ABOUT:
​Freelance painter, Illustrator, and graphic designer, ​Akimal O'Otham, Pee-posh, Quechan, Pawnee, and Hispanic from the Gila River Indian Community. Read More

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LOCAL SKATE COMPANY PRODUCES FIRST CUSTOM SKATE DECK DESIGN
​August 3, 2018

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Aaron J. Tohtsoni
Gila River Indian News

During Go Skateboarding Day, Seven Layer Army Skateboards unveiled their first custom skate deck that was designed by co-owner Paul Molina, a landmark achievement for the relatively small company.

The exclusive design featured the Seven Layer Army logo on the nose of the board. The tail of the board had the logos of the sponsors from Go Skateboarding Day.

The deck holds the exclusive graphic design by Molina.

The overall design is based on the desert landscape and enduring the heat. It features a cactus mimicking a hand.

Sticking out of the bottom of the cactus hand is a bone and features a “7” at the bottom. Little icons within the cactus are an owl, star, lightning bolt and a bird.

The little icons are what Molina described as “lucky charms.” Molina said the design encompasses many traits of a skateboarder and skateboarding.

The owl, which is seated in the cactus, can find its home in anything.

The bird represents the free-flowing personality skateboarders are known for. Also, when landing aerial tricks, skaters’ silhouettes look like birds flying and skateboarders are often in groups like bird flocks.

The bone represents how strong skaters are, falling down but always getting back up. The “7” at the bottom represents the seven districts of the Community. “I don’t really tell anyone about them,” said Molina, referring to the symbols. “I like to leave it up to the person viewing it.

Anyone that is looking at it will perceive it their own way. I wanted to do something off the wall and fuse together my own artwork style and skateboarding.”

Despite this being the first deck produced by Seven Layer Army Skateboards, they will produce more exclusive designs for upcoming skating events in the Community. However, they will not be available for purchase and will only be available at the specific events that they are designed for.

The decks were produced in California by a small company. Before the skateboarding event, Molina and co-owner Reuben Ringlero did a live unveiling on Seven Layer Army’s Instagram account.

The pair has received positive feedback and general inquiries about obtaining one of the decks.

There were 30 boards given out in various sizes on assorted wood colors. “I wanted to do something different than just giving out t-shirts,” said Ringlero.

For the pair, it’s about giving back to the Community youth. Whether that’s encouraging a healthy lifestyle by skating and being active or helping local kids develop their own passions.

Ringlero, a graphic/web/video designer, and Molina, a local artist, allow kids to photograph and record their events to help them find a niche that they want to pursue and hope it inspires them.

The next event that will have a custom Seven Layer Army deck will be the Mustering-In Day Celebration held in the Maricopa Colony in September.

“It’s still kind of unreal that we made a board,” said Ringlero. “I never thought I’d be doing stuff like this when I was skating 10-15 years ago. It’s a very cool feeling to give that back to the kids.”

LINK:www.gricnews.org

TRIBAL EDUCATION COLLABORATES WITH ARTIST TO PROMOTE READING
​March 8, 2018

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Christopher Lomahquahu
Gila River Indian News

A local artist has recently used his brush and colorful imagination towards a Community reading project.

Out in the Westend of the Gila River Indian Community a new addition was recently installed at the District 7 Multipurpose Building on March 8.

Paul Molina, Pee Posh, was on-hand to talk about his collaboration with the Tribal Education Department on a small library.

TED Literacy Coordinator DeAnna Ringlero said the small libraries, which look similar to a miniature house are meant to promote reading throughout the Community.

The mini library project is part of the Growing Readers, Developing Leaders initiative to get families reading together of all ages.

The libraries will be stocked with books and will operate using the honor system, in that readers can barrow and return a book.

“The premise of the little library is to take a book, leave a book, so when families come and get a book, and bring it back, they can exchange it for another family friendly book without the checkout system,” said Ringlero.

She said that if a book isn’t returned, it is fine, because there will be more books to stock up the libraries, because the idea is that families are reading them.

Paul Molina said when he was approached about the idea of creating the design of the library he wanted to incorporate imagery that are familiar with the Pee Posh community.

“I wanted to incorporate a lot if imagery from the Pee Posh/Maricopa tribe depicting butterflies,” he said.

In his signature style of organic shapes and lines to create subject matter, Molina illustrated the agricultural land that surrounds the District 7 Multipurpose building.

He also included the Estrella mountains, which are a notable landmark of the area and the native vegetation and wildlife like the saguaro cactus and tortoise.

“When the Spanish came to this area they seen the Maricopa woman and they had their faces painted like butterflies and that’s where the name Maricopa (Mariposa) comes from, that’s where I’m depicting the butterflies on top of the little library,” said Molina.

Now that the mini library project has started, Ringlero said they are looking for more artist to paint the other mini libraries that will go out to the districts.

She said if anyone is interested in reaching out to TED to paint a mini library in their district, they can contact TED.

For those, who want to paint a mini library, Ringlero said they encourage the artist to design it reflecting their district and to incorporate imagery around literacy and to contact them about their interest.

LINK:www.gricnews.org

RIDERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GILA RIVER PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE
​August 19, 2016

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Christopher Lomahquahu
Gila River Indian News

Many of us have now become familiar with the sight of white transit buses ferrying riders from stop to stop.




The Gila River Public Transit service sees the remainder of the year as a time to make even bigger strides.




Since beginning service in January and February of this year, the GRPT has observed a 30 percent increase in riders each month.




They know that sooner or later their routes will need to expand to meet the growing numbers of riders.




GRICDOT Acting Transportation Planner Gregory McDowell said, “At the end of this year we are going to bring in a consulting firm.




​They are going to evaluate our current services and the need for service in other areas of the Community.”




McDowell said that GRICDOT has applied for additional funding under what is called the Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 program to continue operation for two years.




If awarded more funding, in the second year of the grant (Fiscal Year 2018), GRPT would like to purchase an additional two buses to increase their service and to keep one on standby if one breaks down and needs repair.




Under the FTA 5311 funds, the GRPT is required to form a Transportation Advisory Committee.




The TAC, which will consist of GRIC stakeholders, will provide recommendations on service quality and effectiveness and will report to the Arizona Department of Transportation.




According to McDowell, they hired a fourth driver to get up to full staff and are expected to hire a permanent transit manager to handle the day-to-day operations.




McDowell understands that sooner or later their transit service will need to expand service hours and routes as the year comes to a close.




He said currently, “District 3 has been our most populous route ahead of Districts 6 and 7. ... More and more people are relying on the bus and it’s a good thing people are utilizing [this] service.”




At the moment, GRPT will maintain the number of bus stops but has plans to expand its operating time by one extra hour, which means it will begin service at 7:00 am and end at 6:00 pm to accommodate people traveling to work.




Towards the end of this month, GRPT will conduct a ridership survey to collect comments and feedback.




The surveys will be available on each of the buses and will have a drop box for people to submit their completed form.




McDowell said they would like to receive as many responses as possible from the people that are actually using the service to learn about what they can improve on.




As for the buses themselves, they will get a lot more recognizable when they receive a new design that was created by Community artist Paul Molina of District 7.




GRPT held a design contest with four concept designs people could vote on, but in the end, Molina’s entry was voted as the most favored design.




The design, with its inspirations from traditional pottery and basket weaving, will be printed on vinyl and cover the entire side of the bus.




The future looks bright for GRPT and with a new look, it will surely attract more riders and possibly see more stops and routes in the future.




LINK:www.gricnews.org

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Currently accepting commissions. Please be clear in what exactly it is you would like me to visualize for you.

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