6 7 2014stsn p59 66 arts

CCA manager retiring after 26 years at the arts facility

BY TRACY HOUSE

Katrina Pappas started her career with the Chandler Center for the Arts in May 1988 as an intern. At the end of June she will retire from her 26-year career as the general manager of the endearing facility.

Pappas explains that when she started, the center was still under construction. Her role was to create volunteer committees, assist in the establishment of the nonprofit arm, the Chandler Cultural Foundation, and to prepare for the grand opening. In the spring of 1989 she was promoted to patron services coordinator and through the natural progression of positions moved on to general manager in 1998.

Pappas had just relocated to Phoenix after earning her bachelor’s degree in art management when she began at CCA. Starting at the ground floor, Pappas has been part of the many changes that have taken place at the center.

“The progression that I’ve seen here at the center...just seeing the population evolve,” she explains. “There’s been tremendous growth in our programming. It’s taken on a broader range of services. In addition to performing arts, we also do youth development initiatives...supporting the

next generation.”

Pappas says she has seen a great loyalty by the community to the center over the years. “We have a number of people who return every year and buy tickets to the performances. We’ve gotten so many great suggestions from the community and some wonderful feedback about how shows have impacted them. An example is the Zoppe Italian Circus.”

The popular show has generated feedback that touches all generations.

“I think that’s a memorable highlight— how we’ve impacted families. It’s a great source of pride for Chandler.”

Pappas explains that because CCA is a multipurpose facility jointly owned by the City and Chandler Unified School District, it has been able to pass savings on to the arts consumer.

Her last few weeks at the center will focus on transitioning out of her role and working with Michelle Mac Lennan, who will rise in the ranks from assistant manager to general manager.

While the center will be feting its 25th anniversary in August, Pappas will be celebrating as well. “I’m moving on to a new chapter of my life,” she says, “looking at finding a role that utilizes a different part of the brain.”

She’s planning on taking classes and ultimately looking at other job

opportunities. “It’s a flexible plan. I’m open to anything at this point. I think the main thing is to seize the opportunity to further advance my skills.”

Pappas plans on traveling with her husband, Jeff, in July. Retiring was part of her multiyear plan, “I knew some years ago that this was where I wanted to be at this stage in my life, to be able to make a transition. And also I think it’s good for the organization to be able to make a change and I feel that I’ve done everything I can for the organization and it’s well positioned to move forward

with new leadership.”

Working for the City of Chandler has been a tremendous opportunity, Pappas says. “It’s a great organization and also to work with the Chandler Cultural Foundation. They started from the ground up and they gave the arts a home in Chandler. It’s just been really rewarding to work with Chandler Cultural Foundation as well as the City of Chandler.”

Tracy House is the news editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at tracy@santansun.com.

Vision Gallery to exhibit plants, dresses throughout summer

Botanical art ‘flourishes’

An exhibition featuring artwork by Arizona artists and focusing on plants and the natural world will be on display at the Vision Gallery, 10 E. Chicago St., Chandler, Friday, July 25, through Saturday, Aug. 30.

Taking inspiration from settings as diverse as family gardens, desert landscapes and green grass; the artwork represents the serenity and freshness gardens evoke; using media including textiles, ceramics, photography and mixed media.

Fifty artists will be exhibiting works in “Flourish: Artworks Inspired by Our Gardens.” Exhibiting artists are: Betsy Aguirre, Sherri Spidle Aldawood, Leslie Austin, Marsha Blumm, Jeanne Bosarge, Barbara Brandel, Sarah Brodie, Mary Bruns, Craig Cheply, Heather Coen, Quetzally Hernández Coronado, Tal Dvir, Kathleen Escobedo, Cheryl Fecht, Jill Friedberg, Lisa Harnish, Gini Heywood, Sam Hodges, Natalia Highson, Karen Hymer, Melinda Jennings, Margit Kaegerer, Dale Kesel, Heather J. Kirk, Brenda Kleppe, Derrick Lafferty, Genevieve Leach, George Lenz, Sandra Luehrsen, Constance McBride, Andrea Merican, Nancy Christy-Moore, Chris Morningforest, Emily Palomino Ortiz, Jana Peterson, Brenda Priddy, Andrea Rogers, Judith Rothenstein-Putzer, Helen Norsigian Rowles, Nicole Royse, Pat Scheurich,

Betty Schlueter, Diane C. Taylor, Cari Updike, Nancy Nowak Utech, Steven Velazquez, Kim Walker, Sandra Neumann Wilderman, Timothy Wong and Randy Zucker.

LBD on display

The Vision Gallery will showcase one of history’s most well-known staples—the little black dress—in

“The Little Black Dress: Through the Decades,” from Friday, Sept. 5, through Saturday, Oct. 25. An artist’s reception will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5.

From glamorous to understated to over-the-top, the exhibit will celebrate dresses from several eras and designers and examine how the versatile fashion icon has been reimagined and redesigned over the years.

The display will showcase the beginning of the phenomenon in 1926 with an exhibit of the simple, elegant Coco Chanel dress that started it all with a photo in American Vogue.

The exhibit will also include dresses from Gilbert Adrian, Geoffrey Beene, Mr. Blackwell, Bill Blass, Donald Brooks, Pierre Cardin, Victor Costa, Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Dior, Tom Ford for Gucci, James Galanos, Jean Paul Gaultier, Rudi Gernreich, Howard Greer, Roy Halston, North Beach Leather Michael Hoban, Peggy

WHAT’S IT WORTH?

We all have some change sitting in jars! We also have wondered if they have more value than the face value of the coin? Some actually do. To find out, there are experts that evaluate coins and can tell you “What’s It Worth.” Some examples of great success stories are these.

The rarest and most expensive coin to date in the US is the Flowing Hair Dollar, the first dollar coin issued by the United States federal government. In 2013, the coin sold for $10,016,875 in a private treaty sale. The second most expensive coin to sell was in 2002 at Sotheby’s. This particular Twenty Dollar 1933 Double Eagle Coin sold for $7.5 million. These coins are valued by the date of issue and their rarity.

THE SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE COIN TO SELL WAS IN 2002 AT SOTHEBY’S. THIS PARTICULAR TWENTY DOLLAR 1933 DOUBLE EAGLE COIN SOLD FOR $7.5 MILLION.

Silver coins are determined by several factors including their silver content, overall physical condition or “grade” as well as the rarity of the specific coin. Market prices for circulated silver coins can vary widely depending on the rarity of a particular coin design or date of issue. From 1916 to 1945, the Mercury Dime was minted in Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver, these coins weigh 2.5 grams and contains 90 precent silver. A couple examples of valuable coins from that period is the 1944 Mercury Dime, it retails at $1.50 while the 1921-D (“D” standingfor Denver Mint) sells for over $500. It pays to look at your change and then begin to research if you feel you have something special and remember there are experts that can assist.

—

David Goldstein Owner, Biltmore Loan and Jewelry

Hunt, Marc Jacobs, Norma Kamali, Patrick Kelly, Bud Kilpatrick, Don Loper, Franco Moschino, Todd Oldham, Emilio Pucci, Helen Rose, Maggie Rouf, Alfred Shaheen, Gloria Swanson, William Travilla, Emanuel Ungaro, Gianni Versace, Dan Werle, Yohji Yamamoto and local designers Galina Couture, Angela Johnson and Joy Li.

All examples of the little black dress in this exhibition are on loan from Fashion by Robert Black of Scottsdale.

The exhibits are free and open to the public.

For more information about the Vision Gallery, call (480) 782-2695 or visit www.visiongallery.org.

Brannan’s art is futuristic and retro

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER

Whether it’s a Robby, Rosie or R2D2, most robots are cast as characters of the future. But for the next month at Chandler’s Vision Gallery, one artist uses robots to draw visitors’ eyes to the past.

Doug Brannan’s “Refried Robots” are part of the recently installed “Unpredictable Change” exhibit featuring three Arizona artists who sculpt with metal. Brannan’s contributions to the exhibit highlight the unexpected beauty found in the everyday objects of the past.

Based in the historic mining town of Globe, Brannan scours the state for vintage items and then assembles them into whimsical robots as small as Chihuahuas and large as small children. The robots are on display through July 5, and offer a dazzling array of chromed-plated arms, legs, bodies and eyes, er, sensors.

“(The robots) all have their own distinct personalities,” says Yvonne Torres, Visual Arts assistant at the Vision Gallery. “It almost feels like they’re coming alive.”

New vision

While giving antiques a second life, Brannan’s art is also a second life for the artist. Brannan retired from a 30-year career in TV and radio, including time as music director for Phoenix country station KNIX. Once he retired from the broadcast business and moved to Globe in 2005, Brannan considered what to do next.

“I thought, ‘What would I like really like to do?’ I do like building and creating things with metal,” he says.

Today, like a mad scientist, Brannan fuses everything from Jell-O molds to irrigation switches into robotic creatures that look as if they’ve stepped out of a drive-in movie and climbed—or rocketed—onto the gallery’s white pedestals.

“You don’t have to create something brand new out of brand new stuff,” he says.

Walking among Brannan’s sculptures, it is fun to figure out what each robot is made of. Many of the vintage items repurposed as body parts are things that have disappeared from the home or workplace, replaced by digital technology. On his website, Brannan writes that he is interested in “the gleaming, gear-driven discards of a fast disappearing analog era.”

The sculptures help visitors see the beauty of even everyday items from past decades. One robot’s head is an antique bicycle headlamp turned light-side down. Another robot at Vision Gallery sports two metal art deco flashlights for arms that are sleek and elegant.

“A lot of it’s what’s considered junk; some of it is expensive antiques,” says Brannan.

The robots reflect a passion fascination for old items the artist says he discovered as a child accompanying his step-grandfather, Jack Heywood, a longtime supervisor at Hoover Dam, on inspections in the early 1960s. Noted artists were commissioned in the 1930s to add décor to the exterior and interior of this engineering marvel on the Arizona and Nevada border, and Brannan says he was deeply impressed by the art deco styles he saw at Hoover Dam.

“The whole thing is just incredibly artistic for a dam,” he says. “Even as a kid I was inspired by the dam and the stuff in it.”

Brannan says his wife helped persuade him to follow his creative impulse and take the chance on making robots fulltime.

To secure vintage treasures with just the right look for his current project, Brannan says he spends about three days a week combing sources from estate sales to piles of junk abandoned on the side of the road. He says it can take

weeks or months to find the right piece to finish a robot.

“Once you start building, you think, ‘Man, I can’t wait to find just the right piece,’” he says. Some artifacts in his robots are splurges picked up from antique shops, but others are hidden treasures. “I take a little more pride in the stuff that I literally found or was just as cheap as can be.”

Standing against the gallery’s white walls, the robots boast striking silhouettes revealing an eye for lines and shapes. Brannan is a car guy who once restored a 1952 fire engine decommissioned by the Globe fire department, and he says he would be restoring hot rods in his retirement if he cared more for getting under the hood. This is not surprising because Brannan’s robots seem cousins to vintage cars.

Brannan says the message of his art is “Have fun with what you have,” but the sculptures beg another question: Could an artist 50 years from now do this with today’s stuff? It’s doubtful they would look as attractive.

Brannan says the biggest reward for his art is seeing people’s reactions to the robots.

“Almost everybody that comes in and looks at the robots smiles,” he says.

Scott Shumaker is an intern for the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at sshumaker@timespublications.com.

Artist’s tips for finding older gems

BY DOUG BRANNAN

It’s actually quite amazing how many places there are to find rare, unusual and just plain fun and interesting items. Not everyone has the same interests, and the variety of collectible items available is enormous. From vinyl records to salt and pepper shakers, vintage clothing to furniture, the types of items people enjoy finding are endless. But where to start? How about the nearest yard sale? Then there are swap meets, thrift stores, antique shops, estate sales and antique auctions. Also, try these hints for finding treasures.

• You don’t want to forget the Internet. Ebay and Craigslist are two of my favorite places to explore when it’s too hot to go out searching.

• A great source of information regarding where to find collectibles is a copy of The Antique Register. This free publication lists where to find stores across the state of Arizona and is available at many of the larger antique stores such as the Brass Armadillo antique mall in Phoenix.

• Weekend road trips in search of your favorite collectibles are fun ways to explore our beautiful state and learn more about the history of the various towns you visit. Most are just a few hours away from the Phoenix area.

• Bottom line: look everywhere you can and I guarantee you’ll find plenty of wonderful things that have a special appeal to you. The hardest part for me is trying to be a picky picker. It’s easy to get carried away. But, if you do end up collecting too many things, just remember, you can sell your items as well!

Palms announces 14th season

The Palms Theatre, 5247 E. Brown Rd., Mesa, has announced the shows planned for its 2014-2015 season.

Performances will kick off Thursday, Oct. 16, with the comedic musical “Two By Two,” a fresh retelling of the Biblical story of Noah and the flood that shows building the ark was only the first of Noah’s challenges. The play includes music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Martin Charnin.

Also slated for the upcoming season on the main stage are: “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Menopause The Musical.” The Marquee Theatre will feature comedies including “Run for Your Wife” and “Caught in the Net” in the repertory, followed by “Nana’s Naughty Knickers” and “Love, Sex and the IRS.”

A full schedule of tribute concerts on both the main stage and Marquee Theatre will feature returning favorites such as “AbbaFab,” “Piano Man,” “One of These Nights,” “Strait Country,” “Flipside-45,” “Man In Black” and “December ‘63,” as well as new concerts spanning genres from country to rock to showtunes.

The Palms’ first children’s theater production, “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” will hit the stage this year as well. Two additional children’s theater productions will be announced this fall.

The Palms Theatre 2014-2015 schedule includes more than 30

tribute shows and concerts, as well as the following performances:

• “Run For Your Wife,” Thursday, Oct. 9, through Saturday, Nov. 15

• “Caught in the Net,” Thursday, Oct. 16, through Wednesday Nov. 19

• “Two By Two,” Thursday, Oct. 16, through Saturday, Nov. 22

• “Miracle on 34th Street,” Thursday, Nov. 27, through Tuesday, Dec. 23

• “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” Friday, Dec. 5, through Sunday, Dec. 28

• “Nana’s Naughty Knickers,” Friday, Jan. 2, through Saturday, Feb. 14

• “Annie Get Your Gun,” Thursday, Jan. 15, through Sunday, Feb. 22

• “Menopause The Musical,” Thursday, Feb. 26, through Saturday, March 28.

• “Love, Sex and the IRS,” Thursday, Feb. 26, through Saturday, April 4.

All tickets will go on sale Monday, Sept. 2. For more information, visit the www.thepalmstheatre.com, check out its Facebook page “The Palms Theatre” or call (480) 924-6260. The box office will be open on a limited schedule during the summer to answer questions and give out information only.

Elaine Kessler Photography presents ‘Created Equal’

Local artists and photographers will present the first in a series of exhibits entitled “Created Equal” in an interactive display, “Created Equal, The American Dream,” at a private residence in Mesa at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 7. The event is hosted by Elaine Kessler Photography. The exhibition is designed to use photography to prompt conversation and that will lead to community and civic action, addressing topics including education, immigration, health care, welfare, religion and voting. The first exhibit will be focused on the state of the American dream. Participants will discuss their opinions on whether the American dream is real; whether it exists for everyone or just a few. Community organizations will also be on hand to suggest real actions to take. Many activities; such as registering to vote, finding volunteer opportunities and learning about community programs; can be done right at the exhibit.

The event will be hosted at a private residence because, for many, home ownership is part of the American dream.

To RSVP or find out more, email Elaine Kessler at elaine@ elainekesslerphotography.com. Visit the artist’s page at www. elainekesslerphotography.com.

Musical stars and unique exhibits at MAC

The Mesa Art Center is bringing some crowd pleasers to the stage this summer.

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band

7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24

Ikeda Theater

$48-$78

Texas-based Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actor Lyle Lovett has used his talents for music and storytelling to produce a body of work spanning 14 albums, and uses elements of swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in his songs for a unique style. Lovett has also appeared in 13 feature films as well as acting on stage and television.

Tori Amos: Unrepentant Geraldines Tour

In partnership with Danny Zelisko Presents

8 p.m. Friday, July 2

Ikeda Theater

$35-$85

With more than 1,000 shows under her belt and more than 12 million albums sold, Tori Amos continues to hold onto old fans and win over new devotees. The classically trained musician’s songs address themes of empowerment, vulnerability, tenderness and sharp resolve, always delivered in her singular sound.

Fold, Paper, Scissors

Various artists Through Aug. 10 in the Main Gallery Free

For such a simple, every day, unassuming material, it’s amazing what can be created and explored with paper. This exhibition showcases the surprising versatility of paper as an expressive medium, from complex and carefully cut paper pictures to puzzling and fascinating folded sculptures created from a single sheet of paper, the artists in this exhibition push the limits of the humble sheet of paper.

Boundless: The Book Transformed in Contemporary Art

Various artists

Through Aug. 10 in the South Gallery Free

Books are given new life—and new purpose—as 3-D sculptures, in an exhibition that examines how we treat and understand books as tangible artifacts in a digital age.

Metal and Beyond: Betsy Douglas Through Aug. 10 in the North Gallery Free

In an exhibition highlighting the last 35 years of a metal-artwork career spanning five decades, the work of Betsy Douglas is on display for viewers to see how her craftsmanship, style and vision evolved over the years.

Turning the Page: Sculpture by Marilyn da Silva Through Aug. 10 in the SRP Free

Marilyn da Silva works with metal to create a narrative through images. Using elements like books, birds and houses, she tells her stories through sculpture. Da Silva treats her works with gesso and colored pencil, creating a colorful palette and signature look for her sculptures and wearable art.

Air Supply celebrates 40 years

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Forty years into his band’s career, singer Russell Hitchcock of Australianborn Air Supply admits that sometimes touring can take a toll. There are the long lines at security, flight delays, early morning departures and “not-so-nice hotels.”

But, the former six-year Flagstaff resident says it’s how you end the day, not start it.

“Once the house lights go down and you hear your audience’s response to you being there, it’s just a breeze,” Hitchcock says.

He and musical partner, guitarist Graham Russell, have spent four decades playing hits like “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love” and “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.”

“I joke from time to time with Graham, I’ll be 65 this year,” Hitchcock says. “I can’t imagine I’d be 65 to start with, I certainly don’t feel it. I’d tell my daughter all the time when she was a kid in school when she’d say, ‘I can’t wait for school to be over and get into the real world.’ I’d tell her, ‘Time flies.’ Here it is now and it’s nearly 40 years for Air Supply.”

In those 40 years, Air Supply has sold more than 100 million albums. Graham,

In/Visible

Installation by Sara Rockinger Now through Aug. 10 in the Project Room

Free

In/Visible is an exhibit and an experience. In the installation by Colorado artist Sara Rockinger, translucent 3-D figures are combined with embroidery, silk screen and video projections. Societal issues like race, immigration, U.S. history, personal history and invisibility are explored as video footage is projected onto the forms.

Mesa Arts Center is located at One E. Main St. in downtown Mesa. The Mesa Arts Center mission is to inspire people through engaging arts experiences that are diverse, accessible, and relevant. For more information, visit www. mesaartscenter.com.

“Spring Performance,” Sat., June 7, and Sun., June 8, BA. Students of every level, from the youngest primary students to advanced-level students on the verge of professional careers, showcase their talent and training at this showcase of today’s students and tomorrow’s stars.

Arizona Improv Festival, Fri., June 13, OCC. The festival featuring long-form improv returns this year with Paul Brittain from “Saturday Night Live” and Jet Eveleth.

“7 Minutes in Heaven,” Sat., June 14, 21 and 28, S55. “7 Minutes In Heaven” is a random, raucous assortment of music, mayhem and merriment with diverse 7-minute acts; including music, comedy, poetry, dance, magic, yodeling and more.

“The Most of Lit Lounge,” Thurs., June 26, SMOCA. The popular showcase of the museum’s monthly “Lit Lounge,” which consistently presents to a sold-out crowd, returns to the stage in the Virginia G. Piper Theater for its second year. Lit Lounge is the museum’s acclaimed monthly event created by

playwright and author Tania Katan featuring a fusion of performers telling true stories meshed with live music.

“Hollywood Costume,” through Sun., July 6, PAM. See your favorite film characters in a blockbuster exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum, showcasing costumes from films like “The Big Lebowski,” “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Gangs of New York” as well as interviews and behind-the-scenes insights from costume designers.

“Peter Pan,” Fri., June 13, to Sun., June 29, HTC. To close out its 25th anniversary season, Valley Youth Theatre presents a musical adaptation of the classic story about a mischievous boy who flies with a fairy named Tinkerbell and leads a gang of Lost Boys on Neverland—and his arch-nemesis, Captain Hook.

Arizona Sketch Comedy Festival, Wed., June 25, to Sun., June 29, OCC. Study and celebrate comedy in this festival with six shows, three workshops and four venues over five days. Check the website for locations and details.

who lives in Utah, and Hitchcock, who resides in Atlanta, will come to Wild Horse Pass’ Ovations Showroom at 8 p.m. Friday, June 20, to play a decadesspanning set.

“We’ll be playing stuff that people love like ‘Lost in Love,’ ‘Here I Am,’ ‘Sweet Dreams,’” he says. “Graham has a really beautiful solo piece during the show. We have a great band.”

Air Supply will also throw in a new tune, the dance music-influenced “Desert Sea Sky.”

“It’s very different for us,” he says. “It’s a dance tune. It was mixed by a couple guys who specialize in that format. They’re out of Israel. It’s been getting a great response so far. We’ll see what happens. It’s always a bit of a crapshoot when you release any kind of music. We’ve been around enough, nearly 40 years. We’ve certainly had our ups and downs with getting music played on radio, but we’ve got our fingers crossed for this one. We think it’s very special.”

Air Supply performs at 8 p.m. Friday, June 20, at Wild Horse Pass’ Ovations Showroom, 5040 W. Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler. Tickets are $34 to $99. For more information, call (800) 946-4452 or visit www.wingilariver.com.

Air Supply Submitted photo

Discover backyard wildlife

National Geographic Kids partners with local malls

BA – Ballet Arizona

2835 E. Washington St., Phoenix Tickets: (602) 381-1096, http:// balletaz.org

HTC—Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix Tickets: (602) 252-8497, www. herbergertheater.ticketforce.com

OCC—Outliars Comedy Club Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale Tickets: (480) 784-7258, www. outliarscc.com

PAM—Phoenix Art Museum 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix Tickets: (602) 257-1222, www.phxart.org

S55–Space 55 636 E. Pierce St., Phoenix Tickets: (602) 663-4032, www.space55. org

SMoCA–Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art 7380 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale Tickets: (480) 499-TKTS (8587), www. smoca.org

TCA—Tempe Center for the Arts 700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe Tickets: (480) 350-2822, www.tca. ticketforce.com

Chandler Fashion Center and other malls around the Valley have partnered with National Geographic Kids to help kids—and parents—learn all about the nature that surrounds us. Kids Clubs at Chandler Fashion Center and other participating malls—including Arrowhead Towne Center, Flagstaff Mall, Paradise Valley Mall, SanTan Village and Superstition Springs Center—are offering free fun and educational programs for families throughout June. At the events, kids become scientists as they search and research the wildlife in their own backyards. The investigations are lighthearted and playful but factfilled, and kids will hardly notice they’re learning as they discover new creatures and fun facts, dance, sing and more. To see all Kids Club dates and times, visit www.MallKidsClub.com and follow your favorite shopping centers on Facebook

and Twitter to receive the most up-todate information.

The times and days of the events are as follows:

• Arrowhead Towne Center, 10 a.m. Mondays

• Chandler Fashion Center, 10 a.m. Wednesdays

• Flagstaff Mall, 10 a.m. first Friday of the month

• Paradise Valley Mall, 10 a.m. Thursdays

• SanTan Village, 10 a.m. fourth Friday of the month

• Superstition Springs Center, 10 a.m. Thursdays

LEGO exhibit combines fun, art, learning

After the release of “The LEGO Movie” earlier this year, the toy bricks are on everyone’s mind—and they’re the inspiration for an interactive exhibit on display at the Heard Museum in Phoenix through Sunday, Sept. 28.

“BUILD! Toy Brick Art at the Heard,” exhibited in the museum’s Lincoln Gallery, explores the form, color and versatility of the bricks and showcases artwork by local LEGO pros as well as prominent American Indian, Mexican and non-Indian artists.

Native artists Steven Yazzie (Navajo) and Autumn Dawn Gomez (Comanche/ Taos Pueblo/Navajo) and Mexican-

American artist Lalo Cota enter new creative territory by working with LEGO bricks, and LEGO brick artist Dave Shaddix has transformed Navajo artist Marlowe Katoney’s “Angry Birds” textile, which hangs in the museum, into a LEGO brick mosaic. Also included are works by Cactus Brick, a Tempe-based LEGO brick-building club.

The exhibit also features interactive elements and activities, including workshops in June, “block parties” in July and a building contest in August. Between the artwork on display and the activities available, the exhibit offers a changing and ever-new landscape to discover, even for repeat visitors.

Admission

As this is a special exhibit, the following adjusted admission rates will be charged to visitors through Sept. 28. These rates include admission to “BUILD!” plus the rest of the museum:

Adults $23, seniors $18.50, students with ID $12.50, children ages 6-12 $12.50, children ages 1-5 and American Indians $5, children younger than 1 and Heard Museum members free.

Those visiting the Heard this summer as part of the following programs and special entry days will still be required to pay a gate fee of $5 per person to visit “BUILD!:” Blue Star

Families, Teacher Appreciation month, Target Summer Sundays, Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day, Culture Pass.

Those who purchase a Heard Museum Family Membership for only $75 will receive free admission to “BUILD!” all summer. To join, visit https://members. heard.org or call (602) 251-0261.

Workshops

Children ages 7-13 are encouraged to register for “BUILDING with Toy Bricks” summer workshops held each full week in June. Each session, produced by Bonanza Education in partnership with the Heard, is designed to provide a unique program with four components of fun based on the exhibit: general building activities, stopmotion animation, a tour of the Heard Museum and art expression with LEGO bricks as media. Fees for each one-week workshop are $95 for museum members, $110 for nonmembers. Space is limited. Sign up and get additional information at www.heard.org/build.

Other

activities

Details about July “block parties” and August building contest will be posted at www.heard.org/build.

The Heard Museum is located at 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. For more information, call (602) 252-8840 or visit www.heard.org.

Swing into jazz at local party

Vocalist and trombone player Howard Miyata will perform with 52nd Street Jazz Band Sunday, June 22, at the jazz party hosted by the Arizona Classic Jazz Society at the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort.

Attendees can relive the Roaring ‘20s, the swing of the 1930s and the Dixieland revival of the 1940s, all in an air-conditioned environment.

Miyata has played trombone with the High Sierra Jazz Band since 1989 and is also the tuba player in the Au Brothers Jazz Band, a group of three brothers who grew up with an appreciation of traditional jazz thanks to their Uncle Howard.

One of Miyata’s trademarks is his range of facial expressions as he sings, particularly during “The Yama Yama Man.” He was honored as Musician of the Year at Dixieland Monterey in 2013. The jazz party will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort, One San Marcos Pl., Chandler. Cost is $10 ACJS members; $15 nonmembers (become a member on June 22 and get in free; yearly membership $35 couple, single $25). For more information, go to www. azclassicjazz.org or call (480) 620-3941.

McCreery reaching for long career in music

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

“American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery yearns for longevity in a business that isn’t exactly known for cultivating artists.

Knee deep into his second album, “See You Tonight,” McCreery is “pumped” that the collection is faring so well. The release debuted at No.1 on the Billboard country album chart and No. 6 on the all-genre Billboard 200, selling 52,000 copies.

“When the album sells well, it means the folks are digging the songs,” says McCreery, who plays Wild Horse Pass in Chandler on Sunday, June 22.

“That’s always exciting to see. Three years out from the beginning of my career, there are folks out there and there are fans out there who are enjoying it. You want longevity and it’s nice to see that it’s still kind of going strong.”

“See You Tonight” is forging ahead thanks to two singles, the title track as well as “Feelin’ It,” which he performed on “American Idol” on May 15. The 20-year-old singer says it was important for two reasons to return to his TV roots.

“It’s nice to get back and see a lot of people who helped start my career,” he says. “It’s like a family reunion when you’re going back there and seeing everybody. I enjoy that aspect of it.

“Two, ‘Idol’ is still one of the top shows in the country. It’s always nice of them to have me back so I can get my song out there to people who may not have otherwise have heard it.”

He was blunt about “American Idol” veterans who eschew their time on the show, or who ignore it all together.

“You just gotta be realistic,” explains McCreery. “That’s where I came from. There’s no hiding that. There were millions of people who saw it. I’m proud of it. It’s one of those things. Everybody comes from different areas. Some people come from TV. Some people come up through clubs. Others are discovered through YouTube. You never know where it’s going to happen.”

On the 10th season of “Idol” McCreery established himself as a singer, but now he’s dabbling in songwriting, having co-penned five songs on “See You Tonight,” including the first single.

“It was a cool, new thing to do,” McCreery says. “It was a new kind of adventure to be writing on the second record. I guess you could say it’s challenging, though, just in the fact that you want to find the best songs whether they’re ones that you wrote or not.

“I had to weight my songs up against the guys who are writing for me in Nashville. We wrote a lot of great songs and five of mine were definitely good enough to make the cut. It was a really cool thing and I was pumped about it.”

He was inspired to write “See You Tonight” about a certain person he misses when he’s on the road.

“It’s about true life feelings,” McCreery explains. “I get to missing people; missing someone a good amount. It’s what the song’s all about. He has to see her tonight because he’s been gone and can’t wait any longer. It’s a story I think a lot of folks can relate to, which is why I think it did well. That’s what country music is about: Telling stories that people can relate to.”

Since “Idol,” McCreery has been balancing his career with studies and baseball at North Carolina State University. Recently, he cut back to part-time status.

“I’ve really kind of slowed down,” he

says with a sigh. “I’m just a part-time student. The music business and touring is really busy. I have to focus. I’m still here at NC State and excited about it.”

He’s also thrilled to be serving as National Goodwill Ambassador for the 12.14 Foundation, an organization formed with the goal of building and operating a performing arts center in Newtown, Connecticut, to memorialize and honor the lives lost in the tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012.

“They’re great folks in Newtown who experienced a terrible tragedy,” he says. “One of the things they’re trying to do to revitalize the community and get a performing arts center in there, you know, for music, dance and arts. They asked if I could come on and help out. I was honored to.

“One of the reasons we’re all doing this is because we’re making sure these kids are not being held back because of the things that happened there. We’re trying to make sure they all reach their full potential. Arts is one of those things, so we’re really going to focus in on that.”

Right now he’s focusing on his own tour. Having two albums—three if you count 2012’s “Christmas with Scotty McCreery”—allows him to pretty much play a 90-minute to two-hour set of his own material. Covers creep in, however.

“We’re playing a lot of my own stuff,” he says proudly. “I throw in a couple covers from people who influenced me—the Garth Brooks, George Straits and Elvis Presleys of the world. Guys like that. We put a lot of thought into that show.

“It’s a fun show. It’s going to be a pretty big one for a casino. We have a whole production with video and risers that really make it cool. I hope fans come out and really enjoy it.”

Scotty McCreery plays Ovations at Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 22. Tickets are $38 to $58. For more information, visit www. wingilariver.com or call (800) 946-4452.

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski is the executive editor of the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at christina@ santansun.com.