Tribute of the Muses nominees named
Ten individuals have been nominated in recognition of their contribution to the arts in Yuma.
One will be announced as winner at the Eighth Annual Tribute of the Muses awards ceremony from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Yuma Art Center, 254 S. Main St. The public is invited, but must respond to Mary Beth, 373-5214 by Wednesday.
Nominees are, in alphabetical order:
• Sally Houston: A vital supporter of the concert series at St. Paul's Episcopal Church since retirement of Betty Rae Norflett. The concert series begins its 25th year this season with musical talent by world class musicians featured.
• Majid Jajo: Following the city sign code, Jajo hired local artists to create and paint murals on the walls of his business site. His efforts help support artists within the community.
• Holly Hendricks-Jones: Since returning to Yuma as an art educator, Hendricks-Jones has promoted visual arts, with the Art Educators and the North End Artists' Co-op. She shares her artistic talent with students and encourages others to participate.
• Scott Jones: For the past 20 years Jones has taught art to children, has volunteered time as a board member for the Yuma Fine Arts Association, and featured in art shows. Each vacation time, he shows slides and paintings and lectures at Cibola High School about art and aesthetics. He also is involved with the North End Artists Co-op.
• Bob McCain: He has been a driving force for 15 years behind the Yuma Community Theater (YCT), the oldest continuing community theater group in Arizona. He served as president of the YCT board for eight years, has produced, directed, coordinated ticket sales, worked both on and off the stage for 18 Broadway shows and a dinner theater. He was instrumental in getting the YCT productions back on the stage at the Historic Yuma Theatre.
• Judy Phillips: An accomplished artist, Phillips is a charter member of the North End Artists Co-op, active member of the Yuma Area Art Educators Association. She serves on the city's Parks and Recreation Commission and the Ad-hoc Public Art Committee.
• Gary Stephens: Although he now lives in South Africa, Stephens has supported the arts with numerous exhibitions at the Yuma Art Center. He has motivated other local individuals to continue their art careers.
• Lori Stofft: Stofft has been a vibrant promoter of art, artists and artistic venues in the community for at least 17 years. Among the events she has helped create are the Battle of the Bands, Dance Yuma Dance, Yuma Star, The Sun Cinema Series and Winter Visitor Bash. A fiddle player, she's with the Chuckawalla Rhythm Kings and has played in several other bands in the area.
• Neely Tomkins: Since coming to Yuma in 1972, Tomkins has been an artist-in-residence under an NEA Artist Workshop Grant; taught art at Kofa High School and opened galleries, the Lower Gila Valley Mud and Wax Works with friend Sylvia Rambo. She worked on the Depot Restoration Committee. After taking ballet classes in the early 1980s, she was a costume and set designer, and served on the Yuma Ballet Theatre board from 1987 to 1993. She is an artist and co-manager of Tomkins Pottery and is executive director of the Yuma Symposium.
• Norma Tuttle: A life-time supporter of the arts, and an award winning artist, Tuttle has been superintendent of the Yuma County Fair Fine Arts Exhibit since 2003. She has actively encouraged teachers to have young students and artists enter their works at the fair. She is an active member of the Desert Artists of Yuma and Mountain Shadows Art Association, and is one of the owners of the Village Art Gallery.
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Pam M. Smith can be reached at psmith@yumasun.com or 539-6856.
