Join The Call Of The Wild Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village

On October 25, under the full moon at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, the community is invited to gather at the groundbreaking Call of the Wild Mural is launched. A traveling collaborative Public Art Installation, advocating for wolves, wildlife and the Endangered Species Act, the Call of the Wild Mural's ultimate destination is the National Mall of the Nation's Capital. A Plan B event, guests will be treated to Steve Estes' local favorites, the Steve Estes' Grassy Roots-Americana band Thunder & Lightnin,' food and drink all while taking a stand for the Endangered Species Act. Join them from 5-9pm on Thursday, October 25, at Tlaquepaque.

"We are excited to be launching a collaborative public art installation in the tradition of The Aids Quilt and the International Children's Peace Mural Project Kids Guernica." Says Plan B Co-Founder Betsy Klein, "Art has the power to open hearts and minds, creating space for new understanding and vision."

Plan B is honored to have renowned eco-political artist Lauren Strohacker collaborating on this project. The silhouettes of the "Wolves" will act as the canvas for the Call of the Wild Mural are created by Strohacker whose work emphasizes the non-human in an increasingly human-centric world. Local Sedona artist John Soderberg is helping bring the wolf silhouette to "life" by working with Timon Pratt, Co-Funder of Plan B.

Strohacker's new genre public art practice routinely consults and collaborates with both local and national wildlife conservation organizations. Her work has been featured in New York City's Times Square, along the Arizona border, across buildings in Flagstaff, Arizona, and numerous other locations.

Conceptually, Strohacker's focus on wildlife and public space reflects larger contexts of ecology, conservation, and politics. As Ursula K. Heise writes, "Strohacker's works, with their sophisticated mix of attention to the real world of nature and attention to its many mediations and representations, are a brilliant gateway to these discussions about the futures of nature and humans as well as nonhumans' places in those futures."

The wolf silhouette was chosen in recognition of it's unique relationship to man, which is well documented. It is widely acknowledged that humans and wolves developed a close relationship after recognizing themselves in each other while hunting on the trail of big game. Many scientists believe that wolves initiated the relationship, even teaching man how to hunt ensuring their survival.

Wolf silhouettes will serve as "panels" to the mural and will be added as it travels, growing into a meaningful, impactful expression of humanity's need to reconnect to nature.

For 45 years, it has been celebrated by conservationists for protecting, in former president Nixon's words, "an irreplaceable part of our natural heritage, threatened wildlife." In Arizona alone, there are 64 listings for endangered species comprising of plants and animals. This nonpartisan Act is supported by the majority of Americans yet is in danger of being weakened.

All members of the Verde Valley community are encouraged to add their voice to the mural advocating for the Endangered Species Act by painting, drawing and writing their messages of support for wolves and all animals. The intention is for this mural to grow and travel throughout the U.S. with its final destination the National Mall of our nation's Capital.

Local favorites, the Grassy Roots-Americana band Thunder & Lightnin' liberally employs surprise as a platform to launch truly original and imaginative renditions of their material. Surprise can come in the form of an unexpected turn in the arrangement, as an especially rich and precise harmony passage, or this banjo-fiddle band taking the top off of a hard rock classic. With its rootsy bluegrass foundation, this group delivers energetic, upbeat, uplifting performances with just one thing in mind. Fun. From their CD, "Thunder & Lightnin': a noise from up the holler", the band looks to play many of their popular original tunes, like "My Paradise is You," "Alive or Dead," "Here to Stay" and "Tomorrow's Girl."

The Call of the Wild event is free to the public from 5-6:30. From 6:30 to 9 tickets are $44 which includes hosted food, wine the opportunity to paint on the Call of the Wild mural, and a commemorative tee shirt along with other surprises as well.

For more information and to get tickets please visit www.planb.foundation or call 714.478.0353.

The Call of the Wild's sponsors includes Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, The Pump House, Studio 5, SedonaCentric, Scott Law and Lorraine Fexas, The Kling Family Foundation and Steve Estes and the Thunder and Ligntnin' Band. More sponsor opportunities are available.

The Plan B Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation created to support organizations in their mission to protect, preserve and rescue wolves and wolfdogs through advocacy, education, and funding. In their three year history, they have raised nearly $100,000 that have directly gone to wolf and wolf dog rescue, produced Sedona Wolf Week. The largest event of its kind in the U.S. To learn more, visit PlanB.Foundation or call 714.478.0353.

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