Page 14 - the NOISE November 2013

The Mars Kaleidisphere (pictured outside & from within) by Mike Frankel, John Rogers & Tom Williams is the newest addition to the grounds of Lowell Observatory.
WHEN GREAT MINDS THINK TOGETHER
Three past Recycled Art Exhibit “Best of Show Winners,” Mike Frankel, John Rogers and Tom Williams collaborated over the sum- mer to bring to life a piece of public art for the Flagstaff community.
I grabbed my first glimpse of the Mars Ka- leidisphere a few months back while visiting John Rogers at his Flagstaff business, Trans- mission Man. After showing me his many amazing kaleidoscopes, he revealed to me the work in progress at the far back of the shop. At the time, it was top secret.
The giant, rusted sphere seemed to domi- nate the space as Mr. Roger’s told me of the plans underway. Now that the piece is fin- ished and on display, Artist Coalition of Flag- staff’s Executive Director, Mike Frankel, tells me more about the Mars Kaleidisphere.
“It is comprised of virtually all recycled ma- terials, including a 4-foot in diameter, decom- missioned propane tank manufactured in
1946, which serves as the planet Mars and has authentic geographic features on its surface,” Mr. Frankel tells me. “The Mars Kaleidisphere was first proposed in a very different form to commemorate the beginning of the second decade of the ACF and the City of Flagstaff Re- cycled Art Exhibition in 2012. The 11th Annual Exhibition took place in 2013.”
The new incarnation of the Kaleidisphere looks from the outside like a model of the planet Mars, “Tom Williams of the Gallery in Williams, formed the surface features of Mars,
John Rogers created the kaleidoscope for the interior, and I assembled and collaged Hubble Space Telescope images and a few surprise whimsical images that pop up pertaining to Mars and Pluto specifically, which form the object wheel of the Kaleidoscope,” Mr. Frankel tells me. “We hope that the sculpture will de- light and amaze visitors of all ages and from around the world, and will become a talked about, new destination at Lowell and a great enhancement to the Flagstaff art scene.”
The Mars Kaleidisphere is forever on display at Lowell Observatory in a public area and is available to all for free during the hours that Lowell Observatory is open. “The Mars Kalei- disphere is wired for electricity and is tied into the timing system of the Lowell night lights, so it will be illuminated from within and be able to be viewed after dark during Lowell’s regular evening hours,” Mr. Frankel explains.
“The Mars Kaleidisphere was dedicated at Low- ell Observatory on Sunday, October 13, 2013, by Flagstaff Mayor Jerry Nabours to a crowd of well over 100.”
The Art of John Rogers, Mike Frankel and Tom Williams can be found at the Artists’ Gal- lery and the ACF Gallery. Flagstaff-arts.org
10 CELEBRATED YEARS
Carol Benally has been showing at West of the Moon Gallery in Flagstaff for 10 years, her paintings capture the beauty of nearby out- door wonders that she paints in plein air.
“I have been painting landscapes for 30 years trying to capture the essence of a scene through oil paints,” Ms. Benally tells me about herself. I had formal training in Boston where I graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and then always painted, taking classes from well-known artists to improve my drawing and painting skills. I feel there are always ways to improve and grow within my painting.”
“I have traveled to many places to paint plein air,” Ms. Benally tells me. “Painting plein air is the best way to learn about color, com- position and perspective. I traveled to Monu- ment Valley, Canyon de Chelley, Grand Can- yon, and the Lees Ferry Arizona Strip. They are unique canyons, mesas, and buttes, which I paint for their colors and shapes; every sea- son changes the colors and shadows. I like them all and I never get tired of seeing new places and trying new paintings. At Canyon de Chelley, I have gone into the canyon with a guide and other painters, the guide points
out stories of the canyon, names vegetation, shows us quick-sand, and petroglyphs as we all yell out to stop the truck so we can capture a scene. We set up and begin painting and try to capture a scene within two hours as the sun quickly changes shadows. We return at the end of the day with many paintings and photographs that we will continue to work on during the year.”
She tells me about why she enjoys plein air painting, “Plein air painting is very exciting. I drive to find a scene that is usually inspiring in its quality of light and then I set up my easel and begin painting. I keep my easels handy, I have a small one for winter that I can put on mylapandsitinthecarandalargeroneIcan spend a little more time at. Both are impor- tant for painting as a way of life. It’s always a challenge to capture the scene within a few hours, before the shadows move. Sometimes my paintings come out too dark, usually be- cause of all the light bouncing around and the glare in my eyes. If that is not a challenge enough, I remind myself to keep the painting simple because your eye wants to put in all the detail.”
I ask about her painting Summer Monsoon. “Summer Monsoon is a painting that resulted
from the anticipated summer sky,” she ex- plains. “The kind of summer sky in Arizona that has billowing clouds that rise up in the afternoon and big thunderheads that are as spectacular as the landscapes. I was driv- ing from Piñon to Flagstaff when a two-hour drive turned into a four-hour drive. Seeing the clouds over the red mesa stopped me in my tracks. Plein air sketches were done on the spot, photographs were taken and I was eager to get back home to begin a painting.”
The paintings of Ms. Benally are featured for the month of November at West of the Moon Gallery, located at 14 N. San Francisco Street. An opening reception will be held during the
November 1, First Friday ArtWalk in Flagstaff.
WestoftheMoonGallery.com
CAPTURING CLOUDS AND SKIES
Renate Lichter is the featured artist this month at the Artists’ Coalition of Flagstaff’s Gallery. “I have been drawing and painting since I was a small child; painting is my pas- sion!” She tells me about herself. “Northern Arizona and the nature that surrounds it are absolutely irresistible to me. Capturing land- scapes, nature and the things I love and trans- porting them to my canvas is what I enjoy most; this is where my heart is. I had formal training in oils as a teen and then went on to earn my Bachelors in Fine Arts at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.”
This month she showcases her collection of paintings All Things Wild and Wonderful. “I hope to have captured some of the priceless and protected treasures of Northern Arizona from its unspoiled canyons, skies and landscapes to the endangered Mexican Gray wolf and all the beauty in between,” she tells me.
I ask her if she has a favorite piece. “It’s hard to pick a favorite,” Ms. Lichter says, “but I do love Blossom and Prickly Pear because it is a little different from the other pieces in the show. It was so much fun to paint, although with all that detail it was quite time consum- ing! I worked on it for about two months.”
Ms. Lichter tells me a little more about Blossom and Prickly Pear. “This past summer, I was taking a hike with my friend along the Mogollon Rim above Oak Creek Canyon, I was definitely dragging behind, because I couldn’t stop snapping photos of the beauty that sur- rounded me,” she recalls. “My friend teased me and said I looked like paparazzi with two of my favorite cameras hanging around my neck. Not only did I look up and around, but also down, and then this almost chartreuse cactus blossom in full bloom caught my eye. It was so gorgeous! It stopped me dead in my tracks! Once I got back home, I downloaded
14 • NOVEMBER 2013 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us