This summer provides an opportunity to learn more about the hidden artistic talents within City of Chandler staff and the types of jobs that residents may not be aware of but are vitally important to the community.
Vision Gallery is hosting “Off the Clock: Art by City of Chandler Employees” through Aug. 17. With more than 50 artworks from 27 artists, this exhibition includes painting, photography, ceramics and more.
Chandler Museum is home to a companion exhibition, “On the Clock.” Team Chandler has more than 2,000 employees and this is a chance to learn about the diverse team that keeps the city running. Their jobs include everything from graphic design to street maintenance to managing our water supply. “On the Clock” is on display through Sept. 8.
The Gallery first hosted “Off the Clock” in 2021. Similar to this year, the art pieces were displayed with a photo and brief description of the Chandler employee/artist along with their position within the city. According to Jillian Nakornthap, exhibits curator, most of the comments that they received from visitors to the Gallery were about the various jobs throughout the city. Nakornthap commented, “People loved learning about the different positions as much as the artwork on display.” This was the inspiration behind “On the Clock.”
She continued, “We wanted to showcase jobs that weren't as public-facing as say a police officer or firefighter. Whether they work in neighborhood resources, recreation or the water treatment plant, each of these individuals show how they impact the community directly or indirectly.”
The employee photos used in “On the Clock” were taken as part of the weekly Team Chandler spotlight which highlights one person each week on the city’s internal newsletter and on social media. Each photo is accompanied by a brief description that showcases each person and their job duties.
Ryan Reeves, airport manager, is featured in “On the Clock.” He said he was thrilled to be selected because, “everyone thinks flight is so inaccessible, but it isn't.” Reeves continued, “The key ingredient to succeeding in any aviation discipline is passion. If you have passion, the flying community welcomes you completely.”
Melina Zuniga, digital media senior producer, is also included in this exhibition and echoed this sentiment. “It’s honestly an honor to be showcased for doing a job that I love. Every day I get to work on projects that I’m passionate about and getting recognized for doing that is really special,” said Zuniga.
Peter Bugg, visual arts program manager for the City of Chandler, worked with the Vision Gallery team to curate the collection of employee art for “Off the Clock.”
When asked about identifying people within the city ranks for this project, he said, “There are many employees who have creative pursuits, but sometimes getting them to share their creations can be a challenge. Some employees have exhibited before, but for most, this is their first opportunity to have work shown in a gallery.”
There was an opening reception in June at Vision Gallery that provided the opportunity for each artist to show off their work to family, friends and coworkers.
Theo Anglin, recreation coordinator at Chandler Nature Center, contributed two examples of their insect taxidermy displays for the exhibition. Anglin also teaches a virtual bug-pinning class for the city’s recreation division.
“This is just something I do for fun at home, normally they’re on a shelf to keep my cats away,” Anglin joked. “A lot of the people at the reception didn’t know about the Chandler Nature Center. I did make a really large-scale version of one of these for the Nature Center on Butterflies and Moths of Arizona that is still on display.”
Another Team Chandler artist, Raslyn Sleet, is the grants program coordinator by day and a jewelry designer in her free time. Her artwork is a beaded set of barefoot jewelry made from vintage beads. Her interest in creating jewelry started when she was a child and gives her a way to express her artistic side.
Her coworkers may be more aware of her artistic talents since she wears some of her pieces to work but other’s talents might not be as obvious.
“I think it’s so cool and nice to see the other side of people. To see the creativity that someone can pull out is amazing to me,” Sleet said. “I think everyone has the ability to be creative.”
Sleet also mentioned that she appreciates opportunities like this within the city that make her feel like she’s part of something bigger.
While Bugg wasn’t surprised to find this type of talents within city ranks, he was impressed with the variety of departments that have employees who participated.
Speaking of the importance of “Off the Clock, Bugg commented, “I think it's a good reminder that there are many skills that help make people successful beyond the requirements written in the job description.”
Raslyn Sleet, grants program coordinator
Theo Anglin, recreation coordinator
Sarah Biggerstaff, museum storytelling coordinator
The Vision Gallery is located in Downtown Chandler on the first floor of Chandler City Hall, 10 E. Chicago St. It’s open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. Chandler Museum is located 300 S. Chandler Village Drive. It is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. and closed on Mondays. Admission is free. |
This article originally appeared in the July 2024 issue of the San Tan Sun News.