Latest / Arizona Unscripted / Episode 10: 🌵 Arizona Unscripted - Let's talk about the Arizona Art Scene - Part 2!
Transcript
- Arizona Unscripted: Welcome to Arizona Unscripted. Hi, I'm I'm Bart, your host, alongside my wonderful co-host, Diane, Jim and Catherine. Hey Diane, Jim and Catherine, how are you guys doing out there? So great to be back here with you. Great. I'm so glad to see you guys. And and we'll have some special guests coming on here shortly. We'll and I know you guys will want to introduce them and and talk about their special gifts and talents, of course. But First, I'll tell our gr ⁓ people out there that have not come to our podcast. Maybe they're new to the podcast, but it's all about Arizona. I'll be frank. It's just all about the greatest place on earth. From the smallest town to big cities, hidden gems. I know I'm being a little bit, you know. It's okay. Local food, history, culture, and the challenges facing our communities. We are here to have a great time talking about real conversations about real with real Arizonans. So our goal is simple. Come with us to celebrate what makes Arizona unique and while bringing together voices from every corner of the state, whether you're a lifelong resident, a newcomer, or just someone who loves Arizona, we hope you'll feel just right at home. I know there's Arizonans who don't live in Arizona that will come to the come to the podcast. I know that. Anyway, so grab a cup of coffee or something you cool, sit back and join us as we explore the people, places, and stories that make Arizona, of course, one of the most fascinating states in America. Welcome to Arizona Unscripted. With that, Diane, take it away. Hey, Bart. Yeah. ⁓ I just absolutely loved the episode that we did on art. And I have followed Arizona art for a long time. So it's truly an honor to have local artists here on the show with us. ⁓ we have Jan from Lake Havasu and Carol in Kingman. Plus, we've got Connie back from Gila and Daniel. Hey Daniel. From Graham County. So it's wonderful. And I'm really excited to hear from everybody. I know that we talked on a previous episode about some of the unique art that happens in Kingman at the gallery. And Carol is back to tell us a little bit more about that. Carol. Okay. So what you had talked about was our our artist that does little bone sculptures. ⁓ She is a ⁓ she takes owl pellets, which they eat little rodents, and then all the bones and stuff come out in a pellet and she splits that apart and gets all these little teeny bones. But they're gorgeous. When she puts them on a design, it's just gorgeous. So that was just one of the unique items we have. ⁓ At the gift shop. But ⁓ Wow. Yeah. I mean that's gotta take some skill, right? To figure out this what to ⁓ my gosh, there's gotta be a ton of skill in the ball to that. There ⁓ is It is very unique art. It caught my attention, so that tells you something. And also I know when I was in the gallery, as I was saying before, it's one of my stress busters to go and just immerse myself, ⁓ surround myself with art. And you guys had a really unique show and you had kids and you had adults. Can you tell us a little bit about that? Sure. ⁓ this was our second year doing it. We have kids from the ages seven to eighteen. Do art and then they bring their art in and we have all our artists come in and they choose one of them or sometimes two of them ⁓ and do their interpretation of the child's art and then we hang them together and it's so beautiful. Yeah. It's and it's very interesting sometimes on what the artist picks out of the child's. imagination then it's gotta be there so it is it's a really fun show and it gets kids kind of ⁓ interested in and do well in doing art but also in putting their art out to the public. I mean because that's a step. Yeah. I mean that's a step for anybody. I mean it was for me. so ⁓ but it's a really good show. Yeah. And I love that because I feel like it's so validating for their art also to be recognized and have a local artist say, ⁓ yeah, I want to do a rendering on that. So that's wonderful. And I think part of what we want to talk about is how do we get kids and adults in our communities involved in things going on in our communities? And art is a really beautiful way to do that. Yeah. Yeah, I mean i I mean it must be kids kids ⁓ naturally they go toward a lot of you know comics and they have they see you know stuff on television, you know, different shows, right, that are full of art and surprises me sometime when they sit down and look at it, I and I ask them, Hey, did you know that was someone drew that? Or that really? So so the interest is there. I mean, ⁓ I know kids naturally fl flow, you know, flock to that. Are there special things they do, Carol, that that you guys do that really entice the children to come in really hang out? And look at programs. Yeah, they actually we have a program with the schools that they can bring a class through. Okay. The gallery. And we have ⁓ one of our artists will ⁓ talk to them about art, about showing art and ⁓ that type of thing. So they're getting at least some exposure. ⁓ a lot. There's some of the schools that don't have much of an art program now. Which is sad. ⁓ that is sad. You must be filling a gap, then part of part of your thing is filling in that space. Trying to, yeah. Yeah. And is it just go ahead. Sorry. Go ahead. I was gonna just gonna say, even with the kids' show that we do, ⁓ sales on that aren't that great. And we're looking for like a grant money in that. And a lot of the grants are drying up right now. So ⁓ that's a difficulty. ⁓ and we keep our gallery open with volunteers. And right now it's being a stretch to do that. ⁓ so you know, the community I think needs to hopefully get involved so that we don't lose our gallery. ⁓ you know. So I mean ⁓ is like fundraisers and things going on to help that out, or is it more like they just you're you're just hoping donors come stop by and drop and drop some, you know, don't donate some money basically. We we go for donors too. ⁓ the organization is called Kingman Center for the Arts. Okay. ⁓ it has actually besides the art gallery side, it has a theater side too. Okay. ⁓ and they've just refurbished and opened an old theater. Yes. ⁓ so now they'll have a place to put on their plays. ⁓ bes besides they were using the schools mostly. and the donors are there to a certain extent. But ⁓ we are doing a fundraiser at the senior center, a dinner this coming month where we'll auction off some of the artists have donated pieces to auction off. Okay, that's good. So yeah. And who's and and are you guys the ones that are coordinating all that? I mean are you are you coordinating with any I mean the you're the main group, right, doing it? Yes. Yes. So and ⁓ So how Carlos ⁓ I'm gonna dive a little deeper into this because you know, we really have to support the arts. It feels like it's ⁓ I mean, I get a little nervous when I go and see artists and I'm looking around for the youth because I see, you know, sometimes older artists doing stuff, maybe retirees or whatever, which is great, fantastic. But I get nervous and I and I go to the schools and some of the schools have shut down the art programs. ⁓ so what can we do? Is there a thing we can do to help besides just ⁓ I mean it's who d who do we call our legislatures or w what do we do from your perspective? Wow. That comes down to like school budgets and all kinds of things like that. So, ⁓ Yeah, I would say you probably have to start with the school administration. ⁓ and then go from there. And do you guys do any of any of that outreach at all? You ever go talk to the school boards, I guess? And I have not. That's a good idea though. Yeah, let's we should all let's all do that. I think it's good for the audience members out there. If you can support the arts, you know, go ahead and contact the ⁓ the local administration, find out what's what's going on, how they can get money in there and help it out. 'Cause we you there's what I'm sure there's studies showing the art can really help math and science and all that and get people really going. It's all con it's all interconnected and the curiosity, you know. I would like to give up. ⁓ go ahead, Jan. Go ahead, Jan. Go ahead. ⁓ I was just going to mention that ⁓ the Havasu Art Guild actually allows the ⁓ junior students at the high school and students that are full time students at the college level We offer free membership in our Art Guild. And that gives them the ability to get into these shows and ⁓ so that they can start selling their goods and really see what that business side is ⁓ and how to properly display their items and things. And ⁓ another thing the art guild does is it provides the business license and the tax The TPT license that are required when people sell their art. Okay, for the cities and the counties to get their share of everything. ⁓ the guild actually offers those licenses, ⁓ extends them to them. And ⁓ with the free membership, we're really hoping that next year we can encourage ⁓ a lot more of the student population, both in the junior and senior high school area. But also ⁓ in the at the Mojave College and ⁓ other colleges that we have in the area. Wonderful. And I know Daniel in Graham. Welcome. Thanks for being on the show with us. Yes, I wanted to say that ⁓ Eastern Eastern Arizona College here is where you would basically take up probably all of your beginning classes and anything. Over 65, there's no fee. There is. Which is only twice a year. maybe three if you can't summer, but I don't know if they do summer classes the same. But they have performing arts, you know, pottery, gemstone, facet cutting. Wow. They've got all those kinds of things that are available at beginner level. and of course. They're limited also by budget. So every every college has a college board. We actually elect those people. We have our county supervisors who are part of that. And then you go up through the state legislature. And then you may have to contact your federal legislators because they're also bringing in money. But yeah, severely limited by budgets. There's a lot of things available. What we don't really have here are regularly open ⁓ ⁓ public ⁓ art centers. Yeah they have specific events for kids or for people but it's so it's a little difficult to find. It's not like you can just suddenly say I want to go look at art. you're probably not. Wow. ⁓ but there's a lot of opportunities, but you it does require you to take time. And of course if you go to the college they'll help you. That's the easiest much easier than trying to do it online. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. And plus you get the interaction too. So yeah, definitely. So there's a there's a lot out out there. ⁓ but it's not something you just just you know, like deciding to go shopping. I'm just gonna decide. No, you're gonna have to schedule your life. But there's a lot of things available. I think we need to do a road show and go around to these different counties and check out the local artist and events that they have. So I can see our conversation coming back to this again on future episodes. And we'll have Davey back to join with us who created the artwork for our podcast. That will be exciting to have her join us as well. So Yeah, definitely. All right. Yeah, I I didn't mention it, but we have a large a lot of quite large buildings, old ones. There's a lot of room between them, and they are doing a pretty fair effort to get the money to get artists who will do the large murals on those. ⁓ how do we help that? How do we always in these older areas? How d Daniel, how do we help that? I mean, is there a way for ⁓ you know for pr for us and the audience members to sh jump in and help that out? That sounds fantastic. Well, it's basically they do that in order to draw people in. So people writing writing to the county supervisor and saying, Wow, this is great. Writing to the city council capital. Send them emails, send them letters saying, Wow, this is great. And then they start thinking about it. Yeah. You can't just talking about it to each other on the street doesn't trigger the people who'll do it. And of course we have our art council. I can't think of what it's called right now. And they'll bring performing artists into the college four or five times a year from any from anywhere in the world. So some of them quite well known. ⁓ but as far as smaller ones and and they don't do the art, but so county supervisors are probably the Okay good good contact. Yeah. Hey Connie, Gila County. ⁓ I think it's really important for all of us to have our voices heard. What's going on in Gila? Well what's ⁓ in and Daniel's ⁓ just comments ⁓ triggered triggered me. Our rim country artists here in Payson do mur murals on buildings as well. And that's usually covered in the newspaper, you know, they get a picture of the artist painting the building or whatever and put it in the paper and and ⁓ generate articles for that. But I know both the Cobra Valley Center and the Rim Country Artists take donations. So when you see something in your area, ⁓ kind of reach out with a a donation or something that ⁓ that will help promote that. that work. And I know they ⁓ the group works with the town council and the local businesses. So that's that's another way to reach out, not just through the local colleges or or even the the clubs, but right directly with your with a business that has a a giant blank wall hanging out there. You can get the artists to come in and paint that and generate some activity for them as well. Yeah, it helps the build helps them a t tremendously, right? I mean We've all seen some amazing transformations, right? From some building. I mean, even some some power box on the corner, right? It's was just this ugly old thing. Suddenly it's this beautiful flower and whatever it is, it's fantastic. Yep. I love the Arizona murals. I can totally see this being a thing. Yeah, we gotta promote that. That's amazing. Yeah, there's there's lots of great subjects to put on there and and tie in. ⁓ my gosh. We gotta have more conversation about this guys. Yes. We'll come back to this again. We'll invite y'all back for a conversation. And Bart, thank you for being here with us today and leading us in this conversation. These are the fun things. Absolutely. I would like just say encouraging people to allow murals on their old connexes, on their old barn. All those ⁓ yeah. All about beautifying And making us feel excited when we go somewhere. And I I encouraging that all the time is a good idea. Yes, promote it. All right. We should sometime we'll do that. We'll we'll figure out where there's some good we shouldn't get some images and we'll put up ⁓ some maybe ⁓ put some links to images for at some point or those some great murals we can show that out to the to the community. Like check this out. All right. Thanks, Mayan. Alright, thanks everybody. We'll talk again soon. Sounds good. Take care.