ISSUE NO. 38 | JULY 20, 2026

Hello...

Like many of you, I've been watching the sky this week, hoping for rain. Here in the Southwest, every storm brings a mix of emotions. We welcome the moisture our forests, rivers, and gardens so desperately need, while also thinking of those dealing with flooded roads, damaged property, or the challenges that heavy weather can bring. Wherever you are this week, I hope you're safe.

This week, you'll discover Sarah Sumner's thought-provoking exhibition at Maria's Bookshop, spend a few quiet moments with Larry Bourland's beautiful poem Lilies at Moonlight, and revisit the enduring legacy of Johnny Cash through a remarkable performance recorded just months before his passing.

I'm also especially pleased to introduce a feature on Dustin "Deakon" Nolen—a familiar voice to many across the Four Corners whose journey reminds us that some of the most meaningful stories are found close to home.

I hope you'll take a few moments to click through and enjoy the full stories. There is always more to discover beyond the headlines, and each artist has a story worth telling.

If you enjoy Eye on the Arts and would like to support independent arts journalism in Southwest Colorado, please consider Buying Me a Coffee. Your encouragement—and your support—helps keep these stories free for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and being part of the Arts Perspective community.

Have a creative week,

— Denise Leslie

Publisher, Arts Perspective

Photo: A memory of a nice visit to see Momma Leslie in Texas.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT | sponsored by SARAH SUMNER ART

The Art on These Walls Is Just the Beginning | artist, Sarah Sumner

What begins as a small exhibition at Maria’s Bookshop is quickly becoming something much larger. In our latest feature, discover how Sarah Sumner’s six paintings—and her vision for Approaching Dead Pool—invite artists, writers, poets, and storytellers across the Southwest to respond to the Colorado River through creativity. It’s a story about hidden artistic lives, collaboration, and the powerful idea that “Data can paralyze. Art can mobilize.”

PUBLISHER'S NOTE | Denise Leslie sponsored by HIDEAWAY ARTS MARKETING

A Voice Worth Listening To

Some voices become part of a community’s soundtrack. In this issue, meet Dustin “Deakon” Nolen, whose journey from theater stages and New York film sets to Four Corners radio has been shaped by resilience, compassion, and a genuine love of storytelling. Discover why artists remember their conversations with him—and how one familiar voice continues to connect and strengthen the communities he calls home.

LITERARY ARTS | POETRY sponsored by LARRY BOURLAND POETRY

Lilies at Moonlight

This poem reflects the love of two beings, any two beings, even in the defiance of consequences drawn in by the power of romance. A true metaphor for love.

CREATIVE VOICES | sponsored by KSUT PUBLIC RADIO

Johnny Cash: When One Chapter Ends

On July 17, 1958, Johnny Cash recorded his final songs for Sun Records, closing one chapter before beginning another. This week's Creative Voices reflects on that pivotal moment, the courage to embrace what's next, and includes a rare 30-minute concert performance recorded just months before his passing. Be sure to pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea and take time to watch the video—it's well worth the half hour.

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

Play Music on the Porch Day

Music has a way of bringing neighbors—and the world—together. On August 29, musicians in more than 70 countries will step onto porches, patios, sidewalks, and front yards for Play Music on the Porch Day, a simple celebration that reminds us music is meant to be shared. Whether you're performing, listening, or simply smiling as you walk by, it's an invitation to make the world a little more connected—one song at a time.

→ Read more

The Hobbies That Change the Way You Think

The books we read, the music we play, the gardens we tend, and the art we create do more than fill our free time—they quietly reshape the way we see the world. This thoughtful essay explores how simple hobbies can spark creativity, deepen curiosity, and transform the way we think.

→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 across the Four Corners? Tune in to the Eye on the Arts Minute on KSUT Public Radio.

Each two-minute feature spotlights local artists, performances, exhibitions, literary voices, and cultural happenings throughout the region. Listen throughout the week on KSUT, including Saturdays at 11:58 a.m., immediately following This American Life.

Arts Perspective thanks KSUT Public Radio⁠ for sponsoring this week’s Eye on the Arts and for its continued support of artists and arts organizations across the Four Corners.

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, Sydney Cooley, Jennifer Thurston - Project Weaselskin, Megan & Nick Mustoe & Marya Corrigan!

Quote for the Week: “Art is order, made out of the chaos of life”― Saul Bellow