^
Keep New Times Free
I Support
- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
100 Creatives You Need to Know in Metro Phoenix
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at 6 a.m.

Courtesy of Rebecca Hollingsworth
100. Nicole Olson of Scorpius Dance Theatre:
"I base most of my work off of the human experience. I love telling stories and expressing human emotion through dance."
1/89

Courtesy of Andrew Pielage
99. Phoenix Photographer Andrew Pielage:
"Good work should always be challenging and from the heart."
2/89

Courtesy of Jessica Rowe
98. Gilbert Artist Jessica Rowe:
"When something is a little bit 'off,' it really makes the art interesting and real."
3/89

Courtesy of Danny Neumann
97. Phoenix Designer Danny Neumann:
"I make art because I enjoy the process of bringing to life the ideas in my head."
4/89

Corey Ralston Photography
96. YA Author Beth Cato:
"It took years of effort to create a book that resulted in signing with a literary agent."
5/89

Courtesy of Gary Pratt
95. Phoenix Storyteller Jessie Balli:
"The connection you feel when sharing your most intimate moments with a room full of strangers has allowed me the opportunity to grow."
6/89

Erin Evangeline Photography
94. Ron May of Stray Cat Theatre:
"I'm most productive when I'm under a deadline. I think it's part of why theater and I get along so well."
7/89

Enrique Garcia
93. Phoenix Fashion Designer Leonor Aispuro:
"I started getting interested in sewing and design at a very young age, learning from the women in my family."
8/89

Courtesy of Sarah Waite
92. Scottsdale Nail Artist Sarah Waite:
"The accomplishment I feel when looking back at something that I’ve just created from nothing is indescribable."
9/89

Courtesy of Christina "Xappa" Franco
91. Christina "Xappa" Franco of Xappaland:
"I make art because it makes me happier than any other thing in the world, even when it breaks my heart."
10/89

Airi Katsuta
90. Christian Adame of Phoenix Art Museum:
"Good work should always say something and make me see differently."
11/89

Courtesy of Tara Sharpe
89. Tara Sharpe of Artelshow:
"We should be encouraging collectors that live in the state to consider Phoenix artists more in their collections."
12/89

Courtesy of Patricia Sannit
88. Sculptor Patricia Sannit:
"As a result of my desire to bring a real sense of connection to history in the work, I work with reclaimed and found clay."
13/89

Ken Howie
86. Dennita Sewell of Phoenix Art Museum:
"My work is varied from day to day depending on where we are at in the process of mounting an exhibition."
14/89

Tom Story
85. Garth Johnson of ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center:
"My mission in life is to preserve the legacies of brilliant artists who aren't as well-remembered as they should be."
15/89

Devon Adams
84. Charissa Lucille of Fem Static:
"Above all, I strive to surround myself with the writing and artwork by my closest friends and people I admire."
16/89

Jessica Bodford
83. Ryan Downey of Phoenix Chorale:
"My mother remembers coming home when I was 6 or 7 and finding me with headphones on, listening to Mozart’s Requiem at full volume and in total awe of what I was hearing."
17/89

Carlee Komar
82. Samantha Thompson of Standard Wax :
"Life is a journey, and you have to be willing to leave your comfort zone in order to truly experience it."
18/89

Troy Harris
79. Phoenix Artist Jennifer Campbell:
"I think this is a trying time for the art community in Phoenix; a lot of galleries are being pushed out by development."
19/89

Courtesy of Childsplay
78. Dwayne Hartford of Childsplay:
"When I graduated from college many years ago, I determined that my idea of success would be to live a life in the arts."
20/89

Craig Smith
77. Shaliyah Ben of the Heard Museum:
"The art of teaching is a major driving force for me; seeing students construct and demonstrate that they understand new principles/concepts through art is fascinating."
21/89

Mary McLeod
76. Phoenix-based Photographer Kym Ventola:
"Personally, I connect with images that make you feel something and force you to take time to really see the entire image."
22/89

Katrina Donaldson
75. Matthew Watkins of Orange Theatre:
"The best thing an artist can do for themselves is to severely limit their choices early on."
23/89

Gary Pratt
73. Phoenix Storyteller Rachel Egboro:
"Storytelling helps me slow down to take stock of my experiences and appreciate what they mean to my life."
24/89

iTheatre Collaborative
72. Rosemary Close of iTheatre Collaborative:
"My art is different because I have nothing tangible to give, only the performance, the experience and, of course, a playbill."
25/89

Wen Hang Lin
71. Ally Haynes-Hamblen of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts:
"I’m passionate about sharing with as many people as I can what’s being created here."
26/89

Alexandra Gaspar
68. Laura Dragon of {9} The Gallery:
"Owning a gallery, I have the gift of working with tons of local artists, musicians, dancers, and writers."
27/89

Michelle Herrick
67. Phoenix Makeup Artist Stephanie Neiheisel:
"I will never sacrifice my true friends, family, or time to cater to what the industry says I should be."
28/89


Alexandra Gaspar
65. Scottsdale Artist Jessica Rajko:
"Most of my work is collaborative, and my best work happens when I share conceptual agency with others."
30/89

Velma Kee Craig
64. Velma Kee Craig:
"I make art because I believe in its ability to heal, illuminate, and inspire change."
31/89

Courtesy of Oliver Hibert
63. Scottsdale Painter Oliver Hibert:
"I don't like to give my art an end-all, be-all label, but my work can be mostly psychedelic, surreal, strange, and sexy."
32/89

Amanda Embry
62. Joya Scott of Orange Theatre:
"I'm most interested in art that confronts me with something I don't quite understand."
33/89

Karen Loschavio
61. Tempe Performance Artist Raji Ganesan:
"In the context of work that I enjoy, I love when someone expresses that they feel more able to confront some aspect of their own lives: past, present, or future."
34/89

Cheyanne Paredes
60. Phoenix Flea Founder Ashlee Molina:
"I love the process of coming up with an idea and then figuring out a way to turn it into something tangible and relevant to other people."
35/89

Courtesy of Myrlin Hepworth
59. Phoenix Poet Myrlin Hepworth:
"Good work should always be commissioned or be intended or created to exist primarily for the disenfranchised."
36/89

Elaine Kessler Photography
58. Scottsdale International Film Festival Founder Amy Ettinger:
"Art can be challenging, so I bring the community together to experience films which will rarely be seen in the Valley."
37/89

Scott Foust, Image Industry
57. Arizona Science Center's Founding CEO Sheila Grinell:
"I began my second career, as a novelist, in 2009, because it was time to explore life differently."
38/89

Peter Bugg
Artist Forrest Solis:
"I am not an emotional painter; I don’t wait for inspiration or for a particular mood."
39/89

Andrew Rogers
54. Writer and Podcaster Robert Hoekman Jr.:
"Really, I’m all about stories that leave a mark. Sometimes, it’s a book that gets me there. Sometimes, it’s asphalt."
40/89

Courtesy of Airi Katsuta
52. Gabriela Munoz of Arizona Arts Commission:
"I make art because it’s beyond me to stop, and I find it is a generative form of expression."
41/89

A.J. Grucky
50. Phoenix Designer Liz Magura:
"I have a collaborative hunger for just about anything, and truly believe we’re only better together."
42/89

Courtesy of Anita Means
49. Anita and Sam Means:
"The Phoenix creative scene could use more people!"
43/89

Ron Brewer
48. Tempe Choreographer Liz Ann Hewett:
"If you attend one my shows, you could expect anything from flower petals raining down on you, to character twists, to being asked to be involved."
44/89

Courtesy of Mesa Arts Center
47. Tiffany Fairall of Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum:
"For me, good work should always invite closer contemplation. Quality, aesthetic, and meaningful commentary are all good guidelines."
45/89

Image courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum
46. Vanessa Davidson of Phoenix Art Museum:
"I curate art because new discoveries inspire me every day."
46/89

Barry Sparkman
45. Michelle Dock of Tempe Center for the Arts:
"My inspiration wall is full of pop-culture references. I can geek out pretty easily on anything from sci-fi to history."
47/89

Courtesy of ASU Performance in the Borderlands
44. Phoenix Playwright Nia Witherspoon:
"I make art because it is how I survive, it is how I worship, it is how I understand and process the world, it is how I create and build community, it is how I honor and dignify my people, and it is how I imagine justice."
48/89

Amy Hanen
43. Phoenix Dressmaker Monique Sandoval:
"The feeling of bringing flat fabrics together by certain cuts and seams into something dimensional and wearable still gives me butterflies."
49/89

Alexander Iziliaev
42. Nayon Iovino of Ballet Arizona:
"I'm most productive when I'm being challenged in rehearsals. As a choreographer, creativity comes to me randomly."
50/89

Nancy Lynn Miller of PoshCreative
41. Lighting Designer Daniel Davisson:
"I had a hunger for the professional theater world from a very young age, and created my own drive and determination to be where I’m at today."
51/89

Amanda Hunt
40. Visual Artist Andrew King:
"I feel like as an artist, it’s an especially long path to self-actualization, but with each job, each new connection, each triumph and mistake, that path becomes more and more clear."
52/89

Courtesy of Michelle Moyer
39. Michelle Moyer of Kenneth Pierre Designs:
"I love to wear one of my stepdad’s turquoise rings. It makes me feel like he is here with me."
53/89

Isela Lopez
38. Nail Artist Jimmy Nguyen:
"The beauty industry is dominated by women, and as a male, I feel I offer a different perspective while providing services that are heavily influenced by street art and culture."
54/89

Faculty Photography, University of California, Riverside
37. Tiffany Lopez of ASU:
"The arts are about coming into voice, becoming present in your body, and sharing work for public witnessing – all things that violence and trauma try to destroy."
55/89

Courtesy of Kristin Bauer
36. Tempe Artist Kristin Bauer:
"I've learned most from observation and listening, even (and especially) in silent mundane moments. Life is a long moving composition with many overlapping rhythms and melodies, and I don’t think I could articulate a singular note that is more substantial."
56/89

Scottsdale Cultural Council
35. Donna Isaac of Scottsdale Public Art:
"A good work of art is the basis for discussion, and can always engage the public."
57/89

Courtesy of Douglas Miles
34. Douglas Miles of Apache Skateboards:
"I've learned most from my mom, older brothers and sisters, raising my own family of four, and never quitting."
58/89

Charles Darr
33. Tempe Artist Sierra Joy:
"I work really well in activated spaces. When I have my friends' creative energy flowing around me, I feel like our stories are constantly intertwining and influencing each other's work."
59/89

Sean Deckert
32. Phoenix Artist Francisco Flores:
"I think creative people in Phoenix can use more community spaces to gather, spaces such as Cut and Paste, or Puente, places that are open to everyone and their resourcefulness."
60/89

Courtesy of Amy Robinson
31. Arizona Cardinals Graphic Designer Amy Robinson:
"I love seeing the fans’ reactions when a new design rolls out or they really enjoy a social media post which gets them pumped for the season or game."
61/89

Courtesy of Julio Cesar Morales
30. ASU Art Museum Curator Julio Cesar Morales:
"What I find inspiring is the local activism by individuals and organizations fighting against social injustices within Arizona."
62/89

Actors WorkHouse
55. Duane Daniels of Space 55:
"For this city’s acting reputation to become more viable from a national perspective, we all have to do whatever it takes to raise the bar on the quality of our work."
63/89

Courtesy of Kelsey Pinckney
28. Kelsey Pinckney of Four Chambers:
"Good work should always start a conversation. Or stop one."
64/89

Melissa Coble
27. Ben Smith of Unexpected Art Gallery:
"Good work should always be a goal, but sometimes you just need to call it when a project goes south."
65/89

Grant Vetter
26. Rembrandt Quiballo:
"Being an artist means you are aligning yourself to certain values and ideals that are sometimes antithetical to the broader culture."
66/89

Jeff Geertsen
25. Mesa Artist Corinne Geertsen:
"The Phoenix creative scene could use more people who put art in their homes."
67/89

Marty Scherer
24. Tess Mosko Scherer of Shemer Art Center :
"Although Phoenix chose me more than I chose it, it has offered an unexpected opportunity for me to step fully into myself as an artist and as a woman."
68/89

Karolina Sikorska
23. Slawomir Wozniak of Phoenix Ballet:
"I pursue my mission to make ballet an important part of human culture."
69/89

Courtesy of Elly Finzer
22. Mesa Poet Elly Finzer:
"I came to Phoenix with $1,000 in my pocket, a 3-year-old daughter, and a small hope that I could make a good life happen for us here."
70/89

Richard Douglas
21. Glendale Artist Josh Brizuela:
"This year, I've reverted back to believing every single idea that comes to me and running with it instead of combatting it."
71/89

Jim Nichols
20. Peoria Author Amy K. Nichols:
"I'm most productive when I’m on a deadline. Nothing like a ticking clock to get me motivated."
72/89

Larry Alan Photography
19. Phoenix Fashion Designer Angela Johnson:
"My inspiration wall is full of succulents, Halloween imagery, avant-garde fashion, sea life, insects, industrial interiors."
73/89

Courtesy of Grant Vetter
18. ASU Galleries Director Grant Vetter:
"Phoenix has to embrace its own madness. If you meet an artist here, they are hardcore about making art. "
74/89

Michelle & Melanie Craven
17. Michelle and Melanie Craven of Scottsdale's Tilt Gallery:
"We make art because we couldn’t imagine a world with out it. We see art around us everywhere, every day; we need to just take a moment to stop and see it."
75/89

Scott Sandry
16. Phoenix Comedian Erick Biez:
"One of my favorite things is when people after my set or show I’ve produced tell me how much fun they had."
76/89

Alvin Galloway
15. Phoenix Storyteller Leah Marche:
"My journalism education and experience has taught me how to find a story and how to tell a story."
77/89

Courtesy of Lisa Von Hoffner
14. Lisa Von Hoffner:
"Ideas are fluid and I hope to reflect that in my work, learning something new from every piece I make."
78/89

Image courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum
13. Amada Cruz of Phoenix Art Museum:
"I love what I do. But the best part of my job at PAM is when I’m in the galleries surrounded by happy visitors."
79/89

Ron Brewer Photography
12. Amber Robins of Phoenix's Center Dance Ensemble:
"You have to truly believe that everything around you is some form of art."
80/89

Andy DeLisle
10. Steven Tepper of ASU's Herberger Institute:
"I ended up as dean of the Herberger Institute because much of my research and writing has been about the education and careers of arts graduates."
81/89

Lisa Greve
9. Bentley Calverley:
"When people ask what I do for a living, I sometimes say gallerist and sometimes say den mother."
82/89

Agnes Art & Photo
8. Lisa Olson of Practical Art:
"My inspiration wall is full of art from floor to ceiling. Made by local artists — they are my inspiration!"
83/89

Courtesy of Eric Torres
7. Game Designer Eric Torres:
"Some might think fiction is nonsense. That’s okay. Real life is nonsense, too."
84/89

Jeff Libman
6. Phoenix Comedian Genevieve Rice:
"I’ve grown so much more confident and content, and it’s all due to silly jokes about raccoons and Pretty Woman."
85/89

Keitaro Harada
5. Kathleen Trott:
"Good costume designs always support the context of the play/opera/musical."
86/89

Evie Carpenter
4. Arizona Poet Alberto Rios:
"The great secret is that it has been one day after another, each an adventure, each bringing a gift."
87/89

John Groseclose
3. Louis Farber of Stray Cat Theatre:
"I feel a great deal of creating theater is being able to successfully operate within the confines of a given amount of time, existing budget, and available resources."
88/89

Troy Aossey
2. Lisa Sette:
"The Phoenix creative scene could use more critical writing and exposure locally and nationally — there are some very high-quality exhibitions and artists to be seen here."
89/89
100 Creatives You Need to Know in Metro Phoenix
As part of our countdown to Best of Phoenix 2016: Bordertown, New Times put the spotlight on 100 Creatives working in visual art, theater, design, and behind the scenes to enrich the Valley's creative community. Here they are: the actors, painters, authors, and boundary-defying innovators you need to know.
As part of our countdown to Best of Phoenix 2016: Bordertown, New Times put the spotlight on 100 Creatives working in visual art, theater, design, and behind the scenes to enrich the Valley's creative community. Here they are: the actors, painters, authors, and boundary-defying innovators you need to know.
Related Stories
-
Year in Review: 2016 Arts & Culture Highlights — Plus a Few Low PointsDecember 22 at 1:19 p.m. | by Lynn Trimble
-
Looking Back at 2016 First and Third Friday Art Shows in Metro PhoenixDecember 30 at 8:21 a.m. | by Lynn Trimble
-
Hey, Art Lovers! Check Out Works by More Than 50 Women Artists in ArizonaMarch 22 at 5:17 p.m. | by Lynn Trimble
Comments
View All
More Arts Slideshows
-
The Scene at Grand Avenue's Holiday Market and Sidewalk Sale:…December 20 at 9:01 p.m.
-
Celebrating Global Cat Day With Feline Art Around Metro PhoenixOctober 16 at 10:08 a.m.
-
The Art and Artists of Eye Lounge in Roosevelt RowOctober 15 at 3:15 p.m.
-
Metro Phoenix Muralists Turn Social Justice Issues Into ArtAugust 14 at 7 a.m.
-
SB 1070 Inspires a Decade of Protest ArtJuly 30 at 6 a.m.
-
Here's What Phoenix's LGBTQ Bar Scene Looked Like in the '70s,…July 28 at 6 a.m.