Mar 8, 2022 Volunteer Spotlight Get to know a little more about this month’s Volunteer Spotlight: Ashi Patel! Where are you from? Bentonville, Arkansas How did you end up in Northwest Arkansas? I was born in Rogers and have grown up here ever since. What have you most enjoyed about being a volunteer at Crystal Bridges and/or the Momentary? Through volunteering with Public Event Support, I love that I’ve been able to partake in and enjoy events as I provide help. I’ve been able to experience many things such as a film festival honoring Black filmmakers, a South American Creole music exhibition, a Sons of Brasil Forest Concert, and so much more. I’ve especially taken a liking to helping with artmaking events because I usually get a chance to explore my own creative side and make some crafts to give to family and friends. I also enjoy the culture of Crystal Bridges and how its focus on art also translates to things such as facilitating cultural awareness and the pursuit of historical knowledge. What’s your favorite artwork or space at Crystal Bridges and/or the Momentary? For almost two years, North Forest Lights was my favorite at Crystal Bridges because I love the atmosphere created by the presentation of lights and music. The first time I went to experience it was a really cold night in 2019 and the lights paired with a cup of hot chocolate made for a really fun memory with my family. Before I went to the North Forest Lights for the first time, Chihuly: In the Gallery and In the Forest was one that I really enjoyed because of how vibrant the colors were and how beautiful each piece of artwork looked outside with the light reflecting through it. Where do you volunteer? If you volunteer in many different capacities, which shift do you like best? I volunteer in Public Event support mainly because it’s something different every time and allows me to experience things within the museum other than the exhibits. What do you do to relax? To relax I typically have a movie day with a lot of random snacks like chocolate tiramisu, pickles, and Sabra hummus dippers. I’ll usually watch 4-5 different movies throughout the day. I especially enjoy doing this with movie series like Marvel and Star Wars. I’ve found for this to be a good way to allow me to take my mind off of stuff that might be stressing me out and pass time. What would an ideal day in Northwest Arkansas look like for you? My ideal day would begin with having breakfast crepes at Crepes Paulette and then hanging out around the square with my family. Compton Gardens is my favorite place to go on a nice day to have a walk and then getting ice cream from the Spark Café afterward is rewarding. I would then have lunch at Onyx (they make amazing impossible tacos) and go to watch a movie at Skylight Cinema. My brother and I always go there to watch big Marvel releases such as Avengers: Infinity War, End Game, and recently, Spiderman: No Way Home. I would spend the rest of my afternoon at Climb and then have dinner at Sushi House. I would finish off the night by going to see the North Forest Lights with my family. What’s your secret super skill? This isn’t very secret but I’m apart of the Bentonville High School Color Guard program, so I’m pretty good at throwing things such as flags, wooden rifles, and sabres into the air and catching them. My favorite types of tosses are ones where I do specific tricks underneath the toss, like catching a flag behind my back. Being part of the BHS Color Guard has allowed me to discover my love for performing and break out of my shell as a person. Performing at football games and competitions is always rewarding because the feeling of finally getting a new toss reminds me that hard work, and sometimes struggle, is what produces accomplishment. If you had three wishes, what would they be? I would wish to end all humanitarian issues, be able to time travel, and for Betty White to be alive again.
