Announcing the 2014 Big Brain Finalists

Today's the day, Phoenix. We're announcing the finalists for the 2014 Big Brain Awards. Each spring, we recognize emerging Phoenix creatives -- and over the past 10 days, we've narrowed down our long list of nominations to 15 finalists in five categories...

By Becky Bartkowski

March 12, 2014

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Today's the day, Phoenix. We're announcing the finalists for the 2014 Big Brain Awards.

Each spring, we recognize emerging Phoenix creatives -- and over the past 10 days, we've narrowed down our long list of nominations to 15 finalists in five categories.

During New Times' Artopia (date to be announced soon), we'll honor one winner in each of the five categories -- visual art, performing art, culinary art, design, and urban vision -- with a $500 prize.

Leading up to the party, profiles of all the Big Brain finalists will run on New Times' blogs, as well as in the paper on Thursday, April 17.

And, since it's the fifth anniversary of Big Brains, we're also putting the spotlight on five established creatives who've helped make this Phoenix a better, cooler place. You might think of them as "elder statesmen," but we're calling them Urban Legends. Stay tuned for that big announcement next week.

Here they are, your 2014 Big Brain finalists: Culinary Art

Aisha Tedros Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. Stephanie Teslar

Visual Art

Becky Nahom El Peezo Alexandra Bowers

Performing Art

Kristopher K. Q. Pourzal Orange Theatre Mike Kennedy

Design

Scott Biersack Ashley Weber Manny Mares

Urban Vision

Daniel Mills Mary Stephens Phoenix Spokes People

Follow Jackalope Ranch on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.