When we last put the spotlight on 100 creative forces in Phoenix, it was no secret there were more than 100 individuals who were making waves in the local arts community. So as we count down to our annual Best of Phoenix issue, we're profiling 100 more. Welcome (back) to 100 Creatives.
Kim Moody describes himself as a transformative urban pioneer, fourth-generation Arizonan. His great grandfather John M. Moody founded Thatcher, and relatives in the Noble and Sirrine families built Mesa Canals and church choirs.
Kim Moody was raised in Tempe earned his bachelors degree in Secondary Education and Theatre and later founded Alwun House, which has been a staple and cornerstone of the arts community in downtown Phoenix for more than 35 years.
"I guess it was inevitable," Moody says. "Being raised totally immersed in musicality's passions with dance and theatre, from sacred to profane that my deep-rooted purpose envisioned a nascent cultural arts incubator downtown."
Came to Phoenix with ... Conviction that artists hold a unique transformative ability. I thrive nurturing artists of all stripes, colors and persuasions; those with the fire in their belly to define and refine their passions. Even when no one else was downtown. I knew there was power in art to transform a community. Opportunity and chance brought me back to Grandma Nobel's disintegrating Historic Garfield Neighborhood, itself surrounded by a depressing, abandoned-after-work downtown of the '70's.
Seeing the neglected two-story 1912 Bungalow on Roosevelt at 12th Street was an epiphany: Where there was hard caliche dirt driveways, and two trees, I saw an intentional aesthetic gathering place, space for green lush gardens, gallery and stage. Providing pioneering artists a platform where their sweat and dreams could prosper.
Alwun House initiated downtown's evolution toward today's rapturous arts renaissance. In those days folks were invited to our Basement Theatre's "ground-breaking," and to their well heeled surprise, met a bucket brigade taking dirt from the basement to outside perimeter: audacious, on reflection.
I make/do art because ... The insightful and curious continue to engage, contributing skills in expanding this resourceful little community arts incubator. My hands never stray too far from the earth, life's lessons in cycles. I am grateful grass-roots contributors consistently provide the necessary support for our next generation of energetic idealists.
I revel in places encouraging experimental collaborations, where insider meet outsider.. This place incites cool cats like Captain Squeegee collective to explore their nexus with MCC jazz band, "Intentional Dreaming" videos, performance artists, and expansive video interactivity. Multicultural inclusiveness nurtures native indigenous peoples story into contemporary dialog. I get juiced sparking the imaginations of tomorrow's creatives. Perseverance builds durability, spurred on by burn-in-your-belly passion toward an essential aesthetic.
I'm most productive when ... I focus, preferably starting with a morning carafe of deep dark roast coffee! Occasionally pausing to glance out at ponds, lilies, dragonflies on cat-tail and papyrus, pomegranates attracting long-billed Thrashers - recharged, return to focus.
My inspiration wall is full of ... articles on science+art innovators fueling strategies for sustainable urban growth, News clipping about local creative entrepreneurs, saying their passion pushing them to take the next big step.
I've learned the most from ... irrepressibly passionate urban pioneers: Paolo Soleri archologies of matter becoming spirit. Dialogue with master mime Marcel Marceau, "communication through silence is a link between the thoughts of man.; and most instructive." And local arts provocateur Rudy Turk, ASU Nelson Fine Art Museum curator, and Alwun House Board member.
Rudy suggested every artist has a personal work in the closet; invite the artists to showcase their more intimate works their galleries wouldn't touch. Call it "Exotic Art" as a fundraiser... adding with a sparkle in his eye, everyone will read "erotic." - OK, it's grown to that annual eye-popping, jaw-dropping spectacular you've all heard about, or bring your out-of-town guests to, all stunned they're seeing this multiple media homage to lust, love, fantasy and ethereal passions in Phoenix, or Arizona for that matter. And it is our fundraising "Nutcracker."
Good work should always ... stimulate, grab your attention, focus - and in the best of worlds, spark imagination forming new associations. Then there's the sublime.
The Phoenix Creative Scene could use more ... enablers; giving back to community. Oh, and more actively curious creative's expressing themselves like local Hector Ruiz did before, "I am optimistic in a shapeable, progressive, bright future for Phoenix and want to be part of helping make that happen." Amen.
The Creatives, so far ... (And while you're here, check out 100 Tastemakers on Chow Bella.)
100:Lara Plecas 99. Isaac Caruso 98. Brandon Gore 97. Kelsey Dake 96. Hector Ruiz 95. Caroline Battle 94: Jennifer Campbell 93. Jeff Chabot 92. Tiffiney Yazzie 91. Daniel Germani 90. Irma Sanchez 89. Daniel m. Davis 88. Kirstin Van Cleef 87. Emmett Potter 86. Sarah Hurwitz 85. Christine Cassano 84. Fred Tieken 83. Lindsay Kinkade 82. Ruben Galicia 81. Robert Uribe 80. Heidi Abrahamson 79. Josephine Davis 78. Travis Ladue 77. Taz Loomans 76. Mikey Jackson 75. Alex Empty 74. Joe Ray 73. Carol Roque 72. Daniel Funkhouser 71. Carla Chavarria 70. Hugo Medina 69. Cavin Costello 68. Claire Carter 67. Lindsay Tingstrom 66. Catherine Ruane 65. Christopher Crosby 64. Aaron Johnson 63. Brenda Eden 62. Colton Brock 61. Ernesto Moncada 60. Benjamin Phillips 59. Brad Armstrong 58. Angela Hardison 57. Tyler Quinn 56. Andrew James Benson 55. Charles Anthony Darr 54: Tiffe Fermaint 53. Eric Cox 52. Victor Vasquez 51. John Randall Nelson 50. Lauren Lee 49. Kyle Jordre 48. Julie C. Kent 47. Sean Deckert 46. Niba DelCastillo 45. Joseph Benesh 44. Ashley Harder 43. Dan Vermillion 42. Daniel Shepherd 41. James B. Hunt 40. Lori Fenn 39. Seth Gideon Fainkujen 38. Wayne Rainey 37. Christian Filardo 36. Melissa Cody 35. Jason Rudolph Peña 34. Cindy Iverson 33. Ryan Gentry 32. Sebastien Millon 31. Andrea Beesley 30. Chris Pruitt 29. Robert Diehl 28. Rachel Malloy 27. Jonathan Simon 26. Ann Morton
