A few years ago, Maria Capogreco’s friends told her she was taking a big chance opening a deli in the Roosevelt Historic District. But she had faith in the future of what once was – and soon would be again – a thriving urban neighborhood. She was right.

The former working class community had been a streetcar neighborhood during its heyday between 1895 and 1930. The area saw both California and Craftsman bungalow styles built on the narrow, deep lots along its streets. During years of decline, the neighborhood seemed destined to be a blight on Phoenix, but caring residents had another plan.

Many other neighborhoods have become historic districts, but Roosevelt led the way in 1986 as the first to earn that designation. Phoenix officials now point to Roosevelt, which is bounded by McDowell Road, Fillmore Street, Central Avenue and Seventh Avenue, as a model for turning around sagging urban areas by enlisting residents to work with cities as they revitalize communities.

Roosevelt’s renewal meshed very well with the city’s progress in redeveloping downtown. The light-rail system was designed to run right through Roosevelt on Central Avenue, and nearby the downtown campus of Arizona State University was in expansion mode. Add to that new housing, hotels, and a University of Arizona medical school, and you have a lively area. All this activity is intended to bring people back downtown to the rejuvenated city core…and it’s working.

Redevelopment on this scale takes money, and the city worked with business owners, developers, and residents to find the money needed. Federal Community Development Block Grants and Phoenix bond monies fueled the work, but private investors spent ten times more investing in the future of Roosevelt. With new lofts and storefronts, restored historic buildings and rehabilitated housing, Roosevelt is now a thriving urban neighborhood. More than 200 buildings have been renovated, and tree-lined streets welcome visitors to Phoenix’s popular art walk events, First Fridays.

There have always been artists in Roosevelt, and one whose work you can’t miss is Robert J. Miley. His work is seen throughout the world in public and private spaces, and we have several of his sculptures right here. One especially inspiring work is “Release the Fear,” located on Central Avenue.

Miley is a founder/organizer of Release the Fear, a community organization that seeks to heal those hurt by violence. It is a grass roots, non-profit organization whose mission is: “To reverse the paralyzing effects of violence in our communities by promoting healthy resolution of conflict through the healing power of education through art.” Miley’s 22-foot tall sculpture of collected, melted-down weapons symbolizes this awakening.

The Roosevelt historic district has come a long way in the last half-dozen years, and is now a desirable home and business area in the rejuvenated core of Phoenix.

There were some out there who found the opportunity to help by purchasing a fabulous piece of art as being an act of charity and there were, I am sure, a few who were only interested in some of the pieces by the bigger name artists that participated which were available for REALLY good prices… but in the end, all the money made went to a good cause and people had fun buying.

The food at the event was lovingly prepared by a woman named Phyllis and other members of the church where the event was hosted. They said they had fun making it, and you know they did because you could tell by how good it all tasted.

Among the more notable artists who donated art for this event were Ed Mell, Bob Boze Bell, Cindy Carrillo, Craig Cheply, Louis DeMayo and John Nelson to name but a few… the other part of the event was a juried show of the works by current students at the ASU Herberger School of Fine Arts.

There was even a Fullbright Scholar offering Henna Tattoos to help raise money. Manal is her name and she is the first Masters Prepared Community Health Nurse in the country of Oman, where she will return  after her scholarship.

Art for Health was a huge success. Over 300 people attended the event at Grace Lutheran Church downtown Phoenix, and in a little over 2 hours, 18 out of 54 pieces of art found a new owner raising over $10,000.00.

What could be better than finding art you love by established artists as well as tomorrow’s stars, and knowing that you’re helping others at the same time? That’s what awaits you on Friday, May 4 during the annual Breaking the Cycle fundraiser, Art for Health.

Breaking the Cycle Community Health Care is a nurse-managed clinic located in downtown Phoenix at Grace Lutheran Church. The clinic staff serves families who have nowhere else to turn for care. The clinic also serves as an educational site for undergraduate nursing and graduate nurse practitioner students from ASU.

This annual juried art exhibition and sale is a partnership among: ASU Herberger College of the Arts, Breaking the Cycle Community Health Care, ASU College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation, and Grace Lutheran Church of Phoenix.

May 4, 2007 - 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Grace Lutheran Church
1124 North 3rd Street
Phoenix, Arizona

Come see and buy artwork from the students of the Herberger College of the Arts as well as artists from the community. Linger to enjoy music by “Social Graces.” You’ll go home with art you’ll treasure and the good feeling of knowing you have made a difference.

Anne Coe was signing copies of the book she illustrated, Here is the Southwestern Desert by Madeleine Dunphy. Limited edition prints of the illustrations from the book and her original paintings were offered for purchase to benefit Liberty Wildlife today at the Larsen Gallery in Old Town Scottsdale.

For all of you who have read my post called “Artsy Arizona” already know that Anne Coe is my wife’s Aunt and naturally we had to go to check out her book signing.

Heck, my little boy’s great aunt does not sign a kid’s book every day, plus other kids and live animals in an art gallery is rare enough – we just had to see this event.

Anne is a member of Liberty Wildlife which is an organization dedicated to nurturing the nature of Arizona by providing quality wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education and conservation and part of the proceeds went to this fine organization. Wendy and Linda were kind enough to bring two former patients (an owl and a Red Tailed Hawk) to this artful event.

The kid’s had a blast running around in a fine art gallery, watching the rescued birds and to listening Anne read from the book.

But this was not the only reason we had to make the trip to the Larsen Gallery: My wife modeled for a painting, done by Bill Schenck, when she was 18 years old called “Hills of Bidahochi”.

This painting surfaced on the secondary market and Blair and I just had to go see it for ourselves. The painting has a $25,000.00 price tag and I am sure it must have something to do with that gorgeous woman on the left…..

So when you are in Old Town Scottsdale and you have a little extra time on your hand, go check out the Larsen Gallery!