The PVCC Creative Writing Program Presents: The Bridges Series

The Bridges Series is a collaborative reading/speaking series sponsored by PVCC’s Creative Writing Program. The goal of The Bridges Series is to bring innovative and creative entrepreneurs as well as accomplished writers of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and other genres to campus. The series has featured award-winning poets and fiction writers, video game developers, advertising professionals, a ghost writer, and many others. One focus of the series is to feature local artists and artists and professionals from outside our city and state. The Fall 2017 Bridges Series features writers Patricia Murphy, Hedy Habra and Beth Cato. 

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Thursday, September 14th: Patricia Murphy

The Puma Press Room
10:30am - 12:00pm

Patricia Colleen Murphy founded Superstition Review at Arizona State University, where she teaches creative writing and magazine production. Her book Hemming Flames (Utah State University Press, 2016) won the May Swenson Poetry Award judged by Stephen Dunn, and in 2017 won the Milt Kessler Poetry Award. A chapter from her memoir in progress was published as a chapbook by New Orleans Review. Her writing has appeared in many literary journals, including The Iowa Review, Quarterly West, American Poetry Review, Smartish Pace, Burnside Review, Poetry Northwest, Third Coast, Hobart, decomP, Midway Journal, Armchair/Shotgun, and Natural Bridge. She lives in Phoenix, AZ.

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Thursday, October 19th: Hedy Habra

The Puma Press Room
10:30am - 12:00pm

Hedy Habra has authored two poetry collections, Under Brushstrokes, finalist for the USA Best Book Award and the International Poetry Book Award, and Tea in Heliopolis, winner of the USA Best Book Award and finalist for the International Poetry Book Award. Her story collection, Flying Carpets, won the Arab American National Book Award's Honorable Mention and was finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award. Her book of literary criticism, Mundos alternos y artisticos en Vargas Llosa explores the visual and interartistic elements in the Peruvian Nobel's narrative. A recipient of the Nazim Hikmet Poetry Awards, she was a six-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. Her work appears in Cimarron Review, Te Bitter Oleander, Blue Fifth Review, Cider Press Review, Drunken Boat, Gargoyle, Nimrod, Poet Lore, World Literature Today and Verse Daily. She has a passion for art and teaches Spanish at Western Michigan University. 

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Thursday, November 16th: Beth Cato

The Puma Press Room
10:30am - 12:00pm

Beth Cato hails from Hanford, California, but currently writes and bakes cookies in a lair west of Phoenix, Arizona. She shares the household with  a hockey-loving husband, a numbers-obsessed son, and a cat the size of a canned ham. She's the author of THE CLOCKWORK DAGGER (a 2015 Locus Award finalist for First Novel) and THE CLOCKWORK CROWN (an RT Reviewers' Choice Finalist) from Harper Voyager. Her novella "Wings of Sorrow and Bone" was a 2016 Nebula nominee. BREATH OF EARTH begins a new steampunk series set in an alternate history 1906 San Francisco. Follow her at bethcato.com and on Twitter at @BethCato. 

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The Bridges Series is in partnership with The Entrepreneurship Education Center, the PVCC English Division, the Division of Fine & Performing Arts, The Buxton Library and Club Z.

Fall 2017 Jazz Ensembles at PVCC

The Music Department at PVCC is excited to offer several new and unique music-making opportunities focused on JAZZ MUSIC for Fall 2017. Courses are for students of all ages and abilities. Ensemble classes begin September 4th. 

UNION JAZZ INSTITUTE COMBO · Wednesday 5-6pm

JAZZ COMBO · Monday 4-6pm

BIG BAND · Monday 7-9pm

COMMUNITY JAZZ COMBO · Monday 7-850pm

THE PVCC NONET · Wednesday 7-950pm

LATIN JAZZ COMBO · Thursday 7-850pm

See course descriptions + register at classes.sis.maricopa.edu · Search for MUP (Music Performance)

The PVCC Experience: Fine & Performing Arts

Interested in the Fine & Performing Arts at PVCC? See what these students have to say about our programs, teachers and the PVCC experience: 

No Experience Necessary: FREE Summer Music Workshops at PVCC

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Student Feature: David Warner, Visual Arts

We recently sat down with David Warner, PVCC student and visual artist to discuss his work, his experience at PVCC and his creative process. David's colorful, symbolic paintings explore themes of loss and gain, perseverance, and the search for one’s own integrity and truth. He expresses these ideas through a combination of abstract and surreal elements. 

"Rebirth"

"Taking the Dark to Light"

When did you know you were an artist?

I started drawing when I was about 3 years old. At the time it was something that I really enjoyed and lost myself in. At one point when I was about 5 or 6 I remember vividly experiencing this physical and spiritual rush of excitement. It was around this point that I realized I loved drawing.  Around the same age I was drawing Biblical stories, scenes from Moby Dick, whales and scenes from movies such as “Jaws”, “Indiana Jones” and others. I was also interested in acting and directing for a long time and that deep passion has stayed with me as I’ve gotten older. 

How did you begin painting?

I first started painting seriously about 4 or 5 years ago. From a very early age I was very invested in drawing with pen and graphite before people started continuously encouraging me to use color in my work (something I was initially resistant to). I first tried oil painting when I was a senior in High School: there one was one night when I decided to bring a canvas and paints home and I painted for about 4 or 5 hours. It was that night that I realized oil painting was my passion. For some reason, the blending, the application and feel of the paint made so much sense to me and I was able to pick up the process very quickly.

"The Plants Never Worry About Blooming"

"The Thing That Makes Me Slow Is The Thing that Makes Me Drive"

Are you attracted to any other visual forms of art?

Yes. Around the same time that I picked up drawing at a young age, movies were another thing that I absolutely loved and obsessed over. To this day, I am a very committed and passionate film-watcher. 

How do you decide what you will paint?

Currently it is something that just comes to me. These days I just sit down in front of the canvas and let it loose. Right now I am invested in bringing several ways of painting something (aesthetically and technically) into a singular painting. Creativity is something that is always there, but on some days I feel it strongly and on other days I struggle to really tap into it. When I first started oil painting around 2012-2013 I would draw and sketch out the idea a few times before I would finally commit it to canvas. For the past year I have been working on a process where I start painting an image that is planned out and I destroy it (usually out of frustration) by painting over it with an abstract field. Once the painting dries, I got to it again and fully flesh out my idea. Sometimes it’ll take a couple of months to fully finish a painting, so I try to have a few going during the same time. My process is always evolving and changing and I try my best to go with it.

"Speaking To You is Like Breathing"

"Watcher of Thought"

What are your influences?

My influences span from movies, music and painting to psychology, spirituality and day-to-day experiences. My earlier influences came from film, but at around the same time I was exposed to painters such as Salvador Dali and Renee Magritte whose work had a tremendous impact on me. For about 3 or 4 years I would hole up in my room and study works by Vincent Van Gogh, Wassily Kandinsky, Jean Michel-Basquiat, Henri Matisse, Caravaggio, Pablo Picasso, Milton Avery and Jackson Pollock among many others. Recently, musicians such as Aphex Twin and John Frusciante have profoundly impacted and spurred on the way I express myself. Film directors such as Paul Thomas Anderson, Michael Mann, John Carpenter and Danny Boyle have always had a special place in my heart. My art professor, Adria Pecora has had a tremendous impact on me during my stay at Paradise Valley Community College. Her versatility, talent and insight as an artist really helped me improve as an artist. She has a way of approaching the creative process and articulating the ideas behind the process that I really admire and look up to.

What is the most difficult aspect of your creative process?

I think that one of the more difficult things about the creative process is not over-thinking it. I have noticed that having expectations for my art is something that does not work for me at this point in my journey. If I approach the canvas with a specific idea that is already mapped out, I struggle to maintain interest. At this point, the creative process has a mind of its own and if I am fortunate enough to organize all of these things in my head without forcing it at the right time, I am truly satisfied. The old cliché “organized chaos” rings true for me. Part of the creative process is relaxing into the frame of mind where thoughts fade and you loosen your grip on control. When you reach that point, the creativity just pours out. So, the difficult part is relaxing and going with it, not against it.

"Past, PRESENT, Future"

What is the most rewarding aspect?

Drawing and painting is always something I have done to find a quiet place where everything makes sense to me. As I have gotten older, I have found that the creative process is inseparable from my spirituality and faith. Painting allows me to explore myself spiritually and connect with God. I feel that I can truly explore my thoughts and emotions and express these things through painting and drawing. It's my way of connecting and communicating to other people. At this point in my artistic journey, connecting with other people is the other most rewarding aspect. If I can communicate myself to people and have an emotional reaction and response, I feel that I have done my job as an artist.

"Sea of Frequency"

What would you change about your talents if you could?

I still have that voice that comes up and says, “You can do this better, why can’t you do THAT? What is not working in this painting?” I find that that critical voice can really push me to improve as an artist, but I still have to remind myself to appreciate and love what I do paint. I think most artists are like this. I want to find that balance of being objective and improving my craft but also appreciating and loving what I am doing. On a lighter note I would love to be able to play and create music. It is something that I have absolutely no channel to. 

What has been your experience at PVCC?

I have had an absolutely incredible, life-changing experience at this school. For a while I was lost and not sure as to what path to take in my life. All of my classes at this institution have been excellent and I simply enjoy walking the campus and encountering the faculty and fellow students who make this whole experience unique and fulfilling.

"Nostalgic Sadness" 

Describe a positive interaction with a PVCC professor.

A couple of years ago I was finally convinced to return to school after years of shrugging it off. I attended SCC and was heading toward a degree in film before I dropped out. I had been lost for about 3 years prior to the decision to return to school. During my first semester at PVCC I attended a life-drawing class taught by Adria Pecora. I was initially terrified and very within myself; I hadn’t been to school in years and I was afraid. Adria from the first week was able to bring out my passion and my desire for learning. She basically opened my mind to all sorts of new possibilities creatively and gave me a support system that to this day I am absolutely grateful for. She has been incredibly helpful and committed to me as a PVCC student. I credit her as being an integral part of my transformation as an artist and as a person. She helped guide me to where I am now. I’ll be attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for my undergraduate degree and she encouraged me to take those steps to achieve that goal. She wrote an amazing letter of recommendation for me and I am very grateful for all of her support. She is an amazing artist, a supportive teacher and a good friend.

"Pain and Pleasure"

Describe the group/community/class environment in your art classes.

I have found that the art classes are THE place to really engage with fellow students. Art is communication. I think the art classes offered at PVCC provide an atmosphere where students can really engage and learn about each other through expression. The whole experience is very enjoyable, supportive and therapeutic. I would highly recommend that even people who are not headed toward a degree in the Art field attend at least one class. There are many opportunities here and the professors are excellent.

You were recently featured in a gallery show at the Center for Performing Arts, how did that feel? 

It felt great to represent my school. Most of my paintings if not all were gathering dust in my room and I was waiting to get them out there for people to see. The only people who were aware of them were my art professors, colleagues, friends and family. To have several of them displayed for a month was a great feeling. I was happy to be in the show alongside other PVCC student artists.

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How did you select which pieces to enter?

I kind of knew immediately which pieces I wanted to put in the show, but there was some deliberation between pieces I wasn’t so sure about. I asked my family and friends to choose which pieces they liked best. I didn’t rely absolutely on their opinions, but I did take into account what they had to say. I still struggle sometimes with choosing the pieces for myself rather than relying on critiques and opinions from other people. I do consider art to belong to both the artist and the viewer, so I do take critiques objectively and I try to see how people respond to certain works. Granted, I will never change something in my work because of someone else’s opinion.

What do you hope viewers think or feel when they interact with your work?

As long as a viewer can be intrigued and interested with what I have painted, I am truly happy. I want my art to make people happy. I want people to experience a familiarity to my work that resonates with their own life. I want to connect with people on an emotional level and if I have done that I have done my job as an artist successfully.

"Memories of You"

Four Events Celebrating The 50th Anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

PVCC'S SGT. PEPPER'S PROJECT:

Lecture: The Significance of the Album Cover

Thursday, February 16th, 12:30pm-2:00pm, Center for the Performing Arts Theater, Tomi Johnston (Art History Professor)

Lecture: The Revolutionary Recording Process

Tuesday, February 21st, 12:30pm-2:00pm, KSC 1000A, Dr. Brett Reed (Music Professor)

Performance: A LIVE recording session

Wednesday, March 1st, 12:30pm-2:00pm, Center for the Performing Arts Music Room (CPA 115), Dr. Brett Reed and Dr. Christopher Scinto

50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE BEATLES'

SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND CONCERT

March 10-11, 2017 at 7:30pm,  $8-$20 admission.  (Sunday, March 12th performance canceled).

Come and experience the Beatles' legendary album performed live by the PVCC Faculty Rock Band, Special Guest vocalists and a 30 piece orchestra.  Proceeds from this event will benefit the Paradise Valley Community College Student Scholarship Fund. 

Click Here to purchase tickets online

Glass-blowing Event: Handmade Holiday Ornaments

GLASS-BLOWING EVENT:  HOLIDAY ORNIMENTS

Saturday, December 3rd, 2:00pm-5:00PM, $45 Admission

Start a NEW family tradition this Holiday by creating colorful blown-glass heirlooms!

Each person will design and create their own free-blown-glass holiday ornament.

Within each 15-minute time slot, two people will work in tandem with either Seth Fairweather, glassblowing faculty or Mike Butzine, visiting glassblowing artist. Space is limited. 

Click here for Event Registration

Illusions of Depth: Sidewalk Art at PVCC

Krystal Aroche

The Fall 2016 ART113 Color class has once again created illusions of depth on the sidewalks of the PVCC campus. Using strategies of color and composition such as overlapping, diminishing scale, color atmosphere, vertical placement and receding color, the students have created a series of surprising troupe l’oeil images that interrupt viewers’ perception of depth as the encounter the normally mundane concrete sidewalk.

Students in this year’s project are: Krystal Aroche, Sophia Clamitti, Alida Johnson, Jackie Lipscomb, Hunter Luck, Marybeth Miller, Kim Russell, Maggie Scott, Taylor Wilson, Ping Yi-Rivera

The group works from 5:30 to about 8:00 pm to create their image from a previously designed mock-up created in class.

Taylor and Maggie.

Alida and Kim.

Hunter Luck

Marybeth Miller

Jackie Lipscomb

Sophia Clamitti

Taylor Wilson

Maggie Scott

Alida Johnson

Kim Russell

Ping Yi-Rivera

Saturday Concert Series: Grupo Liberdade

October 15th will be an exciting day at PVCC!

PVCC Fine & Performing Arts Open House from 1:00p-4:00pm

Saturday Concert Series with Grupo Liberdade and Queso Good food truck at 6:00pm.

Grupo Liberdade is a performance group dedicated to freedom of expression through Culture, Movement & Sound. We promote COMMUNITY, DIVERSITY & EMPOWERMENT drawing upon the traditional & contemporary rhythms of Brazil and beyond while bringing an original sound & energy to our desert metropolis. Specializing in Batucada including the Afro-Brazilian styles of Samba, Samba Reggae, Côcos and Maracatu, Grupo Liberdade strives to share the infectious sounds of Brasil with Arizona to further enrich, move & inspire.   

Since 2004, the group has performed throughout Arizona under the direction of Brazilian native, Poranguí from leading the Annual Phoenix Parade of the Arts through downtown Phoenix, to drumming & dancing in the new year for thousands of party-goers at the historical Hotel Congress in Tucson.  Founded in 2008 by Angelique Starks, the SambAZ Dancers have quickly become one of the liveliest and most notable Samba acts in the country.  Dedicated to creating music to move the body & soul, this project brings together diversity on all levels with an incredible show of talented musicians & dancers that must not be watched, but experienced! 

Fall 2016 Fine Arts Open House

Saturday, October 15th | 1:00 PM - 4:00 pm

On Saturday, October 15th Paradise Valley Community College’s Center for the Performing Arts (CPA) will host the Fine Arts Open House. This free event features demos, performances, tours, workshops, and hands-on activities.  Music, dance, theatre, costume design, creative writing, film, and studio recording are among the fine and performing arts programs that will be showcased. Information about classes, programs, events, scholarships and performance opportunities will be available, and those in attendance will be treated to a variety of special performances and workshops throughout the afternoon.