Running head: CULTURE OF THE ART SCENE, PRIMARILY IN DOWNTOWN 1

CULTURE OF THE ART SCENE, PRIMARILY IN DOWNTOWN

Lizbeth Torres

Arizona State University

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Abstract

The community that i chose to look into was the art scene and the artists that are

primarily displayed in the downtown community. I wanted to see what made it unique to each

artist in the way it is portrayed through their art. To see the different aspects of the arts I

interviewed a few local artists and also took notice of the arts displayed in art galleries around

downtown Phoenix. There are different ways people will use art. Many use it to express who

they are or remember different points in their lives. I was able to observe how artists have their

art displayed which can range from a canvas to a wall mural. Their nothing set in stone of art and

can be seen through the different shapes, colors, texture, and sizes that makes each art unique. I

was able to get more of an insight in how and why artist specifically in downtown have created

the their art the way it is. Whether it was inspiration from a person, event or experience.

Keywords​: Arts, Culture, Community

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CULTURE OF THE ART SCENE, PRIMARILY IN DOWNTOWN

Section 1, Question Bank

When going to the different events and places, I hoped to see what made each artist

unique in their own way through their art. To understand why they have come to creating their

art the way it is. If there is a reason behind their art or inspiration that is drawn to create their

work. To also see the atmosphere of what an art gallery feels like and how people react to seeing

the art displayed. Im curious to understand the process of an artist and what the future holds for

the art scene in downtown Phoenix.

Central Research Question

What makes the culture of the arts in Downtown unique to each artist?

General Inquiry/Observation Questions

What makes the environment of a gallery unique to its art?

How does the artist display their art and why?

General Interview Questions

Who or what inspires you to create art?

When did you start creating arts?

Why did you start creating art?

Which art pieces that you have created is more unique to you and why?

Interview Questions for Specific People

How has your art changed based on your experiences?

What will you do with your art moving forward?

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Section 2, Sites of Inquiry

Sites of Inquiry Contact / Location Dates / Times

Modified Arts N/A First Friday, October 5th,

407 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, 2018
AZ 85004

PSA Art Awakenings Lori Riffle (artist) First Friday, October 5th,
2255 W Northern Ave Phoenix, 2018
AZ 85021

PSA Art Awakenings Jackie Williams (artist) First Friday, October 5th,
2255 W Northern Ave Phoenix, 2018
AZ 85021

MonOrchid N/A First Friday, October 5th,

214 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, 2018
AZ 85004
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Section 3, Inquiring into Objects /Artifacts

When diving into objects or artifacts in the art community it can range from the actual

tools used in creating the art or the art itself. When looking at the different

artwork in the galleries, I could see how different artists showcase their art

which could be on a canvas, in clothing articles, sculptures or wall murals.

There are different types of paints that can be used or random objects to

create art. In the first gallery that I entered which was PSA Art

Awakenings which helps adults recover from behavioral health challenges

where artistic skills are taught. I was able to buy a scarf that was painted using fall watercolors

by Jackie Williams. After purchasing i could see how much it meant to her as she told be how to

take care of it by only by hand to keep the color. Another local artist displayed was Lori Riffle

which I was able to interview. I asked her what influenced or inspired her favorite art piece that

she created? She responded that it was emotion that inspired her, that it was not artist so much

but if she saw something that sparked an interest in her she would make it her own. I see how it

goes to the idea of using others works to ignite a fire for your own creativity. In saying also that

she uses “emotions” makes me think that artists do use their experiences to express their feelings

through their art. Ms. Riffle also gave me her artist statement which I believe it is an important

piece to any artist. It reveals to others what inspires the artwork and how it all came to be. Every

artist usually has an artist statement making it unique to themselves which can be seen as a

common object.
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1. “After living in the darkness for two decades, one day I grudgingly opened a door. The

sun poured in, blinding light at first, then brilliant enlightening clarity. At the age of 56, I

felt intense need to create” The significance to this is being part of Lori Riffle’s artist

statement and how it gives an insight to how she started to create art. Also that there is no

time limit to start using one’s creativity, there are local artists of all ages.

2. In each gallery I could see how much the artist’s care for their artwork. From how it is

displayed, the atmosphere and the titles of the artwork. It shows how much pride and

effort artists put into each piece of completing their art. They really want to express their

emotions and experiences through the arts which could be hurt, resignation, growth and

much more.
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Its interesting looking to a certain community that I do not have much knowledge of, but

do have an interest in. I’ve always admired people with talent in the arts as I do not see myself as

someone creative. Now after looking into the art scene in the downtown area I have more respect

in the arts. In middle school and high school one always learns about the famous artists like

Pablo Picasso or Vincent Van Gogh. There is not a lot of attention in the local arts, but every

artists starts somewhere. When going to each gallery and seeing each art piece, one could see its

uniqueness. At the artists that I was able to see in the galleries by their work, I could see how

proud they were of their accomplishments. Before ever looking into this community I would hear

the common belief that artists would use their art to express themselves and I could see that in

person through the artwork. When interviewing Lori Riffle, I could notice how she spoke about

her art and what he puts into it. In saying that she uses emotions and that she feels a connections

to her artwork, I could tell how much it meant to her. Its meaningful to emerge oneself in the

community seeing all aspects of it. Being able to see a gallery of artists who have gone through

mental health issues, more common art galleries, and wall murals reveals to me the different

sides of the art community. To see how each artist is different for their artwork is a

representation of who they are through their experiences.

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Section 4, Inquiring into Place

When observing my community I went to different places where art was displayed where

no other was like the one before. Starting at the gallery Art Awakenings which provides adults

with the opportunity to learn artistic skills…… There were two room with art canvases of

different sizes from several artists. In one room it was just a showcase of two particular artists by

the name of Mohawk and Lori Riffle. There was also a back room where many local artists had

their art for sale. They had paintings, ceramic pots, jewelry and clothing articles. There was also

calm and soothing music in the background which I saw common in art galleries. Also while

walking down Roosevelt St. there are many wall murals right next to each other from different

place. It is a place where people go to admire the artwork and also mayn go to take pictures with

the murals. In another gallery it was in the back of a restaurant done by the artist Michael

Viglietta. There were many people in this gallery looking at all of his artwork. There was very

similar techniques that one could see they correlated and were done by the same artist. In the

gallery there were people of all ages admiring the artwork. Being able to see art is for everyone

and is not only for people who are older. This gives the chance to see even more different

opinions and perspective about the art work.

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3. In each gallery or by the wall murals there was music being played in the background. It

was usually soothing and calm music with no words to add to the atmosphere of the

gallery. This is significant because it reveals the kind of ideas that the artist could have in

mind for the gallery or to showcase the different arts in one place.

4. In the galleries there were people speaking of the artwork and trying to find their own

meaning to it. In trying to interpret what the artist was trying to say or admiring the

abstract art that makes it unique. I see the value in this for in art one can recognize there

is usually something deeper than is on the canvas and one tries to find that idea.
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In each gallery there is a similar purpose which is to display all the art of the artist to

created it. It creates a place where the audience can go admire the artwork to be all found in the

same place. During the time that I went to many art galleries there was many people for being a

Friday night. Everyone observes the art, looking at it from different angles. In trying to find the

deeper meaning behind the art. Collectively everyone looking at the artwork do this without

really thinking. When looking into these places people admire the artwork for what they are.

From someone looking in, it gave me an opportunity to see how everyone came together to see

others artwork and admire it. I could see other people question the artwork and talking to the

artist about their art. The art gallery is able to do that because everyone can come and see it in

one place with their friends and families. In downtown especially in the arts district there are

many wall murals and people do go to admire them and also take pictures with them in the

background. There are also many sculptures that are creative and unique where people want to

go see. From seeing all of this I can notice that people do appreciate the artwork done by local

artists whether they know them or not. People could also have their own opinion of the artwork

and the artists do have to subject to that when displaying it to the public. This does mean that

everyone is different and can have different perceptions of an experience.

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Section 5, Inquiring into Activities/Events

One of the main events that I went to was First Friday which is an event that occurs every

first Friday of the month on Roosevelt row. Many galleries and museums that are close to

Downtown are open and free to the public from around 6 to 10 p.m. on that night. There is also a

lot of entertainment with music and street performers. There is food and a little market, anything

of the arts that you can imagine it is there. First friday is very unique to local artists especially

the first gallery i went to because that is where they are able to display their work. First Fridays

are usually packed with young adults and families wanting to enjoy a night out in Downtown.

With an event like this galleries are able to attract crowds and the artwork is viewed by many.

One of the artists that I interviewed said she had been displaying her artwork for 10 First Fridays.

Also before i was able to interview her there was an Arizona State alumni speaking to her about

her artwork and also bought an art piece from her. Many galleries and museums are opened daily

but get more people from an event like First Friday.

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5. I could see how people gather during First Friday to go to different galleries and see the

local artists artwork. They speak about it and take pictures with their friends and families.

This is significant because it helps keep the community aware and into the arts at no

charge. With arts being not noticed enough in this generation it’s necessary to get people

to be interested into the art scene.

6. Also during First Friday museums like the Heard Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum

that are free to the public in that time. Many people go to these museums as they give a

bigger variations of artists compared to a smaller gallery. It is important as it allows

people to be more aware of different artists and their techniques.

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In being able to go a First Friday and observe what goes on especially with the art

community was eye opening. Not only does this event give people the opportunity to have

somewhere to go to on a Friday night, but also allows artists to showcase their work to a bigger

audience. This is most important to local artists because it gives them the chance to actually get

their artwork out there for people to see. In a way it is a chance for artists to network and get

their artwork noticed. These events are important for the artists because it is what gets more

people to see their work. It is also a moment where many people can join together in asking the

artists questions because they are usually in the gallery if they are local artists and on a night like

First Friday. There are many other local events where artists are able to showcase their work.

They may not be as popular as First Friday but there is also something similar on every third

Friday of the month. Downtown is also a great place for local artists because there is always

something going on that gets people to look around the area. Events like these need to continue

to be a classic part of the Downtown Arts District in order to get more people aware of the arts

and their importance to society. In the past decades they have been pushed to the side as not

being significant, but through the local artists I interviewed I could see how much art was an

away to escape and show their experiences through emotions.

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Section 6, Inquiring into People/Person

When researching this project it was important to speak to local artists and understand

their place in the art community and how they see it. In my first interview with Lori Riffle I

could see the passion in her art work. Before starting her interview she would go around the art

room in the gallery where her artwork was displayed with another colleague who goes by the

name Mohawk talking about each piece and her inspiration for it. In one art pieces she spoke of

her inspiration from another artist in only doing one stroke on a canvas with the biggest brush

she had. She also spoke to me about her difficult times and how making art was a way for her to

put all of her creativity in something to share to others. She had only been doing art in the last

year, but her talent was clearly visible. I could see how much time and effort she put into her art.

Also when i interviewed her, I could notice how strongly she felt about art especially in the way

it helped her get out of her dark times.

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7. I could see that artists do use their artwork as a way to live out their experiences or

emotions on a certain topic. It’s important to know why an artist creates a certain piece, it

can usually be found in their artist statement or if there is the opportunity to speak to

them in person. This is necessary to not make ones assumptions, but everyone does have

their own opinion and perception of art.

8. When speaking to the two artists and also the man who was fascinated and interested in

art they all spoke highly about it. They had genuine interest in the arts and this is

necessary for people. When others see how much they care about the artwork it justs

makes them even more interested in the arts.

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Besides being able to look at all the different artwork, it was very necessary to speak to

some local artists about their role in the art community in Downtown Phoenix. To find out more

about them and how they became to be part of the arts and what led them to it. When speaking to

them I notice that in a way it was usually through an outlet that they saw art to put their emotions

into something creative. Although it may not be like this for everyone, it could just be that they

happen to have a creative bone for art. Everyone starts in different ways in creating art but there

is always some sort of inspiration whether its ones imagination, another’s work, or one’s own

experiences. To me this was very fascinating for i do not see myself of having talent to create art

so to speak. Being able to see others work does give me inspiration to put myself out there and

create something. Also not everyone is just born with all the talent in the world to create art but it

goes through much practice and determination for their artwork. The local artist that I

interviewed was getting classes at the program of Art Awakenings to get more art skills. It is

only one example of how artists are able to create their art. I could also see that some artists

techniques are similar to other more known artists which makes sense in the beginning processes

to get inspiration from others and also when you have artist block.
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Section 7, Soundscape Links

Lori Riffle Interview- ​https://youtu.be/CP_dOtszwvk

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Section 8, WP3 Proposal

When looking into my community of the art culture in Downtown Phoenix there was a

lot to look out for. First of all in the Downtown area is known for its art district. There are many

galleries and museums that showcases local and known artists. In my research I have seen a lot

of artwork and talented local artists. They all come from different background but what is in

common is their the passion and determination for their art. I also was able to see different ways

in which art is displayed not just on a traditional canvas. When starting this research project I had

many questions about the community of art and their artists. I wanted to know what made each

unique through their art and what has lead them to becoming the artists they are today. In asking

people these types of questions I was able to identify what made each artist different or similar. I

could understand that most artists used their experiences or interests as a form of inspiration for

their artwork. This allows for their to be so many different techniques and forms because each

artist is different in what gives them inspiration. I could also see how artists are very passionate

of what they have created and are eager to talk about it. It is necessary to know more about the

art community because it attracts people especially in events like First Friday. Art is needed for

future generations to continue growing the arts and being interested in them. Over the last

decades there has been less of an interest in the arts for which society is more interested in

science and technology. As a community there needs to be support in the arts for what it brings.

It gives kids and adults an opportunity to express their emotions, experiences and use their

creativity in a positive way. By looking more into the arts scene it allows for the community to

be more aware of the arts and for its growth to continue. Already with First Friday it gives an

opportunity for all types of people to be able to see different types of artwork. It keeps people
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aware of local artists and hels the artists get their artwork noticed. More events and activities like

these need to be created in order to help the art community to keep growing and get more

positive attention. Given my research, I propose an essay that will inform its audience about the

role of the art scene in Downtown Phoenix area and its impact.