For about a year now, we have been working with local aerialist Joan Garcia at her studio. The artists have been learning about expressive movement, both on the ground and in the air in various aerial apparatuses. Our aerial arts experiences at the Circus Arts Studio have been nothing but exhilarating and eye-opening for both the artists and the instructors. The new world has given our artists an amazing opportunity to use their bodies as paintbrushes, using movements in place of paint.

We would like to give a big thank you to all the staff and supporters of the Circus Arts Studio, who have been so accommodating to us and provided this incredible venue for a new form of creativity. We would also like to thank 4Flag TV for the exposure, to show the public just what we are capable of. Be on the lookout for more info and updates about our times with aerial arts, as we plan to have another performance later on in the year. Until then, let’s keep on flying!

Earlier in the Fall of 2015, a group of Engineering students from NAU came to Hozhoni to observe our artists at work. Their homework assignment was to develop adaptive equipment to assist in the artistic endeavors of our clients. After working and testing their prototypes, their creation was given to us.

The biggest issue that they have noticed was the difficulty in using our easels. For some of the artists that use wheelchairs, or prefer to be seated, the easels we had stood too high. They were also not very portable or stable. The product that the engineer students created for us was an easel made from a repurposed camera tripod. The height is adjustable, and is fitted with a paint dispenser above the canvas, and a tray below to hold pencils, brushes, etc. They even made a mini canopy for working outdoors in the sun.

As you can see, the clients already got some use out of this nifty new easel, and we look forward to using it more in the future. We want to give a huge thank you to the NAU Engineering students who worked on this project. Its great to see equipment being made to make it possible for all our artists to express themselves in all avenues.

Did you know that the Hozhoni Artists have some of their artwork at the mall?

The Artists’ Coalition of Flagstaff has an art gallery at the mall that is open to the public, and we have a display that we showcase some selected works and various items for purchase. Currently, we have artwork from Morgan Blackgoat, Sharin Jonas, Kimber Watkins, Tammy Smith, Derek Smith and Jefferson Dorton on display, along with some hand-painted birdhouses for sale.

The Artists Coalition of Flagstaff is open 7 days a week. They are open Monday through Saturday, noon to 7 PM, and Sunday noon to 6 PM. The gallery features several local artists, so be sure to swing by regularly to check out the creations from some of Flagstaff’s amazingly talented artists!

The biggest art exhibition in Flagstaff has announced it dates! The Flagstaff Recycled Art Exhibition is returning for its 14th year. This year it is being hosted at the Arts Connection Gallery at the Flagstaff Mall.

The Hozhoni artists will create a piece to contribute, and we encourage all artists of Coconino and Yavapai counties to participate. The gallery space at the mall is quite expansive, and artists can submit up to 4 pieces this year. In addition to the exhibition, there will be free artist demonstrations at the gallery space from 1 to 3 PM every Saturday in April after the reception.

If you are interested in participating, or simply wish to attend the reception, information will be available on the Artist Coalition of Flagstaff’s website (http://www.flagstaff-arts.org/), along with the application. We hope to see you there!

For our second year, Hozhoni is hosting for its first show of 2016 the Textile and Ceramic exhibition. Just like its name implies, this show contains fiber arts and various items made out of clay. Due to the versatility and practical nature of both mediums, there will be many features in the show to display textiles’ and ceramics’ functions.

The reception will be Saturday, January 23rd from 12 to 2 PM at our Hozhoni Gallery. During the reception, there will also be a make and take workshop using modeling clay for all ages. At this workshop, all supplies are covered. We are asking for a $5 suggested donation, but don’t stress too much about it if its hard to find the funds.

The show will run until the end of February, so we hope that you can make it in to see the beautiful variety of creations made by the Hozhoni artists.

We are pleased to announce that our program director, Terri Engel, has been nominated for the Excellence in Leadership Viola Award for this year. She has been an essential component in creating this one of a kind art program for adults with disabilities in Northern Arizona, and we are very proud of all her hard work.

Check out her full length bio on the Flagstaff Arts Council’s website, and perhaps consider attending the Viola Awards this year to see all the amazing talent this town has to offer.

The Hozhoni Art Program is incredibly grateful for our supporters. Last year, Traveling Sole Productions based out of NAU made a short ad about us and what we do here. Thank you to Traveling Sole Productions for their effort!

Be sure to check out the crew at Traveling Sole Productions on Facebook and Vimeo