ISSUE NO. 32 | JUNE 8, 2026

Publisher’s Note | from Denise Leslie

Greetings from the road.

Over the past few weeks, travel has taken Charles and me from visiting family in Stockholm, Sweden (photo: my bonus daughter and I somewhere in Europe!) to a high school reunion in my birthplace in Indiana. It’s been a journey filled with memories, new discoveries, and reminders that creativity has a way of connecting us across generations, cultures, and miles.

As I put together this week’s edition of Eye on the Arts, I’m reminded that some of the best stories are often found when we least expect them—whether that’s in an artist’s studio, on a festival stage, in a rehearsal hall, or through a conversation with an old friend.

This week, you’ll meet an artist whose work caught my attention while scrolling online, discover a band bringing fresh energy to Durango’s summer music scene, get a glimpse of the creative spirit behind Durango PlayFest, and continue the conversation with musician and photographer Jonas Grushkin in Part Two of our Creative Voices interview.

I’ll let the stories speak for themselves.

Wherever your travels take you this summer—across the ocean, across the country, or simply across town—I hope you’ll take a few moments to explore the arts and the people behind them.

Happy reading,

Denise Leslie

Publisher, Arts Perspective Magazine

LITERARY ARTS | PERFORMING ARTS | PLAYWRITING sponsored by Durango Playfest

The Stories Behind the Stories

Before actors step onto the stage and audiences settle into their seats, every play begins with a writer and an idea. In this week’s Arts Perspective feature, we introduce the four playwrights whose new works will be featured at Durango PlayFest, June 23–28. From an absurdist comedy about modern life to stories exploring memory, mystery, and human connection, these works offer a glimpse into the creativity driving one of the region’s most exciting theater festivals.

Read the story and meet the playwrights behind this year’s Durango PlayFest.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll continue our PlayFest series with a closer look at the directors, actors, and creative process that bring new works from page to stage.

PERFORMING ARTS | MUSIC sponsored by Jonas Grushkin Arts & Music

Creative Voices: Jonas Grushkin | Part Two: The Musician

What happens when a photographer's creative voice is expressed through music? In Part Two of Creative Voices, Jonas Grushkin shares a deeply personal look at the rhythms, instincts, and experiences that have shaped his lifelong relationship with the piano. From learning through patterns rather than sheet music to finding freedom in improvisation, this conversation explores creativity beyond convention—and reveals how music, memory, and intuition intertwine.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT | sponsored by Community Concert Hall

Sweet Lizzy Project Opens a Summer of Music, Stories, and Connection

Music has a way of bringing people together, and this summer’s Concert Hall @ The Park opener does exactly that. Sweet Lizzy Project—an internationally acclaimed band with roots in Havana and a home base in Nashville—brings a powerful blend of rock, folk, pop, and Latin influences to Buckley Park.

VISUAL ARTS | CERAMICS & GLASS sponsored by My World in Art

Where Music Meets Mosaic

What happens when a well-loved instrument becomes a work of art? Mosaic artist Shanna Robb transforms guitars, violins, and everyday objects into vibrant creations that celebrate imagination, memory, and reinvention. In this story, discover how one artist finds beauty in transformation—and why a closer look at her work reveals much more than mosaics alone.

Beyond Our Corners...highlights inspiring stories and ideas from beyond the Four Corners region.

• Food as Living Heritage

UNESCO is exploring how recipes, shared meals, and culinary traditions carry stories from one generation to the next. It’s a reminder that food is more than nourishment—it is culture, memory, and a form of creative expression all its own.

• Stories Told Through Public Art

In Detroit, a collection of large drum-shaped sculptures is turning public spaces into places of reflection and conversation. Created by artists from across the country, the installation celebrates stories and voices that have often been overlooked in traditional narratives of American history.

• Where Creativity Still Lives

A visit to the preserved studio of Swedish sculptor Carl Eldh reveals more than a collection of artwork—it offers a rare window into the creative life of an artist whose presence still lingers in the space where he worked.

→ Read more

And as always, you’ll find the stories unfolding closer to home at artsperspectivemag.com.

Looking for a quick way to stay connected to the arts community across the Four Corners? Tune in to the Eye on the Arts Minute on KSUT Public Radio.

Despite its name, the Eye on the Arts Minute is closer to a two-minute journey into the creative life of our region. Each segment highlights artists, performances, exhibitions, literary voices, and cultural happenings that make the Southwest such a vibrant place to live and create. It’s a chance to discover a new musician, learn about an upcoming event, or hear the story behind a local artist—all during your daily routine.

The partnership between Arts Perspective and KSUT reflects a shared commitment to community storytelling. Both organizations believe that the arts matter, not only because they entertain and inspire, but because they connect us to one another and to the places we call home.

Listeners can catch the Eye on the Arts Minute throughout the week on KSUT, including Saturdays at 11:58 a.m., immediately following This American Life, making it an easy addition to your weekend listening routine.

Arts Perspective is grateful to KSUT Public Radio for sponsoring this week’s Eye on the Arts and for their ongoing support of artists, musicians, nonprofits, and cultural organizations throughout the Four Corners region.

Please support our sponsors! They help us keep Arts Perspective stories flowing. ♡

Become an Arts Advocate Member today — and keep the stories flowing for $10 per month.

Thank you all, Barbara Grist, Shell Simonson, Heather Freeman, Tad Smith, Moni & Jonas Grushkin, Milt Beens, Aunt Victoria & Jim, Cinda Wassmer, Randy Hays, Patricia Burk, Sharon Abshagen, Mary Zaleski, Jan Wright, Charles Shaw, Linda Barnes, Julie Cooley, Beth Drum, Hilarie Strong, Charles Leslie, Cary Lindley, Ilze Aviks, Gina Rosato, Candace Leslie, Angie Zbornik, Cindy Schmidt, Nancy Peake, Chandler Strange & Cathryn Bauer!

Quote for the Week: “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson