I recently came across this photograph of my first home. I purchased this building in Denver in 1992 and lived here until moving to Phoenix in 1996. During the years I lived here, I restored the two-story red brick barn into an artist studio loft.
"Anybody can do something with a million dollars. But it takes someone really special to make something out of nothing."
-Grandma Tressa Prisbrey, creator of Bottle Village in Simi Valley, California
SETTLING INTO LOS ANGELES I started working with the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, an incredible group of people, last month. Between old and new friends here in Los Angeles and the frequency Phoenician friends are here for business and pleasure, it's like two extended families coming together.
MADE NOMINATED FOR SHINE A LIGHT
ANNUAL SOLSTICE EVENT When the temperatures start to creep back up into the three-digit range, we know it's time again for the annual Solstice event to help raise funds to keep Roosevelt Row CDC moving forward. The power lines exploded at last year's event starting a fire and shutting down the lights and air-conditioning on literally the hottest day of the year. This year promises to be much cooler for several reasons: Four Peaks Brewery will be rolling out their outstanding micro-brews in new cans for the first time, Dos Cabezas Winery from southern Arizona will be pouring some of their finest selections, and Tobie Milford (violin), Ceasar Chavez (guitar) and Eric Stockton (guitar) will be playing an incredible set of acoustic music. Plus we're celebrating the Solstice over a month early on May 15 to avoid at least some of that blistering heat that we love so much.
LARAMIE PUBLIC ART CONFERENCE
I presented at the public art conference hosted by the University of Wyoming Art Museum and the Wyoming Arts Council in addition to serving as a juror for the state visual arts fellowships from April 3 to April 5, 2009. Wyoming has an incredible infrastructure and a growing community of artists. Highlights of the conference included hearing numerous Wyoming elected officials speak about the value of the arts in the state, experiencing a solid three hour concert by Elton John for the Matthew Shepard foundation, and hearing James Surls conclude his presentation by saying, "You could put out a python eating a pig and people would come and watch..."
SPRING TREE PLANTING
Mayor Phil Gordon, SRP, the Valley Forward Association, Arizona State University and others came together to green up the Churchill Addition in downtown Phoenix. The two blocks between Fourth Street and Sixth Street and Roosevelt Street and Garfield Street are two of the most dynamic blocks in the state. The right-of-way has now been planted with 40 new low-water chinese evergreen elm shade trees.
CONTEMPORARY CATALYST AWARD 2009
As part of SMoCa's ten-year anniversary celebration, Cindy Dach and I were honored on February 14, 2009 with the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art's Contemporary Catalyst Award. The annual award acknowledges individuals who have made a significant contribution to the arts and culture in the Valley. Click here to learn more about the award.
All content on this site is copyright 1999-2009 by Greg Esser
Click
the image above for more information about the renovation of the Dr. George
M. Brockway House.
