Call it providence; call it fate if you’d rather. Despite the fact that I was born and raised in Colorado Springs, frequented the Fine Arts Center as well as took classes at Bemis from the time I could hold a pencil, hosted my wedding reception in the Glass Corridor and Courtyard last September, have always loved the building and it’s fine example of 1930s art deco and admired the institution’s dedication to the fine arts in this city, and designed the costumes for last season’s finale 1776, I don’t know that it was necessarily a matter of wanting to work at the FAC as opposed to anywhere else. When opportunity, presents itself, only a fool refuses to pursue it. I love theatre and costumes; it is what I trained to do. The position opened up, I felt I could do the job well and even make some improvements. Maybe it was meant to happen. I also kinda like the place.
Q: What do you like about it so far?
I very much enjoy having creative freedom as well as organizational control. The people here are friendly, creative and fun; I see great things in the future for the Fine Arts Center Theatre.
Q: Where did you work before?
I worked for just nearly 3 years (missed it by 3 weeks) at the Broadmoor Resort Dry Cleaners as a tailor.
Q: Do you consider yourself an artist or art connoisseur?
I do consider myself an artist. As well as my responsibilities as the Costume Shop Manager for the theatre, I have been assigned the costume designs for three of the main shows this season starting with our debut, Assassins. Design, of course, requires artistic abilities and I would say clothing construction and fine tailoring is an art itself. As far as any credentials as a connoisseur I would not go so far as to claim any. I do, however, consider myself an avid enthusiast of the fine arts.
Q: If artist, what kind of art do you do and why?
Again, my job as a designer and a stitcher/tailor requires artistic ability. In addition to these, I hold a bachelors degree in acting performance (perhaps someday I will find time to perform on the FAC stage), I play french horn, I paint and draw and I sing in the church choir.
Q: If a connoisseur, what types of art do you like and why?
Again, I do not claim connoisseurship but, as an enthusiast, I have delved into some of the finest art museums around the world and enjoy learning about and digesting artworks through history. My favourite periods in fine art are medieval Gothic, Baroque and 19th century Romanticism. As different as these movements are historically I do think there is a clear through-line in their attempts to elicit heightened psycho-emotional responses from the viewers. Whether it be Gothic’s desire to lift the eyes upwards in contemplation of God in the heavens, Baroque’s response to the stark austerity of the Protestant Reformation in showing the awesome beauty of the perceived grandeur of God, or the Romantics ability to commit the mind to the fantastic beauty or the terrible horror of nature (whether that be “mother” nature or human “nature”), they all sought to strike at the heart of human emotion. As a theatre designer, spend much of my time researching many different periods and movements throughout cultural history and I thoroughly enjoy every minute of it.
Q: If you were on death row for a crime you didn’t commit, what would be your last meal?
I am not much of a foodie so it is hard for me to answer this one. I’m inclined to think that if I am sitting on death row awaiting the end of my corporeal life for a crime that I know I did not commit, I would have higher matters on my mind than food; appeals and my immortal soul for instance.
Q: If you were on death row for a crime you didn’t commit, and you were able to escape, where would you go?
I don’t think it would much matter. Escaping prison is a crime in and of itself and, these days, as small as the modern world is through technology and political alliance, the chances of escaping a high security penal institution and not getting re-caught are slim to none. I think the fear and paranoia of being on the lam is torture in it’s own right. To be fair, though, and answer the question, I think I would try my best to let my family know I was out and entreat them not to try and find me as that would criminally involve them and I would do my best to get as far into anonymity as possible, perhaps visit Prague.
Q; If you could see one exhibition, one theatre performance and take one art class, what would they be?
I would have loved to see the Tudor palace of Nonsuch (demolished in the 17th century; hey, you didn’t say this had to be a current exhibition) a magnificent palace in its own right but reportedly had a vast collection of medieval and Renaissance curiosities and rare artworks which burned in a fire. I really wanted to see Patrick Stewart as Macbeth in The Scottish Play on Broadway a couple of years ago. It was supposed to have been very good and I just missed it. I have a very keen interest in lithography and wood block prints and would love to learn how to execute their techniques.
Q: If you had the opportunity to ask Michelangelo one question, what would it be?
Was it worth all the pain in the neck?
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