9th Annual Viola Awards

There were twenty-nine first-time nominees in 2017 and a record 186 nominations sent in to the Arts Council from members of the community.

And The Awards Were Announced…

…at the High Country Conference Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, venue for the Viola Awards since 2011. Emcee Garrison Garcia led the audience through the awards ceremony, which featured performances by Viola Award winners Dark Sky Aerial and Kristopher Kohl, and Viola Award nominees False North and the Mother Road Trio.

Highlights include:

This year’s Viola Awards artist was Steve Warburton. He crafted the awards with the spirit of reaching upwards, using local and exotic woods to symbolize unity in diversity (see photo at right).
Shawn Skabelund became just the sixth two-time recipient of a Viola Award. He won also in 2014 for his exhibition, Virga: The Hunt for Water.
Composition for Forests, the collaborative performance and visual art project by Shawn Skabelund and Janice ChenJu Chiang, is the first project to be nominated in two categories in the same year.
Most winners this year were first time nominees. Dark Sky Aerial, Elizabeth Hellstern, Sheila White, Melissa Cripps, Kristopher Kohl, David Christiana, and Janice ChenJu Chiang were all first time nominees.
Dark Sky Aerial’s OPIA received more nominations from the community than any other nominee this year.
Elizabeth Hellstern’s Telepoem Booth actually features several Viola Award winners, reading poems in the dial-a-poem booth: Tony Norris, James Jay, and Jane Armstrong.
This is the third time in Viola Award history that a Panel has awarded two Viola Awards in a category. The first time was in 2015 when both Tina Mion and Ulrike Arnold won in the Visual Arts. This year, both the Storytelling and Performing Arts categories had two winners.

We are excited to reveal the winners from this year’s award ceremony.

See Winners

Legacy Award Recipients

The Viola Legacy Award goes to individuals for Lifetime Contribution to the Arts and Sciences in Flagstaff, Arizona. This year there were two recipients: Nando Schellen and Robert Breunig.

Ferdinandus “Nando” Schellen

Nando (Fernandus) Schellen was the longtime Director of Opera Theater at Northern Arizona University where he directed countless musical productions and impacted the lives of thousands of students until his retirement in 2015. He passed away on March 28, 2016.

Full Article Coming Soon!

Dr. Robert Breunig

Robert Breunig was the Director of the Museum of Northern Arizona, where he continues to work as President Emeritus and has held other positions going back to 1977. Dr. Breunig led the Museum through incredible growth and out of conflict and challenges he inherited when hired in 2003.

Full Article Coming Soon!

9th Annual Viola Awards Winners

The awards were announced at the High Country Conference Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, venue for the Viola Awards since 2011. Emcee Garrison Garcia led the audience through the awards ceremony, which featured performances by Viola Award winners Dark Sky Aerial and Kristopher Kohl, and Viola Award nominees False North and the Mother Road Trio.

12507681_10153765550763563_6445221308726906504_n

Emerging Artist

Kristopher Kohl

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Emerging Artist” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629602371{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Kris Kohl has been an incredibly influential and key-player in the rise of the local Flagstaff DIY music scene. He has played in numerous bands and projects as well as helped organize countless shows for the Flagstaff community.

Whether it’s punk, pop-punk, new-wave, or alt-emo, Kris has done it all, and always with full commitment. He plays music with multiple bands, and under many alias’, most recently as Cereal Milk, Soft Butter, and Feral Moan, before that was Human Weather. Every single time Kris performs, he devotes his entire self to the music, never falling short of emotion or enthusiasm.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Arts Education

Sheila White

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Arts Education” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629612134{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Sheila White makes her impression on the Flagstaff music community as both an educator and a community musician. She is currently the general music, world drumming, and beginning band instructor at Marshall Magnet Elementary School (MMES). She also plays in the Flagstaff Community Band and works as the Orchestra Manager for Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra (FSO), as well as performing as a member of the clarinet section.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Science Education

Jillian Worssam

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Science Education” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629629978{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Jillian Worssam, is an 8th grade science teacher at Sinagua Middle School, and founder of the “Scientists in the Classroom Program.” The SITC Program partners students one to one with practicing scientists in the field for an entire academic year. There is also a Flagstaff Community STEM portion of the program where a local Flagstaff organization, business, or federal/ state agency will work with one class for an entire academic year, culminating with a classroom visit by the students to the STEM location. Jillian also hosts the Sinagua after school STEM/Makerspace club and Oceanography club; annually taking students to Monterey, California for a true oceanographic experience.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Performing Arts

Dark Sky Aerial for OPIA

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Performing Arts” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629638392{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]OPIA was an aerial dance performance produced in an airplane hangar, Wiseman Aviation, near the Flagstaff Airport. It was the first performance by the new group, Dark Sky Aerial. There were two showings: Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, 2016. Both showings were sold out in advance, with over 350 people witnessing this unique performance.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Performing Arts

Janice ChenJu Chiang & Shawn Skabelund for Composition for Forests

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Performing Arts” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629647594{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Composition for Forests was a one-of-a-kind music and art installation concert performance by pianist Janice ChenJu Chiang and visual artist Shawn Skabelund. The production featured a piano concert by Chiang; she was surrounded by an art installation crafted by Skabelund. During the concert, attendees were encouraged to walk through the art installation, exploring it in detail. Concert goers could also approach Chiang and watch her perform on the piano more closely than is typically permitted at classical concerts.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Storytelling

Klee Benally for Power Lines

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Storytelling” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629658856{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]After eight years of preparation, Klee Benally’s first independent feature film, which is a crux of media activism, punk rock principles, principles, poetry and community, premiered May 21 at the Orpheum Theater. Power Lines is a coming of age story about a young Diné (Navajo) poet who runs away and finds home.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Storytelling

Elizabeth Hellstern for The Telepoem Booth

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Storytelling” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629666055{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]The Telepoem Booth is a 1970s vintage telephone booth in which the public is invited to locate a verse listing in the Telepoem Book, “dial-a-poem” for free on the rotary phone, and listen to over 300 local, national and international poems located in the directory. The Flagstaff Telepoem Booth is currently located at 120 N. Leroux St. in Old Town Shops, Flagstaff, Arizona. It debuted in Flagstaff on March 25, 2016.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Visual Arts

David Christiana for Portraits of Petrichor

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Visual Arts” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629729606{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Flagstaff painter David Christiana presented the new solo exhibition, Portraits of Petrichor, at the Museum of Northern Arizona. The show opened March 11, 2016, and remained on view for several months. Alan Petersen served as curator.

Portraits of Petrichor features 30 works of art completed by the former Museum of Northern Arizona artist-in-residence. During his residency, Christiana set out to capture fragments and details of this unique landscape. Representing the artist’s intensive exploration of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and its surrounding area, the exhibition creates an intimate portrait of this volcanic wonderland through drawings as well as watercolor and oil paintings.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Business for the Arts

Melissa Cripps State Farm

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Business for the Arts” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629723938{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Melissa Cripps, through her State Farm Agency, has been passionately supporting the arts in Flagstaff since 1989. She has lived in Flagstaff for over 40 years. Melissa was the 3rd generation to graduate from NAU after having studied music at ASU for 3 years.

Cripps is passionate about an organization she helped to found: Orchestra Northern Arizona, which is a non-profit, intergenerational community orchestra that brings together players of diverse backgrounds and levels of experience to share the joy of playing and performing classical music. Melissa and David Cripps, her husband, developed ONA because they wanted to provide art and culture that is accessible and free to all members to the Flagstaff community. Melissa is currently the Project Coordinator for the new YONA (youth orchestra), which is in its inaugural year. Melissa also plays the cello in Orchestra Northern Arizon

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Excellence in Leadership

Michael Vincent

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Excellence in Leadership” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#212322″ modal_on_align=”left” btn_text=”Read More” modal_size=”medium” modal_style=”overlay-fade” overlay_bg_color=”rgba(240,233,222,0.9)” overlay_bg_opacity=”” content_bg_color=”#ffffff” header_bg_color=”#212322″ modal_border_style=”solid” modal_border_width=”3″ modal_border_color=”#212322″ modal_border_radius=”0″ init_extra_class=”violamodalbutton” img_size=”40″ close_icon_position=”popup-top-right” header_text_color=”#ffffff” content_text_color=”#212322″ btn_txt_color=”#212322″ header_font_size=”desktop:22px;” content_font_size=”desktop:17px;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:17px;” css_modal_box=”.vc_custom_1623629739238{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Michael Vincent retired from his position as Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at Northern Arizona University in May 2016. During his 10-year tenure, he led the college through considerable growth and activity.

Vincent was given the Juliana Yoder Friend of the Humanities Award, presented by Arizona Humanities, in 2015. This award recognizes individuals, organizations or businesses that have made a lasting contribution to the cultural life of their communities through their active support of and involvement in promoting the humanities.

Full Article Coming Soon!

[/ultimate_modal]

Viola Awards Finalists

Learn how the Viola Awards are selected!

Special thanks to Brian Cass of Echo Productions for his video production work. He is the producer behind all the nominee videos. Click here to view our YouTube channel to see all the videos in one place.

Emerging Artist

Kristopher Kohl

Jim Dugan

Grace Novak

Le Trebuchet

Abe Snider

Stacy Murison

False North

12671947_546547408837941_886327657805931520_o-800x533

Sol Drop

Excellence in Arts Education

10658934_10152703638316284_8404456058545143079_o

Leslie Ptak Baker

12938146_10208493977774207_4964959074603232863_n

Betsy Hamill

10377006_10206185204618146_146600016960022516_n-768x524

Joe Cornett

Joe Maniglia

Sheila White

Excellence in Science Education

Cassandra Roberts

Rich Krueger

Jillian Worssam

Excellence in Performing Arts

Janice ChenJu Chiang & Shawn Skabelund: Composition for Forests

Linda Sutera: August Osage County

Mother Road Trio: Album Release Concert

Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy: columbinus

NAU Theatre: Summer and Smoke

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra: Mozart & Mahler

jcloud2-needs-permission-Diandra-Markgraf

Judith Cloud: Beethoven’s Slippers

Dark Sky Aerial: Opia

Excellence in Storytelling

Klee Benally: Power Lines

Jim Cheff: Mary Farfisa’s Outer Space Radio Theater

Melissa Sevigny: Mystical River

A-New-Form-of-Beauty-Peter-Goin-3-Lake-Powell-2014-180-954x636

Peter Friederici: A New Form of Beauty

Jim Simmerman: The Blood and the Bone and the Flesh of It All

Lawrence Lenhart: The Well-Stocked and Gilded Cage

Coconino Community College: 25th Anniversary Reading

Elizabeth Hellstern: Telepoem Booth

Excellence in Visual Arts

Karen Knorowski: Rainbow de Rio Mural

David Christiana: Portraits of Petrichor

Shawn Skabelund & Janice Chenju Chiang: Composition for Forests

Curt Walters: A Retrospective

Business for the Arts

Screen-Shot-2016-12-12-at-11.03.14-AM-600x598

Firecreek Coffee Company

Melissa Cripps State Farm

Tom Alexander Photography

Uptown Pubhouse

Excellence in Leadership

Michael Vincent

Janelle Reasor

Mindy Bell

James Jay & Jesse Sensibar

2017 Viola Award Sponsors

The Flagstaff Arts Council would like to salute the many sponsors who make the Viola Awards possible. Without their support, this amazing community program wouldn’t have become the wild success it is today. Your 2017 Viola Awards Sponsors are listed below.

Title Sponsor

Premier Sponsor

Major Sponsors

Sponsoring the Viola Awards is a great way to show support for our creative community.

There are several different sponsorship levels with varying benefits.

Contact

Celebrating creative success in style.

The Viola Awards have had a meteoric rise to fame in Flagstaff, due mostly to the creative community’s embrace of the event. It was clear from the first annual event on March 5, 2009, that something special was happening. Throughout the 10+ years, elegant dress… fancy flamboyant costumes… Martanne’s Breakfast Palace table on fire… the ground-shaking roar of the crowd when Craig Bowie was announced as Arts Education winner in 2010… Circus Bacchus’ naughty naked video interview as nominees in 2013… the aerial dancers from Flagstaff Aerial Arts hanging off the beam at High Country Conference Center in 2015… Dark Sky Aerial’s feature performance in 2017… the Viola Awards recognize and celebrate talent, contributions and excellence in arts, science, and culture, and do it with style.

What has always been prevalent is the love and support shown by those in attendance for the nominees and award winners. In addition to the artistic giants who have impacted Flagstaff over the years and taken home awards, elected officials at the local, County and State level have attended the event every year. Most importantly though, winners are exalted, nominees are celebrated, and everyone revels in the power of the arts.

Relive the memories and past Viola Awards events below.