Take Charge

There is more than one way to feed an underprivileged child. And although meals and education are provided at the Thomas J. Pappas Middle School in West Phoenix at no cost, the kids here still starve for something more: culture. For this reason, sixth through eighth graders at the school have taken the initiative to put together, from scratch, the first ever art and music expo, appropriately titled Take Charge.

A day-long assembly bringing together the creative arts of music, dance, fashion and "tagging" (spray painting on canvases), Taking Charge was first proposed last fall by Tara Moore, a speech and language pathologist at Thomas J. Pappas. Moore says she was inspired by the personal stories of her students and wanted to give them an experience in art and culture they would normally not be exposed to in the inner city. "You can't imagine what most of these children/teenagers have been through in their young lives. It's not unusual for them to come to school in tears because a family member was jailed over the weekend or have a chronic cough because there's no door on their trailer. Trying to teach students whoe home lives are so difficult is an enormous task within itself. But once you meet them, you realize that these children are really amazing, and this school is their safe place."

It's these stories combined with student dedication and a steady base of volunteers that have made the March 24 even possible. "They have the most creative minds and haven't been as influenced by media, magazines or opinions from the outside world as most children. I felt we had to develop a way of allowing them to act on their creative intuitions," Moore says.

All in all, 30 to 35 students divided into a number of committees -- from promotion to flyer design, runway fashion to sound -- are involved with this project. A non-profit event, Taking Charge isn't about raising money, but rather raising the consciousness of children here at the school by exposing them to positive outlets of expression. For many of the girls and boys, this will be his/her first ever exposure to live art, music and dance.

From choosing the artists who will perform to picking out models fro the student-designed fashion show, these children have established an impressive list of events. Musicians include DJ Radar, Pokafase, the Immortals (aka D.I.) and DJ Element, as well as Tricky T, Feeblez, Antedote the Neato Project and Nappe, who will all be performing pro bono.

"I mainly got involved because of the nature of the school and the kids. I'm a sucker for kids. I also felt it was my duty, sharing my music is the least I can do for all the Arizona has given to me," says local artist Pokafase.

In fact, all the artists, performers, businesses and volunteers have come together to donate their time and talent for this student-produced event, which includes the live artwalk, the Dobson Dance Company with local b-boys and b-girls, as well as the runway fashion show directed by students and supervised by designer Tiffe Fermaint and stylist Melinda Crick.

By engaging the students in hands-on experience, Moore hopes the students are inspired to take on their dreams. "These children are learning life skills such as planning and promotion, working together to make collaborative decisions and booking performers via the phone and Internet. One of my hopes is that they carry these lessons with them for a lifetime."

So although many of these children are without a home or the financial capabilities to encompass themselves in day-to-day culture, they are obviously not without hope. And neither is Moore, who's objective seems simple, "More than anything, I hope they understand that if they want something bad enough, they can make it happen... If we can inspire just one student to take up fashion design as a career, we will have made a difference."

Interested in helping out? Admission to the event will be by guest list only. RSVP at Tara.Moore@mcrsd.org. Taking Charge will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Thomas J. Pappas located at 374 N. Sixth Avenue, Phoenix.

Melinda Crick - Makeup or Magic?

You can tell a lot about a person by their hair. You can tell if they are conservative or wild, sub-culture or suburban, tragically hip or totally square. The difference between a good haircut and a bad one can mean the difference between a hot social life and crying into your pillow every Friday night.

Getting a good haircut is impossible without the right stylist and all too often talent can be hard to come by here in the Valley. Fortunately, Phoenix is home to Melinda Crick, a woman so talented that she can transform an everyday head of hair into a masterpiece.

To see Crick's work is to be astonished. Her portfolio is full of beautiful women posed gracefully with gravity-defying creations atop their head. At first it is not clear exactly what you are looking at, only that it is crazy and yet strangely alluring. What is clear is that Crick has transformed herself from a hairstylist into a verifiable artist.

Crick has been a hairstylist for seven years and has recently ventured outside the normal conventions of the profession and taken on a more adventurous approach to the art of styling.

"I wanted to do something exciting, something more fun and artistic than just standing behind a chair cutting people's hair", she said. This is a goal she has most defiantly realized. She has figured out ways to make hair stand up straight, flip and curve in unimaginable ways, and yet in spite of the modern twists and turns her hairstyles take, her models retain a classic elegance and grace. There is something about her work that stays with you after you see it, something that makes you wonder again and again, how did she do that? Perhaps what is most appealing about her work is her extreme versatility; she has the ability to transform one woman into five simply by changing her hairstyle. In one photo the model is a dead ringer for Grace Kelly, in the next Joan Jett, and in the next she conjures the old-world grace and passion of a Da Vinci painting.

Crick's work is entertaining because it is never exactly the same. Her style and methods are forever evolving and changing. Recently, Crick and her friend, photographer Kristen Wright, have been indulging their dark side with a series of macabre photos featuring blood-soaked yet beautiful models. The photos represent some of Crick's most captivating, if a bit disquieting, work to date. There is something beautiful and eerie about a model with perfect hair and makeup drenched in blood.

Crick said she was interested in the project because "there is something about the image of perfect that I don't like." This affection for offbeat beauty can be seen throughout all of Crick's work. She consistently creates styles that are entrancing but defiantly outside of the mainstream idea of what is beautiful. "I like girls who are beautiful but are more unique looking rather than just Barbie doll perfect", she said.

Her drive to find beauty in the unusual is what gives her an edge over so many of her competitors. While other stylists are busy copying Jennifer Aniston's latest hairstyle for teenage drones, Crick is busy creating styles that transcend the mundane into a realm that is inspiring.

One of the most intriguing things about Crick is her never ending well of creativity. It seems that no matter what, she always has a new idea she wants to try, another trick she wants to pull off. Crick credits her artistic tendencies to growing up in the small town of Globe, AZ. "Growing up in a small town added to my creativity. I had to get creative to have fun- I mean there aren't many amenities in Globe." she said.

Nonetheless, at an early age she "knew she had to get out of Globe" and see what else the world had to offer. Though she is not ashamed of her small town roots, she says she always felt like she "didn't fit there" and wanted to explore other cities.

Crick credits her mother for exposing her to the world of fashion and beauty as a little girl. "My mom always did my hair and makeup when I was little , but by the time I was five I was doing it myself- I did it better than she did", Crick says laughing.

This early talent carried over into junior high and high school where she soon earned a reputation for the haircuts she would give her friends. By the time she graduated, it seemed only natural that she would go to cosmetology school and develop a career out of her natural talents. After working at a day care center for four months, a job she says she honestly hated, Crick said it was time to get the training she needed to realize her dreams. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Although Crick loves creating her fantasy hair designs she still enjoys the everyday pleasure of giving someone a great haircut. As a senior stylist at Atmosphere Salon, she has created a strong following of devoted clients, which is growing larger by the day. Crick says she loves her job as a stylist at a salon because she enjoys making people look as beautiful as they can. "I can just look at people and have an idea of how their hair should look, how they could look better." she said.

Crick is obviously devoted to her work and to her clients; it is a devotion that goes both ways. Any one of her clients would rave and rant about her magical touch if given the chance. Whether she is creating another outlandish hairstyle for a photo shoot or simply highlighting a long-time client's hair, Crick's love for her work and passion for perfection is apparent. One thing is absolutely certain-she will be around for a long time to come, will continue to throw convention to the wind, and will leave the rest of the world scratching their heads and wondering, how she does it?

Stylist - Melinda Crick

Having done hair and makeup for many fashion shows, photo shoots, CD band covers, magazine layouts and weddings (phew...deep breath), Melinda Crick is one high-in-demand stylist. Her impressive client list exceeds more people than you'll ever know and her ability to 'visualize' perfection gives her an edge above the rest. She can be found working her magic at Atmosphere Salon in Phoenix, but is willing and able to style on location. If you're looking to go from fun to fabulous, or need to exude a certain look for that special occasion, Melinda Crick is the stylist of choice. Just make sure to book your appointment in advance as she is one busy lady.

From elegant to eccentric and vise versa.