3.19.

2015
3.25.2015

Justin Hunts new film

Far Too Far is a local
effort from top to bottom

JON AUSTRIA THE DAILY TIMES

VISUAL ART

EDUCATION

MUSIC

Get ready to vote

in annual Peoples
Choice show

Meet the man

who makes math
mesmerizing

Durango festival
celebrates ragtime
style

PAGE 12

PAGE 14

PAGE 16

A+E | EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

Inside
INSTAGRAM

JON AUSTRIA THE DAILY TIMES

Dwight Toney burns brush March 5 during an irrigation maintenance program in

Shiprock. For more photos by Daily Times photographer Joa Austria follow him @
jon_austria on Instagram.
LEADING OFF

Putting Farmington in focus

Independent filmmaker Justin Hunts Far Too Far is poised to hit home. 3
VISUAL ART

Giving the people what they want

The annual Peoples Choice art exhibition continues to evolve in its third year. 12
EDUCATION

Hes a numbers guy

San Juan College math professor Gerald Williams lectures on Dance of the Digits. 14
LIVE MUSIC

That early-20th century sound

The Durango Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival returns to the Strater Hotel. 16
Now playing: 7
Calendar: 8
Art listings: 10 Call to artists:
11

CONTACT US

A&E Editor: Mike Easterling, 505-564-4610, explore@daily-times.com

Advertising: 800-395-6397 Address: 201N. Allen, Farmington, NM, 87401
Explore is the Four Corners arts and entertainment tabloid published weekly by The Daily-Times, a MediaNews Group newspaper. Explore is available free on Thursdays in the Daily-Times or in racks across the region. All stories, photographs and calendar listings must be submitted Thursday the week before publication. Email explore@daily-times.com. Follow us on Twitter
@thedailytimes or find us on Facebook @The Daily Times.

MARCH 19- 25, 2015

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| A+E

LEADING OFF

COMING
CLEAN

JON AUSTRIA THE DAILY TIMES

With his new film Far Too Far set to premiere in Farmington early next month,
Justin Hunt was in town last week to stir up interest in the movie.
By Mike Easterling
measterling@daily-times.com
@measterlingdt on Twitter

Theres a fine line,

Justin Hunt acknowledges, between
encouraging people to come see his
new film Far Too Far and flat-out
begging them.
Its a line the Bloomfield native
may very well feel compelled to cross
during the next few weeks as he prepares to premiere the film at the Allen 8 Theatre here on Friday, April 3.
FARMINGTON >>

For filmmaker Justin Hunt, Far Too Far

is a catharsis and a chance to put
Farmington in the spotlight

IF YOU GO

What: Premier of filmmaker Justin

Hunts Far Too Far
When: April 3, time TBA
Where: Allen 8Theatre, 1819 E. 20th
St. in Farmington
Tickets: Call 505-326-0000
View a trailer at allentheatresinc.
com/movie/far_too_far/
Far Too Far is an independent,
low-budget drama written and diCLEAN >> PAGE 4

|3

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MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

COURTESY PHOTO BY JANET HUDSON

Filmmaker Justin Hunt addresses the audience during a screening of his film Absent in San Rafael, Calif., in 2011.

Clean
FROM PAGE 3

rected by Hunt that was

shot here over the summer
of 2014, employing a nearly
all-local cast and crew.
Its dark plot deals with a
bright and attractive single mother named Linda,
a waitress who falls into
methamphetamine addiction and a destructive relationship, then sees her life
spiral out of control until

it drives her into a desperate choice between the drug

and her 9-year-old daughter.
A typical date night
movie, it isnt.
But for the 38-year-old
Hunt a former Aztec
assistant football coach,
and television news anchor, reporter and director in Farmington and Roswell who left TV in 2004
to start his own production
company, Time & Tide Productions it was a project
he had to pursue, a means

of exorcising the demons

that haunted him after the
production of his most wellknown film to date, 2007s
American Meth. That
film, narrated by New Mexico resident Val Kilmer, is
widely regarded as a cult
classic, winning numerous
film festival awards and airing on cable systems from
coast to coast.
Rewarding as that was,
the production took its
toll on Hunt. He recalled
that making the film was a
lonely and depressing prop-

osition, as he conducted
dozens of interviews with
people whose lives had been
ruined by the drug. With
only a shoestring budget at
his disposal, Hunt would
arrive at the interview as
his own crew, setting up
the lights camera and microphones, then shooting
his subject while also pursuing a line of questioning.
The human wreckage he
JON AUSTRIA THE DAILY TIMES
surveyed over the course of
that experience the sto- His new film Far Too Far helped him come to terms with
ries he heard, and, worse the experience he had while making the documentary
CLEAN >> PAGE 5 American Meth, Justin Hunt says.

MARCH 19- 25, 2015

EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

Clean

crew through a grueling

pace. There were two sessions a day, the first beginning at 8 a.m. Work on
the second session often
dragged on until 3 a.m.,
meaning the cast and crew
had only a few hours to rest
before starting up again the
next day.
Nobody complained,
Hunt said.

FROM PAGE 4

yet, the scenes he imagined

upon hearing those descriptions, such as the woman
who told him about how
she once yanked out her inner ear with a pair of pliers
while under the influence of
meth tormented him.
Hunt knew he had to do
something to come to terms
with that experience. Far
Too Far, his first featurelength narrative film after
three documentaries, is his
way of purging those stories
from his mind, he said.
One of the films most
nightmarish scenes is a depiction of that pliers story.
But its taken a long time
for that catharsis to occur. Hunt, who now lives in
Colorado Springs, has been
working on the film for 10
years. So when he says he
has a lot invested in it, that
hardly begins to describe
how much Far Too Far
means to him.
It brought me back to
life, Hunt said of Far Too
Far. Its no secret that the
things I work on are very
heavy. ... To be able to collaborate with people I know
and trust ... One of the guys
in the film is somebody I
coached when I coached at
Aztec.
That dynamic was perhaps the most rewarding
experience of his filmmaking career, Hunt said. Coming back to Farmington and

COURTESY PHOTO BY BEN CHRISMAN

After growing up in Bloomfield, Justin Hunt became a high school coach and journalist
before moving on to making films.

Its no secret that the things I work

on are very heavy. ... To be able to
collaborate with people I know
and trust ... One of the guys in the
film is somebody I coached when I
coached at Aztec.
Justin Hunt

shooting a film that meant

so much to him using an
almost entirely local cast
of amateurs made it feel a
whole lot more like a family and not like a business.
Hunt realizes hes not the
only one who poured his
heart and soul into this

project.
Im so proud of everybody who is in this film,
he said, explaining that
group includes not just the
cast and crew, but the local
business owners and facility managers who gave
him the freedom to shoot

at their properties.
Various scenes were shot
at TJs Downtown Diner, the
Coronado Apartments, the
San Juan County Adult Detention Center and various
other highly recognizable
locales. At one point, he was
even allowed to block Main
Street downtown to shoot
a scene. Despite its gritty,
unflinching nature, Hunt
indicated the film serves as
a sort of video postcard of
Farmington, and he said it
has a hopeful but realistic
message that people living
in difficult circumstances
can perhaps relate to.
Hunt put the cast and

| A+E

|5

In the end, he wound up

with 70 days worth of film
in only 29 days all for a
budget of $19,000, though
he figures hes put another
$10,000 to $15,000 into
the film in post-production
costs. Try duplicating that
pace on a Hollywood set
and see how much it costs
you.
CLEAN >> PAGE 6

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Clean
FROM PAGE 5

Everybody drank the

Kool-Aid, Hunt said, describing the kind of buyin he got from those associated with the production. You dont have to go
through Hollywood to get
a film made. Everyone was
open to direction. No one
was combative or difficult
to work with. Everyone believed in it. Everybody put

so much into it.

The lead role is filled by
Brandi Wethington, whose
unlikely journey to the
part epitomizes the seatof-your-pants atmosphere
that permeated the production. Hunt said when
he held auditions for the
film, Wethington showed
up with no intention of going before the camera she
had simply given someone
else a ride. And yet, with no
experience and no preparation, she did a cold reading
from the script and nailed

MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

it. Hunt knew he had his

Linda.
She did a hell of a job,
he said.
The cast also includes
Chris Overson, Tylor Gray,
Rick Martinez, Brad Monclova, Marcy Hower and Abbey Hunt, Hunts 11-yearold daughter, who plays the
daughter in the film.
Odd as it seems, making
Far Too Far was an uplifting experience for Hunt. He
enjoyed it so much, he said,
that he plans to put his documentary filmmaking ca-

reer behind him and concentrate on narrative features.

Im committed to finishing another documentary
called Cardboard Butterfly, which is about porn addiction, he said. But when
thats through, Im done
with documentaries. This
is way more in my wheelhouse.
Hunt is planning a
closed, c a st-a nd- crew
screening of Far Too Far
at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Little Theatre on the San Juan
College campus. But he said
he wanted to give those who
worked on the film the experience of seeing it for the
first time in the company of
a larger crowd, so he posted
a notice on his Facebook
page last week offering 50
pairs of tickets to be given
away by a lottery system.
Within a short time, 400
people had entered.
Hunt was gratified by
that response and hopes
it carries over to the films
public premiere on April 3.
The film needs to do well at
the box office to move into
other markets, and Hunt is
optimistic he can develop
an audience for it in Las
Cruces, Roswell, Durango,
Colo., and other places
where the Allen family operates theaters. If he gets
enough momentum going,
Hunt believes the film is
good enough to be accepted
into some of the higher-profile film festivals in North
America and Europe.
I want to see it do well
for everybody here to be
a part of that success, he
said. I also want to see it
do well because this could
be the tipping point where
I get the chance to direct
some major motion pictures
or Im just the guy who
gave it a gallant effort.
But Hunt doesnt plan on
seeing Far Too Far flop,
which means he was going around town last week
promoting it with an almost
evangelical fervor. Perched
at what could be the most
important moment in his
career, he struck a confident
tone as he talked about his

COURTESY PHOTO BY TIME & TIDE PRODUCTIONS

Brandi Wethington stars as Linda in this scene from Far

Too Far.

COURTESY PHOTO BY TIME & TIDE PRODUCTIONS

Rick Martinez is featured as Trip in the new film Far Too Far.

I want to see it do well for

everybody here to be a part of that
success. I also want to see it do well
because this could be the tipping
point where I get the chance to
direct some major motion pictures
or Im just the guy who gave it a
gallant effort.
Justin Hunt

growth as a filmmaker and

his ability to relate stories
that matter to people.
I think Im OK at it, he
said, pausing again to consider how much hes got
at stake over the next few

weeks. People have to like

this. But I think they will.
Mike Easterling is the A&E
editor at The Daily Times.
He can be reached at 505564-4610.

MARCH 19- 25, 2015

EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

| A+E

Now playing
his longtime best friend,
mob boss Shawn Maguire,
who wants Mike to pay for
the death of his own son. R

ALLEN 8

(no showing Friday of

first show for Allen 8)
THE LAZARUS EFFECT:
Daily at noon, 2:10 p.m.,
4:20 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and
8:35 p.m. The film follows
a group of medical students who discover a way
to bring dead patients back
to life. PG13
CHAPPIE: Daily at 12:30
p.m., 3:20 p.m., 6:10 p.m.
and 8:55 p.m. In the near
future, crime is patrolled
by an oppressive mechanized police force. When
one police droid, Chappie,
is stolen and given new
programming, he becomes
the first robot with the
ability to think and feel for
himself. R
FOCUS: Daily at 11:50
a.m., 2:20 p.m., 4:50 p.m.,
7:20 p.m. and 9:55 p.m.
Will Smith plays a con man
who becomes romantically
involved with a novice con
artist (Margot Robbie),
only to break up when she
gets too close. Three years
later, he is thrown off his
game when his former
flame shows up in Buenos
Aires. Complicating matters even more, each of
them is working separate
but equally elaborate
cons, both targeting the
same billionaire international race car team owner
(Rodrigo Santoro). R
CINDERELLA: Daily at
12:40 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 6:40
p.m. and 9:25p.m. When
her father unexpectedly
passes away, young Ella
finds herself at the mercy
of her cruel stepmother
and her daughters. Never
one to give up hope, Ellas
fortunes begin to change
after meeting a dashing
stranger in the woods. PG
INSURGENT: In 3D daily
at 12:20 p.m. and 6:20
p.m. In 2D daily at 3:30
p.m. and 9:05 p.m. In the
thrilling sequel to Divergent, Beatrice Prior must
confront her inner demons
and continue her fight
against a powerful alliance
which threatens to tear her

ANIMAS 10

society apart with the help

from others on her side.
PG13
THE DUFF: Daily at 11:30
a.m., 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:10
p.m. and 9:40 p.m. A high
school senior instigates
a social pecking order
revolution after finding out
that she has been labeled
the DUFF (Designated Ugly
Fat Friend) to her prettier
more popular friends. PG13
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Daily at 12:10 p.m., 2:30
p.m., 4:40 p.m., 7 p.m.
and 9:15 p.m. A hardworking small business
owner (Vince Vaughn) and
his two associates (Tom

Wilkinson, Dave Franco)

travel to Europe to close
the most important deal
of their lives. But what
began as a routine business trip goes off the rails
in every imaginable and
unimaginable way,
including unplanned stops
at a massive sex fetish
event and a global economic summit. R
RUN ALL NIGHT: Daily at
12:50 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 6:50
p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Mobster
and hit man Jimmy Conlon
has one night to figure out
where his loyalties lie: with
his estranged son, Mike,
whose life is in danger, or

SPONGEBOB MOVIE: In
3D daily at 9:10 p.m. In 2D
daily at 11 a.m., 1:50 p.m.,
4:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
SpongeBob SquarePants,
the worlds favorite seadwelling invertebrate,
comes ashore to our world
for his most super-heroic
adventure yet. PG
AMERICAN SNIPER: Daily
at 12:20 p.m., 3:20 p.m.,
6:25 p.m. and 9:25 p.m.
Navy SEAL sniper Chris
Kyles pinpoint accuracy
saves countless lives on
the battlefield and turns
him into a legend. Back
home to his wife and kids
after four tours of duty,
however, Chris finds that
it is the war he cant leave
behind. R
THE GUNMAN: Daily at
1:10 p.m., 3:55 p.m., 6:50
p.m. and 9:30 p.m. A sniper
(Sean Penn) on a mercenary assassination team
kills the minister of mines
of the Congo. Terriers successful kill shot forces him
into hiding. Returning to
the Congo years later, he
becomes the target of a hit
squad himself. R
INSURGENT: In 3D daily at
4:25 p.m. and 9:55 p.m. In
2D daily at 10:55 a.m., 1:40
p.m., 4:25 p.m. and 7:10
p.m. In the thrilling sequel
to Divergent, Beatrice
Prior must confront her
inner demons and continue
her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society
apart with the help from
others on her side. PG13
DO YOU BELIEVE? Daily
at 12:10 p.m., 3:10 p.m.,
6:05 p.m. and 8:50 p.m.
When a pastor is shaken
by the visible faith of a
street-corner preacher, he
is reminded that true belief
always requires action. His
response ignites a journey
that impacts everyone it
touches in ways that only

God could orchestrate.

PG13
KINGSMAN, THE SECRET SERVICE: Daily at
11:50 a.m., 3 p.m., 6:15
p.m. and 9:20 p.m. A spy
organization recruits an
unrefined, but promising
street kid into the agencys
ultra-competitive training
program just as a global
threat emerges from a
twisted tech genius. R
THE SEVENTH SON: In
2D daily at 11:20 a.m.,
2:10 p.m., 4:35 p.m., 7:05
p.m. and 9:40 p.m. Young
Thomas is apprenticed to
the local Spook to learn to
fight evil spirits. His first
great challenge comes
when the powerful Mother
Malkin escapes her confinement while the Spook
is away. PG13
CINDERELLA: Daily at
11:25 a.m., 2 p.m., 4:45
p.m., 7:25 p.m. and 10 p.m.
When her father unexpect-

edly passes away, young

Ella finds herself at the
mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters.
Never one to give up hope,
Ellas fortunes begin to
change after meeting a
dashing stranger in the
woods. PG
THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL:
Daily at 10:50 a.m., 1:30
p.m., 4:05 p.m., 6:55 p.m.
and 9:45 p.m. As the Best
Exotic Marigold Hotel has
only a single remaining vacancy posing a rooming
predicament for two fresh
arrivals Sonny pursues
his expansionist dream of
opening a second hotel. PG
MCFARLAND USA: Daily
at 12:40 p.m., 3:40 p.m.,
6:35 p.m. and 9:35 p.m.
A cross-country coach in
a small California town
transforms a team of
athletes into championship
contenders. PG

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MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

weekend+

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your

<< SUNDAY

Live front man performs

solo show in Durango

Best known as the front man for the multi-platinum-selling rock

band Live, Ed Kowalczyk performs a solo show at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 22 at the Community Concert Hall on the Fort Lewis
College campus in Durango, Colo. Kowalczyk is the voice behind
such Live hits as Lightning Crashes, I Alone and Selling the
Drama, but hes enjoyed substantial success on his own with
hits like Grace and Stand since launching his solo career in
2009. Hes now touring in support of his recently released The
Flood and the Mercy, his third solo disc. All told, Kowalczyk has
helped shape the alternative music landscape for the better part of
two decades now. Tickets range in price from $24 to $29 and are
available online, by phone at 970-247-7657 or at the ticket office
inside the Durango Welcome Center at Eighth Street and Main
Avenue.
COURTESY PHOTO ED KOZALCZYK

DURANGOCONCERTS.COM

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Constellations the star

of AstroFriday session

Let your inner pirate

out at the library

Constellations of the Zodiac

is the theme of this AstroFriday presentation at the Planetarium at San Juan College,
4601College Blvd. in Farmington. Shows are planned for
6:30p.m. and 7:30p.m. Friday,
March 20. Free.
505-566-3361
FRIDAY

Find out who led the

Pueblo Revolt of 1680

Longtime public historian

Stefanie Beninato explores
questions surrounding Pops
role in New Mexicos Pueblo
Revolt in her lecture Pop
and Naranjo: Leadership in the
Pueblo Revolet of 1680 at 7
p.m. Friday, March 20 at the
Little Theatre on the San Juan
College campus in Farmington. Free.
505-566-3430

Five more things to do

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

CONTINUING

Night Vision show

opens at Studio 116

Its Ultimate Date Night

at the Civic Center

Musselwhite, Hammond
take stage in Durango

Make your Wednesday

a wet and wild one

Nocturnes exhibition
at SJC closes soon

JAYANDLAURA.COM

DURANGOCONCERTS.COM

505-599-1167

505-566-3464

New work by San Juan College art instructor Michael

Darmody will be featured in
his Night Vision exhibition
opening Friday, March 20at
Studio 116, 116 W. Main St. in
downtown Farmington.
505-801-5889

Jay and Laura of the Ultimate

Date Night Tour come to the
Farmington Civic Center,
200W. Arrington, at 7p.m.
Saturday, March 21for a funny
glimpse into married life.
Tickets are $12.50. Call 505327-7870.

Charlie Musselwhite and

John Hammond, two living
blues legends, are featured
at the Community Concert
Hall on the Fort Lewis College
campus in Durango, Colo., at
7:30p.m. Tuesday, March 24.
Tickets are $39to $49.

If youre running out of spring

break activities to keep the
kids busy, try Wet and Wild
Wednesday at the Farmington Aquatic Center, 1151 N.
Sullivan Ave., at 4:30p.m.
Wednesday, March 25. Admission is $2.

The lush, textural paintings

of Farmington native Kyle
Ragsdale featured in his Nocturnes exhibition remain on
display at the Henderson Fine
Arts on the San Juan College
campus in Farmington through
March 27.

The Guys Read series at the

Farmington Public Library,
2101Farmington Ave., returns
at 11 a.m. Saturday, March
21with a pirate scavenger
hunt. Learn more about this
web-based literacy program
at guysread.com or call 505599-1273. Free.
INFOWAY.ORG.

TUESDAY

With spring here, its

time to hit the trail

Explore new trails along the

Animas River and soak up the
sun on spring break as the
Riverside Nature Center, 145
Browning Parkway, presents
a family trail lunch at noon
Tuesday, March 24. Bring your
lunch and meet at the center
for this kid-friendly activity.
505-599-1422

10

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MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

Four Corners arts

MUSEUMS

Animas Museum: The

Animas Museum is housed
in a historic building built in
1904at 3065W. 2nd Ave. in
Durango, Colo. Open 10a.m.
to 6p.m. Monday through
Saturday. More info: 970259-2402
Aztec Museum and Pioneer Village: Among its 12
exhibit buildings, the museum offers a pioneer village,
an oil field exhibit, a collection of farm equipment and
more. The Aztec Museum
and Pioneer Village, located
at 125N. Main Ave., is open
10a.m. to 4p.m. Thursday
through Saturday. Admission
is $3for adults, $1for children age 12-17, and children
younger than 12are free.
More info: 505-334-9829
by e-mail at aztecmuseum@
sisna.com.
Bolack Museums: The
Bolack Museum of Fish and
Wildlife and the Bolack Electromechanical Museum are
located on the 12,000-acre,
privately owned B-Square
Ranch, located south of
Farmington on U.S. Highway
64at 3901Bloomfield Highway. Tours are offered hourly
or by appointment. More
info: 505-325-4275
Childrens Museum of
Durango: The Childrens
Museum of Durango is
located at 802E. 2nd Ave. in
Durango, Colo. The museum is open 1p.m. to 5p.m.
Wednesday through Friday.
More info: 970-259-9234or
childsmuseum.org
Cortez Museum and Cultural Center: The Cortez
Museum and Cultural Center
is located at 25N. Market
St. in Cortez, Colo. More
info: 970-565-1151or www.
cortezculturalcenter.org
E3Childrens Museum &
Science Center: Located
at 302N. Orchard Ave.,
Farmington. Visit colorful
new exhibits that change bimonthly, always accompanied by hands-on activities.
Art related programs will
teach and engage children
with a variety of projects.
Explore the new dinosaur

habitat, the most recent

addition to the permanent
collection. School and community groups welcome.
Special exhibition fees apply,
but all programs are included
with admission, or are free
when visiting the permanent
collections. More info: 505599-1425
Farmington Museum:
Located at 3041E. Main St.
Experience a wide variety
of exhibits relating to the
diverse history of the areas
cultures, traveling exhibits, and art shows. Lecture
series, performances,
workshops, and special
demonstrations are offered
year-round. The museum
store Currents features
exhibit-related merchandise,
books on local and regional
interest, toys, and educational materials. The Growers
Market is held from from
4:30to 6p.m. Tuesdays and
8a.m. to noon Saturdays
June to October, depending on the growing season,
in the Museum parking lot.
The Farmington Museum is
open 8a.m. to 5p.m. Monday
through Saturday. Donations
are appreciated. Come to the
museum for the travelling
exhibit Lost Egypt: Ancient
Secrets Modern Science,
which remains on display
through April. Museum hours
are extended on Tuesday and
Saturday until 8p.m. with
ticket sales ending a half
hour before closing. Tickets
are $12for adults and $6for
children. More Info: 505599-1174or go to www.
farmingtonmuseum.org
Southern Ute Cultural
Center Museum: The
Southern Ute Cultural Center
Museum displays artifacts
and photographs.It is located
at 14826Highway 172in
Ignacio, Colo., and is open
8a.m. to 5p.m. Monday
through Friday, and 10a.m.
to 3p.m. Saturday. More info:
970-563-9583or southernutemuseum.org
Notah Dinh Trading Company and Museum: The Notah Dinh Trading Company
and Museum has a large

collection of Two Grey Hills

weaving. It offers sandpaintings, artwork and jewelry. It
is located 345W. Main St.
in Cortez, Colo. More info:
800-444-2024
Salmon Ruins: The Salmon
Ruins Museum hosts a collection of Anasazi pottery
and historical artifacts at
6131U.S. Highway 64in
Bloomfield. Exhibits include
Learning from Ancient Pottery: Stories Told in the Dixon
Collection and the Collection of Historical Photos
From Mesa Verde. Suggested donation $3adult, $2
seniors, $1children, younger
than 6free. More info: 505632-2013

Gallery shows change every

three weeks and showcase
a diversity of media and artists, including national traveling shows as well as local
artists, childrens and juried
shows. Children younger
than 6must be accompanied
by an adult. There is a Paint
Bar Happy Hour on Tuesdays
between 5and 7p.m., when
the cost is $5per person or
$4for DAC members. The
center is located at 802E.
2nd Ave. in Durango, Colo.
More info: 970-259-2606,
artsforce.com or durangoarts.org.
The Earthen Vessel: The
Earthen Vessel specializes
in functional, handcrafted
pottery. Its located at 115
W. 9th St. in Durango, Colo.
GALLERIES
More info: 800-884-1281,
Artifacts Gallery: Arti970-247-1281or earthenfacts Gallery includes two
vessel.com.
galleries, 11artist studios,
Feat of Clay: The Feat
original artwork by 40area
of Clay Artists Co-op is
artists, New Mexico-made
a collection of local Four
chile products and unique
one-of-a-kind gifts. Located Corners artists. The work at
at 302E. Main St. in historic the gallery includes pottery,
Downtown Farmington. Gal- jewelry, paintings, cards and
lery hours are 10:30to 5p.m. mixed media pieces. The
Feat of Clay Artists Co-op is
Tuesday through Saturday.
located at 107S. Main Ave.
More info: 505-327-2907.
in Aztec. Regular hours are
Artisans of Mancos:
10a.m. to 5p.m. Wednesday
Artisans of Mancos is an
artist co-op center. It is open through Saturday. More info:
505-334-4335or 505daily and is located at 101
Grand Ave. in Mancos, Colo. 334-3014.
More info: 970-533-7040or The Henderson Fine Arts
art gallery: The gallery is
mancos.org
located inside the Henderson
Crash Music: Crash Music
Fine Arts Center at San Juan
is located in the Historic
College, 4601College BouAztec Theater, 104N. Main
levard in Farmington. Gallery
Ave. in Aztec. Bringing live
hours are 10a.m. to 7p.m.,
musical performances to
San Juan County, supporting Monday through Thursday,
the arts and offering private and 10a.m. to 5p.m., Friday.
More info: 505-566-3464.
and group lessons in guitar,
bass, banjo, mandolin, drum Karen Gabaldon Fine Arts
Gallery: Karen Gabaldon
set and two-hand drumFine Arts Gallery is located
ming classes every week.
More info: 505-427-6748or at 680Main Ave., Durango,
Colo. The gallery displays
crashmusicaztec.com.
contemporary paintings
The Dusty Attic: Oil paintof the area by artist Karyn
ings by Anita Dotson are on
Gabaldon, as well as fine
display at The Dusty Attic,
pottery, glass and jewelry.
111W. Main St. in FarmingIt is open 10a.m. to 9p.m.
ton. More info: 505-325More info: 970-247-9018or
9827.
karyngabaldon.com.
Durango Arts Center: The
K.K. Walling Studio/GalDurango Arts Center is a
local, nonprofit arts council. lery: Painter K.K. Walling
works in oil and watercolor,

as well as other media including fibers. Her studio/

gallery, located at 501Airport
Drive, Suite 121in Farmington, is open for the public
from 11a.m. to 5p.m. Thursdays, or by appointment.
More info: 505-360-0734.
Open Shutter Gallery: The
Open Shutter Gallery is located at 755E. Second Ave.
in Durango, Colo. More info:
970-382-8355or openshuttergallery.com.
A Shared Blanket: A Shared
Blanket hosts original
artwork by local artists
and native Americans from
Alaska to Florida. Navajo
rugs, pottery, books, jewelry,
fetishes, sculpture, artifacts,
ceremonial pieces, flutes and
knives are on display. The
gallery is located at 736Main
Ave. in Durango, Colo., and is
open 10a.m. to 6p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11
a.m. to 4p.m., Sunday. More
info: 970-247-9210
Sorrel Sky Gallery: The
gallery is located at 870Main
Ave. in Durango, Colo. More
info: 970-247-3555or 866878-3555.
Silver Maple Studio: Silver
Maple Studio features the
art work of potter Toni
Trosky. Her work is available
at the studio/gallery at 326
N. Mesa Ave. in Aztec or at
Feat of Clay Gallery, 107S.
Main St. in Aztec. For more
information call Toni at 505330-0875or email silvervalleystudio@gmail.com.
Studio 116: The studio
provides art classes for both
kids and adults, as well as
art parties. The art of Karen
Ellsbury and Crystal Hazen,
the photography of Patrick
Hazen, sterling silver jewelry
from the Ellsbury Silversmiths are displayed. The
gallery is located at 116W.
Main St. in Farmington. Adult
Art classes are Wed & Thurs,
held from 6p.m. to 8:30p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday.
Kids Art classes are held
from 11a.m. to noon on Saturday. Couples parties are
the held at 6p.m. the third
Saturday of each month.
More info: 505-801-5889

Toadlena Trading Post:

The Historic Toadlena
Trading Post and Museum
hosts The Master Weavers
Exhibit, featuring the work
of Navajo weavers from the
Toadlena/Two Grey Hills region at the post. Located one
hour south of Shiprock on
U.S. Highway 491. More info:
505-789-3267or toadlenatradingpost.com.
Three Rivers Arts Center:
TRAC is a local nonprofit art
collective featuring works
of local member artists and
offering classes in art. The
gallery, featuring everything
from fine silver jewelry to
yard art, is open from 10a.m.
to 5p.m. Tuesday through
Saturday. The gallery is located at 109N. Allen Ave. in
historic downtown Farmington. info: 505-716-7660.
Wal-Art Gallery: The WalArt Gallery is located at 422
W. Main St. in Farmington.
Its hours are 9a.m. to 6p.m.,
Monday through Friday, and
10a.m. to 5p.m., Saturday.
More info: 505-327-3336.
WRITING GROUPS

The San Juan Writers Critique Group: The San Juan

Writers Critique Group meets
at 6:30p.m. on Wednesdays.
Info: Gloria OShields, 505326-6824.
Cortez Christian Writers:
The Cortez Christian Writers
meet the second Saturday
of each month, except for
December, at the Cortez
Library. Info: Connie Peters,
970-564-9449.
Durango Inkslingers: The
Durango Inkslingers meet the
third Wednesday of every
month at 5:30p.m., except
for December and summer
months, at the Durango Arts
Center. More info: Joyce
Alexander, alexand@frontier.
net.
The Trois Riviere Fiction
Writers: The Trois Riviere
Fiction Writers meet the
third Saturday of every
month, except for December, at the Farmington
Civic Center. More info: Linda
Crockett, 505-325-2473.

MARCH 19- 25, 2015

EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

Call to artists
THE IDENTITY INC. IDENTITY PHOTO CONTEST
Information: Entries are being sought for this new show
at the Identity Inc. Community Center, 218W. Main St.
in Farmington.
Requirements: The contest
is open anyone from age 18
to 25, and contestants are
limited to three entries. The
photos should reflect subject
matter that represents
identity or expresses what
that word means to the artist. Entries must be received
by midnight on Friday, April
3. Entries should be submitted as an attachement to
an email at Identityinc01@
gmail.com. Include your name
and phone number in the
body of the email. Entries will
be displayed on the Identity
Inc. Facebook page. Judges
will choose the top 10entries, and they will be printed,
matted and displayed at the
community center. First-,
second- and third-place cash
prizes will be awarded at 7
p.m. Friday, Feb. 10at a gallery opening at the community center.
THE ANNUAL RECYCLED
ART SHOW AT FEAT OF
CLAY GALLERY
Information: Entries are
being sought for this show
taking place April 24-May 16
at the Feat of Clay Gallery,
107S. Main St. in Aztec. The
show helps celebrate Earth
Day. An artist reception will
kick off the show at 5p.m.
April 24.
Requirements: All work
must include a minimum of
70 percent recycled materials, and the materials must
be repurposed, meaning they
must be used for something
other than what they originally were intended. Artwork
must be accompanied by an
inventory sheet includeing
title, price and media. A gallery contract must be signed
when the work is dropped off.
Work must be at the gallery
between 10a.m. and 5p.m.
April 15through April 18. Call
Finoa Clarke at 505-326-

| A+E

| 11

In Film
5162or 505-320-4591for
more information.
GATEWAY TO IMAGINATION A NATIONAL JURIED ART COMPETITION
Information: The Farmington Museum at Gateway Park
is calling for entries for this
show running May 9-July 11
at the museum. The deadline
for entries is March 14.
Requirements: All media
will be accepted, and the
competition is opn to artists
18 years and older. Entries
can be submitted online at
www.fmtn.org/museums or
by mail to the Farmington
Museum at Gateway Park,
3041E. Main St., Farmington,
NM 87401. The cost for entry
is $35 for two artworks. To
enter, fill out an entry form
and submit digital images of
the work created after January 2014. Cash prizes totaling $2,750will be awarded.
A lecture by juror Stephanie
L. Taylor, a tenured assistant
professor of modern and
contemporary art history at
New Mexico State University.
There will be a reception and
a lecture by Taylor on Saturday, May 16.
THE 29TH ANNUAL RIVERFEST FINE ARTS SHOW
FARMINGTON
Information: This juried
show sponsored by the
Northwest New Mexico Arts
Council features only 20
booths located inside a large
tent. The application process
is open to all artists working in various media residing
in New Mexico, Colorado,
Utah or Arizona. The show
takes place May 22-24in
Berg Park along the Animas
River, attracting thousands
of visitors. Pick up a prospectus from Flo Trujillo at
the Farmington Library, 2101
Farmington Ave., or download
one online at http://www.
nwnmac.org or send a selfaddressed stamped envelope
to NWNMAC, Attn: Riverfest Fine Arts Show, P.O.
Box 2235, Farmington, NM
87499or email a request to

RiverfestArt@hotmail.com.
Call Tim Gordon at 505486-0403or email RiverfestArt@hotmail.com.
THE CAPACITY BUILDERS
N.A.T.I.V.E. PROJECT
Information: All Native
American artists and artisans
are invited to apply for grants
of up to $400to pay fair,
festival and art show booth
fees and application fees.
Funds are sponsored by the
Administration for Native
Americans. The project also
offers arts development
assistance through mentorships, workshops and microloans, and is creating a dedicated website showcasing
quality work. Email Kahlaya
at k.mckinney@grantwriters.
net, call 505-326-4245or
visit capacitybuilders.info/
native to learn more.
FEAT OF CLAY GALLERY
AZTEC
Information: Feat of Clay
Artists Co-op Gallery is currently looking for local artists
to become new members.
Just drop two to three pieces
of your artwork by Feat of
Clay, and, if approved, you
are in. Each member is asked
to work several shifts each
month at the gallery, depending on your availability; pay
a small commission on each
piece of artwork sold, and attend monthly art shows.
Shows: Feat of Clay is also
looking for featured artists for its monthly shows
this year. Each show has an
opening reception, features
two to three artists and will
run for approximately three
weeks. All artwork must be
for sale, with 40percent of
the proceeds going to the
gallery.
The gallery: Feat of Clay
Gallery is located at 107S.
Main Ave. in Aztec. Its hours
are 10a.m. to 5p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For
more information regarding the shows or becoming
a member of Feat of Clay,
please call 505-334-4335,
or 505-320-6598.

LIONSGATE/TNS ANDREW COOPER

Tris (Shailene Woodley), Four (Theo James, center), Caleb (Ansel Elgort) the second
installment of the Divergent series: Insurgent.

Insurgent one-ups Divergent,

and suggests better films to come
By Roger Moore
Tribune News Service

Insurgent doesnt seriously diverge from the Divergent/Hunger Games/

Maze Runner formula until its final act.
Up until then, this Divergent sequel is youngadults-save-the-world generic. Its action-packed in
the extreme, as Young Heroine Triss (Shailene Woodely) and Dauntless hunk
Four (Theo James) run
from the armed, motorized thugs that the smug
Erudite elitists send after them, with barely time
for a betrayal, a moment
of weakness and a break
for Triss to pile on more
makeup and lip gloss.
Not everyone is brave or
true enough to make a revolution work. But theres
no excuse for not looking
your sexiest.
The blossoming TrissFour love affair is expedited by the terror of the
chase and the convenience
of zippered jumpsuits.
New Factions are visited, with Octavia Spencers Joanna controlling
her temper in leading the
tolerant sweethearts of
Amity, who briefly shelter our heroes.

INSURGENT

Cast: Shailene Woodley,

Theo James and Kate
Winslet
Rated: PG-13
Running time: 116minutes
Go, with happiness!
Candor leader Jack
Kang (Daniel Dae Kim)
is indeed candid, and that
translates as just, too.
A fierce Naomi Watts introduces us to the scheming/fighting Factionless.
Its all part of the endless
exposition in this postHarry Potter/Twilight
teen and tween film universe. There are always
new factions, or factionless folk, to introduce and
explain.
But this derivative fluff,
memorably mocked (along
with its myriad YA sci-fi
cousins) last fall on Saturday Night Live, takes
a turn toward interesting
the moment Triss, haunted
by memories of her slaughtered family, tells us how
she wants this insurgency
to end.
We need to kill Jeannine.
The Divergent girl has
become a hardened revo-

lutionary, and she wants

the leader (Kate Winslet)
who killed those she loved
to die.
At that point, director Robert Schwenktke
(Flightplan, RED) and
his screenwriters begin to
transcend the material,
something it took The
Hunger Games longer to
manage. We might think of
The Arab Spring or the
French Revolution and remember that not every insurgency leads to positive
change, that every faction will have blood on its
hands and that, in armed
revolts, might makes right,
but not righteous.
The wondrous Woodley
is a more convincing tough
chick here, James blandly
adequate in support, Miles
Teller a colorful third
wheel and Ansel Elgort (as
Trisss meek brother) is a
colorless fourth wheel.
The fights are wellstaged, the chases dull.
But as Insurgent
wraps up, it picks up speed
and depth, and gives you
hope that maybe this series
wont conclude as the copyand-paste Hunger Games
it has felt like, from the
moment the books were
word-processed onto the
best seller lists.

12

A+E | EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

VISUAL ART

A REAL
POPULARITY
CONTEST

Annual Peoples
Choice exhibition
opens three-week
run in Farmington

THE DAILY TIMES FILE PHOTO

Liz Stannard, a member of the Peoples Choice committee, stands

for a portrait in November at the SnS Skate Shop on Main Street in
Farmington. Stannard developed the idea of the annual art event that
returns for its third year this week.
By Mike Easterling
measterling@daily-times.com
@measdterlingdt on Twitter

One of the citys

more widely anticipated arts
events returns this weekend when
the third annual Peoples Choice
a unique art exhibit opens a
three-week run at 17 venues scattered across downtown.
Originated by local artist
Liz Stannard in 2013 after she
FARMINGTON >>

learned of an event with that

theme in Grand Rapids, Mich.,
the Peoples Choice exhibition
features work created by artists
who live within a 100-mile radius
of town. Art lovers are encouraged to visit the various downtown venues and take a look at
the pieces, then vote on their favorite. The top finishers will be
announced in an awards ceremony the day after the exhibiCHOICE >> PAGE 13

MARCH 19- 25, 2015

Choice
FROM PAGE 12

tion ends.
This year, 57 artists submitted a piece for the event.
Thats down from the 68
who entered last year, but
Stannard, a member of the
Peoples Choice committee that organizes the event,
said that decline reflects the
fact that no Colorado artists
chose to enter this time.
On the other hand, there
were 15 downtown businesses that volunteered to
serve as host sites for the
galleries last year, and that
number has increased by
two in 2015.
This year, we got a very
good response, she said of
the participating businesses.
There were no questions
asked. They were willing to
jump on board and do whatever it took to make it better. The last two years, it was
a little harder, but this year,
everybody was waiting.
In addition to the Peoples Choice awards that will
be given $1,000 for first
place, $750 for second, $500
for third and $250 for two
honorable mention spots,
as well as a $250 prize for a
winner among San Juan College students the Jurors
Choice Award also will be
presented, an addition that
was introduced last year.
That selection will be made
by Santa Fe educator and fiber artist Mary Beth Yates.
We offer that award to
that individual, as well, to
give a balance, Stannard
said. The popular vote can
sometimes go in the direction of friends and family
members. We thought this
would be a way of getting
people into all the businesses
to look at all the artwork.
And I think a lot of the professional artists (who participate in the show) would prefer to be juried that way.
In order to participate in
the voting, visitors will need
to stop by the Three Rivers
Art Center & In Cahoots
Gallery, 109 N. Allen Ave.,
between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

IF YOU GO

What: The third annual

Peoples Choice a unique
art exhibit
When and where: Saturday,
March 21through Friday,
April 10at 17locations in
downtown Farmington. The
exhibition culminates with
the Spring Art Walk at 5to
9p.m. on Friday, April 10.
Winners will be announced
in an awards ceremony at 2
p.m. Saturday, April 11at the
Farmington Civic Center.
For more information: Call
505-320-2314
Tuesdays through Saturdays
to register and pick up the
event catalog. You must be
at least 16 years old and present a valid ID in order to register.
The TRACs Sue Johnson
spent the last two years collecting entries for the event,
but this year she joined the
Peoples Choice committee.
Shes a believer in the event
and is excited about the
Spring Art Walk planned for
the final day of the exhibition on Friday, April 10 when
part of Main Street will be
closed to accommodate the
walk.
I think it was a great
idea, she said. I think Liz is
a genius for coming up with
the whole idea, but then, Liz
is always coming up with
ideas to help the arts.
Johnson said the street
closure will allow the event
to stage both indoor and
outdoor attractions, including live music and food vendors. There also will be a
giveaway program featuring items or services donated by participating merchants. When voters go by
the TRAC to register, they
will be given a postcard featuring the name of each host
venue. As voters visit those
venues and get a look at the
art, they can receive a stamp
from that venue. Those who
fill their postcard can then
turn it back in at the TRAC
when they submit their vote,
and prize winners will be
selected through a series of
drawings.
Thats going to be a draw
to get people to go to all the

THE DAILY TIMES FILE PHOTO

Artist Douglas Miller, left, sits at a table at the Farmington

Civic Center during an awards ceremony on April 5, 2014,
after winning the first place Peoples Choice award for his
sculpture, Interpreting a Legend The Lost City.
different venues, Johnson
said.
Stannard said more than
400 votes were submitted
last year.
One of the long-term goals
of the event is to help generate a renewed interest in
downtown. Johnson said the
district suffered in the aftermath of the opening of the
Animas Valley Mall, but she
believes the quarterly art
walks and events like the
Peoples Choice can turn
that around.
I think its made a difference, I really do, she said.
It brings more people downtown. It gives people a reason to come downtown and
wander up and down Main
Street.
The feedback shes gotten
indicates this event has been
well received by the community, Johnson said.
People are aware of it and
look forward to it, she said.
While Stannard is optimistic about the future of

the event and its potential

for growth, she cant help
but compare it to the Michigan event it is patterned after. That event, she said, is
in its sixth year and is much
more firmly established. It
also benefits from a much
more well developed surrounding arts district.
But they had to experience change, too, she said.
They had to make modifications.
That means more tinkering with the event is likely
in the future as committee members look for an approach that gives it an even
broader appeal.
We are open to suggestions from the public, artists and businesses to help
us make it a better event in
the years to come, Stannard
said.
Mike Easterling is the A&E
editor of The Daily Times.
He can be reached at 505564-4610.

| A+E

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14

A+E | EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

EDUCATION

MAKING
IT ALL

ADD
UP
San Juan College
math professor
plans Dance
of the Digits lecture

COURTESY PHOTO

San Juan College math professor Gerald Williams will deliver a lecture on the history of math Thursday,
March 19on the SJC campus.

By Mike Easterling >> measterling@daily-times.com; @measterlingdt on Twitter

FARMINGTON Gerald Williams was an undergraduate

student studying physics at California State University-Long
Beach when he fell in love with mathematics.
The last couple of math teachers I had there were among
the best I ever had, he said, explaining that those instructors
presented the subject in a way that was interesting, relevant
and, most of all, accessible.
ADD >> PAGE 15

MARCH 19- 25, 2015

Add
FROM PAGE 14

That changed my life,

said Williams, who went
on to get a masters degree
in math from Yale before
becoming a professor of
math at San Juan College.
I started seeing math in a
whole different way. It relates to language in many
ways. It helps us communicate quantifiable information to each other. Language is made up of letters
and words, but when you
put them together, theyre
a lot more than that. So
language is not just about
letters. It can save your
life.
In that same way, Williams said he came to realize, math is not just about
numbers its a near-universal form of communication.
That was a huge epiphany for me, he said.
Williams will elaborate on that idea and others Thursday, March 19
in his Dance of the Digits: The Story of Our Numeral System lecture at
SJC, which is part of the

EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

IF YOU GO

What: Dance of the Digits:

The Story of Our Numerical
System, a lecture by San
Juan College math professor
Gerald Williams
When: 7p.m. Thursday,
March 19
Where: The Little Theatre
on the SJC campus, 4601
College Blvd. in Farmington
Admission: Free
For more information: Call
505-566-3430
schools Broadening Horizons speaker series.
Williams understands
as well as anyone why so
many people dislike and/or
are intimidated by math.
That has everything to do,
he said, with how its presented.
To me, teaching math
is not just imparting material, its giving people
an appreciation, he said,
explaining that he strives
to help his students make
the same connection to the
subject that he did during
his college days in California. That context of where
this came from is crucial to
giving people that appreciation.
The contemporary sys-

I started seeing math in a

whole different way. It relates to
language in many ways. It helps
us communicate quantifiable
information to each other.
Language is made up of letters
and words, but when you put them
together, theyre a lot more than
that. So language is not just about
letters. It can save your life.
Gerald Williams, San Juan College math professor

tem of numerals employed by nearly every society on Earth is a HinduArabic system, Williams
said, though there are
some who argue the Chinese influenced it, as well.
But its far from being the
only numerical system humans have ever employed,
he said, citing simple tally
marks and Roman numerals as other examples.
The problem with those
systems, Williams said, is
that they dont lend themselves very well to making calculations. By contrast, the Hindu-Arabic
system is relatively user
friendly, partly because it
employs zero a numeral
that doesnt exist in the

Roman system and many

others, Williams said. The
existence of that numeral
makes calculating addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
a much easier proposition, he pointed out. For
instance, while it may
be simple to multiply six
times seven, he said, imagine how difficult it would
be to multiply 600 by 700
without zeroes.
Obvious as all that may
seem in the 21st century,
Williams said it took centuries for our current system to develop. He drew
an analogy to the difference between horses and
cars as a mode of transportation to illustrate the dif-

TECH

Nintendo announces its developing games for our phones

By Hayley Tsukayama
The Washington Post

Theres a very real chance

the Mario Bros. will soon
show up on your smartphone. Nintendo announced
Tuesday that, after resisting
the move to mobile for years,
it is striking a partnership
with DeNA a Japanese
company that owns a popular mobile gaming platform.
Its a somewhat surprising move for Nintendo. When
rumors about a possible mobile game have cropped up
before, fans have been quick
to cheer only to have their
hopes repeatedly dashed
by the companys polite insistence that it would only
make games for its own de-

vices such as the Nintendo

Wii U and 3DS lines.
But there seems to have
been a shift in thinking. According to a statement, the
company said all Nintendo
IP will be eligible for development and exploration by the
alliance, meaning that all
Nintendo characters should
be on the table, from Mario
to Zelda.
Still, this doesnt mean
that all the favorite titles
from your childhood will be
making it to your phone. The
release makes it clear that
only new original games
optimized for smart device
functionality will be created, rather than porting
games created specifically
for the Wii U home console

or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.

The overall strategy seems
to be to have mobile titles act
as complements to the companys portable and console
titles, possibly acting as a
hook to buying those more
expensive, longer titles.
Nintendo has struggled a
bit in adjusting to the new
landscape of games particularly the rise of mobile
gaming, which has eaten
into sales of the lighter, family-focused fare that has been
a linchpin in Nintendos catalog for years. The firm initially struggled to sell units
of its Wii U console, although
it saw stronger sales over the
holidays. It also recently celebrated the fact that its latest

Nintendo 3DS was the bestselling portable video game

system in the month of February, besting Sonys PS Vita.
Nintendo has also been
looking at new avenues of
business, including a push
into the smart health space.
The company also announced that it would build
an online membership service on top of DeNAs existing
services that can be reached
from smart devices, the Wii
U and Nintendo 3DS, as well
as from PCs. Thats targeted
to launch this fall.
All in all, this seems like
good news for Nintendo,
which has generally been
seen as behind the curve
when it comes to building
an online presence.

ferences between numerical systems over the course

of human history.
Williams, who wrote a
book on the subject in 2013
called How Math Works:
A Guide to Grade School
Arithmetic for Parents and
Teachers, said the HinduArabic system didnt make
its way to Europe until the
Middle Ages, then came to
the Western Hemisphere
in the 1500s and 1600s.
And over time, the rest
of the world started using
it, he said.
Williams will explore
other concepts related to
math, as well, perhaps
touching on the popular
notion that people tend
to be good at numbers or
words, but not both.
Thats not true so much
in other counties, he said
of the idea, explaining that
being good at math is a
matter of degree, just as
it is at playing an instrument, for example. For

| A+E

| 15

whatever reason, Americans tend to take much

more of an either/or perspective on math proficiency. Many of us are better at it than we think, he
said.
The math most of us
know is way more than
the average citizen knew
500 or 600, even 300
years ago, Williams said.
Where weve come from is
pretty amazing. Thats the
success of our common education system.
If you still consider yourself bad at math and want
to improve, Williams has a
simple suggestion.
People can get more
proficient just through
practice, he said. But
people need to understand
why theyre doing something and why it works.
Mike Easterling is the
night editor of The Daily
Times. He can be reached
at 505-564-4610.

16

A+E | EXPLORE THE DAILY TIMES

MARCH 19 - 25, 2015

DURANGO

THE MUSIC THAT

Adam Swanson,
a longtime
entertainer at
the Diamond
Belle Saloon
at the Strater
Hotel in
Durango,
Colo., returns
this weekend
to take part
in the third
annual Durango
Ragtime & Early
Jazz Festival.

WONT DIE
Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival back for third year at historic Strater Hotel
By Mike Easterling
measterling@daily-times.com
@measterlingdt on Twitter

FARMINGTON >> Ragtime may have a reputation

for being a musical relic
from the Victorian era, but
that dismissive characterization would draw a quick
retort from Michelle Thom.
As the organizer of the
Durango Ragtime & Early
Jazz Festival, now in its
third year, Thom insists
ragtime has an enduring
appeal that has allowed it
to survive, and periodically
thrive, over the decades.
Its an institution, she
said. It wont die. It comes
in waves.
Thom, who also serves as
the general manager of the
Strater Hotel, where the festival will be held this weekend, has the credentials to
back up that claim. She was
a music major at the University of Northern Colorado and a student in the
School of Jazz, so she has
long had an understanding
of and appreciation for that
musical style.
She also manages a historic, Victorian-style hotel
that offers live music every
night. So it wasnt much of a
stretch for the hotel to serve
as the host site for a ragtime
festival.
It really fits our hotel,
Thom said, noting that the
Strater also offers ragtime
music on a regular basis in
its Diamond Belle Saloon.
This is a rare genre to hear
played live.

IF YOU GO

What: Third annual Durango

Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival
When: Friday, March 20
Sunday, March 22
Where: The Strater Hotel,
699 Main Ave. in Durango,
Colo.
Tickets: A variety of tickets
are available, ranging from
single-day to full festival
passes.
For more information:
Call 970-375-7160or visit
henrystratertheatre.com
The Durango festival is
far from being the only ragtime festival in the country,
she said, explaining that a
handful of others take place
around the United States,
with the most prominent
one being staged in Sacramento, Calif.
The idea for the Durango festival was hatched
by Strater Hotel owner Rod
Barker and Adam Swanson,
a Fort Lewis College music
graduate and ragtime pianist who cut his teeth performing at the Diamond
Belle. Swanson is now getting his masters degree
from Johns Hopkins University, but he remains a vital part of the Durango festival, Thom said.
Swanson is not only one
of the dozen or so artists
who will perform at the festival, hell also lead one of
the festivals symposiums,
Emmett Miller: Minstrel
Man from Georgia on Saturday, March 21. The festi-

COURTESY PHOTOS

Domingo Mancuello is one of the featured performers at this weekends Durango Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival at the
Strater Hotel.
val also features dance lessons and live ragtime accompaniment to silent film
screenings. The screenings
are especially popular with
families, Thom said, noting that several of those sessions have sold out over the
first two years of the festival.
The Straters cozy surroundings also provide an
intimate environment in
which audiences can enjoy the music of some well-

known artists, including

jazz drummer Danny Coots
and Todd Robbins, a vaudeville, slight-of-hand performer who has appeared
with Penn and Teller in the
past.
And these are all worldrenowned pianists, she
said, referring to the rest of
the festivals roster of performers.
The highlight of each
years festival, she said, is
the after-hours parties that

take place in the Diamond

Belle Saloon. Those events
feature impromptu performances by festival artists who usually are happy
to field requests from and
mingle with guests, according to Thom.
Its just real genuine, a
cant miss, she said of the
atmosphere at the parties.
Its a very rare chance people usually dont get when
they go to a concert.
Thom said the festival

seems to be generating a
buzz among ragtime fans
around the country.
Were trying to grow it,
she said. One of the biggest
issues we have is transportation for people who live
outside the Four Corners.
But we are working on that,
as well.
Mike Easterling is the A&E
editor of The Daily Times.
He can be reached at 505564-4610.