Like a rolling stone One of Flag’s most visible artists makes a move By Lindsay Friedman Published on 10/12/2006   Tirza and Louis Buchetto enjoy a moment last March at their downtown studio, My Art Place, which will stay open for the time being despite the BuchettosÕ move from Flag. Photo by Josh Biggs As a child, naivety and frivolity contribute to a life of ease, where any such worries of the world are disregarded. Local artist, Louis Buchetto, has the ability to use vibrant colors and well-defined lines to take any onlooker back to a time of childlike simplicity. He encapsulates this youthful enjoyment through his paintings, making the collaborations with his 6-year-old daughter Tirza flow naturally alongside his individual creations.      Regrettably, Flagstaff will be losing its cultivating father/daughter collaboration to the West Coast. After exactly four years of their gallery/studio having been open, the Buchettos will be relocating to Grass Valley, Calif.      “My daughter’s already up there. I’m the last on the wagon train,” says Buchetto. The move is essentially a family move, stimulated from the need to help another family member out. Buchetto has scheduled his departure for the end of the month to reunite with his daughter.      However, the gallery will be kept open after the move, although it will be going up for sale. “Someone will be owning their own Louis Buchetto art gallery,” Buchetto says, followed by a playful grin. For the next few months, he plans to commute back and forth to keep the gallery going until it’s sold.      After 10 years in town, Buchetto has become a reputable and recognized part of Flagstaff. The mural Buchetto donated to the city in July of 2004, located on Leroux Street near Route 66, will forever leave his fun-loving imprint on downtown. Almost certainly, after his departure, Buchetto will continue to be a welcomed part of the flavorful Flagstaff art culture.      At the age of 32, Buchetto pursued his passion for art. Although his entire life prior was full of artistic desires, he was not able to embrace his passion until later. However, when the idea for his first collection came to him while he was sleeping, Buchetto jumped on the opportunity to turn his ideas into a reality. “The People Collection,” was very successful and carried Buchetto for 10 years. After becoming a dad, he was soon inspired to begin a new collection full of love, family and ideals.      And, it would only seem appropriate to appoint a 6-year-old as a contributor to his latest collection, known as “The Loving Home.” So when the opportunity arose to preserve the imagination that age generally erases, Buchetto invited his daughter, Tirza, to join forces with him. Together they have 12 artwork pieces full of color and energy, and the undeniable simplicity that only a 6-year-old’s creativity could capture. His local gallery is full of more than 40 different paintings in the “The Loving Home” collection, including the 12 collaborations with Tirza.      The collection was initiated by Buchetto alone. Each painting features small, simple houses with a heart filling their centers. Each house, or set of houses, is set against brightly colored, and sometimes unusual, landscapes including a mountain range, outer-space, pizza and even the back of a zebra.      On his Web site, Buchetto writes, “This series began with the purpose of offering universal ideals and fun to the world in my own way; Tirza has certainly enriched that aim and now I see things as our way.” Tirza has added her own childish excitement to the collection, which has quickly become exceptionally popular with art collectors and the ordinary public alike. Her contributions continue to parallel the original idea of the collection, bringing forth a stronger sense of family and love.      After finding out about the family relocation, Buchetto hired a videographer to capture the spirit of the father/daughter collaboration, presenting a first-hand account of how they work together. Therefore, even after they are gone, people will still be able to share in the magic that occurs between them. The film is only two minutes long but demonstrates Tirza’s participation in the collaborative pieces, as well as how they finally come together.      In addition to Buchetto’s hand-painted originals and fine art gicleé reproductions, which line the walls in the high-spirited gallery, customers can also purchase magnets, greeting cards, and book marks, as well as custom painted furniture. Tirza has greeting cards showcasing her original drawings for sale in the store. She has also launched into doing her own digital drawings just like dad, and her paintings are also for sale.      As a thank you to Flagstaff for the generous support through the years, Buchetto will be offering a sale on his art pieces. So, for those local people interested in owning a piece of the “Loving Home Series,” stop by My Art Place Studio, 20 N. Leroux. For more information, call 214-7144 or visit www.my-art-place.com.