Page 23 - the Noise November 2017

ARTSBRIEFS: NOVEMBER2017
tattoo art by Cam Chase; Dark Sky Aerial COURTESY PHOTOS
TATTOOS GALORE AND MORE AT THE MONTE V
The 2nd Annual Peaks Expo opens November 3 at the Hotel Monte Vista, promising 3 days and 3 nights of live tattooing, piercing, music, aerial acrobatics, and more. With over 37 tattoo artists on premises tattooing in the hotel’s beautifully restored rooms, the event also welcomes the musical acts of the revered Al Foul and the Shakes of Tucson, Outlaw Inlaws, and Three Bad Jacks, as well as choreographed rooftop performances from Dark Sky Aerial, silent discos, live art installations, and “Pin Up Girl” and body art competitions each day of the exposition.
“The idea for this event came about in April of 2016 with a simple conversation between myself and Alex Kulig, from the Hotel Monte Vista,”recalls Cameron Chase of Mirror Gallery in downtown Flagstaff. “The owner of the Hotel Monte Vista had expressed an interest in tattoo and body art culture, and Alex came to me for information about coordinating some kind of body art related event at the hotel.
“I suggested that if we were going to do anything associated with body art, that we do an actual, full-blown, tattoo convention, with live tattooing by artists from all over the coun- try, events, entertainment, and competitions. From there Alex brought in Jenn Vargas and Lindsay Kelsey from the hotel to coordinate marketing and communications and logistics, respectively. I decided to bring in a long-time friend and fellow artist, Sugar, as a sales rep- resentative/attending artist liaison. And thus, The Peaks Expo was born.”
Since last year’s event, anticipation has grown and the fledgling Expo has started to be- come a nationally-recognized gathering of artists, with the famed Chuy and Joe of Dark Heart flying all the way in from Chicago, and Haley McMahon of Dedication in Denver.
“It has proven to be quite an undertaking to coordinate an event of this magnitude in a historic boutique-style hotel with no conference center, and also in a county with very stringent health regulations,” says Mr. Chase. “This year attending artists and patrons can expect an exciting and well planned event that has benefitted from last year’s experience. We are also very proud to have the wonderfully orchestrated events and performances by Dark Sky Aerial, who has done prior events at the hotel and expressed an interest in being a part of The Peaks Expo.”
This year’s line-up of artists include: Todd “Soup” Matyas and Tannin McCooe of Mirror/ Flagstaff; Sergio Rivera and Stevie Jones of Divine Soul/Phoenix; Hector “Mago” Lopez, Esteban “Gordo” Voltares and Josh Teran of Empire/Tucson; Sirris Slay, Tim Randall and Jack Mora of Ink Therapy/Glendale; Charles Palmer, Osiris Keith, Sima IjadI and Johnny Benavidez of Iron Anchor/Albuquerque; Uncle Josh and Angela Koscal of Lost Dutchman/ Phoenix; Jason Begay and Tony Goeke of Love & Hate/Phoenix; Jamie Barttlet and Mike Claypool of Main Street/Mesa; Kyle Dunbar of Monolithic/Cave Creek; Joelle Trauz of Mortuary/Mesa; Manuel Flowers of Next Level/Tempe; David Noggle of Studio 6/Prescott; Randy Vollink of Tattoo Lounge/Mesa; Elvis Shirley, Michael Roybol, Eric Florez, and Mateo Sigwerth of Wolf’s Head/Albuquerque; and the return of Flagstaff notable émigrés, Josh Nelson and Ashley Nicole. ThePeaksExpo.com
detail of Mardis Gras by Pat Kearney; detail of Poppy by Sharon Richards ART MAKE AND TAKE
A few of the members of Art35N are headlining 4 mini-workshops for savvy readers who also want to get a head start on original holiday gift creating. Held at the Flagstaff Modern & Contemporary Gallery November 4 and 5 and December 9, the group welcomes adults and children to participate from 11AM to 4PM, with all supplies furnished and proceeds to benefit the Flagstaff Family Food Center.
Art35N is a group of local, professional artists including painters, dyers, sculptors, pho- tographers, glass and jewelry makers who produce “A New Latitude Art Tour” each summer. A group discussion last season had many wondering how they might encourage more in- teraction between artists and the community; they knew that many people are interested in learning art skills but are sometimes shy of taking a costly workshop or class. From this was born the “Art Make and Take” adventure.
Therese Black will be teaching “Card Making” November 4 and 5.
Ms. Black’s watercolor creations have been described as “to wall art as the Faberge Egg is to jewelry — unique and unusual.” She has had her art displayed in numerous national shows and has appeared in several publications, and says of her work: “All of the details cre- ate a while that is filled with richness.”
Sharon Richards and Diane Sanders will be leading a workshop on “Fabric & Paper Collage” November 4.
Ms. Richards is renowned for her unique “art quilts,” and remembers roaming the halls of her university’s art department, admiring student work, and wishing she was “talented enough to take art classes.” Thirty-five years later, she found her calling by stitching togeth- er layers of vibrant fabric into stunning visual designs, to adorn any wall. “There is always more to explore, and I can’t wait to start the next adventure,” she muses.
Sondra Francis, Pat Kearney, and Anita Caro will be hosting a fused glass workshop on December 9.
Originally a gemologist, Ms. Francis became a glass artist because she liked the gem-like colors of glass. “It has the ability to reflect and refract light, making it shimmer and glow, just like gems,” she says, and creates functional and decorative art from her home studio.
Ms. Kearney received a BFA and Masters in Art Education from Arizona State University, but it wasn’t until she moved to Flagstaff and took a class at Coconino Community College that she fell in love with the qualities of glass. Though challenging to work with, “When it works well, it’s thrilling to open the kiln and see the final product,” she says.
All workshops take place at 215 South San Francisco Street, and the artists ask for a $10 donation and 2 cans of food; registration on-site. Art35N.org
— Synlig Unterschied
— Bob Sedakis
www.thenoise.us | the NOISE arts & news | NOVEMBER 2017 • 23