Author Archive: Craig Baker

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The Chemistry of Love & Lust

February 2, 2014 |

It all starts with eye contact. Maybe you see each other from across the room at a bar or an office party. There is a tingling in your extremities, a fluttery feeling in your stomach. Your heart beat quickens, your blood pressure rises as you move toward one another and everything else around you disappears. The sparks fly and later, as you recount the story to your friends and family members, you tell them that you can’t explain it, but that there was chemistry between you.

It turns out that you are probably more right than you know.

Illustration by Pop Narkotic

Illustration by Pop Narkotic

According to the 2012 book, The Chemistry Between Us, recently released on paperback by Current Publishing, the entire process of falling in love may be governed by just a few molecular compounds primarily within the limbic system of your brain. The limbic system is an area near the base of the brain made up of several different structures which are collectively responsible for producing emotional responses to external stimulation along with hormone regulation and production. It is interactions between your limbic system and other areas of the brain, for example, that tell you whether it’s time to sit down for a meal, run from a hungry tiger, or get ready to have sex.

Donatella Marazziti, Director of the Laboratory of Psychopharmacology at the University of Pisa in Italy says that the activation of the amygdala (a pair of small, almond-shaped structures within the limbic system) during attraction proves that “attraction is a primary emotion, like fear and anxiety,” meaning that it is linked to the survival of the species. This activity in the amygdala (which has been linked to the “fight or flight” response) means that your body reacts to sexual stimuli before the brain can even discern the quality of the input (e.g., is it trying to hug you or kill you?). The reward system in your brain is closely linked. Rewards in the form of dopamine and opioids (the brain’s form of heroin) are what motivate us to eat when we are hungry, find water when we are thirsty, and prime us for procreation while we flirt.

Says Larry Young, co-author of The Chemistry Between Us and Director of the Center for Translational Social Neuroscience at Emory University, “dopamine plays an important role in excitement and the anticipation that something might happen.” Not only does this dopamine play a part in your experience of short-term pleasure, but it also effectively mutes the processes of the prefrontal cortex—the area of the brain responsible for rational thought. Men under its influence are less likely to be distracted by loud noises; women’s pupils dilate and they begin smiling unconsciously. We experience the release of this dopamine as excitement; Young calls this “appetitive reward.” But either way, with this reward comes a strengthening of the appetite. In fact, drug users experience the same appetitive dopamine surge when looking at photos of drug paraphernalia as when looking at pictures of potential sexual partners.

Dopamine is great for that initial rush, says Young. And it is probably responsible, along with alcohol (also a dopamine releaser), for the majority of one-night-stands. But as far as love is concerned, dopamine will only take you so far. Our propensity for monogamous pair bonding—what regular people might call a loving relationship—comes from another chemical: oxytocin. Oxytocin is the chemical released en masse in new mothers when they meet their babies for the first time and is present in breast milk, helping mother and child to bond. As it turns out, it is also responsible for bonding in relationships between lovers. Young explains that oxytocin is released during conversation, periods of prolonged eye contact, and when we make physical contact—all bedroom prerequisites with respect to the art of flirting.

As the night goes on, a few more drinks, some dancing, and the oxytocin and dopamine are flowing. Now real bonding is possible. Young explains that the “oxytocin is making social cues more salient—basically it’s linking the cues of your partner… with the reward system, which is dopamine.” Men experience a spike in testosterone. The medial preoptic area (MPOA)—part of the limbic system—signals the nervous system to send blood to the genitals in both sexes. When stress is low enough and all of the environmental cues fall into place (are you alone in your bedroom yet?) a couple can really get to know each other.

“Sex is the best releaser of oxytocin,” says Young. With orgasm comes an immediate drop in dopamine (hence the falling motivation in men to get more sex after orgasm) and oxytocin is released into the blood and brain in greater quantities along with endocannabinoids, opioids, and serotonin—all of which produce a feeling of calm satisfaction.

Much like with drug addiction, all of this stimulation can lead to a need for more. Says Brian Alexander, Young’s co-author on The Chemistry Between Us, “once that bond gets formed, our brains literally change; physically, our brains change to help maintain that bond.”

Essentially, people in love become “addicted” to their partners, Alexander says.  This is why love may spur us to do the myriad of wacky things that love makes us do (do we need to provide a list?). Marazziti performed a study which linked the serotonin levels of individuals in love to those of people suffering from OCD.

“When you are in love,” she says, laughing slightly, “you are a little bit crazy.”

Probably not something we needed science to tell us.

Eat Your Hearts Out, Art Lovers!

January 10, 2014 |

Tucson Arts Brigade’s Edible Art Gala features culinary art & more on Jan. 18.

Monica Warhol, cousin of the famous pop artist Andy Warhol, is the celebrity emcee at the Edible Art Gala. photo: Randall Swindell

Monica Warhol, cousin of the famous pop artist Andy Warhol, is the celebrity emcee at the Edible Art Gala. photo: Randall Swindell

It should be no great revelation to anyone that, as human beings, we need a few things beyond food, water and shelter to thrive. We need a general knowledge base and special skills to make and manage goods, homes, and businesses. We need exercise to maintain our optimum level of personal health. And we need the arts to make it all worthwhile.

Says Vanessa Beard, Executive Director of the new artisan collective/café/beer and wine bar, Maker House, what people make without an art-first perspective “might be utilitarian, but,” she adds, “without art there is no beauty.”

Here, here to that.

Without that artisanal approach to engineering, there would be no Golden Gate Bridge. If there wasn’t a touch of artist in every great architect, then forget about Frank Lloyd Wright. If not for Steve Job’s attention to the aesthetes, you could say sayonara to all of those rounded rectangles. Put succinctly by Tucson Arts Brigade (TAB) Marketing Director Jodi Netzer: “Without arts education, you get zombies.”

Since both organizations were united in the goal to make art more accessible to the masses, and since Maker House had already scheduled a Black and White Art show opening for mid-January, the decision to bring the non-profit community arts and education group to Maker House’s newly-restored 10,000 square foot space in the historic (not to mention stunning) Bates Mansion for their first fundraiser bash of 2014 seemed only natural. And thus, two independent art events became one mega-party.

As far as art galas go, the Edible Art Gala may prove hard to top. Some highlights include art-inspired hors d’oeuvres provided by local culinary artisans (as of press time TAB was still accepting contributions, so local chefs and culinary professionals are encouraged to get in touch), live music by a number of local bands spanning every genre, plenty of booze, and a fabulous art auction featuring more than forty pieces from TAB’s Traveling Art Show and a dining set valued at over $3,000.

Attendees are encouraged to wear art-themed costumes and participate in the fashion show for a shot at winning some groovy prizes. Local artist Monica Warhol, a cousin to Andy Warhol who recently made headlines for a debacle involving her portrait of Kim Kardashian, has confirmed that she will emcee the event. As if that weren’t enough, the opening of Maker House’s Black and White Art Show with works by Danny Martin and Will Taylor will run concurrently.

The money raised from ticket sales and the art auction will go directly back to TAB to support their many ongoing and expanding programs, like the Mural Arts Project, which encourages community members, especially youth, to take ownership of their neighborhoods through beautification and revitalization efforts. The murals installed by the program—like the one put in place under the heavily-graffitied overpass at 29th Street and Columbus—can cost upwards of $20,000.

TAB Executive Director Michael B. Schwartz says there is also a high demand for the group’s after-school programs. Ideally, they would like to operate one such program in each of Tucson’s six Wards, though Schwartz says that the money just hasn’t been available. He says that as many as 15,000 people could benefit from a consistent after-school art program right now, but stresses that consistency is key.

“When we run these programs,” Schwartz says matter-of-factually, “the kids excel.”

So come one, come all to the Edible Art Gala and support a great cause, rub elbows with some of Tucson’s most popular artists, and make yourself feel like someone important as you schmooze,drink and dance the night away in a spectacular 1940’s mansion. What more could you possibly ask for?

It all goes down on Saturday evening, Jan. 18 from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Maker House, 283 N. Stone Ave. Food and mingling from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., the fashion shoe and auction are from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. and dancing from 9 p.m. to close. Tickets are $15 pre-sale and $20 at the door. More information is available online at TucsonArtsBrigade.org.

Skrappy’s Reopens with a New Face & Name

December 30, 2013 |
Skrappy’s Reopens 1

Tom Collins, Executive Director of City on a Hill & new leader for 191, previously known as Skrappy’s.
photo: Craig Baker

Throughout the month of December, a handful of volunteer do-gooders were hard at work gutting out the building formerly known as Skrappy’s in the Warehouse Arts District on Toole Avenue. The place was more or less in ruins, says Tom Collins, Executive Director of City on a Hill (COAH)—the Christian outreach non-profit that took over the lease on the property from Skrappy’s founder Kathy Wooldridge in November of last year. The venue and youth outreach center held its last show Saturday, Nov. 2 before closing its doors with no clear path to reopening.

Collins said that he simply expressed an interest in the property to a board member and the ball was quickly rolling to transfer control of the all ages-haven to COAH. Collins brought youth-driven Epicenter Church on board to help with outreach and operations (they will also be holding worship services on site every Sunday), and their collective progress in renovation has put the place on track for their Grand Opening celebration, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 11.

Though capacity is limited at the moment due to the fact that the building has only one bathroom (plans are in place to build a second), a lineup of nearly a dozen bands including the California-based Cool Ghouls has already signed on for the January show.

This most recent facelift marks at least the fifth iteration of the center which focuses on providing a drug and alcohol-free space where at risk and homeless teens can safely mingle. Past-lives of the center include a short-lived phase as a nightclub on Oracle, and stints downtown next to the Rialto at 201 E. Broadway Blvd., in the basement of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club on Alameda, and finally in their present location since 2009.

Skrappy’s ran as a partnership with local homeless outreach organization Our Family Services from 2002-2009, when it transitioned to self-management as the Tucson Youth Collective. The center gained some notoriety that supporters claimed was unwarranted when a man was shot to death outside the Broadway Boulevard location during a concert in December of 2005. Our Family Services settled a wrongful death suit with the victim’s family out of court for $150,000 in the summer of 2007. The lease on the Broadway location was subsequently not renewed and the group struggled to regain financial traction ever since.

Tom Collins, Executive Director of City on a Hill & new leader for 191, previously known as Skrappy’s. photo: Criag Baker

Tom Collins, Executive Director of City on a Hill & new leader for 191, previously known as Skrappy’s.
photo: Criag Baker

Collins and his friend Matt Baquet—another Skrappy’s old-schooler-turned-volunteer who works as a Booking Agent and Club Liason at Hotel Congress—say that, after the shooting, the social culture at the center really began to decline. They say it became cliquey and attracted only a small fraction of the up to 500 daily visitors the center had handled in its heyday.

“We kind of want to just open the doors with this Jan. 11 show saying, ‘Hey, anyone can be here; whatever your background, wherever you’re from, you can come and hang out’… that’s what we want to bring back (to this place),” says Collins.

In the spirit of a fresh start, though the paint on the building’s façade is not likely to change anytime soon, the name “Skrappy’s” will be going into retirement. Collins and his crew have opted for the simplified echo of the building’s address, “191,” in lieu of the traditional moniker.

Those getting their hands dirty for the project are optimistic about the prospects for the future of the roughly 12,000 square-foot center. Baquet thinks Collins’ leadership promises to usher in a new “golden age of Skrappy’s.”

“I really think this is going to be something special. Like five years down the road it’s going to be the premiere all-ages spot in Arizona,” he says, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

Like him, Collins is also looking ahead. In the ramshackle, slightly water-damaged warehouse he sees a full working kitchen, a computer gathering and conference area, a lounge. In the basement, strewn with the litter and bullet holes from previous tenants, he sees a plan for offices and a green room for visiting artists.

Though he intends to still pass out food and clothing from the location, his dream of providing counseling, job training, and eventually even paying jobs to the community’s at risk youth from 191’s warehouse site is still a long way off. But what they lack in funding these young activists make up for in energy. And it is their dedication to providing teens a safe place to go after school and on weekends that may well be what reinvigorates Tucson’s young musical culture.

191 is located at 191 E. Toole Ave. The Grand Opening Show is Saturday, Jan. 11 from about noon until the wee hours, if all goes to plan. It is a free, all-ages show.

Abstract Film Bursts onto the Downtown Art Scene

November 25, 2013 |

Dave Sherman outside his cinephile haven.
photo: Craig Baker

When David Sherman and his wife Rebecca Barten ran their first microcinema in the San Francisco area—really, the first microcinema in existence anywhere – it was in an unattached basement adjacent to the home they were renting.

“People could go in without having to go through our house,” says Sherman, “but they did all have to use our bathroom, so it could get pretty messy in there.” Their landlord at the time didn’t know they were using the underground space, says Sherman, so the venture, called Total Mobile Home Cinema, operated rent-free throughout its life the 1990s.

The couple moved with their young son to Bisbee in 2005, and, of course, they brought their passion for artistic film with them. Sherman and Barten operated within the experimental film community there for eight years before coming to Tucson in early 2013 – a move back to Sherman’s childhood roots. In October the couple nabbed a property on Toole Avenue in the Warehouse Arts District and – BOOM! Exploded View Microcinema was born.

Though somewhat tucked away—it would be easy to walk past Exploded View (EV) on a dark night without seeing it—what lies behind the black curtain partition at this rather unusual gallery may well blow your mind. Unlike a traditional movie theater, the downtown microcinema concerns itself more with rare and non-narrative films, that is to say, films with what Sherman calls an “experimental aesthetic.” These films are usually relatively short, often bittersweet with respect to production quality and subject matter, and are almost always intensely abstract—we’re talking out there.

The real appeal of the place, though, is not just in its large collection of celluloid film or its slant toward the abstract (though EV is unique in both respects in Tucson), but rather the charm of the newest cinephile haven lies primarily in its special events. The artist-in-residence installations, for example, offer an exclusive glimpse into the mind of an artist at work. Stop in on Saturday, Dec. 6 to see visual artist Noah Saterstrom’s interpretation of Theo van Doesberg’s 1921 series of visual poems titled Letterklankbeelden (Lettersoundimages).

Look to the left as you enter Exploded View to catch a glimpse of their film wall.
photo: Craig Baker

At their “artists in person” events, anyone is welcome to come and see the walls between artist, gallery space and audience come down. “Animation Explosion” on Saturday, Dec. 14 will feature a rare screening of painter Wayne Thiebaud’s film How to Make a Movie Without a Camera in the original 16mm celluloid format, along with the premiere of artist-in-residence Saterstrom’s film, Wastrels. Film not exactly your thing?  The event “<)))Audio as Experience>< Conversation” on Wednesday, Dec. 11 will feature local sound artists Glenn Weyant and Aengus Anderson as they share their experimentations in the realm of all things sonic. EV even has something for run-of-the-mill film junkies that may not be so in to the way-far-out: Carl Hanni, host of KXCI’s “The New World” on Tuesday nights, shows primarily art-based documentaries at his regular Wednesday Cine Club screenings.

But don’t mistake this hole-in-the-wall spot for just another small-time movie theater. The goal is to allow EV to function as a sort of “connective tissue” between not only artists and art lovers, but also to bridge the gap between certain artistic mediums, according to Sherman. Today, where most inter-artist and artist-audience dialogue takes place in the digital sphere, bringing artists and the viewing public together in the same space is increasingly difficult.

Sherman points out that Tucson is a place without an “extensive film art culture,” meaning that EV essentially aims to build the local medium-specific art scene from the ground up. Though the obstacles to this plan are bound to be plentiful, if the movement does take hold Tucsonans may find their community ripe for the development of something completely novel in the world of film art. Sherman is also quick to point out, that despite the lack of a film art scene, “there are just so many creative people in Tucson,” so the possibilities for video expression within our community are truly limitless.

So, the question, then, is this: is Tucson ready to undertake the development of a scene for a medium that is altogether new to this city? If so, Exploded View is waiting with open arms. And who better to start us off than the people credited with coining the term “microcinema” in the first place? Regardless of whether or not downtown Tucson ever becomes a true film art mecca, Exploded View Microcinema promises to add some funky flavor to the local art community mix.

Exploded View Microcinema is located at 197 E. Toole Ave. and online at ExplodedViewGallery.org.

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