Page 42 - the NOISE April 2014

Telegraph Ave by Laura Oliver
No-Tel by Laura Oliver
Spring is officially in full swing after a no- spots open in or just plain psy- mitted to an intuitive approach to her work,
show winter. The trees are in bloom and Prescott’s downtown Courthouse Square area is kicking into high gear. There is abso- lutely no reason for arts ‘n culture aficionados to have anything but a full dance card this month, with plenty of indoor and outdoor activities.
Mountain bike enthusiasts from around the world annually descend on Prescott for the Whiskey Off-Road Mountain Bike Race. This year’s event is scheduled for April 25 – April 27. The Whiskey Off-Road features three main racing events and has massive cash prizes for the top placers in the Pro 50 Proof race. $40,000 will be equally split be- tween the top 12 male and female riders in this event. That’s a fair chunk o’ change, so expect to see some of the biggest names in the sport show up.
The three-day event is nirvana for ama- teur and professional mountain bikers, with events like the Bike & Gear Expo on the Square for the gear heads. Plus, tons of folks show up just to cheer on their favorite profes- sional racers or their amateur buddies who are giving it a go. The Whiskey is also partner- ing with several local and national charities, including the Yavapai County Food Bank, so this is an across-the-board feel-good event.
The Whiskey Off-Road has plenty to offer for folks showing up just to see what all the fuss is about, too. In addition to the sched- uled races, there will be a beer garden and live music on the south lawn of the Courthouse Square on Saturday, April 26th. This year’s headliner is the indie rock band, Jamestown Revival. Also performing is Muskellunge Bluegrass and Raise the Roof.
The big news for local music fans, though, is the appearance of Sweet Nasty. This band’s eclectic mix of musical styles has made it a huge favorite with Prescott peeps. After Johnny Low packed up and moved to Tucson, local performances became pretty rare. They’re scheduled to play from 2 until 4PM, but show up early so you don’t miss out.
If you were hoping to ride in the 25 Proof Race,you’reouttaluck.But,therearestillafew
the 15 Proof and
50 Proof Races,
so get your en-
try in now. Also bear in mind that the hotels in town fill up fast during this event, so if you’re planning to make a weekend of it, get your reservations early. For more info on the Whis- key Off-Road, head over to epicrides.com.
One of the quirkier offerings this month is the Red Chair’s arrival in Prescott. Uh, what’s the Red Chair, you ask? Well, it’s the bed and breakfast/innkeeper version of Amelie’s fabu- lous traveling garden gnome. A photograph of an old red chair taken by an innkeeper in Cape Cod in 2011 caught the imagination of photographer, Julie Cromer. Cromer be- gan taking the red chair to various B & B’s across the east and photographing the now infamous chair in gorgeous and occasionally unlikely settings. The Red Chair is traveling to the West Coast and will be parked at the Prescott Pines Inn on April 21. You can go see the chair in person and check out a slide show on the traveling chair between 10AM and 6PM. Call Prescott Pines Inn at (928) 445- 7270 for details. Visit redchairtravels.com for more info on the project.
Folks looking for some romantic theater will dig the stage adaptation of Enchanted April at the Prescott Center for the Arts (PCA). Fans of the film will remember the un- expected and unlikely relationships that form over the course of a dream holiday in the Italian countryside. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to run off to an Italian villa for a whole month? Take yourself, or take your sweet- heart, but go and enjoy the inevitable bliss of a nostalgic sugar coma. For a full listing of show dates and to get your tickets, hit up the website at pfaa.net or call the box office at (928) 445-3286.
If you dig theater, but you want something a bit more edgy, then there’s the way more serious Agnes of God playing over at Stage Too. Most folks remember the movie, but the story started out as a play depicting a psychi- atrist trying to determine if a nun who killed her newborn infant is truly talking to God
chotic. It should be interesting to see what PCA does
with this one. Hit up the PCA website at pfaa. net or call the box office at (928) 445-3286 for show times and tickets. Also make sure to get directions to the theater, as it can be a bit tricky for non-locals to find.
Fans of orchestrated movie scores, and es- pecially James Bond movie scores, will get a kick out of the Phoenix Symphony’s Bond & Beyond POPS concert. They are set to take the state at Yavapai College’s Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 13 at 3PM. It actually sounds like a pretty awesome way to spend a Sunday afternoon after a leisurely stroll through downtown Prescott. Call the Yavapai Symphony Association at (928) 776- 4255 or go to their website at yavapaisym- phony.org to order tickets.
It’s been just over nine months since the Yarnell Fire tragically took the lives of 19 of Prescott’s Granite Mountain Hotshots. While most of the world has moved on, Prescott still holds the surviving families of these fire fighters in their thoughts and hearts. Con- temporary pianist and multi-Grammy nomi- nated artist Liz Story is returning to Prescott to perform a benefit concert for the Granite Mountain Hotshot families on Friday, April 11 at the Trinity Presbyterian Church. Ms. Story is an incredibly gifted musician and performer and this concert is a rare opportunity to expe- rience her music in a live and intimate setting. Tickets are $17 for general admission or $25 for reserved seating and admittance to the artist’s reception. Kudos to the Tom Agostino and the folks at Chaparral Arts for coordinat- ing this event. Call Tom for more information at (928) 778-1213 or visit chaparralarts.org to purchase tickets.
This month’s top o’ the list is local artist and expressive art therapist Laura Oliver. Ms. Oliver’s work is a whimsical mix of frequently childlike images, semi-surrealistic combina- tions of the sublime and the mundane, and a rich color palette. Although the artist is com-
her color and image choices are intentional and sophisticated.
Ms. Oliver may not be overly worried about “the framework or underpinnings of fine art,”
but her work is by no means amateurish. The artist is less interested in the age-old debate of “who’s a real artist” and is much more inter- ested in the process itself. This notion, along with the same sense of whimsy and creative play motivated Ms. Oliver to start the super fab Ollie’s Project Free ART.
This project is brilliant in its simplicity. Each week, Ms. Oliver encourages folks in the Prescott community to contribute a piece of art to be dropped at various public locations in the area. Clues to each week’s art drop locations are posted on Facebook, with the basic rule of “finders keepers” in full force. Ms. Oliver has thrown the door wide open to the community, inviting everyone to participate, regardless of “artistic ability.” The project started last August and has interest and par- ticipation continues to grow every week.
It’s not exactly a new idea for artists to abandon their artwork for others to find. The notion of art for art’s sake is also not exactly a groundbreaking notion. However, the com- munity based nature of Ollie’s Project and the inclusiveness of her approach makes this an extra awesome dealio. There is a sense of de- light from intentionally creating a bit of art to be given away and of finding a gift that most people don’t experience outside of child- hood scavenger hunts. This is a fantastic way to regain the wonder by participating in truly senseless acts of beauty.
You can see Ms. Oliver’s work at the Ian Russell Gallery at 130 S. Montezuma Street, or visit her website at olliesfactory.org to view her portfolio and get more info on the artist and Ollie’s Project. To keep up with the Free ART drop and to participate, check out the Facebook page facebook.com/armyoart. You’ll be glad you did.
| Angie Johnson Schmit is counting her Easter eggs twice. skackerwriter@gmail.com
42 • APRIL 2014 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us