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 Looking for some last minute gift ideas this holiday season? Well look no further. Here are some of my favorite, home-made gifts everyone will enjoy.

Tea Cup Candles: For this gift you will need a tea cup, wax you can melt down, candle wicks, and if you want the candle to have an aroma, add a liquid scent. Most of these items can be found at a craft store. First things first, melt down the wax in a pot, keep temperature at about 185 degrees. Next, hold the wick in place and pour the melted wax into the tea cup. Now be sure to not let the hot wax crack the cup. Allow wax to set for about one hour. Once this is finished, your candle is ready to be gifted! This gift idea is from marthatstewart.com

Bath Salts: The materials you will need for this gift are one bottle or jar, Epsom salts, food coloring, and essential oil. First, combine enough Epsom salts to fit in the bottle or jar with food coloring. Mix well so that all the color is even. Add an essential oil of your choice and mix again. Spread the mixture out on a sheet of wax paper so that it can dry for a couple hours and then put it in the bottle or jar.

If these creative gift ideas don’t fit in with your busy schedule don’t fear, at Mesa Arts Center we have the MAC Store Artist Cooperative Gallery. Here you can find one-of-a-kind gifts you cannot find anywhere else. Plus, every purchase supports a local artist. Now there are no excuses not to give a gift this season, so get out there and spread that holiday cheer!

-Tara Kerege

One of the greatest parts about this play is that Mesa Arts Center is teaming up with the Mesa Fire Department for the East Valley Firefighters annual toy drive.  Meaning, Mesa Arts Center is offering a $5 ticket discount to The Santa Class with every donation.  In order to redeem the discount, toy donations must be brought to the Box Office unwrapped.  One $5 ticket discount per toy and the toy drive ends Dec. 18 at 2:00 p.m. 

This is a great chance to give back to the community while enjoying a festive, holiday evening.   To learn more about The Santa Class and the toy drive visit mesaartscenter.com.  I hope to see all of you there!

-Tara Kerege

The festival will feature original works of art for sale from local, regional, and national artists in several mediums.  This is definitely the place to find unique gifts for friends and family.  There will be an amazing assortment of delicious culinary delights from many local food and drink establishments.   Something you surely don’t want to miss out on.  Not to mention, 2 stages showcasing live talent of local and national artists from some of the best musicians in the Phoenix area.  But wait! There’s more!  There will also be fun activities for children to participate in. 

This is one festival the whole family can enjoy.  With so much to do and see, there is never a dull moment.  To find out more about the Mesa Arts Festival visit mesaartscenter.com  Hope to see you there!

-Tara Kerege

                The Beauty of this show is that it can be enjoyed by kids ages seven to fifteen, and also entertain their parents and Star Trek newcomers.  This show is not necessarily targeted at “hardcore” Star Trek fans; however, the producers put a lot of focus and detail into certain elements to make sure that the show would resonate with the dedicated fans.

                Possibly the most unique element of Star Trek Live is the integration of current science.  Leonard Lipes, the managing director and vice president of production at Mad Science said; “I love the combination of real science and technology that relates directly to Star Trek juxtaposed with technology that allows us to portray that effect for theatrical purposes. Put all of that together, and I think we’re all very proud of Star Trek Live.”

                Star Trek Live will be at Mesa Arts Center November 20, 2011 at 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. in the Piper Repertory Theater.  Hope to see you there!

-Tara Kerege

Throughout his whole career, Mattias has been focused in portraying and interpreting threatened environments, species, and cultures. He has received several awards for his work and earned a medal from the King of Sweden for his advocacy on behalf of biodiversity. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of WWF Sweden, a Senior Fellow of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London.

In addition to all of his achievements, Klum was named a National Geographic Fellow in 2010. To get the gist of what being a “National Geographic Fellow” means, he supports ongoing National Geographic Mission Programs, conservation efforts such as, Mission Blue, Freshwater Initiative, and Great Energy Challenge. His concentration is on critical biodiversity and conservation issues.

Luckily, here at MAC we are granted the chance to see Mattias Klum performing live in our National Geographic Live series! This is one show I am very excited for. Hope to see you there!

-Tara Kerege

These five galleries include: The Wilson and Ruby Dobson Main Gallery, used for curated solo, group, and juried group exhibitions.  At 2,400 square feet, it makes it our largest gallery here at the MCA.  The South Gallery is used for various installations of curated solo, group, and juried group exhibitions in all media.  The Dr. Ruth Tan Lim Project Room is an experimental 500-sqaure-foot gallery available to artists for exhibitions for new media instillations and/or site-specific.  Including, film/video, sound, digital, and/or Web-based works.  The SRP Permanent Collection Gallery is dedicated to the works from MCA’s growing permanent collection, consisting of nearly 200 objects in all media.   Finally, there is the North Gallery.  The North Gallery is a 700-square-foot space dedicated to exhibiting works from Arizona artists.

This fall, Mesa Contemporary Arts is showcasing “Six-String Masterpieces”, a charitable art exhibition featuring a brilliant collection of Dean Electric Guitars.  These guitars have been hand-painted, sculpted, and illustrated by leading musicians, tattooists, and contemporary visual artists.  I saw this exhibition at our season kickoff festival and it was incredible.  There are guitars painted by music legends such as, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Les Claypool of Primus, and Ozzy Osbourne.  Also featuring LA contemporary art star, Mark Dean Veca and many more.  Don’t miss out!  This exhibit runs through December 4, 2011.

-Tara Kerege

Did you know that here at MAC we have our very own repertory theater? The Virginia G. Piper trust repertory theater is the second largest theater here at MAC. Reflecting Virginia G. Piper’s love of theater and the arts, the trustees of the Virginia G. Piper Trust awarded Mesa Arts Center a gift that names the 550 seat theater.

I recently toured the Piper Theater. It was very beautiful and charming. It may not be the largest theater at MAC (that would be the Ikeda Theater with seating for 1,588 people), but the Piper can still hold a large number of people while keeping its unique, cozy atmosphere.

We have a number of awesome live shows in the Piper Theater this season! If you’re interested in experiencing the intimate relationship the Piper provides between the audience and performers, here are a few that are coming up fast.

-The Grascals on September 30th (7:00 p.m.) $28

The Grascals are one of the most adored and acclaimed bands on today’s bluegrass scene. Having won many awards, The Grascals signify a profound grasp of and expertise with country and bluegrass tradition, exposing new audiences to that distinctive “BluGrascals” sound.

-Choo-Choo Soul on October 8th (11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.) $25

Sing along with beatbox artist “DC” and musician “Genevieve Goings,” as they drive their train through fantastical lands to the sounds of contemporary, kid-friendly, hip-hop songs. These Disney Junior performers captured the 2007 Parents’ Choice Award for Children’s Television, and they are sure to capture your child’s heart. All aboard!

-The Miles Davis Experience October 14th (7:30 p.m.) $35/$45

Follow the music of Miles Davis, one of the most prominent leaders in jazz, to recapture the period, song, cultural, and historical context of post-war America through a jazz lens. This experience allows a younger audience, some that are not so lucky as to have seen him in his time, become familiar with his legacy.

For more information about shows in any of our four theaters, contact the Mesa Arts Center Box Office at 480-644-6500 or visit www.mesaartscenter.com.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the next “3 for FREE!” This is the fourth year that Target presents “3 for FREE.” On the first Sunday in October, November, and December, from noon to 5:00 p.m., you can visit the Arizona Museum of Natural History, Arizona Museum for Youth and our Mesa Contemporary Arts for free. I can’t wait to share what the Mesa Contemporary Arts has in store for you!

-Tara Kerege

Hello there!

My name is Matthew Robinson, the newest Marketing and Social Media intern at MAC for the Fall 2011 season.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank former interns Billy Clayton and Ryan Spillers for guiding me through my first few days at the office.  Most of all, I want to thank the Public Relations and Marketing department here at MAC for the opportunity to work with such awesome and knowledgeable people!

I was born and raised in Illinois not far from St Louis, MO.  While small, the area I grew up in produced such incredible icons as Buddy Ebsen (“Jed Clampett” from The Beverly Hillbillies), and candy corn.   After high school, I attended Southwestrn Illinois College where I earned my Associate in Arts.  I relocated to Tucson where I attended The University of Arizona for 2 years before enrolling at Arizona State, my current home.  My areas of study are American Indian History, American Indian Studies, and Anthropology.  One day, I hope to lecture and research at a major university. Harvard or Yale would be nice!

I love people, culture and travel. This summer I trekked around the United States on a solo journey of discovery.  My trip began with a single backpack and a Greyhound pass that could take me anywhere I wanted.  Thirty states and well over 50 cities later, I learned my greatest lesson: “Life is as much about the journey as it is the destination.” I find Art follows the same thinking.  The pleasure we find in a performance like the upcoming Miles Davis Experience on October 14^th  or a painted guitar like those found in Six-String Masterpieces, running through December 4^th  ,  comes from that initial moment of discovery. This wonderful process may also be turned into a personal experience. MAC offers a wide variety of classes and workshops for all ages throughout the year.

I look forward to exploring the events MAC has to offer along with the rest of you. I love to meet people so if you see me at an event, please, do not be afraid to stop and say “Hello!”

I hope to see many of you soon.

Cheers!

Join us Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, 2011 for our annual Dia de Los Muertos Festival.  This free community celebration will host live performances and music, as well as various children’s activities.  Learn more about the celebration’s heritage and impact on cultural arts at our mercado and shop an assortment of Dìa de los Muertos merchandise, arts & crafts and jewelry. 

And the events don’t stop there…

Between MACfest, and the launch of Target 3 for Free (10/2) and our Fall “Out to Lunch” Concert series (10/27), the Mesa Arts Center going to be a-buzzin’.   Get more details of our upcoming events here.

Attention teachers, parents, grandparents, child care associates…  Need a good reason to bring your energetic kiddos to historic downtown Mesa?  Well, look no further!  Located on the north-west corner of campus, the Mesa Contemporary Arts (MCA) provides guided Gallery Field Trips.  Students get to experience artwork by emerging and internationally-recognized visual artists demonstrating an array of contemporary theme through a variety of materials and concepts. With five rotating galleries, MCA continually provides an engaging and thought-provoking arts education opportunity for children of all ages. Pre-registration is required; cost is $2.50 per student, and includes a fun hands-on art making activity based upon the exhibitions that the students just toured.  This valuable supplemental experience will deepen participant’s engagement and connections to contemporary art.

We also just launched our new MCA season.  It’s pretty Rock ‘n’ Roll. Legendary LEGO(R) artist Nathan Sawaya built a full scale motorcycle out of Legos just for the MCA!  As one could imagine, his art pieces take quite a few lego blocks to build.  And that’s why Mr. Sawaya has a studio in New York City filled with millions of them. Explore unusual realities that are only created in the far recesses of our mind with Altered States, in gallery through September 30^th.  Also, be sure to check-out Easy Ridin’ and Hard Rockin’, a showcase of Arizona artists inspired by music and motorcycles. The exhibit runs until December 18^th.

Our Performing Live Series has officially started and is picking up steam!  If you haven’t already seen our upcoming lineup, click here.   Oh, get out your monthly planners because there’s bound to be a lot of dates you will need to block so you can get your tickets for top-notch talent like: The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China (10/5 @ 7:30p.m.); Choo Choo Soul “with Genevieve!” (10/8 @ 11a.m. or 1p.m.); The Miles Davis Experience (10/14 @ 7:30p.m.); k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang (10/16 @ 7:30p.m.); and the world premiere of MAC-commissioned AMEXICA: Tales of the Fourth World (10/21 – 11/6 – multiple show times).

I’ve got to say we have one very awesome season ahead of us folks! I hope you’re ready to join us for some rocking art, family fun, and ovation-worthy entertainment.  

Forever young,

Ryan Spillers

I was born and raised in the Phoenix area.  And no, I’m still not used to the heat.  After graduating high school, I attended Scottsdale Community College for two years.   I currently attend Arizona State University and I love it!  In December, I will be graduating with a duel-BS in Communication and Sociology.

Throughout my life, I knew I wanted to work with people.  The study of people, their quirks, and how to best communicate with them, absolutely fascinates me.  Hence, I chose to major in Communication and Sociology.  Now, as my time as an undergraduate is coming to an end, and the excitement of graduation draws closer, I’m a little nervous.  Since I was 5 years old, I have identified as a “student.”  The fact that I’m not going to be one anymore is scary.  To make the transition from student to real life easier, I decided an internship would be best, and it’s a great way to get my foot in the door of the business world.  The hard part was choosing an internship.  I wanted to find something that interested me, of course, but I also wanted a position that was concentrated on my career path:  Public Relations and Marketing.  While searching for internships, I came across one at the award-winning Mesa Arts Center.  I couldn’t believe it; it was exactly what I wanted!

In addition to focusing on Public Relations and Marketing, this was an opportunity to be involved in the arts – another industry I sincerely love!  With the Mesa Contemporary Arts museum’s five galleries, 14 arts studios, four theaters, and more than 275,000 annual attendees, I am very excited and eager to get involved in this upcoming season.  Plus, we have tons of wonderful live shows coming up!  A few that I am looking forward to are, The Grascals, an award winning bluegrass band.  They will be performing in the Piper Theater at 7:30 p.m. on September 30^th.  Also, The National Acrobats of the Peoples Republic of China, performing in the Ikeda Theater at 7:30 p.m. on October 5^th.  Their mystifying blend of martial arts, acrobatics, and illusion should make for an amazing show!

Hope to see you there!

-Tara Kerege