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Greetings!
The Flagstaff ArtScene e-Newsletter unveils a new component in this edition: the Artist Profile. Each month, we'll do a profile on a local artist, performer, or professional within the arts and cultural field. In this issue, you'll get a glimpse into the world of our small town "rock star" of sorts, Judi Hartman. Her entry in the current Appetizers show, Forest Fusion, drew crowds, with several disappointed buyers finding the piece had already sold. We're also covering this month's activities. So much is happening in September in the realm of the arts and sciences. If you're new to Flagstaff, like me, its an early Christmas. This month we'll see the Festival of Science, Open Studios, Pickin' in the Pines, the new Splendor of Chaos exhibition, and the opening show of the Classical Guitar concert series here at the Center. And that's not all. Check the two calendars in the left sidebar for more. You can count the Coconino Center for the Arts as your first-stop for all the great programs on the slate. Cheers, John Tannous Executive Director 
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Open Studios Hits Double Digits
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 Ten Years of Artists Opening Their Doors
Over 100 artists are inviting you - yes, YOU - into their inner sanctums where all their creative magic comes to life. Over the weekend of September 15-16, you'll be witness to the creative spirit that goes into the outstanding artwork created by Flagstaff's many talents. Flagstaff Open Studios, now in its tenth year, takes place all over the community. Participating artists conduct demos in their studios, where you are welcome to watch, ask questions, and generally bask in the creative flow. You can start your journey at the Appetizers exhibitions at the Coconino Center for the Arts, where brochures and maps of all participating studios are available for the public. Maps are also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center and all participating studios. To mark their tenth anniversary, a full-color catalogue of all the work
featured in the Appetizers exhibition has been published. The
catalogues are on sale at the Center. For more information, or to download the FOS brochure and map, visit the Artists Coalition website. |
Hitting the Right Chords
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 Craig Yarbrough Concert September 29th
Born and raised in the Cajun Country of South Louisana, Craig Yarbrough began as a musician at the tender age of 5. As a teenager, he discovered the guitar. That changed everything, not just for Yarbrough, but also for the Flagstaff music scene. In 2003, Yarbrough founded the Grand Canyon Guitar Society (GCGS), a non-profit arts organization dedicated to fostering classical guitar activities in Northern Arizona. Since then, he has been working tirelessly to bring top-quality guitar talent to Flagstaff for all to enjoy. He has the opportunity to showcase his own talent this month. At the Coconino Center for the Arts' opening of the Splendor of Chaos exhibition, the GCGS concert season kicks off with a performance by Yarbrough on September 29. The concert begins at 8pm. Early in his career, Yarbrough moved to New Orleans to pursue a degree in classical guitar performance, and since then has studied with some amazing talents. He studied under John Rankin at University of New Orleans and Elias Barriero at Tulane University. After completing his undergraduate work, he moved to Arizona to study with Frank Koonce at Arizona State University. Earning a Master's of Musical Arts in 1997, Craig came to Flagstaff.  He's performed extensively in the Southeastern United States and Four Corners Region, and has performed in Master Classes for artists such as: Manuel Barrueco, John Holmquist, Christopher Parkening, Jorge Morel, William Kanengiser, Paul O'Dette, David Leisner, and Adam Holzman. Today, Yarbrough can be heard performing Django Reinhardt-style gypsy jazz with an acoustic trio. He
currently teaches guitar privately and at Coconino Community College. As President and Artistic Director of GCGS, Yarbrough has introduced an annual concert and masterclass series to Flagstaff. The series not only gives the stage to local talent - in addition to his own performance, local guitarist Tom Sheeley will perform on November 17 - but also brings highly esteemed international performers to Flagstaff. Tickets are on sale now for Yarbrough's concert on September 29, and for Season Passes and tickets to other shows in the six-concert series. The full list of performers, with biographies of each, is available online. |
Art, Science, and Pure Chaos
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 New Show Opens at CCA during the Festival of Science
For many, the word "chaos" has a less than savory connotation. It brings up images of clutter, or times in our lives when things become so hectic that "chaos" and stress are one in the same. New works in an upcoming exhibition are turning those ideas of chaos in a different direction. The new art exhibition at the Coconino Center for the Arts, "The Splendor of Chaos," opens September 29-30. For some of the artwork in the show, clearly "chaos" represents much more than a lack of order. For starters, some see chaos as a part of the beautiful universe we inhabit. They see chaos in the skies, in nature and the weather, and in the very building blocks of life. It even has its place in spirituality. In Greek mythology, the goddess Eris is the goddess of strife and disorder. By generating a fair amount of chaos and disorder (and some jealousy) at a wedding, Eris' actions kicked off a series of events that led to the Trojan War. Today, she is held in high honor amongst Pranksters, Discordians and the like. We also see chaos in science. Chaos Theory, popularly known as "the butterfly effect," refers to phenomena that appears to be random but usually does not indicate a lack of determined outcome. Chaos has been observed in the world of science within electrical systems, magnetic and mechanical systems, and with lasers and more. But we'll let the experts tell you - and show you - what chaos means to the scientistic. Dr. Jim Swift, a mathematics professor at NAU, will give a lecture on the science behind chaos on Sunday, September 30 at 2pm. Admission is free.  The Splendor of Chaos is highlighting three featured artists, Joni Pevarnik and Mike & Sue Frankel. The Chaos show is a juried exhibition, with over 20 artists participating.
It all begins with an Opening Celebration on Saturday, September 29, at 6pm. Many artists will be at the opening, and there will be a special reading about how chaos looks to the local poet. Following the opening is Craig Yarbrough's concert at 8pm. On Sunday, we get that scientific view of chaos in the Festival of Science. With a dazzling slideshow that features fractals, pictures of the Mandelbrot set and more, Dr. Jim Swift will give us an idea of how chaos works in his presentation, The Splendor and Science of Chaos. For a full description of his program and the exhibition, visit our Chaos page online. Dr. Swift's talk is at the conclusion of a 10-day run of activities around Flagstaff in the Festival of Science. Featuring Dr. David Gillette as the keynote speaker, the Festival kicks off Friday, September 21, at NAU's Ardrey Auditorium. Participating venues include the Museum of Northern Arizona with the new Therizinosaur exhibition, Lowell Observatory, NAU, and many others throughout Northern Arizona. For the full Festival of Science schedule, visit the FOS website. |
Creative Fusion
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 September Artist Profile
Glass artist, Judi Hartman, says she never expected the level of interest and intrigue in her fused-glass sculpture of aspen trees, "Forest Fusion". The work is on display in the Appetizers exhibition, currently open at the Coconino Center for the Arts.
She was, however, surprised and pleased by the enthusiasm shown towards her work of art. In her long career in glass sculpture, Hartman focused more on stained-glass sculptural pieces, mostly commissioned for windows and door panels in homes, offices, and churches all around the world. More recently, fused-glass work has become her passion.
"Forest Fusion" represents aspen trees in the fall, a common and beautiful sight to residents of Flagstaff. Hartman says this is not a new idea in her work. She has done hundreds of aspen sculptures while working in Flagstaff, and is astounded as to the newfound interest from community members. Delighted, she is busy making similar aspen sculptures that are smaller and more reasonably priced for visitors during Open Studios weekend.
The process of glass fusing is much different from glass blowing or creating stained-glass images. Using pre-made sheets of glass, Hartman cuts pieces to represent tree trunks. She then uses glass frit, or broken pieces of glass sometimes as fine as powder, which she attaches to the cut sheets. First by gluing and then by firing several times, she attaches more colors and shapes to create the final piece. Hartman says the process can be both frustrating and fun. It is fun because the artist is able to continue creating and developing new ideas, however, the uncertainty of kiln firing proves to be frustrating. She held out some broken pieces of a kiln explosion that ruined a bowl into which she had put a lot of effort.
 Still determined to continue making new creations with the fusing process, Hartman confessed that after the Appetizers reception, she worked late into the night in her basement studio. The enthusiastic response to "Forest Fusion", left her mind swimming with new ideas for future fusion pieces. All these ideas are now lying out on scraps of paper and post-it notes on her studio table, ready to be tackled.
Hartman has lived in Flagstaff for 22 years. Before coming to the Southwest, she lived in the Florida Keys and in Texas. In each place, she is inspired by her natural surroundings. In Florida, Hartman and her husband spent a lot of time scuba-diving, so she has created stained-glass pieces featuring underwater scenes. The Southwest influences her designs a great deal as well.
Taken by the Colorado River, which Hartman has experienced through many river trips in the Grand Canyon, she now is in the process of creating a large stained-glass piece of the canyon walls with the river in the middle. While describing her affection for the river, she claimed, "the canyon gets to you" and reminisced about feeling like a little kid no matter how old you are.
Hartman is committed to outreach, whether it is sharing her ideas or her talent. She has developed themed CD-ROMs that feature many patterns for stained, etched, and fused-glass work. Four differently themed CDs are available for purchase on her website. When using the CD-ROM, artists can customize the patterns on their computer to personalize the design. Additionally, Hartman teaches lessons and workshops in her studio. Teaching glasswork is one of her many passions, and with the level of talent Hartman possesses, it is wonderful to see her knowledge and skill being spread to future generations of glass artists.
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For more information about Judi Hartman's art and her CD-ROMs, visit her website at www.hartmanglassart.com
or visit her during Open Studios. For more information about Open Studios weekend, September 15 - 16, 2007, visit the Artists' Coalition of Flagstaff website. Article by Elizabeth Vogler.
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Native American Film Festival
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 Film with a Different Take
The 4th Annual Southwest Native American Film Festival will be held in Flagstaff, Arizona, at the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) and the Coconino Center for the Arts (CCA), October 5-6, 2007. The Film Festival is a unique showcase of contemporary Native American video, film and animation made by Indigenous filmmakers from throughout the Southwest. The fall festival will also offer professional development opportunities through workshops for Indigenous filmmakers and youth. Screenings will be held at MNA in the Branigar/Chase Discovery Center and the CCA Theater. Weekend festival passes that include admission to receptions with Filmmakers can be purchased in advance for $18 ($14 for students) and general and student admission fees will be collected at the door. Passes will be available at both locations later this month. 2007 Festival Schedule: Friday, October 5th: 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM - Evening Screenings at MNA. 9:45 PM - 11:00 PM - Reception at the CCA with filmmakers (open to weekend pass holders). Saturday, October 6th: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Workshops at the CCA. 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM - Short Films Presentation at the CCA. 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Meet the Filmmakers at MNA (open to weekend pass holders). 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM - Evening Screenings at MNA. Please visit Indigenous Action for guidelines about entering films to be shown in the Festival. |
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