Phoenix College 2020 Artists of Promise
Each spring, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) hosts an Artists of Promise competition to recognize student works in visual and performing arts, and writing.
The competition culminates with an event at the Herberger Theater, where student artwork is displayed and theatrical and musical pieces are performed. The 2020 event was unable to take place due to the pandemic, but Phoenix College took first place in music and writing, and a number of PC students received honorable mention in the 2- and 3-dimensional arts categories.
PC proudly celebrates the 2020 artists of promise!
- Nina Newell, First Place, Essay: “Goose Girl”
- Arion Tanabe, First Place, Music Composition
- Quinleia Dixon, Second Place, Fiction: “Mistake”
- Abril Chihuahua, Honorable Mention, Poem: “The Death”
- Brenda Mason, Honorable Mention, 2-Dimensional Art: Topo
- Tanisha Moore-Henry, Honorable Mention, 3-Dimensional Art: Nature vs. Nurture
- Todd Welch, Honorable Mention, Poem: “Kentucky”
- Luis Zamora, Honorable Mention, 2-Dimensional Art: Blue and Orange Landscape
Nina Newell
First Place, Creative Writing
Goose Girl
"In a community college English 101 class many years ago, a young, handsome teacher threatened to give me the Asian F (a ‘B’) for the semester, because of one incomplete assignment. On his suggestion, I’d foolishly started an essay about my experience as a refugee from Vietnam in 1975. Though I had a crush on the teacher and desperately wanted to impress him, I couldn’t finish the essay.
Writing in detail about my refugee experience— the escape from Saigon, the boat trip with the SOS flag, the interminable waiting in the refugee camp—was boring. That was my lame excuse. As a 19-year-old then, I was more focused on the future. I had no interest in the past. Been there, done that. Nothing to see here. Nothing to examine. Nothing new to learn.
Decades later, I once again found myself enrolled in an English class, this time a memoir writing workshop taught by Amy Silverman at Phoenix College. After a reading I did at Bar Flies, the monthly storytelling event at Valley Bar, she recommended I try memoir writing. Family and friends had unsuccessfully urged me to write my refugee memoir over the years, but I decided it’s time. It’s time to revisit the past and learn from it. It’s time to finish that refugee narrative assignment.
Of course, even though I don’t have a crush (that I’m aware of) on the teacher this time, and while I’m cognizant that grades don’t mean anything significant in my life these days, I’m still hoping my essay’s win in the contest translates to my getting a grade much higher than the Asian F for the class. Right?" - Nina Newell
Read Newell's Essay, Goosegirl BELOW.
Goosegirl An Essay by Nina Newell
Arion Tanabe
First Place, Music Composition
Gesu, L’uccisore di Serpent
Arion won first place in the Maricopa County Community College District Artists of Promise Competition for his piece titled Gesu, L’uccisore di Serpent (Jesus the Serpent Slayer). The composition tells the story of a metaphysical battle between Jesus and an evil serpent. It contains various music styles and references, from the inspiration of the story, a homage to the Masses Caput from the early Renaissance, using the Phrygian church mode, to the musical motives in the modern octatonic mode, representing the serpent and its influence over the land it infects.
"My path in the performing arts began when I was nine years old. I trained simultaneously in both piano and ballet, pursuing them seriously when I was thirteen years old. In ballet, I trained at the Judith Svalander School of Ballet in Crystal Lake, Illinois. In piano, I received private instruction from various teachers in the northern Illinois area, before becoming a student of Dr. Kenneth Drake, Professor Emeritus of Piano, from the University of Illinois, Urbana.
As a professional ballet dancer, I started as a member of the Milwaukee Ballet II, in Wisconsin, then later on to Dayton Ballet, Ohio and then Grand Rapids Ballet, Michigan. At the same time that I was a full-time dancer, I accompanied dance classes on the piano and taught ballet at the respective ballet schools. I then moved to Chicago, focusing on teaching ballet and performing in various local rock bands, while also composing electronica music on the side.
Moving to Phoenix in 2013, I continued my teaching and accompanying of dance while performing with rock bands. Questing for growth, in 2019 I enrolled in the music program of Phoenix College, majoring in composition. In my second semester, I started composition lessons with Dr. Karl Schindler, the director of the music program. With his guidance I composed two contrasting pieces. The first piece, is a Romance, in a seven-part rondo, for viola and piano. The second piece, is the one submitted to the Artist of Promise Competition, Gesu, L’uccisore di Serpent (Jesus the Serpent Slayer). This composition tells a story of a metaphysical battle between Jesus and an evil serpent. It contains various music styles and references, from the inspiration of the story, a homage to the Masses Caput from the early Renaissance, using the Phrygian church mode, to the musical motives in the modern octatonic mode, representing the serpent and its influence over the land it infects.
It is my desire to continue my studies at Arizona State University, where I will continue my pursuit of a masters or doctorate in composition. I then want pursue a career in musical composition for visual media, such as films, video games, or television." - Arion Tanabe
Listen to Tanabe's hauntingly beautiful piece amid the backdrop of Phoenix College campus in this Video.
Quinleia Dixon
Second Place, Creative Writing
Mistake
(Not featured)
Abril Chihuahua-Ramirez
Honorable Mention, Creative Writing
The Death
Read Chihuahua-Ramirez's Poem, The Death BELOW.
The Death - A Poem by Abril Chihuahua
Brenda Mason
Honorable Mention, 2-Dimensional Art
Topo
"My venture into visual arts has been a long, personal journey that began in the theatre but, for practical reasons, diverted into the world of business where I found myself aimless and disconnected. My inner world was a noisy myriad of intangible, sprightly half-moments flying through my mind, like a bird aviary without any tree limbs. I needed simplicity and clarity.
My journey turned into one of growth and connection. Getting back in touch with my creative, expressive self was imperative to make the journey more fruitful. I have come to learn that manipulating raw, tangible materials with my hands provides a quiet, supportive structure for focus, giving my flock of “half-moments” a place to alight and breathe. My craft has become an important extension of my voice - fibers and textiles allow me to build layers of emotion, time and texture; to make meaningful connections; to be human.
I am grateful to the teachers, artists and classmates who have shared their perspectives and knowledge, which has helped me develop competence and confidence. And the more I learn, the more there is to learn. This is definitely true for fiber arts. There are quite a few rabbit holes I’m looking to go down next, such as learning to spin wool and other types of fibers into workable yarn, having recently been gifted a spinning wheel. As for projects, there are a number of birds in the old aviary looking for an empty branch!" - Brenda Mason
Tanisha Moore-Henry
Honorable Mention, Three-Dimensional Art
Nature vs. Nurture 2019
"Made from plaster, nature verses nurture. My actual fingerprint sculpted in the plaster." - Tanisha Moore-Henry
Todd Welch
Honorable Mention, Creative Writing
Kentucky
"I am a poet from Phoenix, Arizona. I enjoy exploring psychology and spirituality in my poems. I also work in business. I am not sure what else to say......I suppose you could mention the Artist of Promise competition
What inspired the piece: I feel that the initial impulse for this piece was descriptively inspired by the spring equestrian activities that occur every year in the U.S. From there, the poem seems to have become a reflection on humanity's relationship with animals, the natural world, and the wild things within." - Todd Welch
Read Welch's Poem, Kentucky BELOW.
Kentucky, A Poem by Todd Welch
Luis Zamora
Honorable Mention, 2-Dimensional Art
Blue and Orange Landscape
"This small painting shows a forest-like landscape in blue and orange, which are complementary colors. Both colors have a meaning: orange is for happiness and blue is for calmness. The reason why I chose those subjects is because looking at breathtaking landscapes from a long distance can make people feel happy and relaxed. The medium I used was acrylic on canvas and I enjoyed working with this medium, but I felt that I should keep using this medium to stop worrying that it's a hard medium and make it a fun way." - Luis Zamora