5th Annual Viola Awards
Saturday, March 2, 2013

Event Info:

NEW! 2013 Viola Award Winners
Photos of the Event
Viola Legacy Award
   

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About the Viola Awards

The Viola Awards are Flagstaff's Oscars for the arts and sciences community. Celebrating excellence in the arts and sciences, the Viola Awards recognize artists, educators, organizations and leaders who make positive contributions to the arts and sciences in Flagstaff. Over 500 people attend the gala event to celebrate and support these amazing folks.

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Nominations are sent to Flagstaff Cultural Partners by the community at large; anyone can nominate an artist, leader, organization, business or event for an award in one of eleven categories. From this pool of nominees, a Panel of 25 past Viola Award winners select six nominees in each category to be the Official Viola Award Nominees (see the full list of nominees from last year). The Panel then meets to determine the winner in each category.

The Viola Award winners are announced each year at the Viola Awards Gala Event. This year's event is on Saturday, March 2, 2013, at the High Country Conference Center in Flagstaff.

The Viola Awards are named after Viola Babbitt, a long time advocate of the arts and painter. Viola was born in the Arizona territory in 1894. She taught music and reading before settling into a big house on Leroux Street in Flagstaff. She raised six children with her husband, Joseph. In the 1950's, she started painting and later, established the Art Barn as Flagstaff's first community arts center. She lobbied Coconino County to build a better facility for a community arts center: the Coconino Center for the Arts. Viola died in 1994, just shortly after her 100th birthday.

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2013 Official Viola Award Nominees

Mayor's Award for
Lifetime Contribution to the Arts

Joe Cornett, Sr.
Jon Eder
Kay Poen
William Lowell Putnam
Paula Rice
Baje Whitethorne, Sr.

Click here to learn about the Lifetime Contribution nominees

sponsored by the City of Flagstaff

Music Award

Brad Bays
Chuck Cheesman
Jim DeBlois
Sambatuque
Elizabeth Schulze
Vincent Ziegelbaum

Click here to learn about the Music nominees

sponsored by Melissa Cripps State Farm Agent

Visual Arts Award

George Averbeck
Darcy Falk
Emma Gardner
Shane Knight
Connie Townsend
Steve Schaeffer

Click here to learn about the Visual Arts nominees

sponsored by The Framing Department at Hidden Light


Organization of the Year Award

Ballet Folklorico de Colores
Children's Chorale of Flagstaff
Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy
Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music
Flagstaff Photography Center
Friends of Camp Colton

Click here to learn about the Organization nominees

sponsored by Flagstaff Cultural Partners

Performing Arts Award

Ballet Folklorico de Colores
Circus Bacchus
Gina Darlington
Jamey Hasapis
Jayne Lee
Tony Sutera

Click here to learn about the Performing Arts nominees

sponsored by High Country Conference Center


Science Educator

Jill Allen
Josh Armstrong
Tina Ayers
Bryan Bates
Kris Haskins
Chris Luginbuhl

Click here to learn about the Science Educator nominees

sponsored by The Arboretum at Flagstaff

Literature Award

Jill Divine
Margaret Erhart
Seth Muller
Thin Air Magazine
Nicole Walker
Kelly Poe Wilson

Click here to learn about the Literature nominees

sponsored by KNAU Arizona Public Radio


Arts Educator Award

Stephanie Galloway
Karin Hallberg
Janeece Henes
Mike Levin
Brandon Rawls
David Williams

Click here to learn about the Arts Educator nominees

sponsored by National Bank of Arizona

Outstanding Event Award

Celebraciones de la Gente
(Museum of Northern Arizona)

Classical Guitar Concert Series
(Grand Canyon Guitar Society)

First Light Gala
(Lowell Observatory)

Flagstaff Open Studios
(Artists' Coalition of Flagstaff)

In a Big World Wandering
(Flagstaff Photography Center)

Recycled Art Exhibition
(Artists' Coalition of Flagstaff)

Click here to learn about the Event nominees

sponsored by Criollo Latin Kitchen


Emerging Artist

Sky Black
Anam Cara Dixon
John Hitzel
Michelle Koechle
Ryan Lamfers
Tony Latham

Click here to learn about the Emerging Artist nominees

sponsored by NAU, Office of the President

 

Leadership Award

Brandy's Restaurant
Betsey Bruner
Joni Pevarnik
John Stark
Bonnie Stevens
Michael Vincent

Click here to learn about the Leadership nominees

sponsored by Flagstaff Cultural Partners

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Photos from the Viola Awards Gala

See below for photos of the winners

Visit our Facebook page for most recent photographs of the event


Twice nominated performing arts group, Ballet Folklorico de Colores, gave a rousing performance

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2013 Viola Award Winners

Lifetime Contribution to the Arts & Sciences
William Lowell Putnam
Jeff Hall, Director of Lowell Observatory, accepts the award from Mayor Jerry Nabours on behalf of Bill Putnam, who could not be in attendance.
 

Visit our Facebook page for most recent photographs of the event

Visual Arts
George Averbeck
George Averbeck, glass blowing artist, accepts the glass Viola Award from the staff at the Framing Department at Hidden Light.
 


Arts Educator
Janeece Henes
Janeece Henes accepts the Viola Award for Arts Educator from Elizabeth Harris of National Bank of Arizona.
 
 

 

Organization of the Year
Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy
Becky Daggett (at podium), Director of FALA, accepts the award along with (from left) FALA teachers, Mike Levin and Janeece Henes, and Dean, Ari Wilder
 

 

Outstanding Event
10th Annual Recycled Art Exhibition
Artists' Coalition of Flagstaff
Members of the Artists Coalition of Flagstaff (from left: Nancy DeBlois, Chet Jakus, Mike Frankel, Phil Goldblatt) accept the Viola Award from Heather Malloy of Criollo Latin Kitchen
 

Visit our Facebook page for most recent photographs of the event

Leadership
Betsey Bruner
Betsey Bruner, Arts & Culture Editor, writer and photographer for Flagstaff Live, Arizona Daily Sun and Mountain Living, accepts the Leadership Award
 

 

Emerging Artist
Ryan Lamfers
Ryan Lamfers accepts the Viola Award from NAU's Laura Huenneke
 

 

Science Educator
Bryan Bates
Bryan Bates accepts the Viola Award for Science Educator from Lynne Nemeth, Director of the Arboretum at Flagstaff
 

 

Literature
Jill Divine
Jill Divine accepts the Viola Award for Literature
 

 

Music
Jimmy DeBlois
Jimmy DeBlois, who played a set during the Viola Awards, accepts the Music Award
 

Visit our Facebook page for most recent photographs of the event

Performing Arts
Tony Sutera
Tony Sutera was not present to accept the Performing Arts Award, as he was in California reprising his role as Walter in Development. It's the same role he performed at Theatrikos that led to his nomination and win.
 

Visit our Facebook page for most recent photographs of the event


Viola Legacy Award

Clifford White

Clifford E. White, a family man known for his mischief, his passion and his loyalty and dedication as a teacher, laid the groundwork for the NAU theater department during almost a quarter century at the university.  Dr. White died Dec. 26, 2008, at the age of 83.

Dr. White brought the performing arts to the NAU stage by creating the university's first speech and theater curriculum. He also was crucial in developing NAU's television programming.

"He was very, very passionate about education, teaching the arts and NAU," said Robert Yowell, professor of theater. "He had a tremendous impact on students and was a very significant originator in the areas of communication, speech, theater and broadcasting."

Dr. White began his tenure at NAU in 1968 after he moved to Flagstaff with his wife, Doris Harper White, and their children. He served as chair of NAU's speech and theater department from 1968-1974. He retired in 1992.  He was known for establishing a curriculum for the speech and theater department, creating a master's degree for speech pathology and providing quality student teaching experiences.

Doris and Dr. White also were involved with Flagstaff's community theater, Theatrikos Theatre Company.  "You don't think about Cliff without thinking about his wife, Doris," said Former NAU President, Eugene Hughes. "They were known as Mr. and Mrs. Flagstaff Theater."

Dr. White was well-known for his mentorship to students and stayed in touch with many of them. "A man like Cliff epitomized the university model of people serving people," Hughes said. "Cliff served them to his utmost."

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Viola Award Sponsors


TITLE SPONSORS

The Babbitt Family
&

1


MAJOR SPONSORS

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1
1 NAU Office of the President
The Framing Department at Hidden Light
The Arboretum at Flagstaff
Criollo Latin Kitchen
1
KNAU Arizona Public Radio
1
Brandy's Restaurant and Bakery
Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce


TABLE SPONSORS

1 NAU College of Arts & Letters
1
Marshall Elementary School
11
City of Flagstaff
1
Arizona Public Service - APS
1
Flagstaff Medical Center Foundation
1

Hufford, Horstman, Mongini, Parnell & Tucker, PC

Friends of Flagstaff Cultural Partners
1
Academic Factotum
2
Lowell Observatory
Martanne's Burrito Palace
1
Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy
1
Pine Forest School
  Nuestras Raices
1 NAU Enrollment Management & Student Affairs

 

Additional Table Sponsors

Peter & Cathy Jolma
Robert & Samantha Kelty
Bryan & Barbara Bates Northern Arizona Volunteer Medical Corps
   

 

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PREVIOUS VIOLA AWARD EVENTS
Winners, Photos and More

Results from the 2012 Event

Results from the 2011 Event

Results from the 2010 Event

Results from the 2009 Event

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