The Art Box

We heard Alli Harvey on a Friends of Nevada Wilderness Zoom presentation and said in unison, "we gotta get her on a podcast!" And we did, YAY! Alli Harvey grew up on the East Coast but fell in love with Alaska at a young age when she first learned about the aurora borealis. Determined to visit, as a teenager she took proceeds from an unexpectedly successful art showing and bought a ticket north. Alli ended up exploring more than just Alaska over the next 10+ years. She earned her degree in Urban Studies in NYC’s New School, and lived in Reno, NV working to protect wilderness. Eventually, back in Alaska, her career wound its way back to where she started: in 2018, Alli decided to double down on art. Alli paints vivid, natural scenery often contrast with manmade features ranging from street lamps, busted cars, railroad ties, to power lines. Painting from her new mobile art studio and gallery, an Airstream trailer that allows her to visit places that inspire her, Alli is increasingly able to embrace geographic mobility. Home is with her friends, family, and in the Mobile Art Studio, but her favorite places on earth are Alaska and Nevada which are often the subjects of Alli’s paintings. Of why she paints, Alli says, “It’s never been enough for me to enjoy something on my own. As soon as I find out something worth knowing or experiencing, I want to tell ten people about it. I feel that having a sense of connection with the world and each other makes our lives richer, and by extension, the world a better place.” Alli is also a runner and hiker, pop culture enthusiast, cocktail inventor, avid Scrabble player, and an outdoor columnist for the Anchorage Daily News since 2013.

Niki Price is the executive director of the Lincoln City Cultural Center, inside the historic Delake School, home to hundreds of annual programs and classes in visual and performing arts. She oversees a staff of six and the operations of the multipurpose auditorium, fine art gallery, meeting room, festival grounds and studios for dance, ceramics, textiles and mosaics. In 2016, Niki was appointed by Gov. Kate Brown to the governing board of the Oregon Cultural Trust; since 2021, she has served as chair. Locally, she leads the Lincoln City Public Art Committee and the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition. In 2021 she embarked upon on an adventure with a dual mission — a day hike traverse of the Oregon Coast Trail that is raising funds for the future Lincoln City Cultural Plaza. With help from a new map and resource called the the Oregon Coast Public Art Trail, she’ll attempt to hoof it from border to border, from the Columbia River down to California, and see ALL the public art along the way. Raised in a small town in central Arizona, this UofA Wildcat has a background in theater and journalism. She and her husband Dave share two grown kids, two ginger cats, five hens and a coon hound. She believes that culture is good for the economy and the community --- but ultimately, creative expression is a goal unto itself.

George and his wife, Linda retired to Mesquite in 2011, and quickly became active in the community. Linda became the President of the noon Rotary Club and George volunteered for a City committee tasked with evaluating the economic development program. The Committee’s recommendation was to create a nonprofit economic development program independent of the City. That organization became Mesquite Regional Business and George was its first Chairman. Notable projects during that period were construction of 1-15 exit 118 and Eagle’s Landing Truck Stop, Star Nursery, Deep Roots Harvest and lobbying for natural gas. In 2018, George ran for and was elected to the Mesquite City Council. In that capacity he served on the Clark County Flood Control District Commission and the Regional Transportation Commission. He has recently been appointed to the Las Vegas Global Alliance Board of Directors and the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. With Councilman Brian Wursten he helped to create the Mesquite Public Arts Commission. He has continued to serve on the boards of Mesquite Works, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting employers and job seekers through education and training, and Mesquite Opportunities Regional Fund, a nonprofit that acts as a catalyst to identify issues and match them with potential resources. Currently, he serves on the Management Team of the Mesquite STEAM Center. George served as President of the Wyoming Community Foundation from 2003 to 2011. Under his leadership, and with strong board support and an excellent staff, total assets grew from $30 million to $70 million. Grant making grew to almost $3 million annually. The Foundation performed substantive work in capacity building for nonprofits. George has run his own consulting business, Gault & Associates, LLC, specializing in economic and community development, assisting communities and organizations to set goals and find resources to implement them. He served as Managing Director of Administration for American Capital Access, the nation’s first single A rated bond insurance company with offices in New York City, Bethesda, MD, and Powell, WY. In that capacity, he participated in raising $126.25 million to capitalize the company. George was Executive Director of the Division of Community and Economic Development of the Wyoming Department of Commerce and served under Governor Mike Sullivan. He has a BA degree in Modern European History from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado, in Greeley, CO. He holds the Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council and the Economic Development Finance Professional designation from the National Development Council. Both are in emeritus status due to his retirement.

Join Linda and Steve as we enjoy interviewing the cast of the Hallelujah Girls presented by The Virgin Valley Theatre Group. Opening on January 20 at 7 pm at the Mesquite Theatre 150 North Yucca Street, Mesquite, NV. Continuing Jan 21, 27, 28; Feb 3 & 4 @ 7 pm & Jan 22 & 29 @ 2 pm Tickets available online at mctnv.com and At the Mesquite Fine Arts Center 15 W Mesquite Blvd.

Lived in California, Utah and now Scenic, Arizona for the last year and 8 months Meet our friend Rachel Washington who is currently self-employed, Desert Duck Tailoring on Facebook and .com Her favorite job has been at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theatre/Second Space Theater as an 4th in line assistant costumer. Most empowering job was Mask Event and Costumes in Salt Lake City. Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield City College (Graphic Design), Fresno City College (Marketing and Fashion Merchandising), Salt Lake City College (Fashion Design). Started sewing at the age of 8 from a summer school program but have always been involved in whatever art form I could get my hands on- from dance as a kid to thinking I was the Ace of Cakes in junior high to float building in high school. Even pushing to join improv workshops in multiple cities. Art has been like a good friend that shows up wearing a new cool hat every once in a while, but underneath the hat is my same creativity that I've grown up with and grown into. Fun stuff (?) My grandfather Mundo used to take art classes at the community College just for the hell of it and my grandmother's mother was a seamstress out of necessity/budget, she was fabulous though so her work was immaculate. My family reminds me often that they aren't surprised at all that I love art and creativity because I get to carry on the exploration of beauty that my grandparents embarked on.

Meet our friend Bethany Overland-Green as we talk about her years of involvement with theatre groups back east, Salt Lake City and now in our own town of Mesquite. A mom of seven we enjoyed our time with Bethany, we learned about ghosts, we laughed a lot, and we cried some. Bethany is the locals, local, the Mom's, Mom and the Love in the Love Family. You will enjoy this episode with a true HERO in our town.

Through grants received from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the arts, the Artist in Residence program allows the Virgin Valley Artists Association to bring in artists from all over the country to stay a for week in Mesquite sharing their knowledge and expertise. They do this through a series of free workshops and classes. This year VVAA is very excited to announce that we received another grant from Nevada Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts to host another Artist in Residence in Mesquite. Artist in Residence Deborah Lambin, from Carson City will be here from Sunday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 18th . Debbie is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a paper sculptor with over 40 years of art experience. She also specializes in acrylic paint, watercolors, wood, metal and recyclable materials. She has won various awards throughout the state of Nevada. Her work has been on exhibit in the Clark County Government Rotunda, and she was selected to exhibit in the 2021 & 2022 outdoor art walk at the Clark County Wetlands Park in Las Vegas. In 2021 Debbie was accepted as a Teaching Artist with Nevada Arts Council and she travels throughout Nevada to conduct book art workshops for all ages. She has an online studio MyThousandWords.com which showcases more than 100 fine art book sculptures created by herself and her artist children. She is also an author who published a children's book in 2020 during the pandemic and is currently working on writing a memoir and a how-to book about book art. Debbie will be here to teach Virgin Valley residents how to repurpose, recycle and reuse books to create art. The workshops will take place in our classroom located at the Mesquite Fine Arts Center, (15 W Mesquite Blvd) next door to our gallery. Deborah's work will be on display in the Gallery. Who can attend the workshops? Are they only for the members of VVAA? The workshops are for all the residents of the Virgin Valley whether they are members of VVAA or not. This includes people who live in Bunkerville, Littlefield and Beaver Dam as well as Mesquite. Where can you go to see some of Debbie’s work on-line? You can google her name or go to My Thousand Words. com. The Nevada Arts Council also has a link for her on their page. https://www.nvartscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Deborah-Lambin_Final.pdf https://mythousandwords.com/ This is an incredibly hot art form and we feel lucky to have Debbie as our next Artist in Residence. How do we register for her free classes? You can register on-line on our website, Mesquitefinearts.com.

Meet Jackie and Larry Zimmer, the unsung heroes of the Virgin Valley Artists' Association. If you are at any function in our gallery Larry and Jackie will be there, serving drinks, showing you around, setting up, cleaning up and more than likely you will also be able to find a fine piece of their art on the well. You might also find them on the golf course as they are both avid golfers. Sit back and enjoy our first couple's podcast, it was fun.

The Art Box wraps up it's first year with jolly holiday greetings from our hosts, a quick discussion of what is upcoming for 2023 and a gift to our listeners with Jan Hansen and Floyd Johnson talking watercolor, acrylic and creativity. A huge thank you to our listeners, our sponsors, VVAA members, the VVAA Board of Directors for your support this year. We are looking forward to a fun 2023. Remember we are always looking for guests to chat about their creativity, their art, their life and their passions.

Linda was born and raised in Midland, Michigan, and moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, where she met her husband, Rod. Upon retirement, Linda and Rod sought a warmer winter climate and the beauty of the desert. Their search brought them to Beaver Dam, Arizona. They lived as snowbirds dividing their time between Colorado and Arizona until moving permanently in 2019. Art was never on Linda’s radar, but one day in 2000, walking down Main Street in Grand Junction, she wandered into a gallery that gave stained glass classes. She loved and admired stained glass, never thinking it was something she could do. She took one class in the copper foil method and was hooked. Still working, Linda didn’t have the time for more lessons but spent weekends at home practicing and learning, adding fused glass to her skills, and purchasing a kiln. She loves the many colors, glass textures, and their relationship with light and finds it both fun and rewarding to work on and complete her glass projects. Having the time since retiring, Linda has been able to take a few glass classes in person and online and has added wire working and jewelry to her skill set, which, again, is entirely self-taught. At home, it’s always about trying new techniques and learning by trial and error. Linda’s art may be found in several private collections locally and throughout the US. She feels lucky to have found the Virgin Valley Artists’ Association with like-minded artists, classes, and the Mesquite Fine Arts Center. Linda says, “If it puts a smile on your face I did it right.”

Linda Harris the VVAA Director of Educational Programs announces the Schedule for our 2023 Artist in Residence Debbie Lambin. Artist in Residence Program with Deborah Lambin. Through grants received from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the arts, the Artist in Residence program allows the Virgin Valley Artists Association to bring in artists from all over the country to stay a for week in Mesquite sharing their knowledge and expertise. They do this through a series of free workshops and classes. This year VVAA is very excited to announce that we received another grant from Nevada Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts to host another Artist in Residence in Mesquite. Artist in Residence Deborah Lambin, from Carson City will be here from Sunday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 18th . Debbie is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a paper sculptor with over 40 years of art experience. She also specializes in acrylic paint, watercolors, wood, metal and recyclable materials. She has won various awards throughout the state of Nevada. Her work has been on exhibit in the Clark County Government Rotunda, and she was selected to exhibit in the 2021 & 2022 outdoor art walk at the Clark County Wetlands Park in Las Vegas. In 2021 Debbie was accepted as a Teaching Artist with Nevada Arts Council and she travels throughout Nevada to conduct book art workshops for all ages. She has an online studio MyThousandWords.com which showcases more than 100 fine art book sculptures created by herself and her artist children. She is also an author who published a children's book in 2020 during the pandemic and is currently working on writing a memoir and a how-to book about book art. Debbie will be here to teach Virgin Valley residents how to repurpose, recycle and reuse books to create art. The workshops will take place in our classroom located at the Mesquite Fine Arts Center, (15 W Mesquite Blvd) next door to our gallery. Deborah's work will be on display in the Gallery. Who can attend the workshops? Are they only for the members of VVAA? The workshops are for all the residents of the Virgin Valley whether they are members of VVAA or not. This includes people who live in Bunkerville, Littlefield and Beaver Dam as well as Mesquite. Where can you go to see some of Debbie’s work on-line? You can google her name or go to My Thousand Words. com. The Nevada Arts Council also has a link for her on their page. https://www.nvartscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Deborah-Lambin_Final.pdf https://mythousandwords.com/ This is an incredibly hot art form and we feel lucky to have Debbie as our next Artist in Residence. How do we register for her free classes? You can register on-line on our website, Mesquitefinearts.com.

Please note this episode was recorded on September 1, 2022 thus our conversation about 100+ degrees. Vanessa Giebink works for Las Vegas-Clark County Library District as the Computer Lab Department Head at the Mesquite Library Learning Center. She is nearing her 5 year work anniversary. Her educational background is in business management and library science, which together are her passion. Her latest endeavor is joining the Virgin Valley Artist Association (VVAA) board. Vanessa attended middle and high school in Mesquite, NV. This is her hometown and where she plans on staying to raise her two kids. She is married to a local paramedic firefighter. They also have a mini goldendoodle, who is very much a part of the family. She enjoys learning more about Mesquite and the community of people that are moving in every day. The more time she spends getting to know members of VVAA, the more interest she has to discover and create. Working at the Mesquite Library has opened doors for her to better understand the needs of the community. Libraries around the world understand the importance of arts in the library and how that transfers into artistic literacy. Vanessa enjoys attending and promoting the wonderful programs put on the VVAA. She feels the VVAA Art Box Podcast gave her an opportunity to share her passion for working at the library and share some of the insights as to what the Mesquite Library offers the community. We did talk about NFT's on this episode, if you would like to learn more use this link: https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/blockchain-tutorial/what-is-nft

Come visit with our friend Denise Sims as she explains her Christmas Floral design workshop using pine & cedar greens, flowers and ornaments to make arrangements. Flowers, greens, ornaments and vases will be supplied and participants will create two beautiful arrangements to take home. Supply List : Floral tools-shears, stripper, gloves, apron. Participants may have supplies/tools needed from her previous class.

The Art Box recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sue Fritzke superintendent of Capitol Reef NP in Utah. Steve had the pleasure of serving as the 2022 Artist in Residence at Capitol Reef under Sue's direction and we lucked out having Sue as a gest. Sue, a 38-year veteran of the Park Service, tells us about growing up in a family that focused on nature and our public lands. At one time she was deputy superintendent for four Northern California parks, all in the East Bay: Eugene O’Neill and John Muir National Historic Sites, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, and Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. We hone in on some great Rosie the Riveter stories, red back packs, orchards, climate change, art, floods, her dislike of the color red and her passion for the Artist in Residence Program. A natural resources professional by training and experience, Sue began her NPS career in 1985 as an interpretation ranger at Yosemite National Park. She also served at Mount Rainier National Park before moving into biological science, prescribed fire and vegetation ecology posts for the next 11 years at Yosemite and then Redwood National and State Parks. Sue next served as supervisory resources manager at Yosemite (1998-2003) before moving to the Bay Area to be branch chief for vegetation management at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument and Fort Point National Historical Park (2003-2011). Since 2015, she has been a participant in the NPS Superintendents’ Leadership Roundtable. She earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and physical geography from UC-Santa Barbara and her master’s in physical geography and plant ecology from Oregon State University in Corvallis. A master gardener, Fritzke also taught a course in park horticulture at West Valley Community College in Saratoga, CA. Join us for a fun chat with an amazing human.

Join the Art Box team as we interview Marge Westwood, Director of the The Mesquite-Toes Tap Team based in Mesquite, Nevada. Marge will tell us about her group and their upcoming shows. The Mesquite-Toes make several appearances in Mesquite throughout the years. They perform an annual Christmas Benefit and support many local charitable and civic functions by either performing and/or volunteering. They culminate their dance season every April with a multi-performance dance spectacular where all of the teams get to show how spectacular they are! The team has performed throughout Nevada, Utah, and California and also in venues much further from home - New York City, Branson, MO, and even during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. They have presented shows for Holland America Cruise Lines on several occasions and always to standing room only crowds. The Mesquite-Toes Tap team is a senior dance team that uses practices and performances to promote the health and teamwork of the dancers. The team in an all-inclusive group and welcomes anyone to join. Through performances and shows, the team emphasizes that one can be active at any age. Seniors are inspired to "be all that they can be". The team is a non-profit, primarily senior dance team which promotes both the physical and mental health of its dancers.

Joy Craig.

Robert Craig - A graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Master of Arts in Directing; Robert's work has been nominated for numerous awards including the LA Weekly Theatre award for his production of Tender with the National American Shakespeare Company and the Dramalogue award for The Lark with the Knightsbridge Theatre. Throughout his more than 40 years in theatre Robert has served as Artistic Director for Tour de Force Repertory Company, a Board of Director member for Long Beach Playhouse, and Director-in-residence for the Knightsbridge Theatre. As a Director, his work has ranged from Shakespeare, to original works, to modern comedies, to musicals. His productions include: Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest as well as Nottage’s Intimate Apparel, Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation, Shaffer's Equus, and The Drowsy Chaperone. A resident of Mesquite since 2020.

Virgin Valley High School art teacher Tyler Roylance sits down for a fun discussion of art with his student Stewart Plank.

Join us Saturday November 12th @ 1PM as Virgin Valley Heritage Museum presents a tribute to our veterans. Free Admission Fine Arts Center Classroom 15. W. Mesquite Blvd. Come and join the Cowboy Poets.

What a fun time we had interviewing Joyce, You will enjoy this bundle of fun and energy. Take it away Joyce - When I am asked what kind of artist I am, I respond that I am a doodler. Sometimes I get a puzzling look, then I am asked what is a doodler? I explain that it is form of line art that is repeating patterns and allowing your pen to go wherever you feel. I like to say it brings out my inner weirdness. After I give my explanation, people then become very interested. The art form is also known as tangling or the trademark name Zentangle. I love doodling because we all have doodled at one time, usually as a kid in school. Now I am turning my doodles into art. I have doodled for about 6 years. I started in a class in Arizona and I was hooked. I find it a relaxing form of art and now I am sharing doodling in a gallery art class. I love to watch new doodlers realize that they can create pieces of art from repeating lines. I am a proud that some of my students are entering contests and placing their pieces of art in the gallery giftshop. Some “doodle” patterns actually have symbolic meaning in ancient cultures, such as the spiral which represents the galaxy and the beginning of the life cycle. I especially love the Hawaiian and southwest patterns. Patterns are everywhere and I often find myself staring them and snapping a picture of it. I have taken pictures of carpets, shirts, and other places. I haven’t always worked on my art, but as a kid I enjoyed drawing, coloring, and creating. We retired in Mesquite 3 years ago and I focused my newly found free time on being more creative. My husband gave up his dream den to allow me to have my dream art room. It usually looks like a hurricane came through it as projects in progress sit out waiting for attention. Since retiring, not only have I worked on doodling, but I have also explored other creative outlets such as pottery, color pencils, acrylics, watercolor, and photography. I always think that I should focus on one area, but I have such fun with many mediums. My family supports me in my endeavors and encourages me to be creative. Besides a wonderful husband, (did I mention he gave up his dream den), we have two amazing adult children. My son is an airline captain and my daughter works in logistics for a defense contractor. They are both married and have wonderful families that are dear to my heart. I will often ask my family, especially my husband who gave up his dream den, what they think of one of my pieces of art. I appreciate that they are honest with me because it only helps me get better. Sometimes we have a good laugh and move on. Recently, I was working on a color pencil project of a baby tiger’s eye. It looked more like a sloth having a bad hair day. I laughed so hard that I was almost crying. I believe it is important to realize that not every piece is going to turn out to be a masterpiece but more every piece is a learning experience.

A New Perspective in Respite Mesquite Respite Senior Day Program The Senior Day Program is to improve the quality of life for older adults. We focus on Dignity and Independence while allowing families peace of mind. We work together so we can provide cognitive and social experiences so that they may have the highest standard of life. Deborah Ayler Senior Day Center Project Coordinator Phone 702-346-5290 ext. 4105

Utah State Division of History - Utah State Historic Preservation Office's Matt Podolinsky and Ian Wright take time with the Art Box to talk about the Utah Site Steward Program. If you like history, archaeology and just helping keep cultural sites safe please listen in and maybe join in with us. There are lots of reasons why you should become a Site Steward with the Utah Cultural Site Stewardship Program(UCSS)! Each stewards’ reasons are different. Perhaps one steward has a cultural connection with a place and its history. Maybe another is looking for ways to get outside and volunteer their time helping safeguard cultural resources. Some stewards are looking for educational experiences or for a community of people who are passionate about the outdoors, recreation and history. Others are simply looking for a fun opportunity that allows them to also give back in some way. Site Stewards work directly with archaeologists and land managers to keep an eye on sensitive archaeological sites for new damage. Here in Utah we have seen an increase in damage to archaeological sites ranging from intentional vandalism to subtle destruction from changing climate forces. Traces of the past that have existed for thousands of years are in danger of going away forever, but Site Stewards help to identify issues before they become big problems. Site Stewards visit the same site several times a year to look for changes, which makes many Stewards the uncontested experts in their sites after all those visits! Whatever your reasons, the UCSS Program could use your help. We are looking for good folks who are willing to pitch in and assist land managers by monitoring archaeological and cultural sites, reporting on any damages or changes that they may encounter. We know everyone has different areas of interest or parts of the state that they enjoy visiting. We will work with you to determine your comfort level when it comes to identifying a site that is right for you. We want to make sure that the site you monitor is in a part of the state that is accessible for you. We also understand that everyone has different capabilities and we will work with you as we find a site that is within your abilities to monitor and is connected to an aspect of history that you find interesting. Utah is home to incredible history and stewards play an integral part in safeguarding the stories of those who were here before, helping to ensure that they are not lost to future generations. The strength of this program is in the diversity and breadth of the people who make it possible, the site stewards! For more information on becoming a Utah Cultural Site Steward, please visit our website or chat with Ian Wright , the Utah Cultural Site Stewardship Coordinator.

A special Directors cut version where Tyler Roylance (Gollum) and Stewart Plank (Bilbo) discuss the creation and making of this art inspired adaptation of a chapter in the book The Hobbit. Additionally a few outtakes are included for your enjoyment.

This was recorded in mid-July after we learned a scheduled guest was not going to show up. In lieu of packing all of our stuff up we started chatting about the adventures we have had since we first proposed a podcast to the VVAA Board of Directors. We have obviously been bouncing it back because we have so many great guests that we want to get on the air. We are going to publish this on a normal Ten Minute episode week maybe because Halloween seems just like a good time for you to listen to our idle chatter and silliness, don't worry we will pair this with the Bilbo vs. Gollum Directors Cut mini-episode so you will get your expected mini-episode this week as well.

The Love Family joins the Art Box to talk about their coming fundraising event the Masquerade Ball on Saturday December 3. All proceeds go to the Hope Squads at Virgin Valley High School and Hughes Middle School to support teen suicide prevention. Listen in and learn about the Hope Squads, their work and how fun the Masquerade Ball will be. Tickets are only $20 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/masquerade-disco-ball-a-fundraiser-for-local-youth-suicide-prevention-tickets-421283017847?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse

This is a bonus extra special ten minutes mini that is not scheduled to be released until November 14. Shhhhhh, please do not tell anyone that your friend Steve is giving you special access. It was next in queue to be edited and I just loved it sooooo much I had to share it with just my friends. Hardly any editing (You know I love that) so it was add the Dottie beginning, ending, take out a few ahhs and hems, save it, publish it. Yooohooo. I happened to be in the classroom one day and 'poof' standing in front of me was Tyler Roylance and Floyd Johnson. After I bowed several times (necessary to do when in the presence of royalty) I asked if they would do a quick podcast? Yes was the answer, so I threw down the cell phone on the table and asked, "hey what do you guys wanna talk about?" Creativity was the answer and off they went. My ears sure enjoyed it, hope yours do to. Notable quotes from this episode: “It’s the thing that makes art so wonderful, that little kid in us.” – Tyler Roylance “They are in the process of learning, not necessarily about art, but about themselves, what they are capable of doing.” - Floyd Johnson

Join us for the much anticipated release of our interview with the mayor of our thriving small town Mayor Al Litman. We chat about his leadership through Covid, city growth, new industries, affordable housing, the STEAM Center, the coming First Fridays, his passions and of course we talk Art. Mayor Litman hails originally from Duluth, Minnesota and moved to Los Angeles following graduation from the University of Minnesota where he received his Bachelor of Science in History and Political Science. Mayor Litman entered the Army in 1965 and served in Vietnam with the First Calvary Division Artillery where he received a Bronze Star for Valor and the Air Metal for flying in numerous helicopter flights. Following his military service, Mayor Litman taught public school for the Los Angeles Unified School District before teaching in Simi Valley California for 15 years. He taught and directed programs for special needs students, specializing in the mildly mentally retarded, as well as developing driver education and training for the deaf and hard of hearing, and other disabilities. In addition to his work with the public schools, he was an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University, teaching in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology and also completed his Masters of Science in Administration and Supervision and his Doctoral work in Institutional Management. In 1984, he left education and founded an automobile service company until retiring and moved to Maui, Hawaii in 1994. After a brief retirement, he opened a small practice in Child and Family Psychotherapy as well as providing Autism consulting for the State of Hawaii public schools retiring again in 2004 moved to Mesquite. Since relocating to Mesquite, Mayor Litman has taught Psychology at the College of Southern Nevada, became active in veteran’s affairs, directed the Veterans Day parade for fourteen years and continues to conduct the annual Veterans Day and Memorial Day programs. He was responsible for bringing the Vietnam Wall That Heals to Mesquite in 2010, and was a founder of the Mesquite Veterans Center. In 2011, he was elected to a two-year term on the Mesquite City Council; being re-elected in 2013. On May 14, 2014, Councilman Litman was appointed Mayor and was elected to a four-year term in 2016, and again, a four-year term in 2020. In his spare time, he works out frequently at the City Recreation Center and has taught spin classes for many years. Mayor Litman has been married to Phyllis for 56 years.

A quick, interesting and fun conversation with our Bureau of Land Management - Gold Butte National Monument Archeologists at the Three Corners Archeology Conference at University of Nevada Las Vegas. How they protect our cultural treasures of rock art.

Bilbo Picasso wanders too deep in the art closet where he meets former artist Van Smego, now known as Gollum, and must use his wit with art riddles to outsmart him and escape with his life.

Doug Herbert served both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) as an arts education program director and special assistant in his 30-year federal career. Between 1987 and 2004, Doug directed the NEA's Arts Education grants and technical assistance programs, initially as the assistant director and then as director for 12 years. There he initiated several interagency partnerships with the Department of Education in order to create nationwide surveys of the conditions of arts in schools. Doug also led federal efforts at the NEA to put the arts into the National Assessment of Educational Progress, widely known as The Nation's Report Card. At ED, Doug was a special assistant to former Secretary Rod Paige and then to several assistant deputy secretaries of innovation and improvement until his retirement at the end of 2017. At ED, he continued to foster or manage federal partnerships to assess arts achievement and determine the state of arts education. The Arts Education Partnership, which Doug was instrumental in creating in 1994, continues to serve as the nation's clearinghouse for arts education and brings together more than 100 arts, education, governance, and philanthropic organizations to advance arts education for all American students. Between 1980 and '86, Doug was director of the Very Special Arts Festival Program of VSA, an educational affiliate of The Kennedy Center. During this time, he fell in love with the Southwest, particularly Arizona and New Mexico. His career in arts and arts education administration began as the first managing director of The Publick Playhouse, a community performing arts center in the Maryland suburbs of the D.C. metro area. A graduate of the University of Maryland in 1972, Doug found his calling "behind the curtain" in community theatre following college and chose publicity and producing over acting and directing.

Linda Harris is a retired mathematics teacher who has lived with her husband in Mesquite since 2017. They were drawn to Mesquite by the golf, arts and culture, and the beautiful desert landscape. Linda received a B.S. in Applied Mathematics and a Masters in Education. She taught in Missouri for 25 years, and was also a curriculum specialist for her district. Linda is a self-taught artist, receiving no formal training after 9th grade art class. While in Missouri, Linda enjoyed porcelain art in her spare time. She attended porcelain art workshops around the country, and after retiring, bought her own kiln and taught porcelain art in her home. Upon moving to Mesquite, Linda became interested in watercolor, oils and acrylics. She took some watercolor classes and workshops, and found that she especially like painting portraits. She won awards in the Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery Exhibitions for four of her portraits, “Earth, Wind, and Fiery Redheads” (1st Place/2018), “A Special Sliver of Light,” (Best of Show/ Sponsor’s Choice/2019) and “Moonlit Vigil” (1st Place/2020), and Mesquite Mayor Al Litman (Honorable Mention/ 2021). Linda taught two of the GSWA classroom lessons in 2019, and became coordinator of the program the following year. She now oversees the free educational programs and workshops for VVAA, believing strongly in the mission “to promote the power of the arts for all ages and all cultures,” and the educational goals which support this mission. She is responsible for working with VVAA volunteers to plan, advertise and implement the programs, write grants which support the programs. She previously wrote the FY 2022 Arts Learning Project Grant to bring Artist/ Photographer Larry Burton to Mesquite as VVAA's first Artist in Residence during February 2022. She worked closely with Mr. Burton and the Project Director to plan activities and workshops, host community events, organize data, and write the final report. A recent grant has just been approved to bring Recycle and Reuse Artist Deborah Lambin here as February’s Artist in Residence. When not at the art gallery, Linda enjoys hiking in the beautiful desert landscape near Mesquite. She has two sons, a granddaughter, and two brothers and their families still in the Midwest.

Special Saturday night unannounced release of Floyd chatting with your co-hosts about his white on black pencil art.

Chris Picior A native of New York City, Chris began sketching people at Washington Square in Greenwich Village when she was 16. Her first job was at Ace Publishing Company in the Art Department, but it was short-lived as marriage and three children to support became a priority. When her children were little, she worked in oils and then moved to watercolor. Chris attended Queens College, Kathryn Gibbs Secretarial School, and Utica College before starting her 25-year career in radio management. While living in Florida, she decided on a career change to Natural Health. Chris received her massage license in Florida, then obtained a Bachelor of Natural Health Studies degree and a Doctor of Naturopathy degree from Clayton College of Natural Health in Birmingham, AL. While working at Clayton College as faculty and in admissions, she also had private practices in Atlanta and Birmingham. Her true love has always been art. After moving to Mesquite, she became active as a Community Educator for the Mesquite Citizens for Clean Indoor Air for eight years. She also joined a neighborhood group that used acrylics and became a member of the VVAA. Chris started with colored pencils, played with acrylics, and added ink to her new works. In December 2019, Councilman George Gault appointed her to the Mesquite Public Arts Commission. In January 2020, she was elected Chair and still holds that position. Also, that January, she became President of the Virgin Valley Artists' Association, which she retained until December 2021. As Past President, she works with the Membership Committee and actively promotes our group. Since retiring, one of her favorite hobbies has been making gourds into art pieces. Chris cleans, carves, creates, and decorates gourds, finding it is one of her favorite mediums. She loves learning new techniques and expanding her expertise. Making her artwork into cards intrigued her, but the best part is just having fun with her art. She is looking forward to a class in watercolor and learning more about acrylics and alcohol ink.

Mary was born and raised in Bountiful, Utah with two older brothers. She graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Her career was in Human Resources and Training Development for 20 years. At the age of 28, she had her one and only child, a beautiful son. Mary resided in Davis County until 2013, when she ventured out to live in Mesquite, NV where her beautiful mother and best friend were living. She started house cleaning and pet sitting businesses. She was thriving, making new friends, and enjoying the beautiful sunsets. Mary had a wonderful companion, Booper, a 100 lb. Mastiff. She also started volunteering at the Mesquite Animal Shelter and fostering adoptable pets through We Care for Animals. It was in Mesquite that she sang karaoke for the first time. She was hooked and so blessed to have found so many wonderful friends, some of whom she now considers family. In 2016, she found herself on a journey of cancer: stage 3B melanoma. Her life seemed to revolve around confusion, doctor appointments, scans, surgeries, treatment, medications, and side effects. Mary’s cancer spread throughout her body resulting in stage 4 metastatic melanoma. At this time her body was tired, and her mind focused on making peace with her new life (and the possibility of death) and the wonderful blessings she had been afforded throughout her life. Mary moved to St George, Utah in 2021 after her mother suddenly passed. She had a wonderful fiancé and was in remission! Yes, life changes very quickly. She met some great people at the Mesquite Cancer HELP Society and has been working there for four years as the Executive Director. Her life has found purpose again! She married a wonderful man and has a beautiful six-year-old granddaughter who is her Angel. Mary’s passion for helping others makes her life busy and whole. She is so grateful for the people in her life, animals, sunsets, music, and all of God's artwork. ***Life is Art, Paint your picture***