Images Arizona: Paradise Valley May 2017 Issue

Paradise Valley :: McCormick Ranch

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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PHOENIX, AZ PERMIT NO. 3418

may 2017

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RANDY O'BRIEN CERAMICS

OLIVERIO BALCELS IT'S IN HIS BLOOD

CHEF MATT CARTER

By Katherine Braden

Cover photo by Nicky Hedayatzadeh

COMMUNITY EVENTS

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By Grace Hill

MYTHICAL MEETS METAL MEETS MCCALLISTER

ITALIAN ANTIPASTO SKEWERS

By Katherine Braden

By Monica Longenbaker

By Beth Duckett

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By Lara Piu

Start living life today AT ANDARA

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

EDITOR/CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jenn Korducki Krenn Amanda Christmann

ART DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT Jennifer Satterlee

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ana Petrovic

STAFF WRITER Grace Hill

W

When we began printing Images Arizona 18 years ago, the Internet was new.

Most people didn’t have computers, and most people relied on newspapers and nightly news to find out what was happening in the world around them. Today, that has all changed.

We are proud to say that our dedication to bringing heartening stories that cannot be found anywhere else has paid off. For nearly two decades, our local

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

professional writers and photographers have explored the human experience

Tom Scanlon Beth Duckett Monica Longenbaker Kenneth LaFave Gregory Granillo Shannon Severson Katherine Braden Lara Piu

and cultural events like no other publication in the area. They have taken great

PHOTOGRAPHERS

anecdotes, events and adventures of our thriving community. We are happy to

Bryan Black Loralei Lazurek Monica Longenbaker

share that we now offer subscriptions, and that, through them, hundreds of new

ADVERTISING SALES Loren Sheck 480-309-6410 loren@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

pride in telling stories that introduce neighbors, share pride and sorrows, and inspire us all to connect so that our community can grow stronger roots.

At a time when proper vetting, skillful writing and original photography seem to be lost arts, there is a growing demand for quality, distinct articles and images. Through the years, we have gotten requests for subscriptions from winter residents, visitors, and many others who didn’t want to miss out on the

readers only need go as far as their mailboxes each month to be tuned in to the heartbeat of our community.

As we continue to grow and change, we are excited to be able to keep you in the loop through subscriptions to Images Arizona. For just $24 a year — $2 a month — you can keep in touch with what’s happening in your own back yard and learn about stories that, despite technology, can’t be found anywhere else.

Simply visit us online at imagesarizona.com and click “Subscribe.”

Even as we change and grow, we will continue our promise of quality and integrity, and to continue to be a proud community partner. On behalf of all of our writers, photographers and editors, thank you for making us a continuing part of your lives, and for supporting us through the years!

shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2017 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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

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

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RANDY O'BRIEN CERAMICS Writer Beth Duckett Photographer Wilson Graham

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Randy O’Brien’s journey from fledgling art student to acclaimed potter has led him to some very interesting places — and people.

Before settling at his current home in the foothills of southern Arizona, O’Brien lived in California, where he studied under well-known ceramics artist Al Johnsen. He also launched a pottery studio in Alaska before experimenting with pottery glazes at a New York university, a process that led to the striking, one-of-a-kind glazed surfaces he is known for today.

O’Brien says of his style, which resembles the mineral formations and lichens found in southern Arizona: “If anyone sees it, they know that’s my work.”

With such a repertoire of places traveled, you might think O’Brien has taken the opportunity to also journey to art shows across the country. But the potter primarily sold through galleries for much of his career. It wasn’t until the recession that O’Brien began to explore the art world beyond his comfort zone.

“For a large part of my life, I wanted to hole up in my studio and make pots,” the artist recalls. “I had about 24 galleries before the recession. It got down to six. I had to try and reinvent how I made a living.”

Now, O’Brien shows at about a dozen fairs annually, gaining crucial feedback from collectors that he didn’t get previously.

“It has been great for my growth,” he says. “It has been great to interact with people.”

Additionally, O’Brien works with about a dozen galleries across the country, from California to Illinois. June Dale, owner of the Austin Presence gift shop in West Lake Hills, Texas owns several of O’Brien’s pieces, noting that they have a “mystery about them, because they look like they could come from outer space, under the sea or from a volcano.”

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There is not a day that goes by that someone doesn’t walk into the gallery and ask me, ‘How does he do that?'

colors combined with the deep texture always stirs the curiosity of collectors as they come through our door,” she says.

O’Brien’s work “combines brilliant color and amazing texture to create a piece that is both organic and otherworldly,” says Mesia Hachadorian of Tubac, Arizona-based Cobalt Fine Arts Gallery.

“It is hard to have a Randy O’Brien piece in a room and not have it draw your eye,” Hachadorian notes. “There is not a day that goes by that someone doesn’t walk into the gallery and ask me, ‘How does he do that?’”

Similarly, New Mexico artist Barbara Meikle, who represents O’Brien at her namesake fine art gallery in Santa Fe, says his pieces “add a delightful element” to any room. “His unique process has an organic quality that is hard to resist; the unusually bright

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O’Brien began his career as a young student at the University of California, Berkeley, enrolling there in the early 1980s after spending a year as a foreign exchange student in Malaysia.

Of his travels abroad, O’Brien remarks: “I went into some pottery studios there. When I got back to the states, I went to school. At that point, I didn’t really consider making a living making pots. I just spent all the time I possibly could in the studio.”

O’Brien left Berkeley and later attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he had access to a pottery studio 24 hours a day. Santa Cruz is also where he met late accomplished painter and potter from Gig Harbor, Washington, Al Johnsen, who hosted workshops there throughout the summer. After about three years, Johnsen hired O’Brien to work in his studio. “I made

some of his pots while he painted,” O’Brien says. “I did that for about a year.”

With several years of schooling under his belt, O’Brien was experienced enough to take his career to the next step.

He moved to Homer, a quaint tourist-friendly city in south-central Alaska, and pursued his dream of owning an art studio.

“It took me six months,” the potter remarks. “I rented a studio I found it had been abandoned. It had all the equipment. I ended up in a number of different locations.”

Nicknamed “the cosmic hamlet by the sea,” Homer is on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula on the shore of Kachemak Bay, which is home to a sprawling wilderness park.

Naturally, O’Brien found inspiration for his work in the innate splendor of the area. He recalls the winters in Homer,

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which often lasted nine months or longer; icicles would form on the sides of cabins and expand until the temperature finally warmed up in the summer.

Inspired by the aesthetics of his surroundings, O’Brien tried placing bits of glaze as an accent flowing down the sides of one of his pots. “I put on just enough so it wouldn’t hit the bottom,” he remarks. “It was a period of glaze experimentation for me, learning about glazes and coming up with a distinct body of work.” His experiments created a feedback loop and “in the end, what I came up with looked a lot like the landscape from Kachemak Bay,” he says.

Later, O’Brien continued this experimentation as a student at Alfred University in New York, where he earned his bachelor of fine arts degree in 1996. There, he focused on specialeffect and low-fire glazes. Since he had earned a living as a potter, O’Brien was advanced compared to many of his classmates; the experience allowed him to focus solely on glaze experimentation and three-dimensional glaze surfaces, he says.

“There were a lot of resources there,” O’Brien remembers. “I had MFA graduate students available to me. While I was there, I was able to take glaze chemistry classes in the ceramic engineering department. I would not have been able to do what I do now if I hadn’t gone to Alfred.”

It would take the artist another five years to fully develop the body of work and style he is known for today. By 2001, his pieces were recognizable, though more earth-toned than his current style. “They remained earth toned for about 10 years,” he says. “I gradually started making them brighter, now I can make them as bright as I possibly can.” randyobrien.net

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COMMUNITY arts // announcements // culture Writer Grace Hill

MAY 3 JEWISH FEDERATION B&P HOSTS CORNER OFFICE Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix Business & Professionals Groups presents Corner Office: Lessons Learned from Jewish Business Leaders. Listen to panelists and enjoy a cocktail/ hors d’oeuvres reception.

Registration required. Professionals $36; students $18. 5:30-8 p.m.

Phoenix Plaza, 2929 N. Central Ave., 480-481-1754, jewishphoenix. org/corneroffice.

MAY 4 SIPS AND SOUNDS PRESENTS ROCK LOBSTER band, will perform during the

THE ART OF FEARLESSLY DOING BUSINESS III

Sips and Sounds concert series

Celebrate entrepreneurs, business

at The SHOPS at Gainey Village.

networkers and art lovers. Event

Enjoy food and drinks from

includes artwork by Michelle

nearby restaurants. Free. 6-8 p.m.

Micalizzi. Reservations by May 3.

The SHOPS at Gainey Village,

Free. 6-9 p.m. Fearless Art Works

8777-8989 N. Scottsdale Rd.,

at Spanish Village, 7211 E. Ho Rd.

theshopsgaineyvillage.com.

#17, 480-526-2609, aofdb.com.

Rock Lobster, an ’80s retro cover

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MAY 5-7 CINCO DE TREASURE FEST Magic Bird Festivals presents a Cinco de Mayo shopping extravaganza! 70 local artists and vendors will showcase boutique apparel, jewelry designs, original art, Native American crafts and more. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cave Creek Roadhouse, 6900 E. Cave Creek Rd., 480-488-2014, carefreeazfestivals.com.

MAY 6 SMOCA’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art presents SMoCA Mix: TECH Sublime. VIP champagne reception honors SMoCA Emeritus advisory board member Dorothy Lincoln-Smith.

Proceeds benefit SMoCA. VIP Reception: 6-7 p.m. General: 7-10 p.m. VIP: $250. General: $175. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., 480-499-8587, smoca.org.

Photo courtesy Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art may 2017

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MAY 10

MAY 14

ARIZONA ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY MEETING

HYATT REGENCY’S MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH

Doug Gann, PhD presents

Enjoy live music and delicious

“Traveling in Time and Space:

food like smoked salmon

The Interpretive Potential of

benedict, chilaquiles, mini

Virtual Reality in Archaeology,”

pastries, cherries jubilee and

to discuss recent technological

more. Includes a children’s buffet.

innovations and how they affect

Adults $90; with champagne

the field of archaeology. Open

$100; children 6-12 $42.50;

to the public. Free. 7:30-9 p.m.

children 5 and under free.

Refreshments at 7 p.m., Good

Excludes tax and gratuity. 9

Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal

a.m. to 4 p.m. Hyatt Regency

Church, 6502 E. Cave Creek

Scottsdale Resort and Spa, 7500

Rd., azarchsoc.wildapricot.org/

E. Doubletree Ranch Rd., 480-

DesertFoothills.

444-1234, scottsdale.regency. hyatt.com.

MAY 23JUNE 10 AN EVENING AT DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN Ballet Arizona’s artistic director Ib Andersen presents “Topia,” a performance of movement, sound and multimedia surrounded by the beauty of the botanical garden. A preshow dinner begins at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets starting at $36. 8 p.m.

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy., 602-381-0188, balletaz.org.

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I M AG E S A R I Z O N A . C OM m ayFrank 2 017Balaam “Edge of the Forest.”

Events

Photo courtesy Ballet Arizona

MAY 18 NCA ARIZONA ANNUAL FUNDRAISER The National Concierge Association (NCA) Arizona Chapter’s fundraiser will benefit The Fetch Foundation and features appetizers, cash bar, silent auction, Chinese auction and balloon pop. $5 admission includes one Chinese auction ticket. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Fleming’s Steakhouse, 6333 N. Scottsdale Rd., 480-636-0500, ncakey.org/ arizona-chapter.

MAY 20 CANVAS AND COFFEE Join Sunny Hall, owner of Paint and Gogh, for a stepby-step guided acrylic painting class. Supplies provided.

No experience necessary.

Registration required. $40.

10 a.m. to noon. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Bldg. B, azfcf.org. may 2017

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MAY 21 SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT Arizona’s premiere philharmonic presents music by composers Bach, Offenbach, Mendelssohn, Rossini, Suppé and Bruch.

General admission: Free; VIP preferred seating: $15 donation. 4-6 p.m. Scottsdale Bible Church, 7601 E. Shea Blvd., 480-951-6077, scottsdalephilharmonic.com.

MAY 27 CAR CORRAL AND SWAP MEET Car Corral and Swap Meet provides a safe and friendly environment for buying and selling vehicles. Registration proceeds benefit Our Lady of Joy Preschool and other charities. To sell: $45; RV, boats and larger vehicles: $60.

8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church, 36811 N. Pima Rd., 480-488-2229, carcorralscottsdale.com.

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Fine Art Photo courtesy Mike Benedetto

MAY 29JULY 14 REIGNING GRACE RANCH WILD AT HEART DAY CAMP Reigning Grace Ranch offers girls ages 8 to 15 horse care lessons, nature walks, arts and crafts, and much more!

Leadership, teambuilding and communication skills taught while building self-esteem.

5 sessions available. $500 per session. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Reigning Grace Ranch, 28614 N. 172nd St., 480-466-2154, azrgr.org/day-camp.

DESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST May 12 from 3-6 p.m. and May 13 from noon-4 p.m., Desert Foothills Library will accept photo submissions for their 2017 photography contest. The exhibition, located at the library, will be from July 3-21. Entry fee is $5 per image and paid by cash or check only. Free for youth ages 17 and under. Jerry Sieve, sieveimages@gmail.com, or desertfoothillslibrary.org. may 2017

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Writer Lara Piu Photographer Jesse Kitt

Enjoy

Lizz Wright Musical Instrument Museum 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix Monday, May 1 7 p.m. $48.50 - $63.50 mimmusictheater.themim.org

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“I see myself much like a painter,” jazz artist Lizz Wright says about her work in a recent documentary.

Her premiere composition and first album, “Salt,” soared to the number two spot on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz list. Tommy LiPuma, the man behind the award-winning work of artists like George Benson, Diana Krall, and Natalie Cole, produced the album. Since then, Lizz released another four acclaimed albums: “Dreaming Wide Awake,” “The Orchard,” “Fellowship,” and “Freedom and Surrender.” They’re the stories of her life, she explains.

“If you look at the records I’ve made and really take them apart as elements, you start to think about the things that must have come together to create these things,” she explains. “I’ve arrived at a certain kind of eclecticism, which is actually just an honest picture of what my life is like and what my imagination is like.”

The artist now performs on the other side of several challenges: divorce, creative struggles, and feeling off-track. Then she nearly died in a car accident on an icecoated mountain road.

“The heavy car floated silently toward a 75-foot ravine that ended with a wide band of a frozen creek,” Lizz recalls in a recent artist statement. “‘Ok,’ was the only thing I could get out in a sigh. I was stopped by a young bellwood tree that grew out of the bank like a hook. I slowed my breathing and meditated in suspension. About 20 minutes later, a young neighbor pulled the door open, reaching in with a strong arm to guide my climb out. Now when I sing the chorus, I see the gracious hole and the sweet sapling that grows over it. It threw me back, a fish returned to the river with a cut lip.”

The delicate pink flowers of the tree that saved her remind her of that day.

“They were strong enough to save me. In surrender I experience freedom,” she explains. “The gift of an end is a beginning. I greet the sun with the only reason I've ever needed: ‘Why not?’”

Her experiences inspired the songs she will sing in May, many coming from her latest album, “Freedom & Surrender,” often considered her sexiest, most sensual album yet. She wrote 10 of its 15 songs, six with Grammy Award-winning producer, bassist and songwriter Larry Klein and his longtime songwriting partner David Batteau. The trio wrote songs like the rocky, country-bluesy “The New Game,” “Here and Now,” inspired in part by the passing of Maya Angelou, and a tender ballad called “Blessed the Brave.”

Lizz will perform at MIM Monday, May 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $48.50 - $63.50 and can be purchased on the MIM website. The music theater will host an additional four jazz artists in May: Anat Cohen & Trio Brasileiro on May 7, the John Pizzarelli Trio on May 12, René Marie on May 17, and Lisa Fischer on May 25. mimmusictheater.themim.org

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Writer Lara Piu

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When my daughter was a wee one, my father would ritually take her outside, hold her high in his arms, and together they would point and yell, “Balloooooon!” as hot air balloons flew above my house. But you don’t have to be a child to appreciate hot air balloons. They tend to stir up the light side in anyone. Big, colorful and bright, hot air balloons rise above the fray and elevate us to a higher perspective.

During Memorial Day weekend, you can get up close and personal with these monstrous marvels at the Cave Creek Balloon Festival. Presented by Tonto Bar and Grill and Aerial Solutions, the eighth annual event will be held at Rancho Mañana Golf Course’s driving range from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 27.

At around 7:30 p.m., eight massive glowing balloons, some with one-of-a-kind shapes, will light up the Sonoran Desert

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sky in Cave Creek’s largest one-day event. It will also feature food trucks, live bands, and a fan-favorite fireworks show that will fill the sky with red, white and blue.

Arrive early to settle in with your low-profile lawn chair in at the main stage lawn area for the Civil Air Patrol color guard presentation and a flyover by Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302. Madison Holmes, a local upand-coming singer/songwriter will perform at 5:30 p.m., and later she’ll kick the evening off with her rendition of the national anthem.

The Anglim Sisters and native Arizonan Harry Luge and his country band will perform on the main stage. A cross between the gritty nature of Travis Tritt with the soul of Waylon Jennings and powerhouse vocals of Pat Green, Harry has opened for well-known artists including Merle Haggard, Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Chris LeDoux,

EVENT TIMELINE 5:30 p.m.

Gates open Live music by Madison Holmes.

6:30 p.m.

Arizona Wing Civil Air Patrol color guard presentation Flyover by Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 National anthem performed by Madison Holmes.

6:45 p.m.

Live music from the Anglim Sisters.

7:30 p.m.

Balloons start to inflate, come to life and glow. Glow lasts for about 90 minutes.

8 p.m.

Harry Luge performs.

9 p.m.

Fireworks

Neal McCoy, Martina McBride, and Montgomery Gentry.

A kids’ zone will feature free face painting and balloon twisting, and pay-to-play bouncy house inflatables.

Food from local food trucks like Grilled Addiction, Wandering Donkey, Fry Bread Inc., Doughlicious Pizza, Cheese Love and Happiness, The Buffalo Chip, Firehouse Kettle Corn and Cotton Candy, Firehouse Shaved Ice, Affogato Coffee, and Frosted Frenzy Cupcakes will also be on hand.

Beverages will include cocktails, wine and Four Peaks Brewery craft beer. cavecreekfestivals.com

may 2017

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Writer Shannon Severson Photographer Bryan Black/Michael McKee Gallery

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Inside Michael McKee’s Fountain Hills studio, classical music is playing and the red oak or birch boards he uses as his canvases are stacked several deep around the room. In one corner stands his pastel work station, as it is the medium he used for the first 15 or so years of his 16-year career as a full-time fine artist.

A few steps away, his most recent abstract work in oil sits on a large easel with palates of mixed colors, wide-handled flat brushes, wedges, and angled painting knives at the ready. The piece is a mix of brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds, punctuated with shadowed areas of black and deep plum.

While McKee’s pastel work tends towards recognizable landscapes and cityscapes, his oils are wide swaths of abstract, bold colors, intersected by lines and the impression of muted patterns, almost architectural in nature.

“I’ve always had a lot of fun with strong color,” says McKee. “With my landscapes, even though they’re representational art, they’re not based on a specific place, but rather my impression of that place. All my work is about highenergy, high-key color. I like structure in my abstracts; I like them to look like they’ve been built with some element of control. The shapes and the architectural elements just show up intuitively.”

Co-founder of the Successories line of motivational graphics and business accessories, McKee’s background as a successful graphic designer and entrepreneur is not only evident in the feel of his abstracts, but also his profoundly personable nature. He and his wife of 28 years, Cassandra, have lived in Arizona full-time since 2013 and spend much of the year traveling the country, displaying his work at art shows, galleries and festivals. It’s clear that he enjoys the connection to those who love his work and have collected it for many years.

“I developed a lot of collectors with my landscapes and then started doing abstracts about six years ago,” says McKee. “The abstracts were very different for a lot of my clients, but I found that because it was the language of color that was speaking to them, they liked my abstracts, too. There is an appeal in the implied detail and convergence of structural elements.”

McKee grew up in Cleveland as the son of a prominent jazz musician who, at age 89, is still playing Big Band gigs. McKee’s parents, always eager to foster an appreciation of the arts in their four children, saw his love of drawing, recognized his talent and enrolled six year-old Michael in a life drawing class that met on Saturdays at a local college. There he was, sitting among adults and

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Top left to right: “Statuesque,” pastel, 38”x50” “Big Sur,” pastel, 36”x48” “Snake River,” pastel, 27”x48”

drawing live nude models — a bit intimidating for the average child, but McKee went with it and art was soon his career.

The musicality in his DNA comes through in a dance of visual intrigue and improvisation. His landscapes are created from memory and he sees the shapes and shadow as chords to be transposed while the paintings take shape. His process begins when he puts a mark on the board and the color becomes a conversation. He is content to discover where it goes as he works.

“Improvisation is key in jazz,” says McKee. “I view my work as improvisation, and that’s part of why I paint from memory.

I try to get my brain out of the way and to be as present

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as possible. It’s like when you write a composition but, as in jazz, you never hear it the same way twice. There are elements with similar composition in my pieces, but none are the same.

They’re different melodic interpretations.”

At just 14 years old, he became an animation apprentice, then freelanced as an illustrator and portrait artist through college, earned a National Scholastic Art scholarship, and became an honors graduate of Art Institute of Pittsburgh. His advertising and graphic design career brought him to Chicago in 1981 to launch what eventually became Successories, which he and his partner sold in 2000.

Divested of the business, he and Cassandra began to travel extensively, and the Southwest became a particularly favorite destination. It was one such trip, watching a sunset in Chamayo, New Mexico, that brought him back to fine art as a career.

Experience the art of organization

“We were looking at this beautiful sunset, and I reached down to pick up some of the red dirt,” says McKee. “As I rubbed the dirt between my fingers, I felt as if I could feel the sunset in my hands. It reminded me of pastels. Seeing this sunset and holding this dirt, I had the thought that I would get some soft pastels and see what I could do with it.

I just fell in love with it right away. It’s a very tactile medium. With the oils, too, I use tools that allow me to feel the tactile response of the paints.”

The rich, vibrant colors of the Southwest have always been evident in his color palate, whether in the bright leaves of a pastel forest of Colorado Aspens or dramatic orange poppies on the cliffs of Big Sur. His cityscapes are bright with yellows, reds, and cerulean blues, and large areas of negative space.

“Desert colors appeal to me,” says McKee. “Not everyone sees the depth of texture and amount of color in what they might call a limited palate.

Coming from Chicago, you get used to seeing your world a quarter mile at a time. The view is confined. Here, you can see forever, and it changes how you interact with the space. There’s an endlessness — a vastness — that people gravitate toward.”

What he loves about pastels as a medium is their bright colors and ability to blend in rich combinations, bringing their vibrancy to his abstracts and, in many ways, replicating the mixing and layering of oils. Upon close examination, his pastels reveal an abstract approach to color, line, and shadow that combine

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to make a recognizable form. His structured abstracts use color and line to lively effect and one can imagine seeing a cityscape, a shoreline, a canyon — environments that pulse with energy.

“When you look up close at my landscapes, they’re actually made up of many abstract shapes,” says McKee. “There’s not real detail in there, it’s implied detail. The bold shapes, I would see little abstract compositions all throughout my landscapes. That inspired me to start playing with abstracts as my focus.”

McKee is a prolific painter and creates the bulk of his work in the winter so he can travel throughout the summer.

While he shows his art here in Arizona October through March, his appeal knows no geographic boundaries. Palm Springs desert denizens, Texan cowboys, Midwestern moguls, and East Coast cosmopolitans all find beauty in his work.

At any time of year, his website offers notecards, free downloadable wallpapers, and a limited number of prints, so that fans with various budgets can still enjoy owning a piece of his work. Many collectors attach stories to the back of each of his pieces, noting where they were when they purchased it or what personal meaning it has for them. McKee enjoys hearing their stories and seeing how people connect with his vision.

“My goal has never been to become a famous artist,” says McKee. “I love creating what I create. At 62 years old, I don’t concern myself with the next month or the month after. There’s so much happening when you’re painting, I want to let the natural evolution take place and really experience life where it happens — up close.” michaelmckeegallery.com Top: "Royal Payne," oil on red oak, 48"x36"

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Writer Lara Piu

“IT’S A SMILE, IT’S A KISS, IT’S A SIP OF WINE … IT’S SUMMERTIME!” - KENNY CHESNEY, “SUMMERTIME”

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This summer, living is even more easy thanks to low-season restaurant specials. Normally these dining experiences cost a pretty penny, but in hot summer months, they can be had for a steal.

J & G Steakhouse J&G Steakhouse is perhaps the ultimate wining and dining experience.

Its warm and soft contemporary dining room overlooking The Phoenician golf course and Camelback Mountain makes for the quintessential romantic sunset dinner. Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten prepared a steakhouse-classic menu that features premium meats, fresh seafood, worldly spices, local ingredients and global flavors. May 5 through September 14, J&G Steakhouse will offer a three-course dinner for $40, including a choice of endive and sugar snap pea salad, watermelon gazpacho or ravioli appetizer; salmon, chicken or flat iron steak entree; and strawberry meringue, chocolate cake, ice cream, or sorbet dessert. jgsteakhousescottsdale.com

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Roaring Fork Since 1997, Roaring Fork’s bold American cuisine has captivated the mouths of East Valley diners. Known for its hearty Old West flavors, the restaurant offers fresh meat and fish entrees prepared by wood fire rotisserie, open flame grill or wood oven roasting. Memorial Day, May 29 through Labor Day, September 4th, Roaring Fork will bring back its All Night, All Summer Happy Hour. Each Monday through Sunday, 4 p.m. through close, the restaurant will offer happy hour-style prices on at least 10 menu items in the bar and saloon. You’ll find items like iceberg BLT for $6; rotisserie chicken flatbread with basil pesto, roasted chiles, pepper jack cheese and tomatoes for $8; and grilled fish tacos served on corn tortillas with guacamole, corn pico, remoulade and salsa verde for $10 during this summer special. roaringfork.com

Afternoon Tea There are several Valley destinations for traditional English tea service, and among the best is Afternoon Tea at The Phoenician.

Served on fine linens, china and silver, this relaxing afternoon dining experience includes a lavish, house-made spread of delicate finger sandwiches, fresh scones with Devonshire cream, lemon curd and fruit preserves, pastries, and its pièce de résistance: an impressive fine tea selection. Normally $42, tea service at The Phoenician will be $30 from May 5 through September 14 this summer. thephoenician.com/lobby-tea-court

Relish Burger Bistro Perched atop The Phoenician’s golf course is Relish Burger Bistro where you can enjoy incredible views and a classic meal. Burgers are at the heart of this menu, and in-step with the resort’s high-quality style, every one is hand crafted with 100 percent Kobe style Wagyu. There are also appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées, desserts, gluten-free and vegetarian options, a full bar that claims to feature the largest tequila selection in Arizona, and a vodka-spiked milkshake. May 5 through September 14, Relish Burger Bistro will offer a gourmet burger and a churro ice cream sandwich with salted caramel ice cream for $20. thephoenician.com/relish-burger-bistro

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Writer Katherine Braden Photographer Bryan Black

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After visiting Mayan cities as a child, Oliverio Balcells became intrigued at a young age by ancient Mesoamerican culture. It sparked something within him.

“I started to study, read about different cultures and travel more,” he tells me. “This added to my passion to learn more, to look deep in my heart for my identity, for my essence as a Mexican.”

Oliverio earned his bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Univa University in Guadalajara, Mexico. “I wanted to be an actor, then a musician,

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“Tejedora del Color,” mixed media, 48”x19.5”

then an artist,” he says laughing. He got his degree “before computers,” so he learned to do everything by hand: oil, pastels, watercolor, photography.

Wixarika (Huichol) art, and the Mexican master muralists.

“It’s in my DNA, in my blood. You can see it in my pieces — it’s my passion.”

In 1999, he followed his wife to Arizona to try it out for six months. Now, it’s been 17 years, so “I guess I’m staying,” he says, laughing.

Besides finding his own identity, Oliverio hopes to share what he has learned about Mexican culture with others through his art.

At the moment, Oliverio dabbles in a bit of everything, though his favorite medium for what he has dubbed “Mexican contemporary art” is acrylic.

“I cannot hide [my heritage.] I make art because I want to share with everyone who I am, what I know,” he says.

“What does Mexican contemporary art mean?” I ask.

“It’s colorful, bright, strong and inspiring. It’s understanding, happiness, joy and abundance. [These] are what I always look for to reflect in my pieces,” Oliverio says.

Taking a look at his work, I understand: Mesoamerican patterns, references, and myths, geometric shapes, bright, bold colors. “There is power behind the color,” he tells me.

His influences include ancient Mexican manifestations,

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Oliverio is fascinated by the contrast of official Mexican history versus the oral traditions. His extensive studies have led even deeper into the anthropological aspects of Mexican cultures and historicity.

“You have an understanding about the people who used to live there, and you can capture that moment and say: in the end we are still human beings in different times.”

Culture, history and human potential are what truly inspire his work.

“I can keep [my learning and experience] to myself, but there’s no growth in that. You have to share it with the people. Art is the perfect medium to have these understandings and differences, to express yourself and your culture and to share it.”

Oliverio’s murals are a wonderful example of this. His work can be found all over Phoenix, Glendale and Tempe. He’s also partnered with Free Arts, working with shelter families, the homeless and elementary students.

“It’s very interesting to create [community art] as an artist. It’s about how you can share your knowledge, your abilities, and the techniques that you have with others.”

At the moment, Oliverio is artist-inresidence at an elementary school in Tempe, painting seven murals. He partners with the students, combining their ideas with the theme given to him by the school. “It’s an honor for me to do it with other people,” he says. “It’s really good gratification.”

Oliverio also owns Four Lizard Studios, a studio specializing in printing, graphic design, art and music. “It started in 2004 when I got laid off from an advertising agency in downtown Phoenix. I decided to stay home, take care of my son and focus on being a professional artist,” he says.

Oliverio and his wife reside in Tempe with their two children.

Community service, mural work, acrylic paintings, his own studio, husband and father — you would think Oliverio would be busy enough.

You’d be wrong.

“When I’m not painting, I’m composing,” he says. He’s produced several CDs and is now working on a multi media project to combine his music with photography and film. may 2017

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“Diamondback Geometry,” mixed media, 7.25”x10”

“Essence,” mixed media, 7.25”x10”

“Four Peaks Lake View,” acrylic on canvas, 18”x36

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His main instrument is guitar, but he also sings in Spanish, plays percussions, keyboard, and piano. These days, he’s experimenting with traditional acoustic music combined with electronics.

What’s his process for a mural or song?

“You get an idea, you want to follow it, not force it. If you don’t follow up, you can forget. You have to have discipline, translating it to paper or song. Making art, you feel like this is how nature creates itself. It’s a process; you don’t force the process, you respect it,” Oliverio tells me.

His next show, Spectacular Tones in the Essence of All, was inspired by a trip to Mexico and will be opening May 5th in the Herberger Gallery in downtown Phoenix.

You can also catch his work at the Desert Botanical Garden for Dia de los Muertos in October and the Mercado de las Artes at Heard Museum in November.

“Thank you to all who support me,” Oliverio says. “It’s been an honor for me, as an artist and immigrant, to be here and have the chance to connect with so many people who trust and support me.”

In return, he’s doing what he can to give back, to share the story of his identity and culture, and to remind us that we are more alike than different.

“I want to inspire [the people of Phoenix.] I create my art to provide an understanding between cultures, to recognize we are all connected as human beings, no matter where you come from or who you are. In the end, we are human beings. I want them to know that.” fourlizard.oliveriobalcells.com oliveriobalcells.com

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Writer Lara Piu

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In 2012, the Scottsdale Philharmonic was created to give the community free access to professional symphony performances. This month, it will once again do just that. On May 21 at 4 p.m., the symphony will perform Offenbach’s “Barcarolle, Tales of Hoffman,” Mendelssohn’s “Fingals Cave,” Rossini’s “La Gaza Ladra Overture,” Suppe’s “Poet and Peasant Overture,” Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto 5,” and Bruch’s “Romanze” at Scottsdale Bible Church.

“All of our concerts are special,” Scottsdale Philharmonic board president and CEO Joy Partridge says. “Our concerts appeal to not only the patrons who attend classical music but to people that are new to the classical music scene.”

The evening will be led by Scottsdale Philharmonic conductor Robert R. Nichols. A music educator, Nichols earned the Arizona Music Education Association’s Music Educator of the Year Award in 2015. He has also served in leadership positions for the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association and the Arizona Music Educators Association. Robert will lead the third in the symphony’s

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2017 concert series of traditional classical music concerts, each of which is free.

“One of our main goals is to encourage knowledge and enjoyment of classical music for everyone and to expand our audience to people of all ages, especially the young,” Joy adds.

Scottsdale Philharmonic’s community donors.

activities

are

supported

by

“The philharmonic is a non-profit organization mainly funded by donations from our generous patrons and audience,” Joy explains. “All donations are used to bring a full season of concerts to our community.”

In addition, Scottsdale Philharmonic will offer two free performances later this year. Its October 8 concert will feature its internationally acclaimed artist-in-residence, pianist Qingqing Ye. Qingqing is a faculty associate in the piano department at Arizona State University, and teaches and performs nationally and internationally.

Experience Scottsdale Philharmonic Scottsdale Bible Church 7601 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale Sunday, May 21 4-6 p.m.

General admission: Free V.I.P. seating: $15 480-951-6077 scottsdalephilharmonic.com

November 19, the philharmonic will end the season with a performance Beethoven’s final symphony and masterpiece, “Symphony No. 9” which will be supported by a full choir.

All of the symphony’s concerts are held at Scottsdale Bible Church located at 7601 E. Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale.

Admission is free and V.I.P. seats are available with a donation of $15 by calling 480-951-6077. The next concert will be held Sunday, May 21 at Scottsdale Bible Church. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the concert is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. scottsdalephilharmonic.com

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Writer Katherine Braden Photographer Loralei Lazurek

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The best way to describe Ryan McCallister as an artist?

“I’m brand-spanking new,” he says, “but I know I’m talented enough to show everyone my work and be proud of it.”

Even though Ryan received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Tampa in 2010, he’s just now working his way onto the sculpture scene. After college, he took a break for a bit, working odd jobs. He started McCallister Sculpture a few years ago in New Jersey, working in his basement.

But because of limited resources and space, Ryan felt his art wasn’t flourishing in Jersey City.

“The stuff I wanted to do was too big,” Ryan says. “People [in Jersey] didn't have space to put my stuff in their yards. Everything had to be tiny!”

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Ryan can do tiny (half of what he creates are table-sized), but he also wanted the option of making things big and bold. His larger, more recent sculptures are around 5 to 6 feet long, 3 to 4 feet wide, and 4 feet tall.

“I thought moving west would be great because everyone has space, plus the type of metal work I do would sell better,” Ryan says.

As for how he ended up living and working in North Scottsdale?

It all just “sort of happened,” he says. Ryan lived in Arizona when he was a child and remembered it fondly. When his parents retired, he came to visit them in the “stunning weather time” and was blown away.

“You’re telling me I can work outside?!” he says. He made the move.

Ryan worked briefly with the Cosanti Foundation in Paradise Valley and discovered he loved foundry work. He then converted a two-car garage into a one-man shop and has been working there for the past year. His main focus at this point is building enough inventory to start a gallery. He’s also just trying to meet other local artists, as he still feels rather new to the Phoenix art scene.

“One of the biggest challenges has been networking,” he says.

With a new baby and a recent divorce, he hasn’t felt like he’s been able to immerse himself fully in Phoenix or its art scene.

“I’ve been locked into my own world of creating a shop, building a house, building a shop, making inventory … I’ve been pretty isolated.”

Ryan works 9 to 5, six days a week, even in 120 degrees.

“I’m deep in a routine groove,” he tells me. may 2017

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As for inspiration?

“I draw inspiration from things that interest me — like horror movies,” he says. “I like things that scare you.”

But he also realizes he has to make compromises for his audiences: “I know a horse will sell better than a minotaur. I’ll do something that I want, like a dragon, and then do something that will appeal to a wide range of people, like a moose. You have to have income, so you compromise in a lot of places.”

His sculptures might start with a chalk drawing, or at least a stepby-step process in his head. He works mostly with steel, both scrap and pristine, welding with a torch. For the table-sized pieces, work can be tedious. Sometimes it takes him two weeks to complete. For the larger pieces? Usually a month each.

I always ask artists why they picked the medium they did. Ryan simply says, “I lacked talent in other areas. I loved drawing and painting, and I was OK at it. But everyone else around me [in college] was excelling! They were so good, I thought, ‘I don’t want to compete with this!’”

But he found his niche in the ceramics department, where he discovered bronze casting.

“It’s one of the coolest forms of art just because the process is amazing,” Ryan says. “You can achieve lifelike realism!”

“I’m becoming more efficient,” he says. “What once took a month only takes three weeks. It’s exciting to tackle!” His prediction for next year? Fifteen to 20 pieces.

He started working with bronze, welding and using an oxyacetylene torch.

His genre is difficult to pin down.

“I thought, ‘This is something I don’t see often — I can push the limits!’”

“I’d start off calling it ‘fantasy,’” he says. Think mythical creatures

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(gargoyle dragon, minotaur, 30-foot-long swimming dragon) meet metal welding.

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It’s true Ryan’s work is something you don’t see often. And that’s a good thing.

“My favorite part [about being an artist] is when people look at my art and they’re stunned,” he says. “That makes me really happy.”

It’s the kind of motivation he loves, and the sooner he can get his work viewed in person, the better. Pictures are great, he says, and they can make the sculpture look good, but you really need to see it in person to appreciate the amount of time put in.

“I want to make people happy with my art,” he says. “The biggest reward is all the support!”

Ryan references a video of his “Swimming Dragon” sculpture, the first large sculpture he made. He posted it on social media and it went viral, garnering more than 30,000 likes and shares.

“People really loved it,” he says. “I went from having 100 people who cared about my work to 8,000. It was really cool to watch.”

To view his art, purchase a piece or order a commission, head to his Facebook page or website. He’s not limited to sculpture; he also does metalwork for private residences. Another major goal is to get his work in public places like parks. He’s hoping for a public commission in the future.

“I’m at that stage right before I can actually bloom and promote everything,” Ryan says.

He’s not in any shows or galleries because he’s got to build his inventory and portfolio first, but he feels like he’s finally coming into his own.

“I just now have enough stuff to start rotating things in galleries. I’m excited for the future, but so far it’s just been keep your head down and work hard.”

If you’re looking for an up-and-coming artist, take note. Ryan McCallister is worth your time. mccallistersculpture.com

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Writer Kenneth LaFave Photographer Tim Fuller

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It’s been David Ira Goldstein’s “Long Goodbye.”

Four years ago, Goldstein announced his retirement from the position he’d taken up in 1992: Artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company, the state’s only fully professional theater organization.

But circumstances, including some dicey financial moments, meant that hiring a new artistic director was out of the question. So Goldstein stayed on – one short stretch after another.

“The board would come to me and say, ‘Will you stay another six months?’ ‘Can you plan another season?’” he recalls.

And so he stayed another six months and planned another season, repeating at length until at last, this month, the 64-year-old director will actually step down from the job he has held now for exactly half the 50 years of ATC’s existence.

He will leave in typical Goldstein style: With a stylish world premiere.

“The thing I’m proudest of in my years with ATC is that, in the 25 years before I came, they’d done only one world premiere. Since then, we’ve done one almost every season.”

The playwrights have been many, but Goldstein cultivated a special relationship with two of them: Steven Dietz (“Inventing Van Gogh”) and Jeffrey Hatcher (“Jekyll and Hyde”). For Goldstein’s swan song as ATC artistic director, Hatcher, who has frequently explored the character of Sherlock Holmes both in plays (“Sherlock Holmes” and “The Suicide Club,” premiered by ATC) and on film (“Mr. Holmes,” starring Ian McKellen), wrote a new Holmes mystery-with-atwist, “Holmes and Watson.”

“Having a long-term relationship with a playwright over the years is one of the richest things that can happen to a director and a theater company. It’s like a conductor having a special relationship with a composer. You feel you’re closest to the artistic start, the initial artistic impulse, when you work with the playwright,” Goldstein says.

The idea behind Holmes and Watson swaps the usual roles of the world’s first consulting detective and his amanuensis. Holmes, reported dead in the fabled confrontation with Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls, reappears three years

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Experience Holmes and Watson

Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix May 11–28 Tickets $25-$50 arizonatheatre.org

Having a long-term relationship with a playwright over the years is one of the richest things that can happen to a director and a theater company.

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afterward — in triplicate. Three people claiming to be Holmes confront Watson, who must himself apply keen observation and logic to determine which one is the real genius of Baker Street. The show plays ATC’s main venue, the Herberger Theatre Center, May 11 – May 28. For ticket info, go to arizonatheatre.org.

job is the constant commute between Phoenix and Tucson. ATC serves both cities, and the drive back and forth is draining. By the director’s estimate, his miles between the two cities in the quartercentury he’s been making the commute are “the equivalent of having driven 19 times around the world.”

Though he is leaving the post of artistic director and all the headaches of financial juggling that go with it, Goldstein will not be leaving the Valley. He and his wife, KJZZ-FM broadcaster Michele Robins, plan to remain in their home in Phoenix’s Windsor Square neighborhood, “except for summers,” Goldstein adds eagerly, when they will reside in a recently purchased getaway on the Oregon coast.

What was the best thing about the job?

Goldstein even wrote himself into the ATC 2017-18 season as a guest director, staging a new version of “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

Look for more “guest appearances” over the coming years. He will also be guest-directing for regional theaters around the country.

One thing Goldstein says he will definitely not miss about the

“You will know by the time this story is published,” he says.

“Because ATC presents a variety of theater, I could go from staging a serious drama to a musical to a mystery or comedy. I never got boxed in.”

Who could possibly replace him?

“And I am very, very happy with the choice.” arizonatheatre.org may 2017

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Writer Katherine Braden Photographer Bryan Black

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Since the beginning, architecture has been built into Jack DeBartolo’s life.

Jack DeBartolo, known as Jack 3, spent his childhood in a modern masonry blockhouse designed by Tucson architect Kirby Lockard. “It was more like his laboratory,” Jack says. His father, Jack DeBartolo Jr., ran an architectural firm in Tucson with over 300 architects and engineers. As a child, Jack would visit buildings with him on weekends, viewing it all through his father’s lens. The saturation left him intrigued and aware.

“Because of that childhood experience, architecture felt like it needed to be grounded in something more powerful,” he says. “Otherwise buildings just become these lifeless containers that don’t have something deeper to them.”

Jack graduated from the University of Arizona and Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received honors for his thesis in 1994. “My graduate studies drove me to an idea of purpose and the kind of emotional quality a building can evoke,” Jack says.

While exploring older modernist buildings throughout the U.S., Jack’s idea of architectural space and serenity grew. “I began to understand the peacefulness that allows people to transform what they know by their experience in a building.”

After graduation, Jack worked with notable Arizona architect Will Bruder for two years, learning the importance of thoughtfully combining the pragmatic and poetic.

“It was a fire-hose of information,” Jack says, “but it was awesome. I was always motivated by his passion.”

Working with Will, Jack gained the skills to quickly solve problems. “While you’re standing there with carpenters and masons waiting on you saying, ‘Tell us what to do next because a detail didn’t come out as drawn, and now we need a new answer right here in the field,’ you learn to think intuitively, staying in context, staying consistent with the language of the work.”

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In 1996, Jack’s father approached him with a project: an inner-city gymnasium in the Garfield neighborhood. “Say no or let’s form an office. What do you say?” his father asked.

“It seemed like an awesome opportunity,” Jack says. He and his father decided to create a practice where their work would remain uncompromised. “There would be nothing we did that we didn’t do intentionally. We’d be personally hands-on-involved in every single product.”

Thus, DeBartolo Architects was born. For the next 10 years, Jack and his father designed and completed 15 buildings side by side. “We worked with a lot of faith-based, nonprofit clients, addressing a larger sense of need. There was a greater purpose behind the work.”

Jack tells me about the prayer chapel he and his father finished for Phoenix First Assembly in 2007, the Redemption Church remodel in 2013, and Mariposa, a residence built for Jesuit priests.

“I’m a pretty committed person of faith,” Jack says.

“My worldview causes me to see my position and my responsibility as a gift of service. We can help a client not just with functionality, but also help them to experience the

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building as something fresh every day.”

For Jack, that’s one of the key differentiating factors between his firm and others. “I strongly believe God has put us here for a purpose, and that keeps my eyes off the game of publications and fame. Instead, I focus on the gift of getting to serve others.

My joy is totally satisfied in serving people and using my gifts to make architecture. There’s a peace in not being amongst competitiveness.”

For DeBartolo Architects, this also manifests itself in community service as well as projects in Haiti, Mexico, and Ethiopia. “We just started DeBartolo Projects-- a non-profit organization dedicated to serving clients who can’t afford to hire an architect.” Right now, they’re working on a community garden in Chandler. “We’re utilizing our time and energy to serve,” Jack says. He’s hoping to eventually get students involved.

That’s not to say the studio hasn’t won multiple awards for their designs. That’s just not what drives Jack. “[What I’m most proud of] are buildings where the client has embraced what we designed and made it theirs. When I come back a few years later and see it’s a thriving new culture and sense of place, and that the design of our work formed that

culture and place, I believe we were really successful.”

Take, for example, Bicycle Haüs in Scottsdale, Commons coffee shop and bookstore in Gilbert, or VSCO headquarters in Oakland. “Sometimes the CEO [of VSCO] calls me up just to tell me how much he loves coming into his office every day,” says Jack.

At any one time, the studio has 15-20 projects on the table. They complete four to five a year across the U.S. and sometimes internationally. Including Jack, there are six architects and designers.

“I see architecture as the responsibility to be contributors to our cultural fabric,” says Jack. “It’s about creating a quality of experience. I spend a significant amount of time in analysis, listening to clients, researching space, crafting buildings, researching how the owners will be maintaining and honoring the place, allowing it to become a piece of memorable fabric of our city.”

For Jack and his studio, their philosophy lies in seven simple words: site, proportion, light, space, structure, material and soul.

In keeping with the rest of his work, there is nothing extraneous about his mantra: the bare and beautiful minimum suffices.

I ask about the “soul” aspect. It’s all about creating atmosphere and memory, Jack tells me. It’s challenging, but something they strive toward. “[It involves a] mastery of light and materials, of place and space.

You bring it all together, and occasionally it sings. You start to create something that surpasses concrete and glass, wood and metal. It becomes something that is better and bigger than any of the pieces combined — a profound sense of place, so profound that when you’re not there anymore, you can close your eyes and remember it.” debartoloarchitects.com

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VALLEY PUNK-TURNED-RESTAURATEUR Writer: Lara Piu Photographer Nicky Hedayatzadeh

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Who knows where Chef Matt Carter would be without the food and beverage industry.

“I was a punk,” Matt says.

In his early years, the restaurateur would take several culinary jobs at a time just to stay out of trouble. Now six Valley restaurants keep him busy: Zinc Bistro and The Mission, both at Kierland Commons, Zinc Brasserie at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, The Mission and The House Brasserie in Old Town Scottsdale, and Fat Ox in Scottsdale.

Matt almost went into fashion like his father, who owns a men’s retail store, or like his friends who also worked for his dad and went on to do big things in fashion design, production and manufacturing.

“I grew up in a clothing store so I thought I’d always do something in that realm,” Matt Carter explains.

A career path didn’t click for the class of 1988 Arcadia High School graduate until he took a job as a dishwasher at The Eggery in San Diego. may 2017

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“The prep cook didn’t show up one day so I started prepping, and then the sandwich guy didn’t show up one day, so I started making sandwiches, and then I was on to salads, and by the end of the summer I was flipping eggs,” Matt recalls. “I liked it and I was good at it.”

It was the first in a series of experiences that lead him to where he is today, but passion and success didn’t come overnight, and there was lots of hard work and bouncing around, he explains. Step two happened when Matt enrolled at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute.

“I would have been part of the first graduating class but I got kicked out in the middle,” he jokes. “I was a kid, I was partying. I didn’t know what I was doing. I knew that I liked to cook, but I didn’t understand what that meant.”

Matt eventually graduated in 1989, and after several stints in San Diego and then at Houston’s and The Ramada locally, he eventually landed a job at the now closed French bistro, La Chaumiere. This was his first real experience with French cuisine.

“I walked in there and I knew I was in the right place,” he says. “Within minutes this five-foot French chef is yelling at me saying, ‘What are you doing?!’ and I

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Chef Matt Carter pictured.

thought, ‘I’m home!’ I needed someone to give me that personal direction.”

The inspired Matt then moved to Paris for a proper nose dive into French cuisine, but he became a consumer rather than a chef.

“I ate better food than I cooked,” he says, explaining that barbecue joints and American buffets were the only eateries to hire him.

Still, living more than two years in Paris was an important cog in his developmental wheel.

“I was a real punk kid before that.

Cooking was something that paid the bills up until that point, but I didn’t get it,” he says. “When I moved out there, it was sink or swim. I had to figure it out and I did.”

When Matt returned to the states, the experience also opened the door for him to land a job at as chef de partie at the original Christopher’s Fermier Brasserie — although they quickly discovered his time abroad hadn’t yielded any notable cooking skills.

“Someone yelled at me, ‘What are you doing? I thought you worked in France!’ which I responded to with some kind of mumble,” he laughs, recalling the moment he was snuffed out.

Nonetheless, Matt continued at Christopher’s for more than six years and eventually became chef de cuisine, running the kitchen. During that time he attended a James Beard dinner with Charlie Trotter and several other big culinary names — another pivotal event in his journey.

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“That was my real culinary moment where I knew that this is what I wanted to do,” he says. “It all just went ‘pop’ after that dinner. I just got it.”

Afterward, he landed an opportunity at perhaps the heart of all things culinary,

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I’d love to cook the dishes of my dreams, but at the end of the day, I also need to give people a hamburger.

French Laundry in Napa Valley. He later returned to Scottsdale to serve as executive chef for Michael’s at The Citadel, which is when he met his now-business partner, Terry Ellisor. In 2002, they opened their first restaurant, Zinc Bistro, which remains a hit 15 years later.

“I’d love to cook the dishes of my dreams, but at the end of the day, I also need to give people a hamburger.,” he says, attributing the bistro’s balanced menu to its success. “I also put on the menu things my dad would understand. He’s the customer I have in mind at all my restaurants.”

Then they opened The Mission in 2008 in Old Town Scottsdale. In 2016 they opened a second location of Latin American-inspired The Mission at Kierland Commons, as well as Fax Ox, a full-service, course-oriented Italian fine dining experience that has visually transformed the corner of Lincoln and Scottsdale Roads.

So what’s next for Chef Matt Carter? The Food Network? The Cooking Channel?

No thanks, he says. He prefers chef life to cameras. Plus, he has a bevy of next-level ideas. First, he needs to address the rising cost

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of food, labor, rent and taxes. This will likely come in the form of producing his own ingredients like salumi, cured meats, bread and coffee out of a central location.

“It’s harder and harder to run a restaurant that’s not backed by a large corporation,” Matt says. “And there’s something culinary about it and something cool about it.”

He’d also like to open more locations of The Mission.

“It’s a super unique restaurant, and I think that there are many places in the nation that want Mexican food.”

Besides, this is where he is meant to be. Even the most basic elements of running a restaurant call his name. When the rubber meets the road, Chef Matt Carter jumps right into the dish washing crew.

“It’s the most undervalued job,” he says, referring to the humble spot where his illustrious career began. zincbistroaz.com themissionaz.com ilovefatox.com

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Writer Lara Piu

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Sitting in the midst of palm tree-lined resorts, golf courses, spas, salons, wineries, restaurants and luxurious shops is McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, calling out the kid in all of us.

In 1967, the land was donated by Fowler McCormick, the last remaining grandson of John D. Rockefeller, to be used as a park for all to enjoy. The City of Scottsdale developed and later opened the park in 1975. Today, its 30 acres feature a colorful, carved antique carousel, a railroad museum, a model railroad exhibit, two railroad-themed playgrounds, and its original main attraction: the Paradise & Pacific Railroad, a three-steam engine locomotive ride that is now a community icon.

Each summer since 1976, the park’s massive lawns are also transformed into a summer concert amphitheater. This year, concerts will be held April 30 though July 2 each Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

“The summer concert series has been a longrunning tradition at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park,” City of Scottsdale assistant recreation coordinator Sam Gruber says. “With the help of the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society, the City of Scottsdale has been providing a fun, free evening of entertainment for families of the valley for over 40 years.”

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Groove Merchants, Rock Lobster and other popular local bands will perform classic rock, retro ’80s and ’90s, country, rhythm and blues and other genres. A patriotic fireworks show will follow the July 2 concert.

“We feel that the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is the happiest place in Scottsdale and the connection these concerts create between the City of Scottsdale and our community are invaluable,” Sam adds.

The park concession stand and Hartley’s General Store will sell hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, soda, water and other food and drinks.

Seating is first-come, first-served, Sam adds, so arrive early.

“People show up an hour or so early to find their perfect location to set up for the show with blankets, lawn chairs and coolers,” he adds.

FUN FACT

1 MILLION = THE NUMBER OF DOLLARS MCCORMICK-STILLMAN RAILROAD PARK LAND WAS WORTH WHEN DONATED IN 1967 –AND¬– THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE PARK ANNUALLY.

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DATE

PERFORMER

GENRE

April 30

Groove Merchants

Rock, R&B, Funk

May 7

Marmalade Skies

Beatles Tribute

May 14

One Of These Nights

Eagles Tribute

May 21

Rock Lobster

Retro ’80's

May 28

Pearl Ridge

Rock

June 4

Outside The Line

Funk, R&B

June 11

The Real Thing

Top 40

June 18

Americana

’60s & ’70s

June 2

Smashed

’90s-2000s Pop

July 2

Mogollon (fireworks after)

High-Energy Country

Experience

Summer Concert Series McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park 7301 E. Indian Bend Rd., Scottsdale Sundays, April 30–July 2 7:30–9 p.m.

Free therailroadpark.com

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With a sweet surprise hidden inside, these colorful flower piĂąata cookies make a thoughtful gift that is sure to delight both adults and children alike. The hollowed-out center can be filled with sprinkles or your favorite miniature candies, which spill out once bitten into, much like a piĂąata.

Use a variety of cookie cutters to customize these cookies for any special occasion.

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Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

Flower Piñata Cookies Yield: 6 Piñata Cookies Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling) 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¾ cup butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Optional: ½ teaspoon almond extract miniature candy for filling (sprinkles, mini M&Ms, etc.) sprinkles for topping royal icing, store-bought or recipe below flower-shaped cookie cutter small round cookie cutter (about 1” diameter) Directions: Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix for an additional one to two minutes. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.

Divide the dough in half and shape into two discs.

Cover each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two parchmentlined baking sheets. Unwrap the first disc and place onto a well-floured surface. Roll the dough to ¼”- ½” thick.

Cut as many flower-shaped cookies as you can, then transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Tip: Roll the dough onto the parchment paper. Cut the cookies 2” apart, then remove the excess dough and transfer directly to a baking

sheet. (Note: Excess trim will need to be reformed and rolled again, but may need to firm up again in the refrigerator before using.) Repeat with the second disc of dough.

Bake the cookies for seven to nine minutes or until golden brown on the bottom edges. Once baked, select 1/3 of the cookies and cut a 1” hole (or as big as your cookie shape will allow) into the center of each. These holes will hold the candies later on.

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. To assemble piñata cookies: Place royal icing into a piping bag with a small tip. Place a cookie with a hole in its center on top of a whole cookie. Dab some royal icing on each petal of the bottom cookie to glue the cookies together.

Place miniature candies into the hole of the cookie, then place a third cookie on top using royal icing to glue. Frost the top cookie with the royal icing, then decorate as desired with sprinkles. Allow the icing to set for about an hour. Store the cookies in an airtight container until serving.

Royal Icing Ingredients: 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 1½ tablespoons meringue powder 3 tablespoons water (plus more for thinning) Optional: 1-2 drops food coloring Directions: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat powdered sugar, meringue powder and water on low speed until combined. Raise the speed to medium and continue to beat for seven to 10 minutes until icing forms peaks. Optional: Beat in food coloring until desired color is reached. If necessary, thin the icing by adding water ½ teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

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Italian Antipasto Skewers Yield: 24 Skewers Ingredients: 48 pieces (about ½ pound) tortellini 1 teaspoon olive oil 6 ounces salami, cut into 48 pieces, ½” squares 24 grape or cherry tomatoes 24 artichoke hearts, drained 24 miniature mozzarella balls 24 black or green olives pesto, store-bought or recipe below 24 – 6” wooden skewers

Directions: Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain and rinse, then coat in olive oil to prevent the tortellini from sticking.

Carefully thread each ingredient onto the wooden skewers in the following order: Tortellini, salami, cherry tomato, artichoke heart, mozzarella ball, salami, tortellini, olive. Right before serving, brush each skewer with pesto. Serve at room temperature.

Pesto Directions: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1 small clove garlic 2 tablespoons pinenuts, toasted 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated 2 teaspoon lemon juice ½ cups extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Place the basil leave, garlic clove, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until roughly chopped. While the machine is on, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

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Looking for a quick, last minute appetizer? These no-fuss Italian antipasto skewers are a fresh way to jazz up storebought ingredients.

A variety of pickled and fresh vegetables, salami, mozzarella cheese and tortellini are threaded together on a wooden skewer and coated with pesto. The handheld skewers pack up easily for picnics, but are perfect for formal get-togethers as well.

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