Page 16 - the NOISE June 2013

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Checking Fences by Ellen Tibbetts is among the artist’s new body of work, “Drawings on Clay” at West of the Moon this June; Kevin Kiser’s textured impressions are at Galler One13 this First Friday ArtWalk.
look at a piece of art, I look for the inspira- tion in the work; what the artist is attempt- ing to express. I think a good piece of work draws you into it and keeps you there. My favorite artists are Rembrandt, Jean Baptiste Corot, Jackson Pollack, Josef Albers, and a friend of mine, Peter van Fleet, who lives in Oregon.”
“Visual art is a tricky thing,” the artist says. “You can stand in the Uffizi or the Louvre for hours and then go outside and see a tree full
of blossoms, and on a certain level there real- ly is no comparison. It is a curious thing what visual artists ‘do’ and why. That dynamic is al- ways in my mind when I paint.”
I ask Mr. Kiser about his paintings, “In most of my work I am exploring color, shapes, and texture,” he says. “For several years I have been intrigued by the flash of a moment when light, color, and shape trigger an im- mediate, visceral response. To a certain ex- tent I am trying to find or catch that sense of the instantaneous. The moment, for ex- ample, when light hits an object and the ob- ject becomes almost ethereal. Beauty in the natural world is often very subtle, you really have to look at a flower or a tree in order to get some idea of what is going on. Some of my work is minimalistic, so I am exploring these ideas in minimalistic pieces. I think I approach painting organically. It’s a process and a work develops over time.”
“I continue to paint with layers and texture,” he tells me about his process. “I work with acrylics, metal, graphite and my works are on Masonite or wood. I have been working with these mediums for about 7 years now. I will build-up, scrape, and sand a surface, and then apply another layer and repeat that process. The challenge is to bring the color, shapes, and textures together so that the work feels coherent.”
Gallery One13, 111 E. Aspen is part of the
First Friday ArtWalk from 6 to 9PM.
GalleryOne13.com
TRAILER PARK MIRACLE
The image of Jesus has appeared on the front of a refrigerator in a trailer park, caus- ing thousands to flock to see this holy image
... so the story goes. Messiah on the Frigidaire is Theatrikos latest and I was able to catch the preview show.
After reading excerpts, I knew this was going to be a great play to watch, with an amazing set and costumes that match the characters, played by a talented cast who add more sense of humor to the already funny moments.
Directed by Mickey Mercer, Messiah makes you laugh while at the same time touching on the importance of relationships and faith. “It is funny, serious, heartwarming and touching. It is a slice of life that shows how people can grow,” Mr. Mercer says.
Kathleen Stuphen has lived in Flagstaff for 12 years. She has acted with Flagstaff Light Opera Company, and takes part in her third play with Theatrikos and her first non- singing role as Lou Ann.
“My character has been married for 10 years,” Ms. Stuphen describes her role. “She realizes she has not accomplished much dur- ing that time. She is tired, frustrated, and a bit lost. She wants desperately to find her purpose in life. Through the course of her journey to discover this purpose, her faith in her marriage and her God are challenged.”
Before he could finish the run of A Few Good Men, Rob Peters was at auditions for Messiah. Mr. Peters tells me how he feels he relates to his character Dwayne. “There are times I’d like to smack him,” he says. “Some- times it’s for how similar we are. At the be- ginning of the story, he’s given up, thinking this is it and spends most of his time in front
of the TV. I felt kind of the same until I got back into theatre.”
Dwayne is a dreamer, “I’m always thinking,” he says in the play. And when Jesus appears on his fridge, he makes sure the entire nation knows it and turns his front lawn into a spec- tacle for miracle seekers.
Betsy is played by Alisa Davis, who has acted and directed in previous Theatrikos plays and is also on the artistic committee of the nonprofit theatre organization. “Betsy is the sassier, sexier, bolder one who is not shy about her romantic history with several men in the small town, but she has a good heart and means well,” Ms. Davis says. “She was not a good a student in high school and is still a bit ditsy at times, but she is quite clever on the spot as she comes up with schemes.”
“I fell in love with this play when I read it last summer, and I just immediately identified with Betsy,” Ms. Davis shares. “It still cracks me up, as I think it will our audiences, with its witty writing, but there are many softer moments too — it is not a farce. I hope it helps people appreciate what they have, es- pecially not taking relationships for granted. I think it will resonate with spiritual people in a different way than non-spiritual people, but will entertain all theatergoers alike.”
Messiah on the Frigidaire will play through June 9, at the Doris Harper-White commu- nity Playhouse, 11 W. Cherry Avenue.
Theatrikos.com
WHAT’S NEW AT Z HOUSE
The Z House Gallery and Boutique is now a Co-op, housing a variety of local art. It is also a creative learning space and will be holding workshops throughout the summer.
Dina Barnese leads Kids’ Pottery Work- shops. “I want to share my love of clay with other people, and love to guide people through the creation of a piece,” Ms. Barnese
tells me. “Adults and children alike get im- mense satisfaction out of creating a piece of functional art that they can use every day. It creates a source of pride and accomplish- ment, and I love playing a role in helping them achieve those feelings!”
On June 15, from 10:30AM to12:30PM, children ages 5 and older can decorate a pot of their choice. From 2PM to 4PM children ages seven and older will make their own functional piece of pottery.
Through the month of June, Catherine Sickafoose will be offering watercolor classes for adult beginners and intermediate painters. Pre-registration is required for all workshops. Zizziba.com 928/380-2292
COMMUNITY & FOLK MUSIC
June 29-30 is the 12th Annual Flagstaff Folk Festival, made possible by Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music, Flagstaff Cultural Partners and the Pioneer Museum.
Anne Wittke and Barry Malpas started coordinating the Flagstaff Folk Festival last summer. “The Folk Festival celebrates music, the musicians who make it and those who just love to listen for a day or weekend, at a very modest cost,” Ms. Wittke says. “We hope it encourages youth, adults, and families to participate in the arts and see the benefits for themselves. We have been attending the festival for years and have made some new friends while jamming informally in the past.”
“The festival reflects the small town roots of Flagstaff in the Pioneer History Museum, as well as the modern accomplishments of Coconino Center for the Arts,” Ms. Wittke con- tinues. “It gives visitors a sense of place and a feel for the people, rather than just being a collection of stores and motels on the way to Grand Canyon. I thank the Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music for sponsoring this and supplying volunteers, and Coconino Center
16 • JUNE 2013 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us