Special Edition
Its time to blow our horn and maybe yours!
During our time of local need, this community steps up to help others. It is what we do as a core. It is what makes Prescott, everybody’s hometown. This was exemplified after the Yarnell Fire in many ways and still is.
Since the Yarnell Fire, we at the Art Store felt that art therapy was needed for many so we requested donations from many of our art materials distributors and manufacturers at the time. All of them donated with many needs filled. We gave what we could of our inventory and supported the wall’s attendees where we could. The Art Store donated much to the needy with pencils, sketchbooks and materials we thought we would need as not only as an artist but as a fellow human being. For a short time an affected person could think about what was in store for the future not just the ruins of the present. Many of our community had their worlds shattered physically and emotionally. Some missed great moments with others and others will be great for more than a moment.
I bring up this event today not as a way to dwell on the past but to celebrate the efforts of others. Their resiliency and their wish to express themselves in doing so. The Yarnell Painting Group is restarting their painting program 
this upcoming February. They used this group as therapy to restart their lives and they recently asked us to donate to the group again this year. How could we say anything but, “What do you need?”
Jerry Florman (one of the organizers of the Painting Group) requested the Art Store to only offer a student discount for their community center attendees. She was informed it already had been and each attendee would also have their account tagged as such for any future purchase. Remember that Jerry did not request any donations but being part of Prescott is not our way of beign part of this community. You all know that. The Yarnell Community Center was given a scholarship of $200.00 of future art material purchases organized by Mrs. Florman for new members. Surprised by the generosity and great care of working with the new painting instructor they announced this to their mailing list:
Paint a Painting Event! Don’t Delay! Thursday, Feb. 18 is only three weeks away! We’ll be gathering at the Community Center at 6:30 for a wonderful fun evening of painting.
Please feel free to pass this invitation on to your friends whom you think might be interested in joining us and encourage them that cost need not be an issue.
We are holding another evening of fun and learning at the Community Center and while it is a fund raiser for the Center, I will let you decide this time, what amount you would like to contribute to participate. Our suggested donation is $20., which is what we all paid last summer when we first did it. But find an amount that feels comfortable to you. I don’t want the cost of donation to keep anyone home.
There are two types of participants, 1. Individuals who know they love and enjoy painting or are wanting to move into painting on a regular basis. 2. Individuals who would like the fun of gathering informally with friends to play in the paint, have a glass of wine and see what happens.
The first group typically has their own equipment or is open to getting it. The second group is not into investing in paints and brushes but can buy a canvas board. Approximately $5.
Great news! We have been given a $200! scholarship from The Art Store in Prescott where I will be buying Paints and Brushes and Canvases for anyone who finds group two is where they fit for now. The Art Store also has the current list of what we would like everyone to get, and which I am including in this email, for you in the 1st group. You can shop anywhere you like, but I do want to plug The Art Store who continues to provide art supplies and guidance for Yarnell. This is their 3rd major donation to us since the fire. There are a couple of nice sales going on there and they care about the people, (artists who shop there). Ask them for their student discount. They love to be helpful and are very knowledgeable.
For Group One, (those wanting to acquire their own materials) we will be using 
Graham Paints (on sale at The Art Store.) 1. Titanium White 2. Ultramarine Blue 3. Burnt Umber 4. Quinacridone Red 5. Cadmium Yellow Medium and 6. Cadmium Red Medium
The 3 brushes Bob Brandon would like us to have, are
- a small synthetic liner or riger, approximately a size 3.
- a medium round, approximately a size 6, and
- a small to medium flat, approximately a size 2 or 4.
I like a professional grade brush that I know will perform well and last for years with care. Long handles are nice, keeping you out of the paint.
For a Canvas Board, we are opting for the small size of 8×10, a professional grade. The Art Store is offering a 2 for one sale and I will be picking up a number of these for us. So I will have some on hand.
Group Two, all I ask is you let me know that you want to participate and see yourself in group two. Then come. We ask you make a small donation for the Center and pay for a canvas board which I will provide as well as your paints.
I will have water cups, palettes and paper towels on hand for all. Be sure to wear clothes you won’t mind getting paint on.
Snacks… if you would like to contribute to the snack and or drinks table, that would be lovely, wine is allowed at the Center for this activity. I’ll have cups and plates and napkins.
Mostly come because it is a lot of fun, and we won’t ask you to pay for all the laughs; and remember to invite friends to join us.
Call or email me your questions! I would like to know who is coming and which group they see themselves in. No we won’t ask you to sit with your group. But I’ll have a pkg for you if you are in group 2.
Hugs, Jerry
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Now the Yarnell Community Center does not know yet what we are doing next. We believe that to really perpetuate this painting event they need more than just $200.00 in new art materials. So this next week we will be looking through our Art Store studio cabinets for any acrylics, brushes and canvas to donate to this cause. I don’t think any attendee will mind a partially used tube of paint as long as it creates some positive memories instead of some past dark images.
The Art Store will also be collecting donations to be given to the Yarnell Painting Group Event. Most of us have a few tubes of acrylic paint that we just don’t need anymore. Be it a color not in your present palette, a type of brush you never use or a size of painting surface that you found not to your liking. Call it a community art cupboard, we will also be receiving donations to the painting group at the Art Store and passing them along to them. Feel like giving? Just bag up your new or partially used items and we will have a box ready organize the donations.
The Yarnell Community Center is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as well by their website at http://www.yarnellcommunitycenter.org/donate.html. If you need a receipt please contact Kim Lytle at 928 427 6347 or Jerry Florman at jerryflorman@gmail.com for any more questions.
‘Tron’ Director Joseph Kosinski to Direct Yarnell Hill Wildfire Movie
Lorenzo di Bonaventura is among those producing the project, just picked up by Lionsgate, while Ken Nolan, who tackled another mission gone wrong when he penned Black Hawk Down, wrote the script.
Molly Smith and her Black Label Media are coming on board to finance the movie, which could begin shooting as early as summer. Lionsgate is the likely distributor of the drama.
Known as the Yarnell Hill Wildfire and considered one of the worst firefighter disasters in American history, it caused the deployment of over 600 firefighters as it grew to over 8,400 acres.
The film project focuses on a group known as the Granite Mountain Hotshots who specialize in fighting wildfires. Nineteen of the 20-person crew perished when they became trapped due to fast-changing winds and 2,000-degree heat.
Mike Menchel, Dawn Ostroff and Jeremy Steckler of Conde Nast Entertainment are also producing.
This gathering of talent so far should honor the fallen in many ways. I will be looking forward to their perspective of heroism and sacrifice. – Keith K.
