Thank you Quartzsite for another beautiful event for the whole community! This post will have more personal touches than normal, as I am so grateful for the countless volunteers that helped make yesterday's event such a positive experience for the community!
Rockin' in Quartzsite is a public art event focusing on the uniqueness of what drew many folks to this area, the rocks! Artists paint rock art pieces which go on display around town for the whole season. In March, the rock art will be auctioned at the Rock Auction! Using a Volunteer Equity Program, funds raised will be donated back to the community through the various organizations designated by the volunteers.
The 2nd Annual Rockin' in Quartzsite kicked off yesterday! Quartzsite Community Prevention Coalition joined the event this year with kid's events, free hot dogs and t-shirts. The theme was "If you abuse..." alcohol, prescription and illicite drugs. There was a special guest teenager, who shared her pain of losing 4 friends over the last two years to drug abuse.
This year, Proud Neighbors of Quartzsite decided to change it up a bit, by using flagstone slabs instead of boulders. Last year, some boulders were difficult to see on the ground. By using the slabs, the level of visibility will increase. Many hours of discussion were held about how to display the rock art. Mark Goldberg, an artist and creative genius, designed and built a protype stand for the stones. Many volunteers gathered at his workshop to cut, drill, sand, and paint the beautiful stands to showcase the artists work. Mr. Goldberg worked very hard on attention to details and his concern for safety was paramount! Thank you, Mark Goldberg for the untold hours of work you have put into this project.
Hats off to
- Inland Builders, Ace Hardware in Blythe, CA for donating all the flagstone slabs and building materials for the Rock Art Pieces and stands. Thank you sooo much for your generousity and support of our community!
- Kym Scott, of Tyson Wells Showgrounds for the extremely generous donation of his warehouse for two weeks! We couldn't do it without you, Kym! Hearts of gratitude for how much to contribute to the community of Quartzsite!
- Mark Goldberg, for his incredible design, hard work, and long hours assembling the stands for the slabs. And to the many volunteers he recruited to help, even Council member Patricia Anderson and her husband, Floyd, pounded a few nails!
- Roger Williams for stepping up to take on the position of project manager for an event about which he knew little. Thank you to his wife, Patty, also for her long hours of volunteering! Awesome job!
- All the artists who are donating their time and creative energies for this public art event! Jesse Koontz (Ray Ray), Tina Moore, Nan Burrows, Carol Brainerd, Patricia Oechslin, Mary Jo Gilder, Ron Stoltz, Jo Foster Snow, QES Students, Penai Bettmann, Mark Goldberg, Rainbow Patrick, Betty Michel, Annette Crandall, Rita Wilson. Artists Rock in Quartzsite!
- Quartzsite Elementary School (QES) 3rd & 4th grade teacher, Mr. Wymer. Also of QES: Linda Ward (who's brilliant idea got the kids motivated) and Trina LaFontane for their many hours of volunteering.
- 16 QES students who painted two Rock Art Pieces and their parents for allowing them to participate. 3rd graders, Ashley Coen, Frederick Hull, Gabriel Norris, Daniel Perez. 4th graders, Savana Adams, Isadore Baeza, Daniel Bedzyk, Cherokee Frazier, Cobey Hager, Zachary Hager, Rober Hull, Maleiah Sharp, Colton Robertson, Laianni Sales, Jeffrey Scott, Jasmine Tinoco. It was a pleasure to have you all there! We hope to see you on Nov. 6th at the Artist Reception!
- Thank you to Quartzsite Community Prevention Coalition coordinators, Tracey Richardson and Yesenia Jackson and all their volunteers. Isaiah 58 Project cooked the hot dogs, Mike and Linda Hobby coordinated a great effort for this event!
- John D. "Skip" Gallup volunteered many hours of photography, both for the 1st Annual Rockin' in Quartzsite and this year's event. You can see his photos of last year's event hanging at Quartzsite Town Hall. Thanks, Skip, for also taking photos of the Ribbon Cutting yesterday at Alternative Therapies!
- Thank you, Monica Timberlake, for your tireless volunteering for this and many other events for the community! You Rock!
- Town of Quartzsite helped with the use of the fork lift to get the pallet of stones off the truck. Thank you so much, Town Manager Alex Taft for your help and flexibility!
- To the volunteer membership of Proud Neighbors of Quartzsite, I say a heartfelt thank you! Awesome job everyone! I really appreciate the cooperation of everyone working together. Every event seems to have a few glitches, but ya'll worked together great and without losing your sense of humor! We have many more hours ahead of us, getting ready for the Artist Reception. Let's show Quartzsite what an amazing community we have when we all get together for the benefit of Quartzsite!
Tyson Wells Showgrounds allowed us to transform a warehouse into the Rock Motel where the Rock Art Pieces are now asleep in their "beds". The artists will be painting for the next couple of weeks, away from public viewing. (We don't want to "disturb the rocks" or "awake them" before it's time! tee hee) And then....
Please join us for the
Artist Reception Gala on Saturday, Nov. 6th from 5-8pm.
The public is invited to meet the artists and help wake up the Rocks so they can move onto their next locations all around town for the whole winter season! Here's your chance to get the first look at all the rock art, in one place, before they "hit the town"! This fancy event will honor our artists and allow them to shine! Please join us for the free elegant meet and greet evening of fun, food and entertainment.
Sponsor locations will be found in the Rock Map, published in the Desert Messenger. The public will be able to vote on their favorite for the People's Choice Award at each sponsor's location. Make sure to say thank you to the sponsors, also! It does take a village for an event of this magnitude to happen, so please spread the word and thank everyone involved.
