go much
from the inside out.”
The full list of IDY Award Winners can be found at www.idyllwildcinemafest.com
further than that, but then she started thinking, “what if?” And that’s how she came up with the idea for the film. “We took it to a really dark place,” adds Spruyt.
Congratulations to everyone involved in the 10th year anniversary of the iifc!
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Idyllwild Library Centennial Celebration The year 2020 will mark Idyllwild Library’s 100
celebration beginning in July 2019. Each month, we will host
years of continuous service to our community.
events open to the public to recognize the contributions of this
The Library Centennial Committee is planning a year long
remarkable library and the community it serves.
Events and activities will include:
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• •
Centennial kickoff block party and children’s carnival Display of the Idyllwild Library Centennial Timeline with photos and details of the library’s rich history, and the creation of a time capsule to capture memories.
•
Special commemorative library cards with the new Centennial logo.
idyilm.com
•
Michéle Marsh will perform the play “I Believe in Unicorns,” directed by Kathleen Walker.
•
“Idyllwild Reads” - selection of a novel for the entire community to read and discuss.
•
Local Idyllwild authors book-signing event.
•
Final celebration party in July of 2020.
Specific dates and details of these events and others in the works will be available later this spring. We invite all visitors and members of the community to join us! For more information, please contact the Idyllwild Library. Idyllwild Library 54401 Village Center Drive, Idyllwild, CA 92549 phone: (951) 659-2300 / email: idyllwildlibrary@gmail.com www.facebook.com/IdyllwildLibrary
Enjoy our Panoramic Views Perfect for Families Adventurers Pet Owners All welcome
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IDYLLWILDEVENTS April-May, 9am to 5 PM Alpenglow Lilac Gardens Closed Mondays and Tuesdays Free tour each day at 1:00PM Festival Days – April 26 to May 26 25025 Fern Valley Road April 12 – 20, Opening at 6 PM Visual Arts Senior Show IV Idyllwild Arts Academy Parks Exhibition Center, 52500 Temecula Road April 18 – 22, Opening at 5 PM Idyllwild Arts Academy Visual Arts Students Showing at Melissa Morgan Fine Art in Palm Desert Melissa Morgan Fine Art in Palm Desert 73660 El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA 92260 April 20, 7:30 PM Spring Fashion Show & Inter-Arts Performance Idyllwild Arts Academy Studio D, 52500 Temecula Road Apri 20, 5pm+ Idyllwild Life Magazine Town Mingle at Middle Ridge Winery Music by Cole Withers and the preview of Deborah Anderson's documentary "Women of the White Buffalo" Until April 21 “Obsessions” Exhibition “Up Close & Personal” A Retrospective of Artist Darcy Gerdes Middle Ridge Winery Tasting Gallery 54301 N. Circle Drive 951-659-9000 www.middleridge.com April 24-July 7 “Sun, Moon & Stars” Exhibition Middle Ridge Winery Tasting Gallery 54301 N. Circle Drive 951-659-9000 www.middleridge.com
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April 26, 2019, 5-9 PM Eye of the Artist Town Hall, 25925 Cedar Street Judged Art Show, Raffle, Silent Auction, Wine & NibblesFree and open to the public www.artinidyllwild.org April 27, 7-9 PM Idyllwild Storyteller Poetry Night Middle Ridge Winery, 54301 N Circle Drive Free and open to the public April 28, 2 PM, May 4, 7 PM, May 5, 2 PM “Enchanted April” performed by the Stratford Players Christian Science Church, 25970 Cedar Street Tickets $15 www.stratfordplayers.com April 28, 1-5 PM Earth Day 2019 Protect our Species Campaign Idyllwild Arts Academy 52500 Temecula Road May 3, 7:30 PM, May 5, 2:00 PM Devised Musical Idyllwild Arts Academy 52500 Temecula Road May 4 World Labyrinth Day www.labyrinthsociety.org May 5, 10 AM Chamber Music Concert & Brunch Idyllwild Arts Academy William M. Lowman Concert Hall, 52500 Temecula Road May 5, 2019, Noon until 4 PM Cinco de Mayo Chalk Festival Village Center www.artinidyllwild.org
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May 5, 10 AM to 3 PM May the Fifth Be With You Mini-Celebration with Balloon Lightsabers and Selfie Opportunities Idyllwild Nature Center 25225 Hwy-243 May 11, 11AM to 4 PM Studio and Gallery Tour Visit local artists in their studios www.artinidyllwild.org May 18, 2019, 10 AM – 3 PM Idyllwild Garden Club Tour www.idyllwildgardenclub.net May 15 Idyllwild Arts Film Showcase presents over 26 student films. 1st Screening 3:00 – 6:00 PM 2nd Screening and Awards Ceremony: 7:00 – 10:00 PM 52500 Temecula Road May 19, 2019, 2-5 PM Concert in the Garden – an afternoon of classical music Spirit Mountain Retreat, 25661 Oakwood Drive 951-659-2523 info@spiritmountainretreat.org Ticket Price $20 May 25-26,10 AM to 5 PM Art In The Park Outdoor Art Fair with local artists and live music Located on Hwy 243 near the Town Center www.idyllwild2ndsaturday.com May 25-26, 10 AM to 3 PM Wildflower Festival Wildflower Exhibition, Arts & Crafts, Live Music, Ranger Guided Walks Idyllwild Nature Center 25225 Hwy-243
June 1, Noon – 4 PM ARF’s Paws for Rhythm & Brews Idyllwild Nature Center, 26890 Hwy 243 www.arfbeerfest.com June 1, 7-9 PM Idyllwild Storytelling & Dance Middle Ridge Winery, 54301 N Circle Drive Free and open to the public June 14-17 Idyllwild Western Steampunk Symposium, 10 AM to 7 PM Workshops, Panels, Exhibitions, Make & Take, Live Entertainment, BBQ & Chili Cookoff, Craft Beer & Mead Garden, Food & Merchant VendorsDowntown on Park Lane & Village Center Drive www.IdyllwildWesternSteampunk.com June 15-16, 10 AM to 5 PM Art In The Park Outdoor Art Fair with local artists and live music Located on Hwy 243 near the Town Center www.idyllwild2ndsaturday.com June 15, 2019, 5-8 PM, 10am to 7 PM Plein Air Outdoor Painting Festival Artist Reception Courtyard Gallery, 54240 Ridgeview Drive www.artinidyllwild.org June 22, 10 AM to 3 PM Lemon Lily Restoration Day Lemon Lily Restoration, Guest Speakers, Live Music, Arts & Crafts and Ranger Guided Walks Idyllwild Nature Center 25225 Hwy-243 June 22, 7-9 PM Idyllwild Stories & Songs Middle Ridge Winery, 54301 N Circle Drive Free and open to the public July 4, 2019, 10 AM to NOON July Fourth Parade Rotary Club of Idyllwild
July 6-7, 10 AM to 5PM Art In The Park Outdoor Art Fair with local artists and live music Located on Hwy 243 near the Town Center www.idyllwild2ndsaturday.com August 3-4, 10 AM to 5 PM Art In The Park Outdoor Art Fair with local artists and live music Located on Hwy 243 near the Town Center www.idyllwild2ndsaturday.com August 13 -16, Southwestern Tribal Climate Change Summit Idyllwild Arts Academy 52500 Temecula Road www.climatesciencealliance.org
October 3, 10 AM to 3 PM Butterfly Daze Butterfly Pavillion, Guest Speakers, Live Music, Arts & Crafts and Ranger Guided Walks Idyllwild Nature Center 25225 CA Hwy-243 October 12, 2019, 11AM to 5 PM Art Walk & Wine Tasting Artist Booths and 20 of Southern California’s Premier Wineries Art Alliance of Idyllwild www.artinidyllwild.org October 12-13, 10 AM to 4 PM 16th Annual Quilt Show Mountain Quilters Buckhorn Camp, 24641 CA Hwy-243
August 18, 2 PM, 24, 7 PM and 25, 2 PM Will in the Woods VII Stratford Players www.stratfordplayers.com
October 19, 10 AM to 3 PM Trail of the Acorn Cahuilla Centered Food Samples, Guest Speakers, Live Music, Inspired Arts & Crafts and Games, Ranger Guided Walks Idyllwild Nature Center 25225 Hwy-243
August 31, Noon + Ice Cream Social – all welcome Idyllwild Area Historical Society 54470 N. Circle Drive
October 31, 4 PM + Halloween Parade & Festival Idyllwild Community Center www.idyllwildcommunitycenter.org
August 31-September 1, 10 AM to 5 PM Art In The Park Outdoor Art Fair with local artists and live musicL ocated on Hwy 243 near the Town Center www.idyllwild2ndsaturday.com
November 29, 9 AM to 5 PM, November 30, 9AM to 3PM Harvest Festival sponsored by the Rotary Club Perfect for holiday shopping www.idyllwildharvestfestival.com
September 1, 2-5 PM Deep Pit BBQ Rotary Club
November 30, 4 PM Tree Lighting & Olde English Players Idyllwild Town Center
September 14, 10 AM to 4 PM 19th Annual Idyllwild Home Tour Idyllwild Area Historical Society www.Idyllwildhistory.org
December 1 and 8, 2 PM, December 7, 7 PM Holiday Show
September 27, 28 & 29, 2019 Renaissance Faire Food, Music, Drink, Vendors Camp Emerson, 53155 Idyllbrook Drive www.IdyllwildRenFaire.com
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La Casita
Mexican Restaurant
Home of Roberto’s Jalapeño Sauce
Enjoy a unique dining experience among the pine trees and all the wildlife that Idyllwild has to offer!
Come and meet “Rocky” and “Bella”
Relax with a Michelada on the deck or sit with your family inside. We offer something for everyone! (951) 659-6038 54650 N. Circle Drive Idyllwild, CA 92549 idyllwildlacasita.com Good Dining. Good People.
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You are the only you who has ever existed and the only you who will ever exist. So if there is anything -- anything at all -- stopping you from knowing and being who you really are, from enjoying your Self and your life to the f fullest, from doing what you want to do in the world, it may just be the time.
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focal point
Jason Cleghorn 54 l
idyllwild life magazine
"Cover Me" - I became a professional photographer in '09. Recently, I have been shooting more landscapes and underwater photography which is now my main focus. Web:Â www.cleghornphotography.com / Instagram: @cleghorn_fine_art idyilm.com
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