December 1 – 14, 2012
www.SanTanSun.com
State of the arts by Laurie Fagen
Art is quietly coming alive again in the SanTan Sun area, following the recession that saw dramatic cutbacks in anything that wasn’t essential.
Recession’s impact on arts
During the height of the economic downturn, Chandler saw at least two art galleries close: Artistic Mystic Gallery and Art on Boston Gallery. Patrons were buying less art, and many professional artists had to find other ways to add to their revenue, according to Eric Faulhaber, visual arts coordinator for the City of Chandler’s Vision Gallery.
LIGHTS GALORE: Chandler’s downtown core is ablaze in lights along Arizona Avenue and in the historic square. The annual Parade of Lights and Tumbleweed Tree Lighting ceremony are Dec. 1. For details, see Page 47. STSN photo
Chandler delivers on holiday shopping by Miriam Van Scott
POPULAR EXHIBIT: More than 5,000 people are expected to visit the Chandler Center for the Arts Gallery to see “Art Quilts Year XVII – Integrating a Paradox,” one of the most well liked annual shows at the CCA. Juror Adriene Buffington of Gilbert, third from right, listens as one of the artists discusses her pieces during the opening reception, which attracted about 100 attendees. STSN photo
“We saw a tremendous amount of working artists take on fulltime work outside of the arts, looking to supplement their income and sales,” he recalls. “With the economic crisis, people cut back on purchases that were not of the utmost importance and everyone suffered. We saw galleries and stores close across the Valley that provided artists a place to sell their work, forcing artists to get creative and begin to look at new ways to promote and sell their art. We saw a lot of smaller community events created to help maintain see Arts page 6
NEW RETAIL: Morgan Maness, right, adjusts merchandise while her mother, Betsy, chats with customers in their new downtown Chandler shop, Handcrafted. STSN photo
New retail shops are opening throughout the SanTan Sun area, buoyed by anticipation of healthy holiday sales and long-term optimism about the strengthening local economy. “It’s been a very good year and we expect things to get even better in the months ahead,” says Christina Lanoue, senior property manager for Chandler Fashion Center. “I think many agree Chandler as a city has been recovering faster than other cities in Arizona, and we’re certainly feeling that here. We’ve opened 14 new stores already this year, including several major names that have been on our ‘wish list’ for some time.” Chief among the new offerings is H&M, a Swedish-based apparel company known for fashion-forward merchandise, which just cut the ribbon on a 19,000-square-foot, twolevel Fashion Center storefront in early November. Also celebrating recent openings are accessories icon
Family celebrates season through circus by K. M. Lang
The holidays are about giving, and this year the Taylor Circus Stars – Chandler’s very own circus family – offer the gift of amazement. The talented troupe, including Martin and Barbara Taylor, their four children and their niece, will perform in their production of “Circus Americana” this month at Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix. Along with the Taylors’ awe-inspiring feats, ranging from tightwire and contortion acts to acrobatics and fire-eating, the circus will include Doggies of the Wild West, a pirate ship complete with a full-sized trampoline and, of course, Santa Claus, who will appear as the show’s ringmaster.
The extravaganza is a family project more than two years in the making, and Christmas, says Martin, is the perfect season to bring it to audiences. “We couldn’t think of a better time or a more special holiday,” he explains. “Christmas is about dreams, and it’s about rebirth and love, and we want to share our love through circus and share our family with our larger Arizona family.” It was Barbara – the great-great-granddaughter of P.T. Barnum’s legendary “Swedish Nightingale,” Jenny Lind – who first climbed aboard the circus train 30 years ago. The Tempe native began her career with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey as a European-style, or “doll-faced,”
*Minimum purchase $75 each. Not available online.
VERY CIRCUS CHRISTMAS: The Taylor Circus Stars – Chandler’s very own circus family – bring “Circus Americana” to the Valley for the holidays. Pictured with Santa, clockwise from bottom left: Barbara; Ian, 15; Liam, 6; Martin; Jasmyn, 13; Aubrey, 15; and Elia, 17. Submitted photo
see Circus page 12
F E AT U R E STO R I E S
8 Valley Locations in the Southeast Valley: Ahwatukee, Chandler, Fulton Ranch, Gilbert, Gilbert Gateway, Queen Creek, San Tan and Tempe
see Retail page 8
Give toy, get ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . community . . . Page 4 Fashion, comfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . business . . . . . . Page 17 Huskies are #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . youth . . . . . . . Page 27 Subway keeps holidays healthy . . . . . . . . neighbors . . . . Page 47 Holiday shows on stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . arts . . . . . . . Page 63
Making memories . . . . . . . . . SanTan Family Fun . . Center
More Community . . . . . . . . . 1-16 Business . . . . . . . . . . 17-26 Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-36 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . 45-46 Neighbors . . . . . . . . 47-57 Spirituality . . . . . . . 58-62 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63-69 Directory . . . . . . . . . 70-72 Classifieds . . . . . . . . 73-74 Where to eat . . . . . 75-80