Heard Museum
From the Wire | Elegance from Earth Opens at the Heard
Posted on 3/23/12 by DPJ Staff » No Comments
Some news items don’t need translation. That’s why DPJ launched the From the Wire series, so we could serve the destinations here by posting information and announcements – in their own words.
The basic ingredients couldn’t be simpler—earth and water, plus a few mineral and vegetal dyes. But in the hands of a gifted artisan, guided and inspired by a long and rich tradition, these humble elements are transformed into stunning works of art possessing exceptional beauty and grace. Elegance From Earth: Hopi Pottery is a new exhibit at the Heard Museum that tells the story of the centuries-old Hopi pottery tradition. Opening on March 24, Elegance >From Earth will offer a comprehensive view of Hopi pottery’s fertile legacy. The exhibition closes September 30, 2012.
“Hopi pottery is famous for its intricate painting,” comments Heard curator Diana Pardue. “There is nothing else quite like it. By exhibiting both historic as well as contemporary work, Elegance From Earth will illustrate the great range and scope of this wonderful tradition.”
Elegance From Earth explores the intertwined matriarchal artistic legacies of the Nampeyo, Naha and Navasie families. The Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo (c.1859-1942) was the first American Indian potter to be known and recognized by name. She revived a style of low-shouldered spherical jars based on those made at the village of Sikyatki in the 1600s, evolving detailed and complex designs inspired by Sikyatki pottery. In more recent times, her great-granddaughter Dextra Quotskuyva has received much recognition for her innovative designs and has taught some techniques to other family members, including her daughter Camille and her nephews Steve Lucas and Les Namingha.
The exhibit will also showcase the work of another great Hopi pottery matriarch, Paqua Naha (Frog Woman), who developed a distinctive style of white-slipped pottery with black and deep-red designs that was later adopted by her daughter Joy Navasie, who passed the tradition on to her children and grandchildren. Other significant makers represented include Helen Naha and her two daughters Rainy and Sylvia.
“Pottery traditions, like those of other American Indian art forms, change and become reinvented through time,” said Pardue. “Imaginative potters continue to work in centuries-old techniques using clay, paints and firing methods learned from their ancestors, while creating new shapes and painting unique designs.”
If you go
Exhibit: Elegance From Earth: Hopi Pottery
When: Opens March 24, closes September 30.
Where: Heard Museum – Native Cultures and Art, 2301 N. Central Ave., Midtown
Contact: 602-252-8840 or visit heard.org
From the Wire | 54th Annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market
Posted on 3/03/12 by DPJ Staff » No Comments
Some news items don’t need translation. That’s why DPJ launched the From the Wire series, so we could serve the destinations here by posting information and announcements – in their own words.
ARIZONA’S LARGEST INDIAN MARKET CONTINUES TO COMBINE INNOVATION WITH TRADITION
Heard Museum’s Signature Event Expected to Draw Nearly 20,000 Visitors and More Than 700 Artists for Weekend of Art, Culture and Fun
One of Arizona’s most significant cultural events, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, the state’s largest, continues to combine innovative new artists and activities with the timeless traditions of the Southwest.
Beginning life as a small community event, the Fair is now a world-acclaimed festival that draws nearly 20,000 visitors and more than 700 of the nation’s most outstanding and successful American Indian artists.
Among the guests are thousands of collectors from across the country, who arrive early to be the first to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork like jewelry, pottery, baskets, katsina dolls, textiles, fine art and more. The Fair has been designated as an Arizona Centennial Legacy Project.
Highlights –
- All of the performers during the 54th Annual Indian Fair and Market this year are specifically from tribes located from lands within Arizona for the continuing celebration of the centennial.
- This year’s fair will feature performances from the Lonjose Dance Group of Zuni Pueblo and the Southern Paiute Mountain Sheep Dancers.
- This year’s Fair will spotlight returning Native music legend R. Carlos Nakai, who will perform with William Eaton and Will Clipman Trio on the main stage on Saturday and Sunday at 12:55 pm.
- Hoop Dance World Champion Tony Duncan Apache/Arikara/Hidatsa will be performing “Dances of a Painted Warrior” only on Saturday March 3, 2012 on the main stage of the fair at 3:30 p.m.
- Estun-Bah, which includes Tony Duncan, Darrin Yazzie & Jeremy Dancing Bull, will be performing on the Canyon Records Stage Saturday March 3, at 12 p.m. and Sunday March 4, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
If you go
When: Saturday and Sunday, March 3 & 4, 2012, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Heard Museum, 2301 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Ariz.
Cost: Single-day admission: Adults $20; Children 16 and under FREE; Students with ID $10. Tickets will be available at the gate.
Info: Visit heard.org/fair or call 602.252.8840.
From the Wire | Heard Museum’s 10th Annual Spanish Market
Posted on 11/12/11 by DPJ Staff » No Comments
(From the Wire includes press releases received from reliable sources that help tell the story of the many happenings in Greater Downtown Phoenix. Yep, they are ripped from our inbox.)
Celebrate the tradition and artistry of Hispanic culture at the Heard Museum’s 10th Annual Spanish Market, Arizona’s only Spanish Market on Saturday and Sunday, November 12 & 13, 2011, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Spanish Market is presented by SRP.
Strolling mariachis, dancers and artwork by Hispanic artists from Arizona and New Mexico highlight this festive, casual and friendly annual marketplace, the largest of its kind in Arizona. Chat with more than 65 artists as they sell a range of distinctive and unique artwork. With art in every price range, Spanish Market offers buyers a wide selection of objects from different Hispanic traditions including santos, pottery, embroidery, furniture making, painting, printmaking and silver and tinwork.
The Café at the Heard Museum Phoenix will offer a menu of festive and traditional foods. The Spanish Market marks the end of the month-long CALA biannual festival.
On Saturday, see CALA artists at work during a special demonstration. Mariachis will stroll the grounds on Saturday and Sunday. The Café at the Heard Museum will offer a menu of festive and traditional foods and folklorico dancers will perform in Steele Auditorium.
This year’s signature artists are husband-and-wife team Veronica and Gabriel Sandoval. This talented duo specialize in the ancient art of repousse, a form of embossing that became popular in Spain in the 12th century and made its way to Mexico along with other Spanish influences. After extensively researching the history of this nearly-lost art form, the Sandovals chose to incorporate additional repousse techniques that were common in Eastern European designs.
COST: free with suggested donation; each person donating $10 or more will receive a museum pass.
The public can learn more about the event at heard.org/SpanishMarket or by calling 602.252.8848.
About the Heard
Since 1929, the Heard Museum, a private non-profit organization, has enchanted visitors from around the world with the art, culture and history of American Indians, with an emphasis on tribes of the Southwest. With more than 40,000 fine artworks and cultural artifacts in its permanent collection, 11 long-term and changing exhibit galleries, an education center, an award-winning Shop, boutique bookstore, coffee cantina and a courtyard Café, the Heard Museum is a place of learning, discovery and unforgettable experiences. In addition to its flagship Phoenix location, the Heard Museum also operates a community museum in North Scottsdale.
Weekend Fun on Grand Ave and Beyond
Posted on 10/21/11 by DPJ Staff » No Comments
(Jill Bernstein and Courtney McCune contributed to this article.)
Here is the rundown of activity that will get your feet strolling Downtown Phoenix streets this weekend.
Third Annual Grand Avenue Festival
The creative spirit will be alive and kickin’ on Saturday, October 22 from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., when art galleries, local businesses, vendors, and musicians will be out en masse to celebrate neighborhood sustainability on Grand Avenue.
Featured events of the day include the ReDapt Commercial Building Tour, which will visit some of the neighborhood’s adaptive reuse projects and historic buildings; tours of Oasis on Grand, an old motel that has been remodeled and reborn as colorful live/work/retail spaces for artists; and the Grand Mural Love Map, which will be available for self-guided tours of the Grand Avenue murals.
Other highlights include the Recycled Rubbish and the Local Boutiques Fashion Shows and the always popular Hanging Gardens & Woven Fences & Trashy Sculpture show. In addition, local Latino and Indigenous arts organization, CALACA, will celebrate the upcoming Day of the Dead with their “Dia de los Muertos Exchange Project” exhibit at Bragg’s Pie Factory. Mobile food vendors, including Chichi’s Tacos will be on hand to keep you fortified for the day.
Bike riding to the festival is encouraged! Street parking is free along Grand Avenue between Van Buren and Roosevelt. Additional free parking is available in the lot just south of Bragg’s Pie Factory, at Grand and McKinley, and in the lot next to Oasis on Grand at 15th Avenue and Grand. Find out more about all of the Grand Avenue Arts Festival events.
First Annual Evans Churchill Interesting Interiors Tour
Earlier in the day, witness downtowners in their natural habitat and take a peek behind the doors of some of the coolest pads in the Evans Churchill neighborhood, from urban loft apartments to cozy historic bungalows. Tours will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
Go “green” and tour the neighborhood on Ollie the Trolley, pedicab, bicycle, or foot. Mile High Challenge will create a special walking tour map for the event. Tickets are available online or the day of the tour at MADE Art Boutique, 922 N. 5th St., and the Phoenix Public Market, 14 E. Pierce St. Admission is $10 adults, $8 for seniors and students (with valid ID), and free for children six years and younger. Receive $1 off the ticket price by bringing a canned food item to the event to benefit St. Mary’s Food Bank. Proceeds from the tour will benefit public improvements in the Evans Churchill neighborhood.
Arizona Humanities Festival
Downtown’s Civic Space Park (easy to access by light rail!) will be home to a day-long celebration of the diverse cultures that surround us and will include presentations of Chinese Lion Dancing, Ballet Folklorico, the history of Hip Hop, Corridos in Arizona, Taiko Drumming, FourWheelWarPony (a film about an Apache skateboard team), and much more. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is free to the public. Get the full program and download a parking map.
First Annual Phoenix Food Truck Festival
Move on from drool-worthy homes and culture to drool-worthy food at the Phoenix Food Truck Festival, taking place at the A.R.T.S. market space on Roosevelt Row. Celebrate the mobile cuisine revolution by sampling the goods from over 30 different food trucks. Hosted by Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation (CDC) and the Phoenix Street Food Coalition, this event will bring together the valley’s finest fare on wheels along with a beer and wine garden and live music. The festival runs from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., tickets are $30. Event info at phxstreetfood.org.
Fifth Annual Downtown Phoenix Pub Crawl
Finish the night with “One Crawl to Rule Them All” visiting some of Downtown Phoenix’s most beloved bars, saloons, pubs, lounges, clubs and restaurants from 9 pm to 3 am. Spend the night collecting beads from various Crawl stops and cap your evening with a post-Crawl breakfast and dance party at Steve’s Greenhouse Grill ($6.95 + gratuity). Giveaways for all who make it to the finish line! The Crawl starts at 9 p.m. with Trolley buses available until 2 a.m. to move participants from pub to pub. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 the day of the Crawl.
Heard Museum Annual Benefit Gala – Moondance
Performances by Kris Kristofferson and Merle Haggard will cap an evening of cowboy boots and bolo ties as the Heard honors longtime museum trustee and scholar Carol Ann Mackay and her husband Harvey Mackay, author, Arizona Republic columnist and renowned businessman. Food for the event will be presented by Arizona Taste Fine Catering in collaboration with renowned Barrio Café chef Silvana Saloido Esparza. Slap on your spurs and join the fun to help provide critical funding to meet the Heard Museum’s educational mission.
CALA Festival Demonstrates Art of Collaboration
Posted on 9/28/11 by Eileen Brill Wagner » No Comments
While the vibrant Latino arts and culture scene is no secret to insiders toiling away for years, there’s a new movement afoot to not only educate Arizona residents, but the world at large.
The inaugural CALA (Celebración Artística de las Américas) Festival is a two-month festival showcasing Latino art, music, theater and other culture offerings, which the CALA Alliance kicked off in September. Now in full swing, it is being promoted as a bi-annual event.
“Whether fairly or unfairly, outside of the state many people view Arizona as limited in embracing other cultures,” said Ruben Alvarez, CALA President. “There seems to be a lot of cultural misunderstanding in light of some of the politics that have taken place. What we’re hoping to do is to use the arts to educate people about the richness of the state’s Latino cultural heritage.”
Cross-Cultural Collaboration
The festival, whose major sponsor is Target, is engaging groups that range from our biggest, most established cultural institutions, such as the Phoenix Art Museum and Heard Museum, to more grassroots Latino groups, such as Teatro Bravo and the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC).
One exciting aspect is the spawning of new collaborations. Several months ago, there was a meeting of marketing directors of some 30 organizations involved with the festival.
“A Latino playwright turned to me and said he had never sat next to someone from Ballet Arizona,” said Myra Millinger, CALA Alliance board member. “It’s beautiful to see what’s represented.”
Millinger, former president and CEO of the now-defunct Metro Phoenix Partnership for Arts & Culture (MPAC), said origins of the festival date back to a 2003 meeting to discuss better positioning arts and culture to distinguish Phoenix from other areas.
“José Cárdenas asked, ‘Are we not going to discuss one of the most obvious ways—the vibrancy of Latino arts and culture?’” recalled Millinger, who said that was one of MPAC’s initial charges. When MPAC ended, the effort was taken up by the CALA Alliance. Cárdenas, ASU Senior VP and General Counsel, is a CALA Alliance board member and one of the Latino art community’s most ardent supporters.
Millinger said having one umbrella organization has facilitated more partnerships. That trend was corroborated by the Arizona Humanities Council, which worked with CALA to include many Latino cultural offerings in its Oct. 22 Arizona Humanities Festival in downtown’s Civic Space Park.
“While we have always made an effort to make our boys multi-culturally aware, I have seen more partnering with Latino organizations recently,” said Cate Hinkle, director of marketing for the Phoenix Boys Choir. They received a grant from the CALA Alliance to host the Schola Cantorum de Mexico Concert on Oct. 5 at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. “It is such a huge part of Phoenix culture—to not celebrate that heritage would be a travesty.”
Donna Valdés, executive director Xico, Inc., a nonprofit that promotes indigenous art and culture, believes the CALA Festival is creating greater awareness of what Latino organizations are out there. “Hopefully, it’s creating a new train of thought that ‘maybe we should be partnering with them,’” she said.
Impact On Downtown Phoenix
While institutions comprising the Festival stretch from the Musical Instrument Museum to the Mesa Arts Center, Downtown Phoenix is the epicenter.
For Linda Tórres, founding president of ALAC, located on Adams Street, that’s key. The native Phoenician recalls hearing stories how, in the 1940′s, there were celebrations with Latinos dancing in the streets.
“Bringing back the culture enhances tourism,” said Tórres, who noted ALAC, which is supported by the City of Phoenix, is across the street from the Phoenix Convention Center. “It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting from Ireland or Iowa—it’s good business for everyone.”
She said there has been a plethora of Latino, Chicano and indigenous artists that have come forward since ALAC was established in 2009. The visibility of the downtown location and having a centralized cultural organization has already spawned new partnerships between ALAC and other organizations, such as Artlink Phoenix and Downtown Voices Coalition.
“Downtown is a great base because a lot of business, political and community leaders work in the area,” said CALA’s Alvarez. “If they are exposed to CALA’s marketing efforts, they may see the significance in helping these organizations.”
Added Millinger, “Downtown Phoenix is not just organizations with buildings, but an incubator that has brought artists together. It has been a place where risks have been taken to bring in culture.”
Attracting Latino Audiences
There’s also a very real economic quandary that many of the more established cultural organizations are trying to address: As their core audiences age, where will the next generation of supporters come from?
With Phoenix’s Hispanics/Latinos representing 40.8 percent of the population, according to 2010 U.S. Census figures, it is a group that cannot be ignored. According to Trino Sandoval, executive director of Teatro Bravo, a 10-year-old Latino theater group, the CALA Festival provides an entry to that audience.
“It addresses one of my pet peeves,” he said. “The big theaters will put on one Latino-themed show every two years, and it’s typically a one-person show. The Latino community is very young and hip and cares about social justice. If Latinos do not see themselves reflected in the productions or hear messages that speak to them, they won’t want to see it.”
“I think the more established institutions are sensing what most people in the back of their minds understand,” added Alvarez. “We have a growing, young Latino population. To continue to be successful, we need to reach out to future audiences with events and artists they might embrace.”
Photo credit: Jack London
